2012 values, beliefs and human kinds

Values, Beliefs & Human Kinds

© 2012 Denise M. Ajeto, Ed.D.

Understanding Your Human Heritage

Thursday, March 29, 2012

AGENDA

~ Triangles & Reading Test

~ Process of Perception

~ ValuesWho gives us our values?What function do they serve?

~ Human KindsWhat the heck are those?

~ Values ExercisePutting it all together


Triangles

BIRDIN THE

THE HAND

PARISIN THE

THE SPRING

ONCEIN A

A LIFETIME

Source: Executive Diversity Services, Inc. (2002)


In raeding a wrod, the olny necassrytihng is taht the frist and lsatltteer be at the rghit pclae. Yuormnid supppleis the wrods formtohse cuues alnoe. It tnues out alltohse woorngly palced lteters.

Reading Test


The Process of Perception: We see what we expect to see

Brain is pre-wired to categorize

Efficient Fast Survive Evolve

Mind is wired via relationship& experience (relationship)

ParentsCultureReligionMediaSchoolTechnology

Lens

Interpret/Navigate the world

“Oh, I know what that means”


The Process of Perception(How we see what we expect to see)

Input OutputBehaviors/Actions/Beliefs

(You do something)

Stimulus/Information

(You think something)

~ Culture~ Stereotypes/Generalizations (All ___ people are ...)~ Education~ History/Experience

Filters

(You observe something)


All good people agree,And all good people say,All nice people, like us,are We,And everyone else is They.

-Rudyard Kipling “A Friend of the Family”


VALUES(culture)

What are Values?

Who gives us our Values?

Why do we have Values?


~ Central “shoulds” and “oughts”

~ Few in number

~ Develop early in life -18 months – 3 years

- Deeply held - Pre-verbal - Unconscious

- Unexamined

Values

Values we have by age 10, are the values we will have our entire life, unless we have a “SEE” that causes us to re-evaluate them.


Two Kinds of Values

Terminal

Instrumental


Terminal Values(Espoused Values)

Goals or Shared Values(What)

World peace

HonestyIntegrityRespect

Universal

Most would agree theseare good or important.

Instrumental Values(Lived Values)

Behaviors or Actions(How)

What we do to express or demonstrate the

terminal value or help us achieve it

Cultural

“This is the way we do things around here.”

VisibleInternal


Eight Values Found In All National Cultures Studied (not in priority order)

LOVETRUTHFREEDOMFAIRNESSCOMMUNITYTOLERANCERESPONSIBILITYREVERENCE FOR LIFE

Source:Rushworth Kidder from the Institute for Global Ethics: “Shared Values for a Troubled World” - Jossey-Bass, 1994


TEN KEY AMERICAN VALUES

INDIVIDUALISMCOMPETITION & WINNINGMATERIAL POSSESSIONS & COMFORTWORK ETHICDOING & ACHIEVINGCOOPERATION & FAIR PLAYYOUTH & ATTRACTIVENESSPROGRESS/CHANGEEQUALITYFAMILY

Sources:Gary Althen, “American Ways,” Intercultural Press, 1989.Edward C. Stewart & Milton Bennett, “American Cultural Patterns: A Cross Cultural Perspective,” Intercultural Press, 1994.


HANDSHAKE: “I have no weapon in my hand”

INDIVIDUALISMCOMPETITION & WINNINGDOING & ACHIEVINGCOOPERATION & FAIR PLAY

BUSINESS (U.S. Mainstream)

COMMUNITYTOLERANCERESPONSIBILITYREVERENCE FOR LIFE

RELATIONSHIP


What message from parents?

EYE CONTACT: Showing Respect

Direct = Respect

Indirect = Respect

“Look at me when I talk to you!”

“Don’t look at me when I talk to you!”


“HUMAN KINDS”

Source:Berreby D. (2005) “Us and Them: Understanding Your Tribal Mind,” Little, Brown & Co.


Human Kinds are roles or scripts (or norms)

“Mother” “Teacher” ”Manager” “Employee” “Police Officer” “Leader”“Male”“Female”“Adult”“Child”


Human Kinds also define who you are... ... or who you can be

Knowing “kind” of person you are affects: ~ how you see yourself & the world~ where you belong... or don’t belong~ the choices you make

“Good student” “Athletic” “Capable” “Intelligent” “Achiever”

“Loser” “Helpless” “Ugly” “Stupid” “Not leadership material”

GenerationalGenderProfessionalCultural

vs

Other Scripts:


Survival:Friend or Foe?Share/Not Share?

Security:Know how to behave / Avoid trouble “Social Contract”Avoid being ostracized

(also about survival)Manage fear of uncertainty

“Denial of Death”

Self-esteem:Sense of belongingSense of competence/worthAvoid SHAME

Human Kinds allow us to predict behavior - Which is a critical human need


Human Kinds = Instrumental Values

Strategies that a particular group develops in order to survive and successfully navigate in the larger social [organizational] world. These strategies work so well they are deemed worthy of passing on. (Schein)

“This is the way we do [_____].”or

“This is what [_____] means.”

Instrumental Values = Culture


We relish the norm, while overlooking the productive potential to be found in variance.

- Ken Corbett


Exercise in Values


EXERCISE IN VALUES

A family of Vietnamese has come to a forest camp together. Mr. Nguyen (Mr. “Win”) goes to the Recreation Manager to ask if they may use the recreation facility on Monday evening for traditional dancing. The Manager says yes. Monday evening arrives and the Vietnamese enter the recreation facility to find a large group of young men using the facility. When Mr. Nguyen approaches Charles, the apparent leader, a confrontation ensues. Charles says the recreation facility is “first come, first served” and they were there first. The Vietnamese leave.

The next morning Mr. Nguyen approaches the Recreation Manager and explains the problem. The Manager states that there had been a mistake since the facilities are, in fact, first come, first served. Mr. Nguyen is told he will need to find another place for his activities. That evening when the group of young men enter the facility they find that the Vietnamese are already there and have begun their dancing. Another confrontation occurs between Charles and Mr. Nguyen during which Tom, one of the young men, shouts “Why don’t you freaks just go back where you belong.” Peter, one of the young men, feels badly about the confrontation and the comment but says nothing.

The young men leave the facility but go to the Vietnamese family’s campsite and dump garbage all over it. When Mai, one of the Vietnamese women, hears what has happened, she gets angry and smashes the headlight on one of the young men’s cars.

The Recreational Manager is called to resolve the situation.


Rank the six people in this story:

1 (acted most honorably) to 6 (acted least honorably)

First ranking: INDIVIDUAL 2 minutesSecond ranking: TEAM 5 minutes

Mr. Nguyen _____Peter _____Rec Manager _____Charles _____Mai _____Tom _____

Rules:1. Each number can only be used once a. No double ranking / No ties2. Must have group consensus


Lessons Learned

Forced to do the activity fast &then you had to get consensus!

~ Not enough time~ Not enough information

What you were seeing were their Instrumental Values (behaviors/actions)What you were judging from were your Terminal Values

Every day, we make hundreds of decisions with even less time or information than you had in the exercise.


The next time you observe yourself reacting to something that someone is doing...

Take a moment to pause and ask yourself: - Why am I reacting to this behavior?- What other meanings might there be for this behavior?- Is it a difference that makes a difference?- Is there something cultural going on here?


What did you learn from this session?(Group Dialogue)


2012 values, beliefs and human kinds

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