Cultural Diversity in People's Attitudes and Perceptions

Abstract

This paper shares the approach of social constructivism, and maintains that diversity should be examined not 'par excellence', as an entity in itself, but as reflected in people's minds and expressed in their attitudes and perceptions. On the basis of an empirical Bulgarian-Finnish intercultural research the paper states that diversity is not essential, given and unproblematic. Rather, it undergoes constant evolution. What is considered now 'different' can in future be seen as more or less 'similar'. The informants characterized people with a religious, ethnic or racial background, other than theirs, as 'distant' and 'different', while people belonging to groups with the same origin were designated as 'similar' and 'close'. This means that cultural diversity can also be translated into a social-psychological distance. Thus diversity is context-bound and cultural groups are always seen and appraised from the perspective of one's own particular cultural paradigm.

Cross-Cultural Perception of Spanish Synthetic Expressive Voices Among Asians

“…The fact that some groups from different Spanish regions express emotions more or less intensely [32] may explain the lower perception accuracies. For example, Spanish persons from Castilla are often thought to be more "serious" and "dramatic" whereas those from other regions may rarely use neutral tones as that is thought to be too serious [33]. Therefore, significant differences in results might be projected when subjects from different regions are asked to categorize the emotions.…”

Exploring Students’ Self-Identity in the Context of Cultural Diversity at AlAin University, United Arab Emirates

“…The data also show that students' previous and current senses of themselves were in contradiction.These extracts from interviews show how thework outcomes of Sudanese students tended to be influenced negatively by their experiences of cultural diversity: 2005), "we are all unique in the ways that different histories combine in our identity, albeit sharing with others the fact that none of us is 'pure' in a nationalistic way" (p.635).By comparing themselves with 'others', both communities and individuals become aware not only of who and what they are but who and what they are not (Petkova, 2006). This is linked with the suggestion by Holland et al (1998) that identity is framed as self-in-practice:This self-in-practice occupies the interface between intimate discourses, inner speaking, and bodily practices formed in the past and the discourses and practices to which people are exposed, willingly or not, in the present… (p.32)…”

Purchasing power parity and cultural convergence: evidence from the global video games market

“…As a result of this integration of technology into popular culture, young adults are forming distinct identities based on association with groups of likeminded individuals, the membership of which is likely to transcend national borders. Even within these groups, there exist a variety of consumable goods that are targeted at a multitude of demographics, with each providing the user with a unique 'sub cultural' identity and an opportunity to bond with their peers in unique ways (Petkova 2006). Video game consoles are increasingly becoming an object around which social groups can congregate and interact, with users gaining social pleasure from playing as a collective (Poole 2000).…”