ethnocentrism and the lewis model of cultural classification

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11/10/2014 Ethnocentr ism and the Lewis Model of Cultural Classification |

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Ethnocentrism and the Lewis Model of

Cultural Classification

(http://indievolunteer.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/colorcodingmjgsmall1.gif)THE LEWIS MODEL OF CULTURAL CLASSIFICATION. DRAW A TRIANGLE OF THE LR, MRAND R NUMBER SCORES THAT YOU RECEIVE THAT THE RESULT WILL BE THAT YOURLOCATION ON THE DIAGRAM IS YOUR CULTURAL PROFILE. THE COUNTRIES CLOSE TOAND CONNECTED TO YOUR CULTURAL PROFILE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU ARE MOSTCOMPATIBLE WITH/IDENTIFY WITH.

I received the biggest cultural shock of my life when I arrived in Mainland China. I remember howcompletely bewildered and at times, judgmental, I was in China. Meanwhile my family is Chinese andI study Anthropology (and had studied ancient and contemporary Chinese culture).

No matter how cross-culturally competent one is, we all suffer from ethnocentricity. Ethnocentricity isin the internal infrastructure of the culture that we grow up in. This manifests itself in people thinkingthat the infrastructure of their home country is superior to the country that they are visiting, that theway that other people do things is wrong, inefficient, or just plain mind-boggling. At some point,people can begin to feel disillusioned, confused, and frustrated. The values that they have internalized
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are being turned upside down and challenged by a culture that they do not understand. This is whylearning the language and talking with as many people from that particular country is a good idea. Itwill help you come closer to understanding their mentality, their point of view, and the reason that thedo things. You can begin to curb your stereotyping of them, as ethnocentricity often breeds negativstereotyping and promotes an us versus them mentality. Hopefully, you will begin to understandand start to appreciate elements of this foreign culture, and will perhaps even experience reversecultural shock when you return home.

Im closer to that point with Chinese culture. While I was in Hong Kong, I volunteered for theInternational Art Fair (I gave art tours to children. Remember that you can volunteer for anything,anywhere, folks!) and I met many Mainland Chinese artists. Talking with them in Mandarin abouttheir works, the themes that they chose to present and the issues that these themes represented, helpedme to see more from their point of view, the worldview from which some Chinese understand the worland survive in their society. This is something that growing up in a Chinese family didnt teach me todo, because I separated myself from my mother identity-wise early on. Thats why Chinese culture isnot something that I say that I personally identify with. Thats the second element that I will bring inhere: personality compatibility.
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(http://indievolunteer.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/dscn7346.jpg)WILSON SHIEH, A HK ARTIST, JUXTAPOSES TYPICALLY MASCULINE ELEMENTS WITHNUDE FEMALES HERE. BESIDES THE FACT THAT WOMEN ARE SEXUALLY EVALUATEDBEFORE ALL, THESE ASIAN WOMEN ARE PAINTED IN THE TRADITIONAL GONG-BI STYLEAND LOOK DEMURE AND IMPASSIVE: THINGS THAT CHINESE SOCIETY HIGHLY VALUESIN GOOD WOMEN.
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(http://indievolunteer.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/dscn7406.jpg)LETS JUST SAY THAT THE CHINESE DO NOT VALUE THE EXPRESSION OF ONESOPINION.

In her book The Global Citizen (http://www.amazon.com/Global-Citizen-Creating-International-Career/dp/1580083528), Elizabeth Kreumpelmann calls this discovering your cultural profile.Interestingly enough, your cultural profile is not necessarily determined by the culture that you comefrom, even though we all are affected by ethnocentricity. She says, Many global citizens, by the verynature of our interests in other cultures, deviate from the cultural norm of our societies to someextent. Finding out where you stand, culturally speaking, will help you understand yourself better

compared to the culture in which you choose to live, travel, and work. And it will give you an overviewof the similarities and differences of various other cultures (34).

A very useful model for finding out your personal cultural profile is the Lewis Model of CulturalClassification. The Richard Lewis Communications Plc (www.crossculture.com) is a cross-culturaltraining organization known for its 50 years of extensive research and training in cross cultural issues.There are three cultural categories of the Lewis Model: linear-active, multi-active, and reactive.

HOW TO FIND YOUR CULTURAL CLASSIFICATION:
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1. Find your cultural profile by answering the fifteen question survey. Circle the description that bestdescribes you out of the three choices.2. Transfer the totals for each column (linear active (L), multi active (M) and reactive (R)) to the LMR

box.3. Plot your LMR score on the numbered lines in the triangular diagram.4. After you fill in and circle your LMR score, connect the dots as shown to form a triangle. Place a dotin the middle of the triangle. This dot represents where your natural preferences stand in relation to the

cultures of the world.

Lewis Model Summary: How close is your cultural profile to the countries that you plan to visit? Howmuch are you prepared to adapt your thinking and behavior? Even with cultures that are similar toyour profile, do you know what the differences are?

LINEAR-ACTIVE MULTI-ACTIVE REACTIVE

Talks half the time Talks most of the time Listens most of the time

Gets data from stats,research

Solicits information first-hand frompeople

Uses both data and peoplesources

Plans ahead step by step Plans grand outline only Looks at general principles

Polite but direct Emotional Polite and indirect

Partly conceals feelings Displays feelings Conceals feelings

Confronts with logic Confronts emotionally Never confronts

Dislikes losing face Has good excuses Must not lose face

Compartmentalizes projects Lets one project influence another Sees the whole picture

Rarely interrupts Often interrupts Doesnt interruptJob-oriented People-oriented Very people-oriented

Sticks to the facts Juggles the facts Statements are promises

Truth before diplomacy Flexible truth Diplomacy over truth

Sometimes impatient Impatient Patient

Limited body language Unlimited body language Subtle body language

Respects officialdom Pulls strings Networks

Separates the social &professional

Interweaves the social & professional Connects the social &professional

Does one thing at a time Multi tasks Reacts to partners action

Punctuality very important Punctuality not important Punctuality important

TOTAL = TOTAL = TOTAL =

Linear-Active Cultures: tend to be data and fact oriented. Speech is mainly used to exchangeinformation. Linear-active cultures tend to stick to planned agendas, work fixed hours, be resultsoriented and gain status through achievement. Linear-active people will secure deals by compromising


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Contracts are binding and short-term profit is most desirable. In general, linear-active countries rarelyborrow or give. The cultures at the high number end of this scale are Germany, Switzerland, the U.S.Athe United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, and Norway.Multi-Active Cultures: are dialogue oriented. In general, the people are animated, they love to talk(usually quite fast), they show their emotions, and they value relationships. Multi-actives like a flexiblework schedule and sometimes they ignore the rules. They would rather win an argument thancompromise. Because relationships are more important than fixed appointments, they tend to complet

meetings with friends or colleagues before moving on to the next meeting, even if that means showingup later than the scheduled time. Multi-actives achieve status in their culture by having charismaticpersonalities and connections. In business, having a good relationship with the client is deemed moreimportant than drawing up a contract, which is considered more idealistic than realistic. Pulling stringand doing favors is a way of business and life. Latinos, Spaniards, Portuguese, Italians, Greeks etc areat the heart of the multi active scale, followed by some African and Arab cultures.Reactive: cultures are the polite listeners of the cultural categories. They prefer a slower-paced dialoguto have time to reflect on what is being said, they are sometimes suspicious of fast talkers. They neverconfront as they must never lose face. In addition, reactive cultures prefer to live in harmony withpeople and the environment. Speech is a reflection of their desire to promote harmony in relationships,

as is the practice of compromising. Reactive cultures are respectful and give ritually, but rarely borrowA person gains status in this society through birthright and education. In business, long-term profit anincreased market share are important. Ancient philosophies like Confucianism dominate the way oflife. Reactive cultures are found typically in Asia, with China, Japan, and Vietnam being at the far endof the spectrum.Remember that individual behaviors vary but the general conclusions that this model can provide areinvaluable ! As for me, my natural tendencies mostly mirror those of multi-active cultures. My scorewas L 1 M 11 R 3 and not surprising as I love to talk and value relationships, y es que tambin bailosalsa! (Although that actually has nothing to do with the Lewis Model, I would add love of and

willingness to dance to the survey).


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(https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0312/5aa5fae51bf99/5aa5faeb13639.jpDANCING SALSA WITH MY FAMILY IN CARTAGENA; IT WAS THE AUNTS BIRTHDAY. WEPLAYED OLD SALSA RECORDS UNTIL LATE MORNING
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(http://indievolunteer.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/dscn4978.jpg)FRIENDS THAT I MADE AT A SALSA PARTY AND MET AGAIN AT ANOTHER ONE ON THEOUTSKIRTS OF PARIS.

What do you think about the Lewis Model? What is your own cultural profile? Does that fit with yourworldview and experiences in other cultures?+

JUNE 16, 2011NE 16, 2011

BYBY

ANINI

CHINESE CULTUREHINESE CULTURE

, ETHNOCENTRISIMTHNOCENTRISIM

, HONG KONGONG KONG

,STEREOTYPES

TEREOTYPES

+

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