Katie Colombo

Martha Ingel

IPP 112

5/1/11

Cultural Differences

All throughout this semester we have studied the differences among many cultures.
There are many factors that contribute to a culture. Each specific culture has its own specific
attributes that characterize it in a unique way. Two of the cultures that were focused on the most
throughout this class were mainstream culture and Deaf culture in America. There are many
differences among mainstream culture and Deaf culture in the United States. These differences
include the context of their culture and their concept of proxemics, kinesics, and time.
Mainstream culture and Deaf culture in the United States are both different in the kind of
culture they are. Mainstream culture is a very individualist culture. They focus on the notion of
being able to do it if you try (Ingel, 2011). They encourage being a team player but a fierce
individual (Ingel, 2011). Mainstream culture focuses on having the individual try to accomplish
something themselves but when they come together they can be a strong group as well. Deaf
culture focuses much more on being a collectivist culture. People among these groups tend to
identify with few groups but become very attached to that group, which defines their identity
(Mindess). There are rules among this kind of culture. Group membership is very rigid and
essentially you must be born into and grow up within the culture to qualify as a member
(Mindess).
Mainstream culture in the United States is very low context. Information about what you
are going to be doing is more important than who is going to be there. They focus on their
achievements, accomplishments, and background (Ingel, 2011). Information about what is going
to be going on at an event and all of the details are extremely important of this low context
culture. Information throughout this culture is very compartmentalized (Ingel, 2011).
On the other hand, Deaf culture in the United States is a very high context culture. The
information in this culture is mostly shared information and experience (Ingel, 2011).
Information about who is going to be at an event rather than what you are going to be doing is
more important to them. There are not as many details given to an individual as there is in a low
context culture. They assume that the information is already known and is open and shared
(Ingel, 2011).
Both of these cultures concept of time vary greatly as well. Mainstream culture in
America is very monochromic. Time is seen as being linear (Ingel, 2011). They focus on one
thing as a time rather than doing many things at once. They follow a schedule very strictly since
they feel time is money (Ingel, 2011). There is fast, orderly communication throughout this
culture. They also focus on following the rules of privacy, order, and a schedule (Ingel, 2011).
Deaf culture in American is quite the opposite. Their culture is very polychromic. This
kind of culture does many things at one time and follows more of a flexible schedule.
Relationships among individuals in this culture are very important. Any plans among this
culture can be changed very easily (Ingel, 2011). There is much slower communication
throughout this culture.
The proxemics among these two cultures is very different. Mainstream culture in
America keeps a much greater distance during communication. They have a great sense of their
own personal space that they do not like to be violated by other individuals. There is a certain
amount of space and distance needed for an individual of this culture to be able to feel
comfortable.
Deaf culture in the United States has a different concept of proxemics. They tend to be
much closer during communication. Deaf culture values closeness and has a lesser sense of
personal space. They would not feel as violated by another individual if someone got too close
to them. They are much more comfortable being close to another individual.
The kinesics among these two cultures is highly different as well. Mainstream culture in
the United States does not have as strong kinesics as Deaf culture does. Kinesics involves
nonverbal behaviors, gestures, eye contact, eye gaze, and facial expression (Ingel, 2011).
Mainstream culture does not have as strong use of eye contact as Deaf culture. It is assumed to
be rude if you look away and do not maintain eye contact during conversation in mainstream
culture.
In Deaf culture these aspects of kinesics are exceptionally strong. Deaf culture uses a
great deal of these features in their culture. While in a conversation, if you were to look away
and not maintain eye contact, it would seem very rude to that person. There is a very strong use
of facial expression and nonverbal behavior due to the fact that part of their language includes
the use of facial grammar. Eye gaze and gestures are also a big part of this culture as they are a
large part of their language.
Throughout this semester we have studied the differences among many different cultures.
It is very easy to think of a different culture other than your own and find the way that they do
things to be very strange. This usually occurs when something is done out of the ordinary from
our own culture and that seems odd to us. It can sometimes be hard to step back and realize that
just because they act different from us, there is no reason to criticize them. Everyone is shaped
very differently from the culture they have grown up around.
I have been able to step back and look at another culture from my own very differently.
Instead of being judgmental or jumping the gun to think that what that culture is doing is
strange, I am able to look at the culture through a different lens. I have developed a way to
understand the differences that occur among any culture. I have developed an openness to be
able to accept another culture for what it is and appreciate its being.
I will continue to evolve in this cultural aspect from now on. This class has really given
be a true understanding of how a culture functions and the reasons behind it. It is very easy to
gloss over a culture to think the way other individuals do something is not good because it is
different from your own. I have developed a way of switching my thinking and reasoning to
better understand every culture I am faced with. I will continue on this path to continue to
evolve in having the best understanding of cultures other then my own.










Works Cited
Ingel, M. (2011). Lecture Notes. Retrieved May 2, 2011, from Blackboard Academic Suite:
http://blackboard.cpcc.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps
%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_325341_1%26url
%3d

Mindess, A. (2006). Reading between the signs. Retrieved May 2, 2011. Boston, MA:
Intercultural Press.