1. Cultural Differences

The YouTube link below includes three commercials that comically illustrate cultural differences. Students can watch this and discuss in an online forum whether they believe the differences portrayed are stereotypical or are factually based. You may also ask students to discuss whether they’ve experienced cultural differences traveling or studying abroad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOHvMz7dl2A

2. Strange America

Each culture tends to think their customs and traditions are normal. The American ethnocentric point of view will be challenged after reading what people from other countries say about the American way of life.

http://www.businessinsider.com/things-americans-do-that-seem-just-bizarre-to-the-outside-world-2013-5

https://www.interexchange.org/articles/career-training-usa/10-things-to-know-about-u-s-culture/

3. What Contributes to the Cognitive Differences Between Cultures?

Education may be one reason why there appears to be cultural differences in cognition. According to the text, the experience of formal education may put people at an advantage. This website below supports this assertion. Written by a cognitive psychologist, 21 strategies common to all “good” students are discussed with the understanding that if you work on using these strategies you’ll excel at school. Many of these strategies are things we see in the education system. Have students read and discuss which strategies are those that individuals in formal education may have more experience with, and whether this could underlie cultural differences in cognitive function.

https://thinkeracademy.com/21-study-tips/

4. What Street is This?

This two-minute TED talk provides some excellent food for thought about culture and how even the smallest of differences seem so odd.

https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_weird_or_just_different