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Activity 16
An Outsider's View of Us: Misperception or Ethnocentricity?

Adapted from "An Outsider's View of Us," in Patterns for Teaching Conflict, New York: Center for Global Perspectives, 1976. pp 35-36.

Grade Level

Secondary

Introduction

The problems that stem from misunderstanding between cultures are clearer to students when they see their own culture through others' eyes.

Teacher/Student Objective

The major goal of this activity is to demonstrate to students that ethnocentricity is a two-way street.  People from other lands also have varying views of "us" (the people of the United States), just as we may have misconceptions of them.

Gauging Student Understanding

The progress indicators cited reflect desirable end goals. Teachers should be prepared to use a wide variety of observational, testing and authentic achievement evaluation measures in judging the progress of students.

Students will further develop their awareness of ethnocentricity by examining two excerpts from an account of a Chinese visitor to the United States at the turn of the century.  They will learn to analyze their reactions and respond to them by writing reflectively on how "others" perceive us.

Suggested Materials

• Copies of Handout 16A, The Chinese Visitor's Travelogue.

Initial Data for Consideration and/or Process

Distribute Handout 16A, The Chinese Visitor's Travelogue.  Read and discuss the excerpts as a class.  Make sure that everyone understands the meaning of each of the statements.  Review the meaning of prejudice and ethnocentrism and how these sentiments might be reflected in these statements.

As they read, ask students to consider:

• Do you think any of these statements are prejudiced?  Which ones?  Why?
• What signs do you see of ethnocentrism?
• Do you think the writer is trying to be fair?  Why or why not?

Also ask the students to also consider these generalizations in the Chinese visitor's report.

Try a role play or writing exercise based on the conflicts that can arise from ethnocentric misperception.

Other Possible Activities

Use the following situation for role play or writing in class.  Ask students to imagine that they are people from the American past (pick a specific time in history).

You have been transported through time to the present and are being taken for a ride through your community in a car.  What do you see, and how do you see it?  Describe your excursion.  Tell what problems you might have in living here because of how you first see the community.

Query students on how their misperceptions compare with those of the Chinese visitor?  How do their conflicts with this way of life compare to the issues the Chinese visitor may have had in 1899?

• Ask students to check recent periodicals for accounts about the United States by people from other countries, and analyze positive and negative comments and evidence of ethnocentricity.
  
  
  

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