"Me vs. We" ~ Individualist vs. Collectivist Cultures

1) In a collectivist culture, what personality traits are likely to be considered ideal? What about an individualist culture? 

In a collectivist culture, adherence to the ideals of the group is a favorable personality trait. Highlighting personally held opinions above those of the group is contrary to the ideals of a collectivist culture, while being in accordance with the majority's opinion would be considered positive.

In contrast, in individualist cultures, people who are assertive about their own beliefs and take charge to make their opinion the dominant one within the group are viewed as "leaders" and "role models". Confident, self-assured people that establish independence from the group are often idealized within individualistic cultures.

2) In what type of culture might elders or people who have professional distinction receive more respect and less challenge from people lower on their culture's/group's hierarchy? Explain your answer. 

In individualist cultures, we are taught to act for ourselves and operate as independent units, standing up to elders or people in power when we believe that they have done us wrong. When our sense of self is impeded upon, it is not wrong to oppose those in power; instead, it's viewed as protecting free thought and personal liberty.

Challenging elders or those in power in collectivist cultures, however, would undoubtedly be viewed in a negative light. Those with professional distinction and the elderly are seen as establishing the basis for group ideals, and opposing them would be the same as going against the group as a whole. This mindset can be seen in countries like Japan, where the older generation is given great respect and is valued very highly.

3) Create a specific problem a teacher may encounter when he/she moves from teaching in a collectivist culture to an individualist culture or vice versa. Explain the specific values/influences/obligations/desires caused by the clash. Propose a way for the conflict to be resolved. 

A teacher in a collectivist culture would probably be treated with a lot more respect than they would be in an individualist culture. In countries like Pakistan, Korea, or Japan, one would very rarely see a student talking back to a teacher or disobeying classroom rules. In the U.S., however, it's not all that uncommon to see a student directly questioning a teacher's rule or challenging their decisions. Therefore, a teacher moving from a collectivist culture in the East to an individualist culture in the West might be shocked by the level of disrespect he or she encounters in the classroom. Such a teacher might not know how to react when a student intentionally does something in defiance of his or her rules. This conflict might be resolved by emphasizing the importance of respect to the younger generation in Western cultures.

4) What is an acquaintance? Does the word have a positive or negative connotation? Explain.   

An acquaintance is someone you know but don't consider yourself very familiar with or close to. The word has a slightly negative connotation, implying that the person is an "outsider" of the group you identify with.