Speak up!

Asian Americans are seen as passive in the classroom and work environments. Why is that? From a Western standpoint, this could be viewed negatively. Imagine this: a teacher is conducting a classroom discussion and grades class participation as 20% of the class. The teacher notices that the Asian American student never volunteers during class discussions and only responds when called upon. Therefore, the teacher decides that the student is not assertive in the classroom setting and grades accordingly. A similar scenario can be seen in a mainstream work environment, which may help to explain the glass ceiling in regards to Asian American employees. This could be detrimental to one's academic and/or work performance.

From an Eastern standpoint, however, this could be culturally congruent. In the situations where the nail that stands up gets hammered down, one is expected not to stand out above others. Similarly, there is a hierarchy in Asian societies that dictate those of lower social status (e.g., student/employee) should defer to those of higher status (e.g., teacher/supervisor). Additionally, there is also the concept of avoiding losing face at all costs. In the Eastern efforts to maintain face and harmony, speaking out may not be in the best interest of the group.

What to do? Asian Americans can challenge themselves to be more assertive when the situation deems appropriate. At the same time, educators and employers may want to be more culturally sensitive and offer permission to their students/subordinates to encourage verbal participation and assertiveness.

Confucius says...

Ever wonder how some Asian cultures have clear roles for how people should behave in society? Confucianism permeates throughout many of the East Asian cultures and influences other parts of Asia as well. Confucius was a scholar/philosopher in China who believed in social order. For example, children should respect their elders and citizens should respect authority figures. This has implications for filial piety (see more on this idea in a future posting) and being a law-abiding citizen.

Confucianism also has an impact on how gender roles are played out in (East) Asian societies. Ever heard of the law of three obediences? As a girl, females are expected to follow their fathers. As an adult, females are expected to follow their husbands. In their later years, females are expected to follow their sons. This means that a patriarchal society will value male opinions more in order to maintain social hierarchies.

No matter whether or not you agree with Confucianism, one can not argue the vast influence this school of thought continues to have on Asian (American) societies. I welcome your thoughts on this matter.

Communication Across Immigrant Generations

In April of 2010, several Taiwanese (American) Women gathered in Toronto, Canada to discuss the complexities of intergenerational communication. Click on the link below to see one woman's take on the Roundtable Discussion.

http://natwaii.blogspot.com/2010/06/roundtable-discussion-with-dr-michi-fu.html

Collectivism vs. Individualism

Asian societies tend to be "collectivistic" in nature, as are many other ethnically diverse communities. This means that the members of a group would behave in ways that are more conducive to the community, rather than thinking about the individual first. This is in contrast to Western societies, where "individualism" is valued. An example would be Americans are taught to be number one and competition is often between individuals. In societies that are collectivistic, individuals may sacrifice their personal needs on behalf of the greater good. An example would be all members of a household working at a family owned business on top of their own responsibilities.

What might be a reason for the collectivism? Asian famly structures often translate into intergenerational households. In addition to the nuclear family of parents and children, grandparents may also reside in the same home. At times, unmarried siblings of the parents may also live with the host family. In other instances, siblings and their respective families may live in close proximity with one another. This would mean that all members need to learn to live in harmony with one another without disrupting others. Therefore, the members of the household learn to interact with family members in a way that does not cause tension for others.

Somaticization

Asian Americans aren't encouraged to say things like: "I feel nervous now." "You make me upset." or "Hearing that saddens me." These are considered too direct methods of conveying negative states of emotions. In fact, there are very limited ranges of negative feelings that can be expressed in many of the Asian languages. However, in Western languages, there are a wide range of ways one can express feeling angry. For example, one can be annoyed or perturbed vs. incensed and outraged.

Instead, Asian Americans have alternative methods of conveying their negative feelings. These are usually expressed physiologically. This means that one could have recurring stomach aches or head aches when they are actually experiencing stress or relationship difficulties. This is why it is not uncommon for primary care physicians to refer Asian Americans for mental health screenings when an organic explanation is not available for a somatic complaint. Therefore, pay attention to your body and what it might be telling you.

PTSD & Asian Americans

There was an earthquake in Southern California this past week. Did anyone feel it? Did it remind you of earthquakes years ago? For some, traumatic events such as earthquakes bring about nightmares, frightening memories, or even physical symptoms. If you are Asian American, chances are you express your post-traumatic stress disorder (aka: PTSD) as somatic symptoms. This means that instead of being able to say to others that a frightening event continues to haunt you, it may be more common for you to have a head ache or stomach ache. Stay tuned to hear more about Asians and somaticization of symptoms.

Within Group Differences

Folks who are not Asian may think that all Asians look and act alike. Turns out that differences transcend food and language preferences. A little known fact is that there are many "within group" differences that may lead to splintering within the Asian American community. The historical impact of wars fought centuries ago many lead to current day inability to collaborate with one another. Some Asians are the most "xenophobic" (fear of others) and this may lead to an unwillingness to learn about other groups.

How to combat this? Communication and a willingness to explore similarities rather than highlighting differences may help to reduce the within group tensions that are experienced within the Asian American community. Be open to learning about other groups beyond a superficial level and one may find that there are more commonalities than previously thought.