Choc culturel

Genest, Sylvie; Gouin-Bonenfant, Mathilde; White, Bob W.

doi:10.47854/anthropen.v1i1.41078

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…In the field of intercultural communication studies, one of the predominant theories is that of culture shock, which I will use as an example in the methodological discussion that follows. My aim here is to see how we can methodologically argue that it is a misleading theory that has undermined anthropological research on intercultural communication [26]. My opinion here is not based on the fact that it is "old-fashioned and therefore wrong", as Dutton bitterly reproaches all those who disavow this theory [27], but rather because it escapes the domain compatibility criteria of scientificity identified above.…”

Section: Assessing the Heuristic Value Of Culture Shock Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This path of theoretical development, based on systems thinking, makes it possible to elaborate an explanation that does not presume the positive or negative outcome of the "shock" experience, that can be used at different scales of analysis (individual, group, human), that transcends the specialized vocabulary of psychology and remains close to the concerns of anthropology. [26] Having achieved my first objective, which was to make explicit the conditions likely to ensure the heuristic value of a model built with words, I now propose to take on the second, which consists in clarifying the operational function and the level of abstraction required for certain terms necessary for the construction of heuristic models.…”

Section: Relying On Our Experience Of the Information Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Systems Theory and Intercultural Communication: Methods for Heuristic Model Design

Genest

2023

Humans

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This article focuses on methods for designing heuristic models within the paradigm of systems theory and in the disciplinary context of intercultural communication. The main question arises from the striking observation that common language is insufficient to develop knowledge about human communication, especially when many factors of complexity (such as ambiguity, paradoxes, or uncertainty) are involved in the composition of an abstract research object. This epistemological, theoretical, and methodological problem is one of the main challenges to the scientificity of anthropological theories and concepts on culture. Moreover, these questions lie at the heart of research on intercultural communication. Authors and theorists in the complexity sciences have already stressed the need, in such cases, to think in terms of models or semiotic representations, since these tools of thought can mediate much more effectively than unformalized language between the heterogeneous set of perceptions arising from the field of experience, on the one hand, and the philosophical principles that organize speculative thought, on the other. This sets the scene for a reflection on the need to master the theory of heuristic models when it comes to developing scientific knowledge in the field of intercultural communication. In this essay, my first aim is to make explicit the conditions likely to ensure the heuristic value of a model, while my second aim is to clarify the operational function and required level of abstraction of certain terms, such as heading, concept, category, model, and system that are among the most commonly used by academics in their descriptive accounts or explanatory hypotheses. To achieve this second objective, I propose to create cognitive meta-categories to identify the three (nominal, cardinal, or ordinal) roles of words in the reference grids that we use to classify our ideas and to specify how to use these meta-categories in the construction of our heuristic models. Alongside the theoretical presentation, examples of application are provided, almost all of which are drawn from my own research into the increased cultural vigilance of the majority population in Québec since the reasonable accommodation crisis in this French-speaking province of Canada. The typology I propose will perhaps help to avoid the confusion regularly committed by authors who attribute only cosmetic functions to words that nevertheless have a highly heuristic value and who forget to consider the logical leaps of their theoretical thinking in the construction of heuristic models.

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Section: Assessing the Heuristic Value Of Culture Shock Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Relying On Our Experience Of the Information Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systems Theory and Intercultural Communication: Methods for Heuristic Model Design

Genest

2023

Humans

Self Cite

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“…This can be a source of shock for them, as the codes and norms in the field may be far removed from the researcher's personal background and traditions, even when the ethnography is carried out in the researcher's own social and cultural environment. Culture shock refers to the feeling of being disoriented and losing one's bearings when the environment studied is far removed from the individual's familiar universe [34][35][36]. Often used to refer to interethnic relations, it also applies to disciplinary or professional cultures.…”

Section: Ethnologist In the Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnologist as Foreign Body: A Systemic Explanation

Arsenault

2023

Humans

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During an ethnographic experience, which took place in a rehabilitation clinic, I had to deal with situations that required me to make a series of adjustments to my role in the clinic, so as to reduce my involvement with both patients and therapists. Although I expected to feel more at ease as the field progressed, instead, I felt as if my presence were more and more disruptive, and gradually becoming problematic. The systemic approach thus seemed the most relevant for clarifying the complexity of the interactions that were at play, and that shaped my experience, as I had to venture beyond reflexivity. The aim of this methodological article is to shed light on the need for constant adaptation in the ethnologist, in order to maintain their presence in the field, and obtain information to carry out research. In order to do so, a systemic triangulation has been performed based on the Donnadieu and Karsky method, leading to an analysis of some of the difficulties encountered, as highlighted via systemic thinking.

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“…It therefore has no place in children's educational environments". 20 To read the transcript (also on video tape) of Ms. Duval's remarks on the Government of Quebec website and in the original language (in French), follow this link: https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/travauxparlementaires/commissions/ci/mandats/Mandat-24537/index.html. The brief filed by AFEAS in December 2013 is also available at this address : https://afeas.qc.ca/pour-une-charte-integrant-laicite-et-neutralite-de-letatet-balisant-les-accommodements-memoire-decembre-2013/…”

Section: The Question Of Restraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systems Theory and Intercultural Communication: Methods for Heuristic Model Design

Genest

2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article focuses on methods for designing heuristic models within the paradigm of systems theory and in the disciplinary context of intercultural communication. The main question arises from the striking observation that the common language is insufficient to develop knowledge about human communication, especially when many factors of complexity (such as ambiguity, paradoxes, or uncertainty) are involved in the composition of an abstract research object. This epistemological, theoretical, and methodological problematic is one of the main challenges to the scientificity of anthropological theories and concepts on culture. Moreover, these questions lie at the heart of research in intercultural communication. Authors and theorists in the complexity sciences have already stressed the need, in such case, to think in terms of models or semiotic representations, since these tools of thought can mediate much more effectively than unformalized language between the heterogeneous set of perceptions arising from the field of experience, on the one hand, and the philosophical principles that organize speculative thought, on the other. This sets the scene for a reflection on the need to master the theory of heuristic models when it comes to developing scientific knowledge in the field of intercultural communication. In this essay, my first aim is to make explicit the conditions likely to ensure the heuristic value of a model, while my second aim is to clarify the operational function and required level of abstraction of certain terms such as concepts, categories, headings, models, systems, or theories that are among the most commonly used by academics in their descriptive accounts or explanatory hypotheses. To achieve this second objective, I propose to create cognitive meta-categories to identify the three (nominal, cardinal or ordinal) roles of words in the reference grids we use to classify our ideas, and to specify how to use these meta-categories in the construction of our heuristic models. Alongside the theoretical presentation, examples of application are provided, almost all of which are drawn from my own research into the increased cultural vigilance of the majority population in Quebec since the reasonable accommodation crisis in this French-speaking province of Canada. The typology I propose will perhaps help to avoid the confusions regularly committed by authors who attribute only cosmetic functions to words that nevertheless have a highly heuristic value, and who forget to consider the logical leaps of their theoretical thinking in the construction of heuristic models.

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Choc culturel

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Systems Theory and Intercultural Communication: Methods for Heuristic Model Design

Systems Theory and Intercultural Communication: Methods for Heuristic Model Design

Ethnologist as Foreign Body: A Systemic Explanation

Systems Theory and Intercultural Communication: Methods for Heuristic Model Design

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