The effect of Culture on Mental Models Edo Daniel Lars

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The effect of CultureonMental
ModelsEdoDanielLars
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Agenda

• Definition on mental models
• Adding the cultural aspect
• The effect of cultural conflicts on mental models

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Mental models

• Mental models are
• Deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or
  even images
• They influence how we understand the world and
  how we take action.
• Not immediately observable.
• Models possess representations of objects or
  events and the structural relationships between
  them.
• They are fragmentary representations of how the
  world works.
• Their presence is rarely obvious. However, our
  actions are strongly influenced by them.
• Our mental models of how the world works is our
  way to construct reality. 

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How are mental models constructed?

• Activities and interaction with people and
  things, ideas and facts.
• Perception, imagination, or the comprehension of
  discourse.
• Some characteristics, necessary but not
  sufficient, of mental models are
• Language is the key to understanding mental
  models
• Mental models can be represented as networks of
  concepts.
• The meanings for the concepts are embedded in
  their relationships to other concepts.
• Schemata (plural for schema) are a key element.
• A schema is a hypothetical mental structure for
  representing generic concepts stored in memory.
  It's a sort of framework, or plan, or script.

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Example
Suppose the following conversation between two
I-House room mates A Did you order it?B
Yeah, it will be here in about 45 minutes.A
Oh... Well, I've got to leave before then. But
save me a couple of slices, okay? And a beer or
two to wash them down with.   Do you know what
the roommates are talking about? How can you
know theyre talking about a pizza? Or more
especifically, an order for home-delivery of a
pizza? What is happening is that your relevent
schema is filling in the blanks, with especific
default values.
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New information
What happens when mental models receive new
information? Incorporate it If the
information and our mental models are in
agreement, we incorporate it into our
models. Reject it Otherwise, we may reject new
information or file it away for further
processing, either conscious or
unconscious Rethink and revise the model At
times the new information is so compelling that
we are forced to rethink and revise our models of
various components of the world.
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Learning?
We rarely coherently reconstruct how we arrived
at our models By reconstructing the model
formation we can arrive to a validity check on
the model We may consciously or unconsciously
avoid seeking new information, or fail to relate
the information we do perceive to our models.
We need to turn the mirror inward to unearth
our models and hold them to scrutiny.
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Adding a cultural aspect
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Culture

• Hofstede(1992)
• Culture is defined as the shaping of the mind
  that distinguishes the members of one group or
  category of people from those of another. It is
  expressed as the collective values, norms,
  traditions, myths and institutions that are
  characteristic among members of a group
• Trompenaars(1994)
• Culture defines people, context, human
  relationships and leadership- virtually every
  aspect of business

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Culture study in 60 countries

• National culture explained more of the
  differences in work related attitudes and values
• Managers and employees vary over 5 dimensions
• Power-distance
• Collectivism vs. individualism
• Femininity vs. masculinity
• Uncertainty avoidance
• Time Orientation

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Power distance

• The degree to which a culture believes
  institutional and organizational power should be
  distributed (equally / unequally)
• High power distance - India, the Philippines
• Low power distance - Israel and Denmark
• Mental Model example Expected to challenge your
  boss?
• Denmark vs. Israel vs. Mexico?
• Study by Andre Laurent It is important that a
  manager has precise answers at hand to most
  questions that subordinates may ask
• Do you agree?

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How many agreed?

• It is important that a manager has precise
  answers at hand to most questions that
  subordinates may ask
• Sweden 10
• Netherlands 17
• USA 18
• Denmark 23
• Great Britain 27
• Switzerland 38
• Belgium 44
• Germany 46
• France 53
• Italy 66
• Indonesia 73
• Japan 78

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Individualism and Collectivism

• The degree to which a culture relies on and has
  allegiance to the self or the group
• High Individualism Mainly commitment to
  themselves, certain universal values shared by
  all. Example US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ
• High Collectivism Tight social networks, accept
  that groups hold different values. Collective
  cultures Japan and China
• Mental Model example
• How to work in the (new) MBA group?
• The importance of the group, priorities between
  group and individual work, obligations,
  discussions?

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Masculinity / Femininity .. or Goal Orientation

• The degree to which a culture values behaviours
  like achievement, acquisition of wealth, caring
  for others, social support and quality of life.
• Cultures with high masculinity Distinct
  expectations of male and female roles in society
• Low masculinity cultures Believe less in
  external achievements - more in quality of life,
  such as helping others and sympathy for the
  unfortunate.
• Mental Model example
• Male kindergarten teachers accepted?
• Specific search engine for woman

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Japanese Excite for Women Pale Colors and
Recipes
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Uncertainty Avoidance

• The extent to which people in a society feel
  threatened by ambiguity and uncertain situations
• High UA creates low tolerance for ambiguity
• Avoid uncertainty by creating prefer formal rules
  and regulations (Japan, Germany)
• Low UA scores reflect the opposite
• believe in accepting and encouraging diverse
  views, in taking risks and trying new things
  (Hong Kong)
• Mental Model example How to solve problems in an
  (new) MBA group?
• In conflicts, people from collectivistic
  countries are likely to use avoidance or other
  face-saving techniques
• Members of individualistic countries are likely
  to use confrontational strategies when dealing
  with interpersonal problems

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Time Orientation

• The extent to which members of a culture adopt a
  long term or a short term outlook on work and
  life. Work for today or work for tomorrow
• Long term Dedication Sacrifice for future
  benefits, Value dedication, hard work, dedication
  to a cause, thrift. (Korea, Japan, Taiwan)
• Short term Dedicaiton Focus more on past and
  present. Social obligations over
  achievement/investment (countries in southern
  Africa and Pakistan)

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The effect of cultural conflicts on Mental Models
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Historical Study of Cultural Conflicts

• Cultures mythologies vary considerably and
  display different cosmology
• Cultures define systematic patterns of behavior
• Sets of socially-determined choices lead to such
  behavior to enhances social stability
• Different cultures traditionally interacted
  through conflict

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Historical Study of Cultural Conflicts

• Technological change and economic development ?
  increase choices
• The Industrial revolution resulted
• Improvements in the efficiency
• Variety of forms of communications between
  individuals and societies
• Communication puts the mental models and
  perceptions of reality, that characterize
  different cultures, into direct contact and
  conflict
• Modern Science threatened fundamental assumptions
  mental models of realities of traditional models
  

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Historical Study of Cultural Conflicts

• Result
• Modern scientific and technological discoveries
  and economic growth tend to shatter/
  substantially modify
• Existing mental models
• Culturally-dictated behavior patterns
• Power structures
• Examples
• Modern womens movement
• European Clash with China in 19th century

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Historical Study of Cultural Conflicts

• Transitional period are characterized by
• 1. Escalating conflict between cultures and
  alternative worlds
• 2. Sometimes even cosmic mental models
• Result intensified conflicts
• This draws people still deeper into their
  collective unconscious.
• Cultures most severely disrupted by modern
  technological and scientific changes experience
  threat and destruction to
• 1. Cultural symbols
• 2. Individual personas of many individuals
• Result for individuals and institutions
• Search for new archetypal symbols
• Search for new cultural patterns of behavior and
  values

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Historical Study of Cultural Conflicts

• Changes promote nonlinear, chaotic change through
  the social system.
• Changes tend to
• 1. Modify or even destroy the existing power
  structures that fail to adapt to the new
  technologies
• 2. create new centers of power.
• Result
• Sense of fear and uncertainty
• Sense of loss of control and social direction
• This can engender chaotic reactions and
  counter-actions, even terrorism

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Globalization and Mental Models

• Trends
• Mass media Products
• Fads (reality shows, TV games) but with a local
  twist
• Decrease in state censorship
• Increase of flow of information and exchange of
  ideas across the internet and various media
• Create mass changes in Mental Models

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Globalization

• Results
• Implied Uniformity of Mental Models as perceived
  by media
• Rebellion against traditional culture
• Terrorism
• The Future?
• Janner (2000) predicts
• a collective expansion of human consciousness but
  only after profound turbulence and violence.

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References

• Laurent, Andre 1983. The cultural Diversity of
  Western Conceptions of Management, International
  studies of Management and Organizations, vol.
  XIII, No 1-2, Spring-Summer 1983
• Hofstede, Geert.1991, 1997. Cultures and
  Organizations Software of the Mind, Geert
  Hofstede, McGraw-Hill
• Johnson-Laird, Phil and Byrne, Ruth May 2000,
  The mental model theory of thinking and
  reasoning. http//www.tcd.ie/Psychology/Ruth_Byrn
  e/mental_models/index.html
• Jonassen, David H. Operationalizing Mental
  Models Strategies for Assessing Mental Models to
  Support Meaningful Learning and Design-
  Supportive Learning Environments
  http//www.ittheory.com/jonassen2.htm
• Indiana University Meaningful reception
  learning and schema theory. http//education.indi
  ana.edu/p540/webcourse/schema.html
• Szabo, M. 1997. Updating our mental models to
  take advantage of modern communication technology
  to promote CMC. In Berge, Z. Collins, M.
  (eds.). Wired Together The Online Classroom in
  K-12, Volume I. Peekskill, NJ Hampton Press.
  http//www.quasar.ualberta.ca/DRMIKE/Szabo/models.
  html
• Mental Models (session 3) (2002). Pennsylvania
  State University, Cooperative Extension.
  Available URL http//www.extension.psu.edu/workf
  orce/Materials/Bridges/MentalModels.pdf. Last
  accessed 7.9.2004.
• Taiping Rebellion. The Free Dictionary.
  Available URL http//encyclopedia.thefreediction
  ary.com/TaipingRebellion. Last accessed
  7.9.2004.
• Jenner R.. (2000). Globalization, Cultural
  Symbols, and Group Consciousness Culture as an
  Adaptive Complex System. San Francisco State
  University College of Business. Available URL
  http//userwww.sfsu.edu/cgc/Culturesystem.html.
  Last accessed 7.9.2004.