Intercultural Interactions With Students From China, Japan, & Korea

Intercultural Interactions With Students From China, Japan, & Korea Can You Tell Them Apart? NAFSA: Association of International Educators 52nd Annual Conference Dr. Rodolfo Altamirano, The University of Michigan (rudiea@umich.edu) Mr. Jin Abe, Western Michigan University (jin.abe@wmich.edu) Dr. Dan Pak , The University of Michigan (dpak@umich.edu) Ms. Kate Zheng, The University of Michigan (xdzheng@umich.edu) Education -Central ControlChina  State Education Commission (SEC) Japan  Ministry of Education  Culture, Sports, Science and Technology  Over-intervention of the government over education Korea  Ministry of Education  and Human Resources Development  Central authority of Korean educational system Education -Educational StructureChina Japan Korea  6-3-3-4 system  6-3-3-4 system  6-3-3-4 system (shift to 6-6-4  9-year compulsory system) education Education -College Entrance ExaminationChina  Annual college entrance examination (gaokao) 3-day long in July Japan  Alleviation of examination hell among less prestigious schools  Decline of higher education population Korea  An examination hell  Produces lots of victims every year Education -Categories of Students Studying AbroadChina Japan Korea  Junior high & high school students  High school graduates who failed to get admission to the college they wanted to get into  Bachelors’ or masters’ degree holders  Language learners  Exchange or self-financed study abroad students  Majorities for  Junior & high graduate level school students studies  High school  Few for students who feel undergraduate/ that Japanese exchange program universities are studies not good enough  Graduate program  Language learning Education -Why Study AbroadChina  Make better contribution to the society  Better education  Pursue better life  Avoid social complications Japan     Globalization Fashion Better education Training for selfgrowth/change Korea        Globalization Economic growth of Korea Brand equity of US colleges Change of major Media of instruction Better opportunities New technology and science  Better chance for admission Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean Values China          Education is above all Collectivism Intragroup harmony Loyalty Family Save face (lianmian) Seniority Social status Patience Japan           Loyalty Harmony Family Trust Respect Face (mentsu) Education Sasshi Age Go with Flow Korea             Loyalty Harmony Family Trust Respect Face (kibun) Confucianism Dedication to Work Education Nunchi Age Can-do Spirit Korean’s Self Image          Courteous and Respectful Thoughtful and Warmhearted Generous Pacifist Proud of Own Culture and Smartness Talk Proudly of Own Family Background Patriotic Resilient Hasty and Action-Oriented Japanese’s Self Image Looking for (someone to provide) a meaning of life Chinese’s Self Image Success Characteristic Behaviors -Principles in Human RelationsChina  Distinction in position  Intimacy (family)  Trust, loyalty (friends) Japan  Group Harmony Korea  The 3 Fundamental Principles:  The King is the mainstay of the state  Father is the mainstay of the family  The husband is the mainstay of the wife  The 5 Moral Disciplines:      Between friends, trust Between king and ministers, loyalty Between father and son, intimacy Between elder and younger, respect Between husband and wife, distinction in position Characteristic Behaviors -Collectivism (Group Harmony)China  “We” (grouporientated)  Consensus  Individualism (selfish) Japan  Consensus is very important to promoting and maintaining harmony  “A nail that sticks out gets pounded” Korea  A group-centered society, “we”  Consensus is very important to promoting and maintaining harmony  Individualism often viewed as selfishness Characteristic Behaviors -Hierarchical Society (Large Power Distance)China  Vertical architecture (seniority, position) Japan  Vertical social architecture (age, social status)  Show respect and proper honorifics  Shift to an egalitarian society  Collapse of authority Korea  Vertical social architecture (age, social status) • Show respect and proper honorifics Characteristic Behaviors -Different Personal Space and TouchChina  Population in most places in high density  Seems rude and pushy to foreigners  Touch the same sex but not different sex  Follow the flow or out of the place Japan  Densely populated island  Some rigid concept of personal space  Looks rude and pushy to foreigners and out group members  Touch the different sex but not the same sex Korea  Most densely populated land  No rigid concept of personal space  Looks rude and pushy to foreigners  Touch the same sex but not different sex Characteristic Behaviors -Use of TimeChina Japan Korea  Official context:  Rather Mono-chronic  Poly-chronic punctuality  Punctuality  Traditional  Unofficial Korean approach context: to time unexpected, flexible Characteristic Behaviors -Personal Networking (In Group/Out Group)China Japan Korea  School, Hometown, military service  A key to success  Sometimes stronger than legal system  Affective ties  Group interest over individual interest  Instrumental ties  Fear of being an  Mixed ties outcast Characteristic Behaviors -CriticismChina  Save face (lianmian) Japan Korea  Inexperience handling  Try not to criticize criticism someone in public (giving/receiving)  Choose the proper  “Not being assertive” time and not to hurt someone’s Kibun (emotion) Characteristic Behaviors -Humility (Modesty, Feminine)China Japan Korea  Keqi  A sign of manners and  A sign of manners good discipline by and good breeding  Self-deprecation parents  Good listener (respect, good manner and education) Characteristic Behaviors -HomogeneityChina  Diversity is discouraged Japan  Diversity is discouraged  Xenophobia and proWestern minds Korea  No diversity accepted (group harmony)  Xenophobia Characteristic Behaviors -DrinkingChina Japan Korea Generous attitude One of the only accepted ways (especially for men) of building rapport and trust  No age limit  Generous attitude   A way to build  One of the only  trust among accepted ways family members, (especially for men, but friends, increasingly for colleagues, women) of building classmates rapport and trust Communication Styles -High Context CommunicationChina Japan  Uncertainty avoidance  Relationships are more important than task  Indirect nonconfrontational approach to problem solving  Implicit and intuitive Korea (Nunchi) Uncertainty avoidance Relationships are more important than task Indirect nonconfrontational approach to problem solving Implicit and intuitive  Indirect (jianjie)  Indirect communication  Indirect styles (Sasshi) communication styles  Implicit     Communication Styles -Poly- and Mono-chronic CommunicationChina Japan Korea  More than two conversations at a time is fine  Monochronic  Time is organized conversation linearly (seniority, social status)  Polychronic conversation in all other levels Communication Styles -Non-assertive CommunicationChina  Say “no” in different ways Japan  Saying “no” in 16 ways Korea  Do not confront with others, especially, higher status and position holders Communication Styles -Non-verbal CommunicationChina Japan Korea  Listening  Subtle but rich source  Trained not to talk of information much  Say little  Trained not to talk  Verbose people are  Respond in much not well respected different ways (gesture, sound) to  Verbose people are  Silence is a part of show respect not well respected the conversation  Silence is a part of the conversation Communication Styles -Conflict ResolutionChina  Enhance harmony and avoid friction (be tolerant of others) Japan Korea  Avoid open  Internalization of admission of conflict related conflict frustration  Conflict is viewed  Avoiding, as one dimension of accommodating and the on-going compromising with relationship the assistance of the  Avoiding, third party accommodating and compromising Adapted from the work of: Insoo Cho and Yuichi Kondo “Cross Cultural Counseling with Korean & Japanese Students” (2001)