Rosita D. Albert

Conceptual framework for the development and evaluation of cross-cultural orientation programs

Abstract This article describes factors which have hampered the development of effective cross-cultural orientation programs and discusses nine fundamental issues which orientation efforts ought to address: the role of expectation in coping with stressful situations, the selectivity of perception, cultural differences in behavior, the role of attributions, the centrality of values, the importance of social factors and context, erroneous assumptions about other cultures, the importance of social support, and the issue of effectiveness of the cross-cultural orientation program. The paper then describes the Intercultural sensitizer or culture assimilator as a method for cross-cultural orientation and discusses how the intercultural sensitizer addresses these issues.

Intercultural education for multicultural societies: Critical issues

Abstract This article presents evidence for the need for intercultural education in multicultural societies. Pupils who are culturally different from the majority need it to learn to function effectively in their own culture as well as in the majority culture. Since an important objective of education is to prepare individuals to function effectively in their environment, all children in multicultural societies could profit from exposure to effective intercultural education. Our research with American teachers and their Latin American or Hispanic pupils suggests that teachers also need to learn about the patterns of perceptions, values, and behaviors of culturally different pupils. Objections to intercultural education are listed and refuted. Advantages and disadvantages of three new approaches to intercultural education are discussed. Special attention is given to the attributional approach, an informational approach which is particularly well suited for use in educational settings. Research bearing on the effectiveness of this approach is presented.

Perceptions of international teaching assistants: The interrelatedness of intercultural training, cognition, and emotion

Studies of perceptions of non‐native speakers have traditionally focused on the effects of global stereotypes and nonverbal behaviors on audience receptivity. The affective mindset of the audience has until now been largely ignored. Another factor that has been ignored is the intercultural sensitivity of audience members, particularly of U.S. undergraduates who are taught by international teaching assistants (TAs). This study (N = 422) tested the underlying relationships among 1) intercultural training of U.S. undergraduates exposed to the Intercultural Sensitizer, role playing, and a disclosure statement highlighting that the speaker, an international TA, was speaking in a second language; 2) dispositional or situational attributions made by members of the audience; 3) the emotions experienced by audience members; and 4) audience members’ comprehension and evaluation of speaker competence. Results generally confirmed the hypotheses of the interrelatedness between intercultural training, cognition, and em...

Perceptions of the Appropriateness of Negotiation in Educational Settings: A Cross-Cultural Comparison among Koreans and Americans.

This study focused on perceptions of the appropriateness of negotiation among Koreans and mainstream Americans. Mainstream American college students (n = 193), Korean students in the U.S. (n = 75), and Korean students in Korea (n = 110) rated the appropriateness of negotiating with instructors and classmates in 13 situations. Results showed that while there were no significant differences between Korean students in the U.S. and in Korea, there were highly significant differences between the combined Korean group and the American group. Koreans found negotiation significantly less appropriate in 12 of the 13 situations (i.e., if the instructor had calculated points in an exam incorrectly, or if the class was not helping them learn). The findings point to the importance of cultural differences for the teaching and learning process.

Hispanic/Anglo-American differences in attributions to paralinguistic behavior☆

Abstract This article reports a study of attributions made by Hispanics and Anglo-Americans to paralinguistic behaviors. The study is part of a large-scale program of research on Hispanic-Anglo differences in perceptions and interpretations of behavior. Procedures for five stages of data collection for the larger project involving interviews with persons from both cultures, observations of interactions, and the use of structured questionnaires to obtain episodes of crosscultural interactions and attributions to these episodes are summarized. Analyses of the attributional choices made by teachers and pupils of both cultures for ten episodes focusing on paralanguage elements such as tempo (fast—slow), laughing, yelling, and intensity (loudness) are presented. The Hispanic-Anglo differences found are discussed in terms of their implications for theory and for cross-cultural training.

Introduction: Models and Theories of Ethnic Conflict

Ethnic conflict and racial conflict are phrases often taken to describe the same phenomenon. However, when the usage of these terms in books over time is examined, a different picture emerges. Figure 1.1, taken from the Google search of words in books between 1800 and 2000, shows that neither phrase was in common use before 1900 when “racial conflict” began to appear. The other phrase did not make a significant appearance before 1960. “Racial conflict” peaked about 1970 and then declined.

Ethnic Conflict from an Interdisciplinary Perspective: Lessons Learned, Policy Implications, and Recommendations for Conflict Amelioration and Peace Building

This concluding chapter will capture the important lessons from the preceding 20 case studies. We will focus on the nature and characteristics of ethnic conflicts, and on both successful and unsuccessful attempts at conflict resolution. We will consider both common and unique features of such conflicts. We will end on a hopeful note by recommending broad approaches and specific strategies that have the potential to lead not only to conflict amelioration and prevention, but also to sustainable peace.