Intercultural Conflicts in Spain and Argentina: Analysis of
Critical Incidents
Ignacio Ramos Vidal, Isidro Maya Jariego & Daniel Holgado Ramos
Laboratory of Personal Networks and Communities. University of Seville, (Spain)
Abstract & Objectives
The present study analyzes a total of 63 critical incidents collected in
Spain and Argentina. Through content analysis and a case study
approach the set of elements present in the processes of intercultural
communication are examined. The research serves to identifying cultural
shock areas as well as the influence of prejudices and stereotypes in the
development of intercultural contacts.
a) The first results point to the influence of communication processes in the
development of intercultural conflict.
b) Secondly, the importance of the specific context of interaction in the
occurrence of certain cultural conflicts (particularly in the context of social
care services).
c) Thirdly, cultural conflicts are often associated with the presence of
prejudices and stereotypes.
d) Finally it stresses the importance of the ethnic composition of the context
(homogeneous versus heterogeneous) on the perception and
identification of cultural conflicts.
Majority
culture
Areas of
culture
shock
Method
Qualitative research methods offer researchers the opportunity to study specific problems in
specific contexts. This allows analyzing each of the elements capable of influencing each case.
We observed 40 cases of intercultural conflict in Spain. Critical incidents collected in Spain
have been provided by social service workers who have university training. In Argentina we
collected 23 cases of intercultural conflict, which were provided by Social Work university
students, many of them professionals with some experience in social services.
Introduction
Economic globalization has led to increased internationalization of
organizations. This phenomenon is also associated to increased
international migratory flows and the consequent interaction between
culturally diverse groups. The study of intercultural incidents may help to
manage potential conflicts in modern society.
Cultural differences may result in problems in intercultural communication.
These cultural barriers can generate anxiety and frustration (Stephan,
1992; Spencer-Rodgers & McGovern, 2002) that influence the appearance
of prejudice and stereotypes. On the other hand the cultural differences
concerning styles and contexts of communication (Tinsley, 1998; Brett,
2005) can influence the decoding of the communication process.
Gender roles (Best & Williams, 2001), and the change in behaviour
according to the space of interaction –v. gr. public versus private(Martin, 1990) are relevant cultural shock areas for different groups. The
study of behavioural changes in social spaces leads us to examine certain
contexts that are particularly sensitive as the case of social care services.
In such contexts, cultural representations can generate conflicts in contact
with the normative regulation of public contexts.
The critical incident technique (CIT) is an effective tool in the study of
intercultural situations. Another practical application of this technique lies in
the formation and training of individuals who have to cope with a culturally
diverse environment.
Perceptive distortion
Anxiety, frustration
Exo-group
In-group
The information was gathered applying CIT in training seminars. The participants were previously
informed of the essential elements of a critical incident and the way to provide a detailed
description, informing of the anecdote, the context and the reactions of the participants.
Participants were asked to describe intercultural conflicts based on a real experiences.
Communication filters
Cultural shock areas
Examples
Intercultural
communication processes
The case 11 describes a critical incident in which a social
worker attends to an elderly woman. This elderly woman is
being cared by a Romanian domestic worker. The elderly
woman thinks that her caregiver is stealing. This situation is
aggravated by mutual ignorance of the language. This
ignorance promotes the expression of prejudicial attitudes
toward the group of Romanians. This case shows the
influence of intercultural communication barriers in the
appearance of prejudices and stereotyping.
Minority
culture
Gender roles, Religion,
Communication style, Cultural expressions,
Context of interaction (public vs. private)
Some lessons about intercultural conflicts…
Behaviour in public
versus private places
Prejudice and stereotypes
The narrator of the critical incident 36 is a Peruvian woman of
45 years. During the funeral of her husband (a Spanish man)
held in Spain try to get a picture with the deceased husband.
This incident provoked a violent reaction by the family of her
husband who tried to grab the camera (finally snatched). After
the incident the woman was rejected by the family of her
husband. The relations were finally blocked.
Prejudice and stereotypes
Conditions
under Which
contact
occurs
Verbatim
“The vision of the Romanian collective is that they have
arrived to Spain to steal and live without working, it is the
perception… since the Romanians began to arrive the crime
rate has increased“
Intergroup
contact
Case 11
“The family had misinterpreted my way to show mourning. In
my town, where a band played music in the funeral and it is
customary to take pictures with the deceased this would be
interpreted as a normal behavior”
Majority
collective
Minority
collective
Positive conditions of interaction
Contact Hypothesis
(Allport, 1962)
Enabling strategies
Case 36
Case 21 describes a conflict between a Latin American young
man working in a shop repairing cars. The Latin American
"He [the young South American] told what happened with a
young receives a discriminatory treatment by a customer who naturalness that could lead to wrongly think that the incident
ask the boss to impede him touching his vehicle. The client's hadn’t affected him. However, his twisted face and the way he
attitude seems to be related to the nationality of the worker, shrugged his shoulders when he stopped at a pivotal moment
since there had been no prior contact between them.
in history revealed the conflictive character of the situation."
Case 21
Gender roles
1. Intercultural conflicts are multidimensional because of the many
factors involved in its onset and development (perceptual, cognitive
and situational dimensions).
2. The interpretative problems are at the root of many cultural
conflicts, even more than the own cultural differences.
3. Intercultural communication problems can produce anxiety and
frustration. These emotions allowed the retention of the prejudices
and stereotypes
4. The social care services are particularly sensitive contexts to
bring about cultural conflicts. This is due to the tension between the
rules of the welfare centers and users from the minority culture.
5. The strategies that promote cultural exchange and mutual
understanding have shown to effectively reduce prejudices and
stereotypes and building positive relationships
Case 14 describes a situation in which a social worker
performs a monitoring process to a gypsy family. One of the "When I went to visit the girl to her new home she told me that
daughters (13 years old) start missing school lessons. The
she was married. She also said that gipsy women are
Social Worker visited the girl’s home and interviewed the
involved in caring for their husbands and their children and not
family. After the first meeting, the girl begins to attend and
attending school.”
even shows some improvement at school. However, soon the
girl continues missing school again. The social worker
Case 14
(narrator of the incident) decided to visit the family again. She
was informed that the minor is married and that she will not
attend school.
Custom Relations
Egalitarian role
Cooperative activities
Institutional promotion
Empathy
Cultural competence
Knowledge of cultures in contact
Cognitive Flexibility
Tolerance for ambiguity
References
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