There is a common assumption that ‘people are people’ and that we are basically the same around the world. If looking at this from the standpoint of basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and safety, this may be true, but it doesn’t consider values, beliefs, and adaptation to different biological, social, and environmental needs. Similarity also equates to perceptions of familiarity, comfort, and safety and as such makes interactions easier if people can somehow disregard or ignore difference.
Assumption of similarity does not often extend to the expectation of a common verbal language, but it does interfere when observing nonverbal cues. All people show fear, happiness, sadness, anger, and so on, and this can reinforce the notion of similarity, but cultural conditioning establishes the extent to which emotions will be displayed and under what circumstances. A person in Vietnam may smile when in an uncomfortable situation, while someone in Lithuania may appear completely emotionless even in the most heated of arguments.
Cultural Snapshot
While an assumption of similarity can occur from individuals within any cultural group, Japanese people (to generalize) take an interesting twist on this. They not only believe that there is difference, but that they are the ones that are uniquely different from the rest of the world. While attempts are made to understand other cultures, there is no expectation that other cultures will understand them.
Self-reflection:
What are some of the past, present, and possible future effects of this worldview?
In Module 1, we used the Iceberg Model to describe different levels of culture. At the observable, ‘ways of doing’ level, it can be easy to get caught up in the sameness of a new setting. For example, a person from Paris traveling to Tokyo, New York, or Singapore may see each of these cities as alike because of modern shopping centers, dress, public transportation, and chain hotels / restaurants. The deceptiveness of these visible signs of culture can keep the underlying differences hidden. This can pose a problem when the underlying differences of culture appear during business and social interactions.
When holding onto an assumption of similarity, it is easier to misread, and as such, judge situations on what is right and wrong from the standpoint of our own culture. This positioning puts a focus on our own culture as being better or somehow superior to the host culture.
The problem does go both ways, it’s not just a dilemma faced by the visitor, but also by a person who is part of the host culture. The host person can be influenced by the visitor’s dress, or ability to speak some of their language, and assume similarity in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Examples of this come from international students. The following are a few things said by both international students and hosts (Canadian).
Examples:
Japanese student: I was very happy when I went to the grocery store and the person working at the checkout counter asked me many questions about my home country, and about my time in Canada. If people speak to you this way in my town in Japan, they want to be your friend. After a few shopping trips, I asked the person if they wanted to do something social. I was given a rather confused look. After a while, I learned that Canadians like to make small talk, but it seems so superficial to me.
German student: It was an easy transition to move from Germany and study in Canada. The city I lived in was modern, people looked and dressed like me, and public transport was efficient – I felt comfortable. I did feel at times that Canadians were ‘too friendly’ and smiled at me too much. I wish they would have respected my privacy more.
Canadian student: I had a lot of international friends who studied with me in my international relations program. I made friends with a student from Iran and she and I always discussed serious topics like human rights, and the environment. It was amazing how two people from two different cultures could be so connected. I expressed my concern over LGBTIQ abuses in many countries and she told me that this was not an acceptable topic to discuss. How could she call herself a human rights advocate?
Nigerian student: I was doing my PhD in Canada and met so many likeminded people. It was easy to live on campus, meet with other students, and attend social events. My advisor would invite me and other students out occasionally for drinks. This was a great honor for me, but I found the Canadian students quite disrespectful. They would joke around with our advisor and even call him by his first name.
Canadian student: The students from South Korea are friendly, easy to speak to, and joke around, just like my local friends in Vancouver. I am confused when they are in class and are so quiet. They don’t speak, they never ask questions, and seem annoyed when Canadian students give input. They are probably shy or unable to keep up with the work.
Self-reflection:
- Have you ever ‘assumed similarity’ when interacting with a person from a different culture?
- At what point did you realize there were differences between the two of you? How did you interpret or evaluate the situation?