scholarly journals Multiculturalism in Canada : Symbolic Boundaries and the Institutionalization of Difference

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Structural Organization ◽  
Symbolic Boundaries ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Meaningful Difference ◽  
Political Landscape ◽  
Multicultural Policy ◽  
Is Integration ◽  
Metaphorical Extension

This paper explores how people are constructed into groups, and how these constructions are reinforced by the ideology of multiculturalism in Canada. I am primarily concerned with the metaphorical use of the border concept in the context of Multicultural Canada, and if and how the current ideology of multiculturalism reifies cultural distinctions and, in complex ways, contributes to divisiveness and disunity within Canada. The goal of Canada's Multicultural policy is integration via acceptance of difference. Yet, the principle or logic underlying the policy rests on the premise that cultural variation is discontinuous. Thus, Canadian multiculturalism's undue emphasis on cultural differences means that such differences, whether superficial or substantive, are abstracted into meaningful difference through the metaphorical extension of border concepts. As such, multiculturalism has left unchanged the structural organization of power in the cultural and political landscape of Canada.

scholarly journals Multiculturalism in Canada : Symbolic Boundaries and the Institutionalization of Difference

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Structural Organization ◽  
Symbolic Boundaries ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Meaningful Difference ◽  
Political Landscape ◽  
Multicultural Policy ◽  
Is Integration ◽  
Metaphorical Extension

This paper explores how people are constructed into groups, and how these constructions are reinforced by the ideology of multiculturalism in Canada. I am primarily concerned with the metaphorical use of the border concept in the context of Multicultural Canada, and if and how the current ideology of multiculturalism reifies cultural distinctions and, in complex ways, contributes to divisiveness and disunity within Canada. The goal of Canada's Multicultural policy is integration via acceptance of difference. Yet, the principle or logic underlying the policy rests on the premise that cultural variation is discontinuous. Thus, Canadian multiculturalism's undue emphasis on cultural differences means that such differences, whether superficial or substantive, are abstracted into meaningful difference through the metaphorical extension of border concepts. As such, multiculturalism has left unchanged the structural organization of power in the cultural and political landscape of Canada.

Connections Between Cultures: Using Empirical Distributions for Measuring Cultural Differences

2020 ◽  
pp. 002202212098237
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Messner
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Distance Measures ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Group Level ◽  
Psychological Phenomena ◽  
Empirical Distributions ◽  
Leibler Divergence ◽  
Country Differences ◽  
Cross Country

The past few decades have seen an explosion in the interest in cultural differences and their impact on many aspects of business management. A noticeable feature of most academic studies and practitioner approaches is the predominant use of national boundaries and group-level averages as delimiters and proxies for culture. However, this largely ignores the significance that intra-country differences and cross-country similarities can have for identifying psychological phenomena. This article argues for the importance of considering intra-cultural variation for establishing connections between two different cultures. It uses empirical distributions of cultural values that occur naturally within a country, thereby making intracultural differences interpretable and actionable. For measuring cross-country differences, the Gini/Weitzman overlapping index and the Kullback-Leibler divergence coefficient are used as difference measures between two distributions. The properties of these measures in comparison to traditional group-level mean-based distance measures are analyzed, and implications for cross-cultural and international business research are discussed.

Dimensions of Cultural Variation

2019 ◽  
pp. 67-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter B. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Social Norms ◽  
Multilevel Modeling ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Measurement Bias ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Close Attention ◽  
The Social ◽  
Do So

To understand cultural differences, we need to find ways to characterize the variations in the social contexts in which people are located. To do so, we must focus on differences between contexts rather than differences between individuals. Most research of this type has examined differences between nations in terms of dimensions. Treating each nation as a unit, contrasts have been identified in terms of values, beliefs, self-descriptions, and social norms. The most influential difference identified concerned the dimension of individualism–collectivism, which has provided the theoretical framework for numerous studies. The validity of this type of investigation rests on close attention to aspects of measurement to ensure that respondents are able to make the necessary judgments and to respond in ways that are not affected by measurement bias. Where many nations are sampled, multilevel modeling can be used to show the ways in which dimensions of culture affect social behaviors.

scholarly journals Cross-Cultural Variations in Extreme Rejecting and Extreme Affirming Response Styles

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (8) ◽  
pp. 955-971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tieyuan Guo ◽  
Roy Spina
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Response Style ◽  
Response Styles ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Cultural Variations ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Country Level ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Individual

Previous research has discussed cultural differences in moderacy vs extremity response styles. The present research found that cultural differences in response styles were more complex than previously speculated. We investigated cross-cultural variations in extreme rejecting versus affirming response biases. Although research has indicated that overall Chinese have less extreme responses than Westerners, the difference may be mainly driven by extreme rejecting responses because respondents consider answering survey questions as a way of interacting with researchers, and extreme rejecting responses may disrupt harmony in relationships, which is valued more in Chinese collectivistic culture than in Western individualistic cultures. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that Chinese had less extreme rejecting response style than did British, whereas they did not differ in extreme affirming response style. Study 2 further revealed that the cross-cultural asymmetry in extreme rejecting versus affirming response styles was partially accounted for by individualism orientation at the individual level. Consistently, Study 3 revealed that at the country level, individualism was positively associated with extreme rejecting response style, but was not associated with extreme affirming response style, suggesting that individualism accounted for the asymmetric cultural variation in extreme rejecting versus affirming response styles.

Culture, Relationship Norms, and Dual Entitlement

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haipeng (Allan) Chen ◽  
Lisa E Bolton ◽  
Sharon Ng ◽  
Dongwon Lee ◽  
Dian Wang
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Culture Study ◽  
Fairness Perceptions ◽  
Asymmetric Pricing ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Relationship Norms ◽  
Communal Norms

Abstract According to the dual entitlement principle, consumers find it fair for firms to price asymmetrically to cost changes—that is, for firms to increase prices when costs increase but maintain prices when costs decrease. However, a meta-analysis reveals asymmetric pricing is less prevalent in collectivistic (vs. individualistic) countries (study 1). We propose a fairness-based explanation, demonstrating that interdependent consumers in collectivistic cultures perceive asymmetric pricing to be less fair than do independent consumers in individualistic cultures (studies 2, 4, and 5). We attribute this cultural variation to culture-specific relationship norms. Specifically, we argue that while the practice of asymmetric pricing is consistent with the exchange norms among independent consumers that emphasize self-interest pursuit, it is inconsistent with the communal norms among interdependent consumers mandating firm benevolence. Supporting this argument, we find that (a) directly manipulating communal (vs. exchange) norms yields similar differences in fairness perceptions that mimic those due to culture (study 3), (b) the cultural differences are mediated by the communal mandate for firm benevolence (study 4), and (c) the cultural differences are mitigated when a firm frames asymmetric pricing as benevolent (study 5). We conclude by discussing the theoretical and managerial implications of these findings.

Sequence Organization

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chase Wesley Raymond
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Structural Feature ◽  
Structural Organization ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Sequence Organization ◽  
Sequential Structure

The adjacency pair is the most basic and normatively accountable sequential structure in interaction. This structure can be expanded through pre-sequences, insert-sequences, and post-expansions, which can be seen to be relevantly oriented to by interactants themselves. Various forces drive this normative organization, including issues related to epistemics, intersubjectivity, progressivity, and affiliation. Larger structures—for example, sequences of sequences, overall structural organization, and storytelling—also exist in interaction but are nonetheless composed of smaller units of talk. While potentially open to a certain amount of cultural variation, sequence organization exists cross-linguistically and cross-culturally as a general structural feature of human social interaction.

Culture and Lay Theories of Change

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Zhang ◽  
Li-Jun Ji ◽  
Tieyuan Guo
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Internal State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Lay Theories ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
East Asians ◽  
North Americans ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Theories Of Change ◽  
Over Time

Lay theories of change refer to beliefs people hold about how events develop over time and are related to each other. This chapter reviews cultural differences in lay theories of change between East Asians and Euro-Americans/Canadians. The overarching theme from the existing research is that East Asians tend to believe more than Westerners that phenomena change in a cyclical way, whereas Westerners tend to believe that events are either relatively stable or develop in a linear fashion. This cultural variation is manifested in a wide range of predictions and decisions. Furthermore, Euro–North Americans are more likely than East Asians to hold linear beliefs about the correspondence between cause and effect in magnitude, and between appearance and reality (e.g., a strong appearance corresponds to a strong internal state). The chapter also discusses the cultural underpinnings of lay theories of change and directions for future research.

scholarly journals Enhanced Cognitive Flexibility in the Seminomadic Himba

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Pope ◽  
Joël Fagot ◽  
Adrien Meguerditchian ◽  
David A. Washburn ◽  
William D. Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cognitive Set ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Solution Strategy ◽  
Viable Option ◽  
Cross Cultural Differences

Through codified rule-use, humans can accurately solve many problems. Yet, mechanized strategies can also be costly. After adopting a solution strategy, humans often become blind to alternatives, even when those alternatives are more efficient. Termed cognitive set, this failure to switch from a familiar strategy to a better alternative has been considered universally human. Yet, our understanding of this phenomenon is derived almost exclusively from Western subjects. In this study, we used the nonverbal Learned Strategy–Direct Strategy (LS-DS) touchscreen task in which subjects are presented with an opportunity to use either a learned strategy or a more efficient, but novel, shortcut. We found that the remote, seminomadic Himba of northern Namibia exhibited enhanced shortcut-use on the LS-DS task, challenging the claim that cognitive set affects humans universally. In addition, we found that altering subjects’ conceptualization of the shortcut as a viable option significantly enhanced its subsequent use in Western but not Himba participants. We discuss how other aspects of cultural variation, namely, environmental uncertainty and educational background, might contribute to the observed cross-cultural differences in flexible strategy-use.

Cross-cultural differences in children's emotional reactions to a disappointing situation

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia T. Garrett-Peters ◽  
Nathan A. Fox
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Negative Behaviors ◽  
Cross Cultural Differences ◽  
Social Monitoring ◽  
Statistical Trends

Cross-cultural differences in emotional expressions following disappointment were examined in 59 Chinese American (CA) and 58 European American (EA) children. Children aged four or seven participated in a disappointing gift situation. Dimensions of expressive behaviors following disappointment were coded and included positive, negative, social monitoring, and tension behaviors. Significant main effects emerged for ethnicity and age, with EA children and older children demonstrating more positive behaviors than CA children and younger children, respectively. Younger children also demonstrated significantly more negative behaviors than older children. This main effect was qualified by a nearly significant age by ethnicity interaction, indicating developmental differences in the negative expressions for the EA group, but not for the CA group. Among the CA group, child adaptation of Western values was inversely associated with negative expressions, and a positive trend was found for positive expressions. Statistical trends were also found in which boys demonstrated more negative behaviors than girls and in which EA children demonstrated more total expressive behaviors than CA children. Implications of these findings are discussed with regard to cultural and familial processes, as well as cultural variation in children's cognitions about emotions.

scholarly journals EXPRESS: Digital Consumer Engagement: National Cultural Differences and Cultural Tightness

2021 ◽  
pp. 1069031X2110057
Author(s):  
Frauke Mattison Thompson ◽  
Keith D. Brouthers
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Online Advertising ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Industry Data ◽  
Consumer Engagement ◽  
Foreign Markets ◽  
Digital Ecosystem ◽  
Digital Engagement ◽  
Sharing Behavior

The digital ecosystem makes entry into foreign markets easier and provides new ways for consumers to engage with marketing materials (through content clicking, sharing, and electronic word-of mouth behavior). While there is emerging evidence that between-country cultural differences may impact digital consumer engagement (particularly eWOM), we know far less about its impact on online advertising clicking and sharing engagement or how within-country cultural variation (tightness/looseness) moderates this activity. In this study we develop and test the notion that cultural differences between- and within-countries lead to variations in digital consumer engagement, especially clicking and sharing behavior. Based on industry data provided by a programmatic advertising firm, we find support for the idea that between-country differences in national cultural values impact digital engagement, and that within-country cultural variation moderates these relations. In this way we provide new insights for researchers and managers about international marketing in the digital age.

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