06/02/2021; Week 7: Response to: "Culture and Psychology"

I enjoy reading and learning about statistical data where culture plays with the psychology of people, but much more when it influences the psychology of society in general. There are anecdotes where it is easy to come to the conclusion of such influence when it comes to societies that lack "the light of science", and "education", but contemplating similar events in societies that supposedly have greater erudition leaves much to think about.

To think of Cotton Mather, one of the most brilliant colonists of Massachusetts, participating in the infamous Salem trials is breathtaking...surely we must "have less faith in uneducated people, but don't have total faith in educated people" (Ivers, 2015). This anecdote reminds me of a similar scenario when the supporters of the geocentric theory became Galileo Galilei's most bitter enemies. What would Galileo Galilei feel when he was condemned by the Pope, the highest authority of that time who according to him even had the power to talk to God? ...Forced to retract his theory, which corroborated that the Earth and the planets revolved around the Sun, in pain of losing his life.

Fanaticism of any kind is dangerous, and in the name of culture or fashion, many follies are justified. History has shown this. Today, in the midst of globalized culture and with greater access to knowledge than in any other era we face the culture of glass, and it's so difficult to define people that in some circumstances you feel in trouble about how you should treat them, circumstances unthinkable in other times: transgender children, binary people, the influence of social networks in society, influencers ... a society so fragile that it's easily offended by aspects that no one would have considered 10 years ago. So much "freedom", "equality" and "knowledge" has created great challenges for teachers today, and it can be overwhelming! How does culture affect the psychology of a society? I'm going to leave a link to a video here and slowly withdraw... (any resemblance to the events of Salem in 1692, or werewolves in Europe in the 1520s to 1630s, among others, may be pure coincidence).  

Haz click aquí 👉🏻 A maddening time

References:

Culture and psychology  https://video.byui.edu/media/06+Culture+and+Psychology/0_s4h3d6bc

Imagen by jcomp from Freepik

06/02/2021; Week 7: Response to "Differences in Manners"

I loved Professor Ivers' class because indeed many of the things he said are true and common in my culture. He made me laugh to see that these things he points are accepted in other cultures. Throwing a marker or any other object at an older or more senior person is disrespectful. You can do it among your peers, but you shouldn’t do it with your grandparents, with your teachers, with one less boss ... It’s also very rude to yawn in public and if you do, you should cover your mouth and try to prevent others from noticing. Listening to music at full volume is common to see in places of low socio-cultural strata but the middle or upper class doesn’t usually do it, and if it happens you can call the police if that bothers you. But some people don’t mind and enjoy the music of the neighbor's party and even make jokes about it because in general Venezuelans have a very good sense of humor. Particularly, it doesn't bother me. If the music is good it's fine, but if they play “vallenato” or “reggaeton” then I do call the police because I don't like that music ... so it all depends on good or bad taste to play music, hahaha. In general, even in the midst of the crisis, Venezuelans have a very good attitude and are happy without any explanation. So, it’s common to go through the streets or in supermarkets and have background music.

Another the portrayed cultural aspect of my culture is walking with your hands in your pockets, and if you drag your feet worse, because it gives the appearance of laziness, of being careless with your appearance. In Venezuela, the appearance you project to other people is very important. There is a saying that goes: "First dead than bathed in blood." Just imagine! The concept of beauty is very important, the appearance you project. You cannot walk with your hands in your pockets, drag your feet when walking, or go to the pharmacy with sandals and shorts. If there is something we are proud of, it’s to be the country with the most titles on beauty pageants, because appearance is very important. And that importance we give to personal appearance also carries over to your home. If you invite someone to your house and a cockroach comes out, you die of shame, and you begin to justify that you don’t usually have that kind of insect at home. So, in general, Venezuelans are usually very friendly with their guests, and in some cities like Barquisimeto or Mérida, they are able to give them the bed where they sleep if necessary so that they are comfortable.

Punctuality in Venezuela is a relative matter. In formal places like work or an interview, it is important to arrive early, but if you have a date with a friend, or if you are invited to a party, it is okay to be late. Arriving early at a party is ugly ... But it seems that it is a more permissible issue for women, not so much for men. If a man asks you out, it’s okay to be late, because "good things are made waiting" and you don't want him to think you're desperate, and in marriages the bride usually makes the groom waiting at the altar for a long time. And the civil chief and the priest understand it, it’s normal. Also, it’s feasible to share a table in a restaurant if there are many people, you ask permission, you say hello and you even make new friends because Venezuelans are very friendly in general. But if it's a couple in love, you don't do it because you don't want to be a "lamp" (a person who interrupts a romantic moment) between them. In a queue, be it at the bank or anywhere else it’s almost impossible to be quiet and you talk to people in the queue, and sometimes you even exchange phone numbers to stay friends. This is how we are.

There are probably many other differences in manners. Analyzing these customs rooted in my culture and comparing them with others has been very interesting. I love living at this age where you can have access to all this type of information. The internet has allowed us to get closer to know each other better. It's almost like looking out of your neighbor's window. My dad used to travel a lot and he always told me “Wherever you go, do what you see." Without a doubt there was wisdom in his words, you will save yourself a lot of trouble.

Education cannot be immune to these differences. Respecting differences, whether of race, culture, religion, or even disabilities is not only important in an increasingly globalized world, but also prepares all those who live in the educational environment (teachers and students) to be supportive, to value, and learn from others, to be tolerant and respectful, and to avoid making decisions based on prejudices and stereotypes.

References:

Difference in Manners https://video.byui.edu/media/06+Difference+in+Manners/0_xc0a34gb

Image 1 by luis_molinero from Freepik

Image 2 by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

06/01/2021; Week 7: Response to "Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom"

One of the memories I have, when Venezuela was a paradise for foreigners, is that we used to have cross-cultural classrooms. We usually had many students from Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Arabs, and Chinese. I loved when I had Chinese students because they are very respectful and very quiet in the classroom. We Hispanics are more alike.

One thing I used to do was to summon the student's representative when he or she had two assignments in a row that had not been turned in, in order to help the student with his or her commitments. On one occasion, I noticed that the student from China had failed to turn in two continuous activities and so I issued her a citation to talk to her parents. The girl was very frightened, I realized that something was wrong and asked her to stay a few minutes after class. I talked to her and then I understood her reaction. Parents of Chinese students are usually very strict and punish their children severely if they do something embarrassing. I learned that in addition to studying, these children work in the family business. The girl promised to fulfill her assignments punctually, and indeed after that, she NEVER failed to do any activity again. I told a colleague about the situation and she confirmed the information. She unknowingly went further and on one occasion summoned her little brother's parents. The next day the boy arrived beaten and with his homework done. I was impressed by her account and was relieved that I followed my impressions and spoke directly to the child rather than to her parents.

From that experience, I understood the importance of communication with your students and the inherent commitment to learning more about their roots. Over the years, I have found that they generally tell you the truth about what is going on with them. Yes, there are some who lie about something, but they are usually fewer. In fact, I often found cases where they admitted their faults with much more maturity than an adult. It is very delicate to draw conclusions based on our assumptions. A teacher must be first and foremost an educational researcher, and as a good researcher, he or she must observe, investigate... and for this, good communication with his / her students is very important.

References:

Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom https://video.byui.edu/media/06+Cross-Cultural+Students+in+the+Classroom/0_r2lcaswt 

Image by gpointstudio on Freepik

5/26/2021; Week 6: Response to "Attributional Tendencies"

According to the sources consulted, it's interesting to note that one of the most outstanding features of human beings has always been their capacity to explain or infer the causes of events and behaviors present in their lives. These attributions are not always accurate. Several factors influence these attributions: life experiences, education, social culture... they are also influential when biases are present in these attributions.

In the previous article, I commented on the odyssey of using public transportation in Venezuela. The transportation system is so deficient that in general, the buses look like canned sardines on wheels, leaving no room for any kind of personal space. One of the most common events in this odyssey is theft. People are very crowded and pickpockets take advantage of the situation. If you dare to get on one of these transportation units, you must be aware of this situation and if you become a victim of theft, the guilty party "will be you". Logical, right? The reason is that defensive attribution is part of our culture, a tendency to blame the victims for their misfortune. If you got robbed on the bus, it's because you're a fool, how could you not notice?

Usually, when people are in extreme situations that they can't change, they even look for illogical reasons to live with it. And in this example, instead of standing in solidarity with the victim, it’s preferable to blame the victim as a fool instead of accepting that they are all prone to such experiences. Usually, the feeling of guilt (for something they are not really responsible for!) is so great that the victim prefers not to say anything rather than endure the mockery of people for how foolish he/she is, because "-You let yourself be robbed". Much less think about reporting it to the competent authorities, because they also make fun and in general, do not even take note.

Attributional tendencies refer to what do we attribute success, and to what do we attribute our personal failures. In my opinion, it’s likely that some cultures, due to their particular situations, adopt some tendencies to survive. I can't stop thinking about when the snake tricked our first parents. Eve blamed it on the serpent: - The serpent deceived me. And Adam defers the blame to Eve: - The woman you gave me ate and so I ate. Both of them making external attributions: - We are in trouble and we must survive!

To what extent can we say that we are being objective when we make these attributions? What do you think?

Sometimes as teachers, we can make unfair attributions in the classroom. On one occasion, when I was beginning my teaching experience in a very humble school, I started my class and there was a very restless group that did not allow me to continue. My first thought was: These kids want to sabotage the class, they are probably lazy. But my maternal protocol urged me to approach them and ask what was going on. The lunchroom was out that day and they hadn't eaten lunch. They were hungry. They could hardly assimilate anything in if they were hungry. I asked them to wait for a few minutes and went out. There was a bakery across the street from the school and I bought some bread. I went back and waited for them to eat at least some bread. I lost half an hour of class, but I was able to give the rest of it without any inconvenience... and I earned them for the rest of the school year. What would have happened if I had stayed with the first impression?

References:

Attributional Tendencies in Cultures https://video.byui.edu/media/05+Attributional+Tendencies+in+Cultures/0_u45682wd

Attribution Processes https://wattersattribution.wordpress.com/

Attribution https://www.sparknotes.com/psychology/psych101/socialpsychology/section3/

Image by Briam Cute at Pixabay