35 minutes (5 minutes to brief, 10 minutes for the activity, 20 minutes to debrief)
General L D, M
1. To clarify the differences between universal, cultural, and personal values
2. To illustrate that values fall across a continuum, with cultural values as the midpoint between the poles of universal and personal values
3. To prove that those who say “people are all alike” (universal values) and those who say we are “all unique individuals” (personal values) are denying that culture is an important influence on the values we hold
4. To provide information regarding the dangers of overgeneralizing cultural values
• The Cultural Values Worksheet
1. Define the different values:
• People everywhere share global values, for example, respect.
• People within a specific cultural group share cultural values that are not necessarily shared by all cultural groups; for example, competition.
• Individuals hold personal values that are unique to each individual; for example, artistic skill development. A personal value may be shared by a number of people in a culture, but it would not be considered a cultural value unless most people in the culture shared that value.
2. Inform participants that values may fit into one, two, or all three categories.
3. Ask participants to complete the “Cultural Values” worksheet.
4. After everyone has completed the worksheet, review the items together as a large group. Focus discussion on those items that people did not agree on and ask participants to explain their choices.
1. What happened? What was easiest to do? Hardest? Why?
2. How did you feel about completing this sheet? Why?
3. What would you conclude about values from this experience?
4. What did you learn?
5. How can you apply what you’ve learned?
1. While some values are global, there are also many cultural and individual differences in values.
2. We all belong to the global human race and to specific cultural groups, and we each have individual personalities; our values come from all three.
3. While some behavior may be more prevalent within certain cultures, personal preferences and differences exist in every culture.
Based on information from Figuring Foreigners Out by Craig Storti.*
Write a G for those items that illustrate global values. Write a C for those items that exemplify cultural values, and write a P for those items indicating personal values.
Adapted from an activity in Figuring Foreigners Out by Craig Storti.
Adapted from an activity in Figuring Foreigners Out by Craig Storti.