Implications for education and training

Paul Kimmel (2000) describes the process of “intercultural exploration” involv­ing role-play, feedback, and interaction to be the most promising approach to education and training about conflict resolution.

The implications of multiculturalism for conflict resolution focus on both cul­tural similarities and differences at the same time. No matter how different the individual or group may be, there will be similarities and no matter how similar there will be important differences. Culture can be used as a weapon to drive two individuals and groups apart, but it can also be used as a bridge to bring individuals and groups together in an appreciative mutual enlightenment through intercultural exploration. Intercultural exploration requires us to iden­tify our “culture teachers” and how each experience from the real world becomes an opportunity for multicultural learning (Pedersen, 2004).

Developing a Multicultural Awareness

The starting point for education and training about conflict resolution is to clarify how culture controls one’s behavior with or without our permission. Imagine that several hundred “culture teachers,” collected by you over your lifetime, are sitting on your lap discussing the decisions you are now mak­ing. These culture teachers include family, friends, fantasies, mentors, and any others who have made a significant impact on your life. This “self talk” or “internal dialogue” shapes your decisions and behaviors from within (Pedersen, 2000b).

The Intrapersonal Cultural Grid incorporates broadly defined social system variables on one dimension and personal behavior-expectation-values on the other, in a personal/cultural orientation. “Culture controls each specific behav­ior or identifiable action of each individual through that person’s expectations. Expectations are the cognitive variable that includes behavior-outcome and stimulus-outcome expectancies that guide the individual’s choice of behavior. Expectations, in turn, are controlled by underlying values. Values are the belief systems that explain the importance and prioritize expectations. Social system variables are the sources in society from which values were learned. An accu­rate understanding of culture requires that we understand how an individual’s

Personal Variables

Figure 29.1 A “Within-Person” Cultural Grid

Source: P.

behaviors in a particular context are controlled by learned expectations and values based on or taught by broadly defined social system variables” (Pedersen and Jandt, 1996 p. 17).

Cultural teachers might come from family relationships, business associates, fellow countrypersons, ancestors, or those with shared beliefs. Power relation­ships based on social friendships, sponsors, mentors, subordinates, and super­visors or superiors may provide cultural teachers. Memberships shared with coworkers or in organizations, gender or age groups, and workplace colleagues may contribute cultural teachers. A wide range of nonfamily relationships, friendships, classmates, neighbors, or just people like you may also have con­tributed as teachers.