Title: What Are the Key Methods Used to Describe Cultures?
Headings: 3.2
What Are the Key Methods Used to Describe Cultures?

3.2 What Are the Key Methods Used to Describe Cultures?
Learning Objectives
Hofstede and Values
Edward T. Hall
Context: High-Context versus Low-Context Cultures
Space
Attitudes toward Time: Polychronic versus Monochronic Cultures
What Else Determines a Culture?
Communication
Verbal Language
Did You Know?
Body Language
Did You Know?
Amusing Anecdote
Ethnocentrism
Key Takeaways
Exercises

Content: assertiveness, materialism, and less concern for others. In masculine-oriented cultures, gender roles are usually crisply defined. Men tend to be more focused on performance, ambition, and material success. They cut tough and independent personas, while women cultivate modesty and quality of life. Cultures in Japan and Latin American are examples of masculine-oriented cultures. In contrast, feminine cultures are thought to emphasize “feminine” values: concern for all, an emphasis on the quality of life, and an emphasis on relationships. In feminine-oriented cultures, both genders swap roles, with the focus on quality of life, service, and independence. The Scandinavian cultures rank as feminine cultures, as do cultures in Switzerland and New Zealand. The United States is actually more moderate, and its score is ranked in the middle between masculine and feminine classifications.