Heroic Qualities Analysis

Exploring Cultures: Adapting in a Global WorldChapter 4: Beating Bias

Jump to section 1: Introduction.Jump to section 2: Cultural Bias and Decision Making.Jump to section 3: How To Connect With Stories.Jump to section 4: Practice Connecting: Aesop's Fables.Jump to section 5: Practice Analysis: Belling the Cat.Jump to section 6: Preview "The Man to Send Rain Clouds".Jump to section 7: Connect with the Story.Jump to section 8: Preview On My Mind.Jump to section 9: Building Self Awareness.Jump to section 10: Chapter in Review.

CHAPTER 4 Beating Bias

Introduction

It's unfortunate but true: No matter where they live or what culture they're a part of, people have problems. If we think of problems in terms of categories—relationships, housing, food, safety, education—then we can see that most of them are universal parts of being human. But of course, the details of your problems depend a lot on your circumstances. Your location, your income, your gender, your race or ethnicity, your culture–all of these factors shape the problems you face and influence how you try to solve them.

POINT TO REMEMBERYour cultural lens affects problem solving, decision making, and conflict resolution.

Stories And Culture

Although we're still looking at cultural perspectives in this chapter, we're going to shift the focus of our artifacts away from art and music and toward literature and film. In Chapter 4, we will:

·  Consider how decision making, problem solving, and conflict resolution differ between cultures.

·  Learn how to connect with three different stories, including one short film.

·  Examine how self-awareness can help you build your decision making and problem solving skill.

These next few chapters will look a little different due to their focus on stories instead of art or music. But just like you have in the previous chapters, you'll be using your critical thinking to go through an analysis process with each story. You'll be building on what you've already learned as you come to a better understanding of your cultural lens and the world around you.

Cultural Bias and Decision Making

As you've been reading in this course, cultural bias is part of being human. We are all influenced by the culture we live in, and we all see the world through our own cultural lens. Each culture has its own norms, values, and beliefs. But culture doesn't just affect the way we interact with others. It can also impact the way we make decisions, solve problems, and approach conflict.

This is due in part to cultural norms and expectations–for example, people from some cultures tend to avoid conflict, while others might see arguments as a healthy way of resolving disagreements. Some cultures might encourage a long and careful decision-making process, while others value quick and decisive action. Your culture can even influence the way you interpret information.

What Do You Know?

Having the right information is a key part of decision making. When you know the relevant facts, you're better equipped to think through situations and consider options and alternatives. But getting the right information isn't always a straightforward process; sometimes our own preconceptions and beliefs can get in the way. People tend to accept information more readily when it confirms what they already believe. Psychologists call this tendency confirmation bias.

Seeking out the right information from credible sources such as newspapers is a key part of decision making, but sometimes our own preconceptions and beliefs can get in the way.

Confirmation bias can mean searching for information that confirms what you think you already know. It can also mean interpreting information or experiences in a way that supports your existing beliefs or opinions. For example, if you believe that younger people aren't hard workers, you may be more likely to notice when an intern at your office arrives late to work–and less likely to notice when she stays after hours to help finish a project. Since our beliefs are shaped by our cultural perspectives, this means that our cultural perspectives and biases can also influence what we think we know.

Again, this is all part of being human; by recognizing our biases, we can make an effort to lessen their influence.

Counteracting Bias

Allowing cultural bias to negatively affect the way you assess information can lead you to disregard important facts or miss innovative solutions. Fortunately, as you work to broaden your cultural perspective in this course by engaging with diverse artifacts, you're also taking steps to be a better and less biased decision maker and problem solver.

PAUSE AND THINKWorking with people who have different cultural perspectives from your own can lead to better problem solving.

Working with people who have different cultural perspectives from your own can also lead to better problem solving. In one experiment, researchers found that teams of students with more socially diverse members solved problems more successfully than teams of students belonging to a single social group (Phillips, Liljenquist, & Neale, 2008).

Building your self and social awareness skill is a key part of the decision-making process, since it helps you understand not just your own cultural perspective but also the perspective of the people around you. As your awareness of cultural bias increases, so will your ability to communicate effectively with others. You'll continue honing your skills as you read and interpret the stories in this chapter. On the next page, we'll go through a process that will help you engage more deeply with the stories you read.

How To Connect With Stories

You've learned about how to connect more closely with music and visual art. Now, we'll begin looking at stories, one of the basic building blocks of human culture–and, therefore, an important part of the humanities. A story is a series of connected events that are communicated from one person to another. A story might be written, spoken, or sung; it might be as short as a single sentence or stretch to cover thousands of pages. We teach with stories, we entertain one another with them, and we use them to remember the past and imagine what the future might hold.

Because stories serve so many purposes, they can tell us a lot about the cultures that produce them. Stories meant for teaching tell us most directly about the values considered important enough to pass down through generations. But even in stories meant to entertain rather than teach, we can find cultural values in the actions of the characters and the events of the plot. By following a four-step analysis process similar to the one you're already familiar with, you'll be able to connect with stories from different cultures and consider what cultural values they reflect.

As you'll see, the artifact analysis process for stories is a little different, but still easy to follow. Let's look at what each step involves.

The Artifact Analysis Process For Stories

SOURCE: Clint McFarlin/Soomo Learning

Step 1: Preview It

Read the background: Each story in the will include basic background information about details like the author, time period, and culture.

Consider the details: Next, consider what you know about the story so far. Does the title make you think of anything? What do you think it might mean? Have you heard of the author before? Do you know anything about the time period when the story was written? Does any of the background information connect with your own experiences?

Step 2: Summarize It

Read: Now it's time to read the story. You'll see that more background details are provided for you throughout the story; these will help you get the most out of what you're reading by explaining historical context or literary terms. Read actively take notes and ask questions as you read. Your thoughts and impressions are important, and writing them down in the moment will help you make sure you don't forget them.

Describe: Next, take a moment to note some important details about the story. Who are the main characters? Where does the story take place? Jot down a quick summary (really quick–no more than two sentences!) of the plot–the main events that happen in the story. Think about when the story's climax happens, the most intense and exciting part of the plot. Can you identify a conflict that the characters are experiencing, or a problem that needs to be solved?

Step 3: Interpret It

Now that you've taken time to read and summarize the story, it's time for the bigger questions. Can you identify a theme in the story—a central idea or topic? What do you think the author meant to communicate with this story? Did the author want you to learn about a particular place and time, or to feel certain emotions? Is the story meant to teach a lesson? Authors, just like artists and musicians, make choices and use techniques to try to communicate with their audience. Look for elements like symbols that help to establish the story's meaning and the author's message. Remember to support your interpretation with details from the story itself, just as you did when you interpreted works of art and music.

Connect With It

Just as you did with art and music, you'll start this last step by considering values. As a reminder, here are some common cultural values:

· Achievement

· Community

· Compassion

· Competition

· Cooperation

· Duty

· Equality

· Freedom

· Honesty

· Independence

· Individualism

· Interdependence

· Nurturing

· Perseverence

· Respect for authority

· Security

· Self-determination

· Tradition

The values in the story: Think of what the story's characters do and say. What values can you identify in their actions or words? As you think about the historical context of the author or filmmaker, what can you tell about the dominant cultural values of their time and place? What specific details from the story led you to identify these particular values?

Your values: Once you've thought about the values represented in the story, it's time to relate them to your own. What similarities and differences are there between your values and the values in the story? Do you agree with the decisions made by the characters?

Your cultural perspective: Now we're back to your initial response to the story. Think about the cultural values you just identified in the story and how they compare with your own values. Why do you think you responded to the story as you did? How did your cultural perspective shape your response? Do you feel differently about it now that you've learned more about it? Remember, you're reflecting on your own perspective here; there are no right or wrong answers.

Guided Reading

In this course you'll read stories from a variety of cultures. These stories will involve three themes: decision making; cultural beliefs, customs, and traditions; and heroic qualities. You'll choose a theme and two of these stories to compare for your second assignment, so make sure you read carefully!

As you'll see, your focus in these chapters will be on the stories themselves. Each story will be introduced with a little background information to help you preview it, but for the most part you'll be given the space to interpret the stories for yourself.

Let's start by practicing the artifact analysis process with stories you may be familiar with already: Aesop's Fables.

Practice Connecting: Aesop's Fables

We're going to start exploring stories with a practice round focused on two quick stories that involve this chapter's theme of decision making and problem solving. First you'll read a fable Then you'll read a second fable and answer questions to analyze it.

Tips for Reading: Take a moment to focus your attention before you start reading a story. Find a quiet place (or put some headphones on to block out distractions). Close any other tabs or windows on your computer. Glance through the story to see how long it is so you'll know what to expect. As you read, notice how the story makes you feel.

Sample Analysis: The Lion and the Mouse

Background: A fable is a short story that teaches a moral lesson, often with animals as characters. Over 2,500 years old, Aesop's Fables is a collection of stories attributed to an enslaved storyteller in ancient Greece (Aesop, 1919b). Aesop himself is a mysterious figure; ancient writers like Aristotle and Herodotus claimed he was born in Greece, while later European versions of his stories often put his birthplace in Ethiopia. Regardless of origin, Aesop's Fables spread far and wide. They have been retold, translated, and printed in diverse cultures around the world and remain popular today. Many common sayings you may have heard, like "Honesty is the best policy" and "Slow and steady wins the race," have their origins in Aesop. As teaching stories, fables provide key insight into what values a culture considers important enough to teach to the next generation.

PAUSE AND THINKWhat does 'motif' refer to in visual art?

In the mid-1800s, many artists were using realistic methods as they tried to create works that looked as lifelike as possible. However, their motifs were more likely to be figures from history or classical mythology, or portraits of people in costumes from faraway places. Around the same time, other artists began depicting subjects from local, everyday life. This was a deliberate move, an argument that modern reality and regular people were just as worthy of artistic representation as mythological figures or kings and queens. These artists and their paintings formed the Realist movement (with a capital "R"). The Realists were not only concerned with creating an illusion; they wanted to reinvent the art of painting for the modern world.

The Lion and the Mouse

A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.

"Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. "Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you."

The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go.

Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter's net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free.

"You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse. "Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion."

A kindness is never wasted"

Originally published in The Aesop for Children: with Pictures by Milo Winter (Aesop, 1919c).

In the first step, you'll preview the text by reading some background information and considering the title.

Step 1: Preview It

The title, "The Lion and the Mouse," seems straightforward—since I've just read that fables often feature animals as characters, it seems pretty likely that this story will involve an actual lion and mouse.

The author is Aesop, who most likely lived in ancient Greece. This story is over 2,500 years old, and it feels familiar to me even though I can't remember the details. As I think about how long this fable has been used to teach a lesson, I realize I want to think more deeply about why, like the rest of Aesop's Fables, it has such staying power.

Step 2: Summarize It

The two characters in this story are a lion and a mouse. The mouse accidentally wakes the lion up, and the lion considers killing her. The mouse tells him that if he lets her go, she could do him a favor some day. He does, and at the end of the story she ends up freeing him from a trap.

Now it's time to interpret the story, digging deeper to figure out the meaning. When you summarize, these are some questions you can ask yourself: What theme can you identify in the story? How do you think the author wanted you to feel, or what lessons were you supposed to learn? What details from the story back up your interpretation?

Step 3: Interpret It

One theme in this story is mercy—having mercy on those who are weaker, like the lion does when he saves the mouse and the mouse does, in turn, when she saves the lion. I think part of the fable's power for teaching is that the main characters aren't actually human. Since they're animals, they're more relatable to all different kinds of people. The main moral of the story is easy to find (it's given at the end!), but I think there are also lessons here about advocating for yourself. The mouse doesn't just freeze in terror or try to run away when she's caught; she tries her hardest to strike a bargain with the lion to save herself.

In the last step, you're ready to connect. This is where you identify cultural values then think about your own response to the story and how your cultural lens may have come into play.

Step 4: Connect With It

The story's values: The main cultural value in this story is kindness (or maybe, more specifically, mercy). The lion has the mouse in his power but lets her go. I also see integrity as a value in this story; the mouse, when she sees the lion trapped, could ignore their bargain, but she keeps her word and gnaws through the rope to free him.

My values: Integrity and kindness are definitely two values that I consider important and that I try to foster in myself. This may be because these are important values in my culture. They were certainly values that I was raised to believe in.

My cultural perspective: My initial response to this story hasn't changed much. I reacted positively to it because it seemed so familiar. This makes sense because Aesop's Fables are woven so closely into the fabric of American culture, and that's the culture I'm a part of.

Practice Analysis: Belling the Cat

Now that you've read a sample story analysis, it's your turn to practice by looking at another of Aesop's Fables: "Belling the Cat." Take a moment to look back at the background information about Aesop's Fables. Then preview the text by answering the question.

Step 1: Preview It

Consider the story's title–what do you think it might mean? Does it make you think of anything in particular?

Step 2: Summarize It

Tips for Reading: Once again, take a moment to focus your attention before you start reading. Find a quiet place (or put some headphones on to block out distractions). Close any other tabs or windows on your computer. Glance through the story to see how long it is so you'll know what to expect. As you read, notice how the story makes you feel.

Belling The Cat

The mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from their dens by night or day.

Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said:

"I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat's neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming."

All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said:

"I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But let me ask one question: Who will bell the Cat?"

It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it.

Originally published in The Aesop for Children: with Pictures by Milo Winter (Aesop, 1919a).

Now it's time to note the details of the story–the characters, the plot, anything else that will help you interpret its meaning. The questions below will guide you through this step.

Step 3: Interpret It

In addition to the moral at the fable's end, what lesson does "Belling the Cat" teach us about decision making, and what specific part of the story teaches that lesson?

Great work! Now that you've practiced with fables, you're ready to jump into some longer stories. On the next set of pages, you'll read a story by Leslie Marmon Silko about people from two cultures figuring out how to coexist in the same community.

Preview "The Man to Send Rain Clouds"

You've just practiced artifact analysis with two of Aesop's Fables. Now it's time to go through the analysis process with our first short story, Leslie Marmon Silko's "The Man to Send Rain Clouds." We'll start on this page by previewing the story. You'll read some background information then you'll access the story from your courseroom and read the story itself, building your reading notes along the way as you answer more questions about the story. Remember, the stories in this chapter feature decision making and conflict resolution, so read with those themes in mind. Let's get started!

The dry desert lands of New Mexico, where Native American writer Leslie Marmon Silko drew inspiration for her short story "The Man to Send Rain Clouds."

Story Background

"The Man to Send Rain Clouds" is a 1968 short story by Leslie Marmon Silko (b. 1948), a contemporary American writer of Laguna Pueblo Indian ancestry. She is a major figure in the Native American Renaissance, a movement of Native American writing and publishing that began in the 1970s. Silko grew up on a Laguna Pueblo reservation in New Mexico, and though her heritage includes Anglo, Mexican, and Laguna Pueblo ancestry, she identifies most strongly with Laguna culture. She was introduced to traditional stories and songs of the Laguna Pueblo culture by her grandmother and aunt (Poetry Foundation, 2020). In her novels, short fiction, and poetry, she often examines how oral tradition, ritual, and Laguna ceremonies help individuals to create and maintain cultural identity.

Now that you've previewed the story by considering aspects like the title and author, it's time to read. Remember, the topic in this chapter is decision making and conflict resolution. As you read, try to identify decisions that characters make in the story. How do those decisions, big and small, affect the characters and the community they live in?

Before you continue, read to Leslie Silko's "TThe Man to Send Rain Clouds" in the courseroom. Return to this chapter after you have studied this artifact.

Summarize the Story

Now that you've finished "The Man to Send Rain Clouds," pause for a moment to think about what you read. Notice how you're feeling. Look back at the highlights and notes you made while you were reading. Then build your summary by answering the questions below.

Now that you've summarized the story, your next step is to interpret its meaning and consider your connections with it. Questions on the next page will walk you through the rest of your analysis.

Analyze "The Man to Send Rain Clouds"

Once you've noted what happens in the story, it's time to dig deeper with the Interpret and Connect steps. Writing template questions on this page will walk you through each step. As you answer the questions, you'll continue building the collection of reading notes that you can use when you work on Assignment 2.

Interpret The Meaning

When you interpret the story, you're thinking about its meaning, and also thinking about how the author's choices about elements like plot or symbolism help to communicate that meaning to readers. Remember that it's important to back up your interpretation with evidence from the story, just as you did when you interpreted art and music.

Connect with the Story

Now it's time to connect with the story. Think about the values you can identify in the character's actions or decisions. Then consider how they connect—or don't connect—with your own. Finally, reflect on how your cultural perspective influenced your response to the story.

Next up is another story featuring decision making, this one set in 1980s Nigeria.

Some decisions have small effects. Other decisions, though, can change the course of life for a family or a whole community. That's the case in the story we're going to read next. Take a moment first to preview it by reading some background about the story and its author.

Story Background

"Olikoye" is a 2015 short story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (b. 1977), an award-winning contemporary Nigerian writer. She grew up in Nsukka, Nigeria, where her father taught at the University of Nigeria and her mother also worked as a registrar. At nineteen, Adichie came to the United States, where she attended college and graduate school. She has published several acclaimed novels focusing on explorations of cultural identity, patriarchal cultures and female empowerment, and the experiences of immigrants. Currently, she spends time in both Nigeria and the United States (Tunca, 2020).

Great work! Now that you've previewed the text, it's time to read the story. Look for decisions as you read and remember to highlight and note your own questions or reactions.

Before you continue, read Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie's "Olikoye" in the courseroom. Return to this chapter after you have studied this artifact.

Now that you've previewed the story, it's time to dive in. As you read, remember to keep an eye out for the topic of this chapter which is decision making. What decisions are made in the story, and why? How do those decisions, big and small, affect the characters?

Tips For Reading: Once again, take a moment to focus your attention before you start reading. Find your quiet place or put your headphones on, and try to minimize distractions. As you read, notice how the story makes you feel

Summarize the Story

Now that you've finished "Olikoye," pause for a moment to think about what you read. Notice how you're feeling. Look back at the highlights and notes you made while you were reading. Then build your summary by answering the questions below.

Analyze "Olikoye"

Now that you've summarized the story, it's time for the Interpret and Connect steps. By answering questions on this page you'll continue to build the collection of reading notes that will help you on your next assignment.

Interpret the Meaning

When you interpret the story, you're thinking about its meaning, and also thinking about how the author's choices about elements like plot or symbolism help to communicate that meaning to readers. Remember that it's important to back up your interpretation with evidence from the story, just as you did when you interpreted art and music.

Connect with the Story

Now it's time to connect with the story. Think about the values you can identify in the character's actions or decisions. Then consider how they connect—or don't connect—with your own. Finally, reflect on how your cultural perspective influenced your response to the story.

Preview On My Mind

Our third artifact is a story told in a different form: a short film. Since film includes words, images, and often music, it can be a particularly powerful way to tell stories. Like other artists, filmmakers use elements like tempo, light and shadow, and symbolism to make their audience feel or think in a particular way. Short films, like short fiction, can do a remarkable job of telling a story and communicating a message.

Film Background

On My Mind is a 2018 animated short film created by Shirley Zhou, a Los Angeles–based illustrator and animator. Zhou earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at UCLA's prestigious Animation Workshop, and she made On My Mind during her second year in the program. On My Mind has played in film festivals around the world.

Now that you've previewed the film, it's time to watch! Next, you'll find the film, along with questions to help you summarize the story.

Zhou's short film On My Mind is linked in your courseroom. Return to this chapter when you are done.

On My Mind tells the story of a young woman going through her day-to-day life in the aftermath of an unexpected life change. As you watch the film, be on the lookout for decision making which is the theme of this chapter—what decisions the main character makes and how they affect her life.

Another important aspect of this film is symbolism. A symbol is an object that stands for or represents something else, and authors or filmmakers often use symbols to communicate meaning in a story. For example, a red rose or flames might symbolize passion and romance; a spring rain might represent a new beginning. A writer, artist, or filmmaker can make anything a symbol–and as a reader or viewer, you might find symbolism and meaning in many different details of a painting or story. So, keep an eye out for symbols in On My Mind and consider how they help the film's creator tell the story.

Tips For Watching: Tips for Watching: Just as you did for reading short stories or listening to music, take a moment to focus yourself. Find your quiet place or put your headphones on. When you watch the video, expand it to the full-screen view if possible. As you watch, notice how the story makes you feel. Jot down notes to help you remember your thoughts and impressions about the story.

Before you continue, view to Leslie Silko's On My Mind in the courseroom. Return to this chapter after you have studied this artifact.

On My Mind by Shiley Zhou

Summarize the Story

Now that you've finished watching On My Mind, pause for a moment to think about what you saw. Notice how you're feeling. Look back at any notes you made while you were watching. Then build your summary by answering the questions below.

Complete your notes on On My Mind as you interpret the film's meaning and think about your own connections with it.

Analyze On My Mind

Now it's time for the Interpret and Connect steps. Start by interpreting: What theme or main idea can you identify in the film? What do you think the writer and director meant to communicate–is this film meant to teach a lesson or change your mind about something? What details in the story back up your interpretation?

Interpret the Meaning

Remember, when you interpret the story, you're thinking both about its meaning and also about how the author's choices about elements like plot or symbolism help to communicate that meaning to readers. Remember that it's important to back up your interpretation with evidence from the story, just as you did when you interpreted art and music.

Connect with the Story

Now it's time to connect with the film and the story it tells. Think about the values you can identify in the characters' actions or decisions. Then consider how they connect—or don't connect—with your own. Finally, reflect on how your cultural perspective influenced your response to the film.

Great work! Your answers to these questions, and to the questions in the previous sections, will be saved as your reading notes for On My Mind.

Building Self Awareness

In the stories you've just read and watched, decisions play a key role. In "The Man to Send Rain Clouds," the old man's grandsons decide to ask a priest for help—and the priest decides to perform a ceremony they request of him, even though he doesn't approve of their reasons for wanting it. In "Olikoye," the narrator's father decides not to keep a lost envelope of cash, and the health minister makes a career's worth of decisions to improve people's lives. And in the short film "On My Mind," the main character decides to make small changes in her life that help her overcome a heartbreak.

These decisions are all made in different ways, motivated by different considerations. In Leslie Marmon Silko's story, decisions are motivated by spiritual belief, the need to care for the dead, and a desire to avoid conflict and keep peace in the community. In "Olikoye," we're told that the title character is motivated by a strong system of ethics—he understands right and wrong, and he tries to do the right thing. The woman in "On My Mind" spends time coming to terms with her emotions and uses her strengthened self-awareness to open a new chapter in her life.

Your Decision Making

Stories don't just give us a window into other people's experiences; they can also help us understand ourselves better. As you reflect on these stories, consider the kinds of decisions that you've had to make in your life. What motivates your decision making? Do you try to act according to your sense of right and wrong? Are you guided by your emotions, or by spiritual beliefs? Do you try to avoid conflict?

Journaling and sketching can help you build the self-awareness necessary for insightful decision making.

Zhou's short film On My Mind is linked in your courseroom. Return to this chapter when you are done.

Building your self-awareness about your own decision making can actually help you make better decisions and become a better problem solver. Let's look at how your self-awareness skill can help:

· By encouraging you to slow down and think about actions and consequences.

· By helping you see a conflict from all sides.

· By building empathy for others, helping you see the bias in your own decision-making process.

The more you build your self-awareness, the more open you become to new things. And of course, the more you experience new things, the more you build your self-awareness! It's also a good idea to engage in reflection through activities like journaling, exercising, or meditation. Deliberate self-discovery can help as well; consider setting goals for yourself, learning more about your own personality, and stretching your mind by reading challenging articles or books.

You'll continue stretching your mind with the Chapter 5 readings as you explore more short stories!

Chapter 4 in Review

You've reached the end of Chapter 4 and you started engaging with a new type of artifact. Just like art and music, stories give us a window into other cultures. They can help us see how cultural values shape people's lives, including the way they make decisions or approach problem solving.

Here's a review of what you learned:

·  Read about how cultural bias can influence decision making.

·  Learned how to connect with stories through the artifact analysis process.

·  Read and watched stories set in the mid-20th century American Southwest, 1980s Nigeria, and a city in modern-day China.

·  Considered how building your self-awareness can help you improve your decision making and problem solving.

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