Alias, a Native Canadian, was being reprimanded by his teacher for talking in line. The 3^rd grade teacher became agitated when Alias constantly looked at the floor while she was talking to him. In the conversation, she repeatedly told Alias, "Look at me when I am speaking to you." Although he attempted to look at the teacher, he had difficulty and his gaze always returned to the floor. What explanation can be offered for this situation from a cross-cultural perspective?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In some Indigenous cultures, making direct eye contact with an authority figure can be viewed as a sign of disrespect, submission, or shyness. Alias may have been following this cultural norm, which the teacher was not aware of or did not understand, leading to a misunderstanding between the two. Therefore, the best explanation for this situation is that Alias was most likely following his cultural norm, and the teacher misunderstood his behavior.

Alias, a Native Canadian, Was Being Reprimanded by His Teacher