Culture is an essential part of conflict and conflict resolution. Cultures are like underground rivers that run through our lives and relationships, giving us messages that shape our perceptions, attributions, judgments, and ideas of self and other. In this post, I want to show you some typical examples of cultural differeces:
- Laughing is connoted in most countries with happiness - in Japan it is often a sign of confusion, insecureness and embarrassment.
- If invited to dinner, in many Asian countries and Central America it is well-mannered to leave right after the dinner: the ones who don’t leave may indicate they have not eaten enough. In the Indian Sub-Continent, European and North American countries this is considered rude, indicating that the guest only wanted to eat but wouldn’t enjoy the company with the hosts.
- Shaking the head in a horizontal direction in most countries means „no”, while in India it means „yes”, and in hindi language the voice lowers in pitch at the end of a question.
- Showing the thumb held upwards means in Latin America, especially Brazil, but also in many other countries „everything’s ok”, while it is understood in some Islamic countries as well as Sardinia and Greece as a rude sexual sign. Furthermore, the sign of thumb up may signify the number "one" in France and a few other central european countries.
- In the UK Ireland and Commonwealth countries, the word „compromise” has a positive meaning (as a consent, an agreement where both parties win something); in the USA it may rather have negative connotations (as both parties lose something).
- In Africa, saying to a female friend one has not seen for a while that she has put on weight means she is physically healthier than before or had a nice holiday, whereas this would be considered as an insult in Europe, North America and Australia.
- In Mediterranean European countries, Latin America and Sub Saharan Africa, it is normal, or at least widely tolerated, to arrive half an hour late for a dinner invitaiton, whereas in Germany and Switzerland this would be extremely rude.
(Nguyễn Hải Anh - 24/03/2014)
Subject: Typical Examples of cultural differences 
Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:16 pm
You collected a number of necessary characteristics in cultures of each region all over the world. If there is time, could you post some similar contents in particular country you are interested in? I'm looking forward to reading them 
