Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Type and Culture

I have been fascinated by cultural differences in behaviors, as I, myself, am bi-cultural. I know first-hand that there are definite differences in the over-all cultural persona, for lack of a better word. I will be working with a group of couples in inter-cultural marriages (Korean wives with American husbands) this weekend, so I've been doing some research.

I found the following information in one of CPP's reference materials, "Type and Culture":

The booklet looks at two models of cultural differences:

1) GLOBE/Hofstede's Dimensions of Culture, based on information from the book, Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies (2004) (Yikes!!.. $135 for the book??? I'll just take their word for it...)

2) Trompenaars' Seven Factors of Culture, based on information from the book, Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business (1997)

You may be yawning by now, but bear with me...

The GLOBE/Hofstede's model deals with nine dimensions of culture (started out with five, but the added four more after additional research):
1) Power Distance - The extent to which a community accepts and endorses authority, power, differences, and status privileges

2) and 3) Collectivism - The extent to which a culture encourages and rewards collective distribution of resources and collective action.

4) Uncertainty Avoidance - The degree to which members of a culture seek orderliness, consistency, structure, formalized procedures, and laws to address situations that arise in their daily lives.

5) Assertiveness - The degree to which people are or are not encouraged to be assertive, aggressive, and tough in social relationships.

6) Gender Egalitarianism - The degree to which a society minimizes gender role differences while promoting gender equality.

7) Performance Orientation - The degree to which a culture judges individuals by their performance or achievement.

8) Future Orientation - The degree to which a culture encourages and rewards future-oriented behaviors such as planning and delaying gratification.

9) Humane Orientation - The extent to which a culture encourages individuals to be fair, altruistic, friendly, generous, caring, and kind to others.

Still there? Okay... now, here are the factors from the Trompenaars' Seven Factors of Culture:
1) Universalist vs. Particularist - Does the culture emphasize rules or relationships?

2) Individualist vs. Collectivist - Do people regard themselves primarily as individuals or primarily as part of a group?

3) Neutral vs. Affective - Do people conceal or express their emotions?

4) Specific vs. Diffuse - Do people become involved with or involve others?

5) Achievement vs. Ascription - By what criteria do people accord status?

6) Sequential vs. Synchronic - How does the culture approach time management?

7) Internal vs. External Control - What is the culture's relationship with nature?

Those are the studies that the MBTI people looked at. Based on the information given in the book, I came up with the following conclusions:

United States: ESTJ
United Kingdom: ESTJ
India: INFP
South Korea: ISFJ

and a wild guess (not enough data in the book) at European countries such as Italy, France, and Spain: ESFP

I also found this study of the way students from different cultural backgrounds use email to communicate with other students. Fascinating...
Posted by Linda at 7/16/2008 09:56:00 PM
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4 comments:

  1. This is such an important topic. I usually use Japan as an example. Someone who prefers Extraversion in Japan will not "look" like someone who prefers Extraversion in the US. The preferences are displayed through behaviors that are culturally acceptable in that area.

    I can't wait to hear what you experience with your next MBTI workshop. Cultural issues fascinate me as well!
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  2. Hi: I live in England and am MBTI-qualified, though am not a professional practitioner (yet?).

    I heard that UK practitioners doing MBTI in Iceland found that even to them, all Icelanders initially looked massively introverted. (So imagine how they'd look to US citizens :-))

    But slowly they learned to identify the characteristic E and I signs within this smaller range of culturally acceptable behaviours, and the actual E/I split in the group was (IIRC) little different from the UK's, roughly 50/50.
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  3. Yes,

    I know the Japanese culture somewhat, although it is a little different from the Korean culture (which I am a part of).

    And I've heard the same thing about the Icelanders as well. One woman that was at my qualifying workshop was an Icelander who lives in England. She was a fellow NT, and I talked to her a lot during the workshop. She preferred Extraversion, yet I would have never known it.
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  4. I think it is easy to confuse extraversion and social confidence and assertiveness.

    Isn't the definition of an extravert someone who is energized by interacting with others where as an introvert finds it draining and recharges during alone time?

    I am very extraverted, but my behavior swings quite a bit within the range depending on the environment and the perceived utility of interaction.

    I think American culture tends to idealize the outgoing type A personality that is versatile - sometimes you pick up chicks, sometimes you do some business and sometimes you kick some tail - as necessary.
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