Cross Cultural Skills Training
 

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An Iceberg Concept of Culture

dress - age, race/ethnicity, gender - language, eye behavior - facial expressions; body language - sense of self, notions of modesty - concept of cleanliness, emotional response patterns - rules for social interactions, family practices - decision-making processes, approaches to problem solving, concept of justice - values and fairness, perceptions of mental health, health, illness, disability, patterns of superior and subordinate roles in relation to status by age, gender class

 
Culture is often compared to an iceberg. Just as an iceberg has a visible section above the water, and a larger, invisible section below the water, so culture has some aspects that are observable and others that cannot be directly observed. Also like an iceberg, that part of culture that is visible (observable behavior) is only a small part of a much bigger whole.

The iceberg comparison illustrates an important point. It shows that people behave the way they do for a reason. Whatever you may think of that reason, you can go beyond simply reacting to that behavior and figure out how to work with it. Knowing where people's behavior is coming from doesn't mean that you have to like or accept it, but it should mean that you're no longer surprised by it-and that is a considerable step toward successful interaction.
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Introduction
Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
Conclusion