How Culture Drives Behaviours | Julien S. Bourrelle | TEDxTrondheim
Short Summary:
This TEDx talk by Julien S. Bourrelle explores how culture profoundly shapes our behaviors and interactions, often leading to misunderstandings between people from different backgrounds. Key points include the three ways individuals react to new cultures (confront, complain, or conform), the importance of observing and adapting to understand cultural nuances, and how cultural differences impact everything from personal space to expressions of friendship. Bourrelle uses anecdotes from his experiences in Norway and Spain, and examples of gender equality policies in a university, to illustrate how cultural lenses distort our perceptions. He advocates for understanding cultural differences to improve communication and unlock the benefits of diversity, showcasing his own project using humorous drawings to bridge cultural gaps. The talk emphasizes the need to move beyond simply seeing differences to truly perceiving and understanding them.
Detailed Summary:
The talk is structured around several key anecdotes and concepts illustrating the impact of culture on behavior:
Section 1: Personal Anecdotes and the Three Approaches to Culture:
Bourrelle begins by recounting his surprise at a stranger initiating conversation in Brussels, contrasting this with the more reserved social norms of his adopted home in Norway. He introduces three ways people react to new cultures: confrontation (believing one's own behaviors are superior), complaining (leading to self-imposed isolation), and conformity (adapting and benefiting from diversity). He highlights conformity as the most beneficial approach, requiring observation and learning. This section sets the stage by establishing the central theme of cultural influence on behavior.
Section 2: Cultural Lenses and Misinterpretations:
Bourrelle shares an incident in Catalonia where a guide misinterpreted his tall, blond friend's neutral facial expression as disinterest, demonstrating how our cultural background shapes our interpretation of others' behavior. He emphasizes that "we all see the world through cultural glasses," and that changing this lens can alter perceptions and improve cross-cultural relations.
Section 3: Equality of Result vs. Equality of Opportunity:
This section discusses Bourrelle's experience being denied entry to a "Leadership for Women" course at a university. While initially frustrated, he comes to understand the university's rationale: a government initiative promoting gender equality in professorship positions by prioritizing women's leadership training. He contrasts "equality of opportunity" with "equality of result," highlighting the potential benefits of diversity in leadership, citing studies showing improved performance in diverse teams.
Section 4: Bridging Cultural Gaps through Communication:
Bourrelle describes his project creating humorous drawings depicting typical cultural situations to facilitate cross-cultural understanding. This initiative, reaching over one million people, aims to simplify and humanize the process of connecting across cultures, particularly in Norway.
Section 5: Cultural Differences in Friendship and Personal Space:
This section explores how cultural values influence expectations of friendship and personal space. He contrasts the interdependent group-oriented friendships common in many cultures with the more independent, self-sufficient approach prevalent in the West. He uses the example of a Scandinavian's definition of a good friend ("someone I can sit in silence with and feel comfortable") to illustrate this difference. He further explains how differing conceptions of personal space, particularly noticeable in interactions between South Americans and North Europeans, can lead to misunderstandings and discomfort. The concept of politeness is also discussed as a culturally-defined set of norms impacting communication.
Section 6: Conclusion:
Bourrelle concludes by reiterating the importance of recognizing that perception, not just observation, is key to understanding cultural differences. He emphasizes that taking small steps towards understanding can lead to a world that truly benefits from diversity. The repeated phrase, "It's not about what you see; it's about what you perceive," underlines the central message of the talk.