Multicultural Leader Behaviors in Ethnically Mixed Task Groups.
Abstract
Based on a model of multiculturalism developed by Ramirez and colleagues, this project sought to identify Mexican-American college students who represent a range of multicultural experiences, to identify cognitive and behavioral characteristics of these students as well as examine development of these characteristics, and finally to examine leader behaviors of students with extensive versus minimal multicultural experience, specifically in ethnically mixed task group situations. The Flexibility, Unity and Expansion model predicts, by its definitions, that multicultural people are more comfortable, adaptable and culturally flexible in different situations. Multicultural people, because of their greater experience in diverse sociocultural environments should also have developed more social sensitivities, such as sensitivity to differences in others. They should be more flexible in terms of cognitive style, that is, in modes of processing information, or organizing, classifying, assimilating, and responding to the environment. In addition, they should have developed interpersonal skills such as abilities to facilitate interethnic contacts and mediation abilities. Multicultural persons should be able to effect better interpersonal understanding and cooperation among peoples and to prevent possible misinterpretations of verbal and non-verbal behaviors which could lead to interpersonal conflict.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 15, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA082883
Entities
People
- Barbara Goffigon Cox
- Manuel Ramirez Iii
- Raymond T. Garza