CSU Pre-departure guide - Study Abroad - Colorado State University

What is Culture?
What is culture? This is a simple
question, yet it has a deep and
complex answer. In its simplest form,
culture may be defined as unique
characteristics that unify a nation.
A person may generalize a country
as being uniform – citizens of the
United States are “Americans”, for
example, but what does that really
mean? Within your own borders,
cultural differences exist. In thinking
about the United States, lifestyles
differ among geographic regions –
the South, the Northeast, the West
Coast, the Midwest, etc. Think about
what has shaped your upbringing and
influenced your culture. How will that
upbringing affect how you will interact
with others when you arrive in your
host culture? What has influenced the
culture of the country in which you will
be studying?
“Culture refers to values,
beliefs, attitudes, preferences,
customs, learning styles,
communication styles, history
and historical interpretations,
achievements and
accomplishments, technology,
the arts, literature, etc. – the
sum total of what a particular
group of people has created
together, share, and transmit.”
(Paige, et al, 2002).
Understanding Culture
Culture can be categorized in two
ways. The first category is called Big
C Culture, or that which is visible,
apparent, or objective. Items that fall
within this classification are the arts,
music, popular culture, literature, styles
of dress, and so on. The second
category is often referred to as Little
c Culture, or the hidden dimensions
of culture that influence daily life.
These hidden dimensions of culture
include such things as communication
styles, learning styles, nonverbal
communication (including eye contact,
personal space, perception of time,
gestures), and religious beliefs. How can
you recognize and understand these
cultural differences and similarities?
One way to help illustrate the
concept of culture is to use an iceberg
as an analogy. When looking at an
iceberg, we can only see that part of
the iceberg that is visible above the
waterline. We have no idea how much
mass lies below the surface of the
water, and therefore it is a mystery.
In applying this to culture, that part
of a society’s culture that is above
the waterline is the Big C Culture –
the behavior and practices that are
apparent and easily visible. What is left
below the waterline includes all Little
c Cultural items – those attitudes and
core values that are learned. These
core values affect what we know
to be good or bad, acceptable or
unacceptable, and so on. The visible
portion of an iceberg is much smaller
than the invisible portion below the
waterline. The same holds true for
observations of another culture. What
we cannot see or understand is always
much larger than what we can see. We
are not always aware of the way such
things as religion, history, educational
systems, family dynamics, etc. all
affect the core attitudes and beliefs
held by an individual or by a society.
As the iceberg analogy illustrates,
culture is infinitely more complex
than what you can see on the
surface. As you prepare for your
study abroad experience, take the
time to learn about your host culture
and try to understand what cultural
characteristics and influences lay
below the waterline. Also, consider
those core values and beliefs that
have shaped you and your home
country’s culture. How do you expect
these to influence your opinions and
interactions while abroad?
Did You Know?
Laughter is the best medicine
when traveling abroad. In
fact, the most embarrassing
moments will make the best
stories when you get home.
Colorado State University Study Abroad www.studyabroad.colostate.edu 5