**Welcome to SOME of the day to day cultural differences that I’ve encountered, have had, or are learning to deal with, live with and CHANGE!!! **

Cultural Differences

“Individualism” (i.e. USA): giving priority to one’s own goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes.

“Collectivism” (i.e AFRICA) giving priority to the goals of one’s groups and defining one’s identity in terms of group attributes.

Social Differences:

Collectivists tend to have fewer interpersonal relationships, but the one’s they have are typically stable and longer lasting.

In social situations, collectivists avoid blunt honesty, avoid sensitive issues, and exhibit a self-effacing humor as ways of preserving social harmony.

Collectivists are more likely than individualists to prejudge people based on group identity.

Individualists are more likely to prejudge people based on obvious personal attributes.

Differences in Child Rearing

Western culture attempts to develop the independence of the child by training them to think for themselves, and allow them to make their own choices in many areas.

Collectivistic cultures encourage the development of group identities by teaching communal sensitivity and cooperation, and advising the child on important matters.

Communicating in a foreign culture

For Individualists living in a collectivist culture:

Avoid confrontation and confrontational issues

Work on cultivating long-term relationships without expecting instant closeness.

Present oneself modestly  

Each cultural viewpoint has its own benefits and drawbacks

Western cultures: people enjoy more personal freedoms, take greater pride in individual accomplishments, enjoy more privacy, and live with more spontaneity than people in collectivist cultures. However, individuals in western culture are also suffer from more loneliness and depression, higher divorce and homicide rates, and are more vulnerable to stress related diseases.