55 Impression Management Across Cultures
Anestine Theophile-LaFond
Learning Objectives
Measure: Creativity and Critical thinking, knowledge of basic concepts of information and impression management Student Learning Outcome:
- Students will recognize and accommodate gender and cultural differences in communication settings and appreciate diverse communication styles.
- Students will identify and apply active and critical listening skills.
- Students will develop perception and self-monitoring skills to enhance self-awareness and communication competency.
Purpose/Rationale
Instructions
Communicating culture in the Movement of People. – The Interview “Today the United States is one of the most diverse countries on earth, with people whose families have come from nearly all world cultures” (Smithsonian, Step Back in Time. Imagine an Immigration Interview online).
How do you perceive those who are different from you?
How do people from diverse countries form impressions about others?
In this assignment you will:
- Identify an American immigrant belonging to a culture other than your own.
- Set up an appointment for you to have a conversation with that person.
What questions will you ask the American immigrant? Here is a guide…
Cultural background/origin (Frame your questions to ask your interviewee about the following):
- Geographic origin; Languages spoken
- How did they prepare to leave their “own world” for America –why?
Perception (Frame your questions to ask your interviewee about the following):
- What was their perception of America before they left their “own world”?
- How was that perception formed?
- Once they arrived – Did that perception change? How?
Values (Frame your questions to ask your interviewee about the following):
- What did they have to do to “fit in”?
- How do they determine what are the ordinary American ways so they can copy it?
- How does it make them feel when they “act as if” or give the impression that they are American in various situations of life – when they are at home, at school, at work and at play?
- What values do they have that they would never give up even if they live in America?
ACTION: 1. *Listen carefully to your interviewee. Record their answers to your question. Then complete the table below with the following:
- In the Left column insert the questions you asked.
- In the Right column insert key words of the response given by your interviewee – use direct quotes (see sample chart).
INTERVIEWER (YOUR QUESTIONS) DIRECT QUOTES FROM INTERVIEWEE’S RESPONSES
The Reflection: (Be clear in the construction of your brief responses). Answer the following questions about your interview experience in three paragraphs:
- How did you feel during the interview?
- What effect did this experience have on your perception of immigrants?
- What one thing would you want to tell the world based on this experience?
- How did you exercise mindfulness during your encounter with your interviewee?
- How did your own perception of your interview change after the interview encounter?
*Please turn in both 1 & 2. GRADING: Maximum points – (100)
Format Requirements
As above
Rubric/Criteria
See Rubric (a PDF version of the document for these three-assignment including the rubrics will be uploaded in Teams-unable to attach document here)
