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Intercultural Attitudes: The Iceberg Model

2022.09.26
  • Calum Adamson **Photo courtesy of Jean Christophe Andre @pexels.com**
  • LearningTechniques|LanguageLearning
  • Intermediate
  • 2022

In life, we need to interact with other people. Not long ago, most communication took place by speaking face-to-face, but these days we communicate a lot using technology which is incredibly fast and globally connected. Since technology and cheap travel have allowed us to make contact with people all over the world very easily, it is increasingly important to be aware of the effect that culture has on communication. 


Many people understand it is valuable to understand the culture of others. However, it is first important to examine yourself and your own culture. What are your social attitudes? Why do you think like that? What is polite or impolite for you? Why do you have those ideas? Are these basic ideas that everyone in the world has, or are they different from country to country, group to group? Understanding your own attitudes is the first step to knowing the culture of others, and you should be aware that some deep beliefs that we hold are not universal. 


The iceberg is a very helpful image to use when we consider culture. Like an iceberg, only a part of culture is easy to see and understand. Some things like clothing, food, different styles of greeting may be on the surface and easily seen as different. However, other important aspects of culture such as moral, social, or political beliefs may be much more difficult to notice, even about ourselves. 


To look at a simple example, let’s consider the issue of speaking out or being silent in class. Many Asian students wish to study abroad in Europe and English-speaking countries around the world. However, sometimes cultural misunderstandings happen in class. For many students from an East Asian culture, it is considered polite to listen carefully and quietly to what the teacher is saying. This is an educational attitude that has been taught carefully for generations and is easy to see in educational settings today. However, in other countries, this idea may not be well-understood. Western-educated teachers tend to reward students who speak out during classes. Their educational attitude is that older children and young adults should be able to discuss issues in class and learn through dialogue. Western teachers may have a negative attitude to students who are too quiet, believing them to be uninterested in the lesson, or that they do not have an opinion. 


In this example, it is easy to see that both teacher and the student would benefit from understanding each other’s deep cultural attitudes to education and learning. The teacher should understand that their East Asian students may communicate differently in class, and the student should understand their responsibility to show curiosity and contribute in an active way to get a good score for the class. Without understanding the hidden aspects of each cultural belief, we may create a misunderstanding that has real-world consequences. 


In the end, it is important to recognize that everyone has a background culture that affects how they communicate with others. Like the iceberg, some of these ideas and attitudes may be hidden to some extent. Trying to understand your own attitudes, and those of others, will definitely help you to connect more effectively in the global society and avoid misunderstandings. As we interact ever more freely in the modern world, I would encourage all language students to also consider the role of culture in the way we communicate. 


Q1. Why is it even more important these days that we are aware of cultural differences?

 

Q2. Why is the iceberg a good symbol of culture?

 

Q3. Do western teachers tend to reward quiet or outspoken students?

 

 

Scroll down for the answers to the quiz.




















A1. Technology and cheap, easy travel have allowed us to connect with people all over the world very easily.

A2. Because much of it is hidden

A3. Outspoken

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