Hazards

Hazard Copy
A Little Knowledge Can Be a Dangerous Thing
  • Overview: Working in a culturally diverse situation can be very exciting and is always challenging. This guide takes you briefly through some of the common problems that you will want to avoid.
  • Length of route: One Hour +
  • Level of difficulty: Medium
  • Prior knowledge: required Some experience of other cultures and awareness of why different people see things differently.

For further information about cultures on this site see the Cultures Brochure and the Wave Activity.

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Hazards itinerary

Cultures are complex

  • there is not agreement by all members of the group, for reasons listed below
  • and because People are complex
  • changing all the time
  • sub-cultures emerge when there is a large enough group within the culture that differ from the others on some, but not most, features
  • the fundamental parts of a culture are hard to see. See Iceberg example.

People Are Complex

  • factors other than culture influence behaviour e.g., * personalities, experiences * power in society
  • they belong to more than one culture
  • they may have modified their behaviour to respect your culture
  • Try the Wave activity
  • What you see depends on where you are standing