Culture Clash
Culture Clash
Ingroup membership
has its consequencesHaving studied Greek history and architecture in college, Ray Fielding found it easy to have conversations with coworkers in Athens. Ray worked as a market analyst for an import-export company that specialized in men's fashions. Originally from El Paso, Texas, Ray found Athens a very stimulating place to live and work. He became especially close to Dimitri Nassiakou, who worked in the company's accounting department.
Dimitri had studied English in college but felt that his knowledge of textbook grammar was better than his knowledge of conversational English. He asked Ray to have conversations with him in English. In exchange, Dimitri helped Ray with basic Greek vocabulary and phrases useful in everyday exchanges with people.
After a few months, Dimitri asked Ray if he wanted to visit the village where he was born and raised. Ray agreed, and they drove to the village, approximately 150 miles from Athens. Many of Dimitri's extended family members welcomed Ray to the village and to their homes. Very quickly, conversations turned to inquiries about Ray's life, and questions became very personal. People asked Ray about his salary, his religion, whether he had a girlfriend, and what his political affiliations were. Dimitri's uncle asked Ray whether he wanted to meet some eligible Greek women. Ray became very uncomfortable with these personal questions and had a difficult time keeping up his end of conversations.
Ray has encountered a cultural practice found in Greece and other Mediterranean countries. The starting point for understanding this cultural practice is the distinction between ingroups and outgroups. Everyone has these two types of groups in their lives. Ingroups consist of people close to us, who we look forward to being with, and with whom we exchange personal information. Outgroups consist of strangers, people we avoid, and people we rarely talk to because of non-overlapping interests and attitudes.
In Greece, certain people are offered ingroup membership very quickly. If people offer help to someone, as Ray did with his English lessons for Dimitri, they show their good will and cooperative attitude. Dimitri is certain to have shared information about Ray with his extended family. Consequently, Ray is viewed as "one of us" and will be offered ingroup membership. But group membership always carries obligations. In Greece, ingroup membership means exchanging a great deal of personal information.
This incident and analysis developed from conversations with Harry Triandis, University of Illinois Department of Psychology. Ray can expect tremendous hospitality from Dimitri's family. He will be offered many meals, will be escorted to various historical sites, and will be met with the reaction of "unthinkable" when he suggests that he stay at a hotel. But there will come a time when favors must be returned, as with any ingroup membership. For example, people will know where Ray went to college, and he may be asked to help one of Dimitri's cousins gain admission to that college.
The purpose of this column is to increase understanding of human behavior as it has an impact on the workplace. Special attention will be given to miscommunications caused by cultural differences. Each column will start with a short example of such confusion. Possible explanations will be offered to encourage thought about these issues.
Richard Brislin is a professor in the College of Business Administration,
University of Hawaii. He can be reached through the
College Relations Office: cro@cba.hawaii.edu