The document discusses human values, beliefs, and kinds. It begins with an agenda for the session which includes discussing triangles, perception, values, and human kinds. It then covers triangles, a reading test demonstrating perception, the process of perception involving filters, and universal and cultural values. Key American values and values found across cultures are presented. The concept of human kinds as roles that shape identity and behavior is introduced. An exercise ranking people in a scenario tests quick value judgments. Lessons are discussed around taking time to understand behaviors in their cultural contexts before reacting.

1. Values, Beliefs & Human Kinds
Understanding Your Human Heritage
© 2012 Denise M. Ajeto, Ed.D.
Thursday, March 29, 2012

2. AGENDA
~ Triangles & Reading Test ~ Human Kinds
What the heck are those?
~ Process of Perception
~ Values Exercise
Putting it all together
~ Values
Who gives us our values?
What function do they serve?
Thursday, March 29, 2012

3. Triangles
PARIS BIRD
IN THE IN THE
THE SPRING THE HAND
ONCE
IN A
A LIFETIME
Source: Executive Diversity Services, Inc. (2002)
Thursday, March 29, 2012

4. Reading Test
In raeding a wrod, the olny necassry
tihng is taht the frist and lsat
ltteer be at the rghit pclae. Yuor
mnid supppleis the wrods form
tohse cuues alnoe. It tnues out all
tohse woorngly palced lteters.
Thursday, March 29, 2012

5. 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)
Parents
Culture
Religion Lens
Media
School
Technology
Interpret/Navigate the world
“Oh, I know what that means”
Thursday, March 29, 2012

6. Filters
~ Culture
~ Stereotypes/Generalizations
(All ___ people are ...)
~ Education
~ History/Experience
(You think something)
Input Output
Stimulus/Information Behaviors/Actions/Beliefs
(You observe something) (You do something)
The Process of Perception
(How we see what we expect to see)
Thursday, March 29, 2012

7. 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”
Thursday, March 29, 2012

8. VALUES
(culture)
What are Values?
Why do we have Values?
Who gives us our Values?
Thursday, March 29, 2012

9. Values
~ Central “shoulds” and “oughts”
~ Few in number
~ Develop early in life
-18 months – 3 years
- Deeply held
- Pre-verbal
- Unconscious
- Unexamined
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.
Thursday, March 29, 2012

10. Two Kinds of Values
Terminal
Instrumental
Thursday, March 29, 2012

11. Terminal Values Instrumental Values
(Espoused Values) (Lived Values)
Goals or Shared Values Behaviors or Actions
(What) (How)
World peace What we do to express
Honesty or demonstrate the
Integrity terminal value or help
Respect us achieve it
Universal Cultural
Most would agree these “This is the way we do
are good or important. things around here.”
Internal Visible
Thursday, March 29, 2012

12. Eight Values Found In All National Cultures Studied
(not in priority order)
LOVE
TRUTH
FREEDOM
FAIRNESS
COMMUNITY
TOLERANCE
RESPONSIBILITY
REVERENCE FOR LIFE
Source:
Rushworth Kidder from the Institute for Global Ethics: “Shared Values for a Troubled World” - Jossey-Bass, 1994
Thursday, March 29, 2012

13. INDIVIDUALISM
COMPETITION & WINNING
MATERIAL POSSESSIONS & COMFORT
TEN KEY AMERICAN VALUES WORK ETHIC
DOING & ACHIEVING
COOPERATION & FAIR PLAY
YOUTH & ATTRACTIVENESS
PROGRESS/CHANGE
EQUALITY
FAMILY
Sources:
Gary Althen, “American Ways,” Intercultural Press, 1989.
Edward C. Stewart & Milton Bennett, “American Cultural Patterns: A Cross Cultural Perspective,” Intercultural Press, 1994.
Thursday, March 29, 2012

14. HANDSHAKE: “I have no weapon in my hand”
INDIVIDUALISM
COMPETITION & WINNING
DOING & ACHIEVING
COOPERATION & FAIR PLAY
BUSINESS (U.S. Mainstream)
COMMUNITY
TOLERANCE
RESPONSIBILITY
REVERENCE FOR LIFE
RELATIONSHIP
Thursday, March 29, 2012

15. EYE CONTACT: Showing Respect
Direct = Respect
Indirect = Respect
What message from parents? “Look at me when I talk to you!”
“Don’t look at me when I talk to you!”
Thursday, March 29, 2012

16. “HUMAN KINDS”
Source:
Berreby D. (2005) “Us and Them: Understanding Your Tribal Mind,” Little, Brown & Co.
Thursday, March 29, 2012

17. Human Kinds are roles or scripts (or norms)
“Mother”
“Teacher”
”Manager”
“Employee”
“Police Officer”
“Leader”
“Male”
“Female”
“Adult”
“Child”
Thursday, March 29, 2012

18. 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” “Loser”
“Athletic” “Helpless”
“Capable” vs “Ugly”
“Intelligent” “Stupid”
“Achiever” “Not leadership material”
Other Scripts:
Generational
Gender
Professional
Cultural
Thursday, March 29, 2012

19. Human Kinds allow us to predict behavior -
Which is a critical human need
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 belonging
Sense of competence/worth
Avoid SHAME
Thursday, March 29, 2012

20. Human Kinds = Instrumental Values
Instrumental Values = Culture
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.”
Thursday, March 29, 2012

21. We relish the norm, while overlooking the
productive potential to be found in variance.
- Ken Corbett
Thursday, March 29, 2012

22. Exercise in Values
Thursday, March 29, 2012

23. 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.
Thursday, March 29, 2012

24. Rank the six people in this story:
1 (acted most honorably) to 6 (acted least honorably)
First ranking: INDIVIDUAL 2 minutes
Second 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 ties
2. Must have group consensus
Thursday, March 29, 2012

25. 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.
Thursday, March 29, 2012

26. 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?
Thursday, March 29, 2012

27. What did you learn from this session?
(Group Dialogue)
Thursday, March 29, 2012