Cultural “Self” Awareness & Self-Introductions

This week's class helped me reflect on how my "self" is shaped by culture, especially when meeting others for the first time. Using the Cultural Iceberg Model by Edward T. Hall (1976), I realized that self-introductions reflect not only surface elements like name, hometown, or hobbies, but also deeper cultural values such as modesty and respect. In Bruneian culture, I usually introduce myself by sharing my name, where I'm from, my studies or work, my hobbies and my connection to the group. 

From my discussion with a Japanese student, I learned that greetings in Japan reflect deeper cultural values. For example, Japanese people tend to bow instead of hugging, especially between males and females, and they maintain a comfortable distance when speaking. This shows respect and awareness of personal space. Similarly, in Bruneian culture, people also value politeness and respect when interacting with others. While a certain level of personal space is maintained, especially in more formal situations, interactions can also be warm and friendly depending on the context.

According to the Social Identity Theory by Henri Tajfel and John Turner (1979), I noticed that I describe myself differently depending on context, usually humble in casual settings but more confident in job interviews. A Malaysian student in class shared that job hunting in Malaysia is highly competitive, so presenting oneself confidently is very important. This made me realize that self-presentation is shaped not only by culture but also by social pressures. This idea is similar to Self-Presentation Theory by Erving Goffman (1959) where individuals adjust how they present themselves depending on different social situations. 

I also noticed similarities between Japan and Brunei, such as showing strong respect to elders and care towards younger people. In terms of gift-giving, both cultures value it as a way to show appreciation. 

Using the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) by Milton Bennett, (1986), I feel that I am moving towards acceptance by understanding cultural differences without judging them. The Process Model of Intercultural Competence by Darla Deardorff (2006) also explains that self-awareness is the first step towards intercultural competence.

In conclusion, this class has helped me gain a better understanding of how cultural differences shape communication, self-introduction and my cultural identity.

References

Bahar, V. S. (2025). Self-presentation theory: A review. In S. Papagiannidis (Ed.), TheoryHub Book. https://open.ncl.ac.uk