[elton]

Hi there, my name is Adam and I am a graduate student at Western Washingtion University in Bellingham, WA USA. My research advisor and I will be headed to Thailand at the end of March for one week to conduct a project on "psychological distress" after the tsunami. From our brief reading on the sibject, we are under th assumption that Thai's (other cultures as well) have a much different reaction to the devestation of tsunami than Westerners. Thus the goal of the project is to assess how the Thai people experience distress after a disaster compared to Western cultures.

The main component of our project will be a questionnaire. Part of this questionnaire will ask questions about coping, grieving and dealing with the stress of the tsunami situation. My question for you guys is do you happen to know of any online resources that explain the values of the Thai people, how Thai's grieve and cope with loss, and the influence of Buddhism on these aspects?

I have already searched through my university's library, but all of the relevant books are checked out. In addition to online sources, might you know of any books that I might have overlooked? Thank you for your time and any help you can offer.

--Adam

[DoctorDeryOne]

I do not understand what you mean when you say that Thai people have a much different reaction to the devestation of the tsunami than westerners.Who told you this??My wife and every single member of her family were and are still horified by the effects of the Tsunami.My wife and sister in law sat in front of the TV in disbelief.My wife immediately wanted to donate money to help.I think that your"project" is very premature and insensetive,I personally would not want to be questioned by you on this if I were Thai.However I am sure others will disagree.One further point,you will not get a true feeling for what Thai people actually think and feel unless you can communicate with them in their own tongue.

[elton]

Quote[/b] ]I do not understand what you mean when you say that Thai people have a much different reaction to the devestation of the tsunami than westerners.Who told you this??

To say that Thai's grieve differently than Westerners is not a far stretch. We have read several articles regarding Thais reaction to the Tsunami and the most prominant theme has been along the lines of this:

Quote[/b] ]"The Thai way of grieving surprised tearful relatives of victims from the West. Life is tough for most of this country's 65 million inhabitants, who generally cultivate a Buddhist stoicism: strong emotion creates expanding circles of distress in the mind, tearing us away from the still center; best to meet tragedy with calm and dignity, not anger and guilt over having survived. Jai yen, or 'cool heart,' is what you need."

This of course is one article from the New York times. The author, John Burdett, has written numerous books on the Thai culture, including "Bangkok 8" and Bangkok Tattoo".

Quote[/b] ]I think that your "project" is very premature and insensetive,I personally would not want to be questioned by you on this if I were Thai.However I am sure others will disagree. On a further point,you will not get a true feeling for what Thai people actually think and feel unless you can communicate with them in their own tongue.

I am really sorry you feel this way and have to ask you did you read my original post? Thats why I am posting here so we can gather this information about the Thai culture. My advisor does cross cultural research around the world and has indeed shown that in other countries such as India, El Salvador, and Peru all show marked differences in how their respective culture grieve compared to US and European cultures.

I can empathize with you and your familes grief over the tsunami as many people in the US (inlcuding myself) mourned as well. To say that Thais grieve differently is not an insult to your culture or mine. Grief is not shared or expressed the same way throughout this diverse world and we are hoping to examine this difference (if there is any) after the horrible tsunami. But it would be a much, much GREATER mistake to go over their and assume that their culture and West grieve in the same way. That itself is cultural insensitivity as we would be projecting our culture, our values, our concepts of loss onto 65 million people who live a different way than we do.

[elton]

Anyone else?

[7kitthuptarill]

I am certain your post will be found offensive by many Thai people reading it. I am not offended however, you clearly are trying to gather information, and simply have been confused.

Your quote from the Times is nothing short of what George Dubbya said after September 11 though really. Don't try to read depper than the story goes and you will see your answer.... Thai, German , African and American, we are all human and we all grieve.

The Thai people are trying to maintain themselves while they grieve simply. The same way the 9/11 commission has suggested the American public should handle a crisis.

[bortycuz]

Hi Adam,
Interesting hypothesis. Here is another possiblity that I don't see in your post: the feelings of pain and anguish are the same in all of us, but they are expressed differently because they pass through a cultural filter that is unique to each group.

For instance, if you see lack of tears at a Thai funeral, it may not mean that the participants are happy and relieved because the deceased has now passed to another life, but has more to do with the belief that the soul of the deceased has to swim through a sea of tears if people cry at the funeral.

Unfortunately that's the only one I remember about this subject. But keep coming back! These forums are a bit slower than some other Thailand forums, so it may take a while to get the answer that you are looking for.

[opelayday]

I think there are differences. Not so much in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami (everyone regardless of culture seemed to react in much the same way in the immediate aftermath), but in the weeks and months afterwards, and the process of dealing with grief and loss. I read a fascinating account on the web before of a tourist doing motorcycling touring round Thailand. In the process, he accidentally hit and killed an old women, and related the whole experience after that. It included things like the family of the deceased inviting him to the funeral and being much comforted by the fact he came - a situation that seems almost unbelievable if you're used to western culture.

I wish I could find the link now, but I lost it I'll have a look and post again if I can find it.

[elton]

Quote[/b] (Stacker @ Feb. 06 2005,14:31)]I am certain your post will be found offensive by many Thai people reading it. I am not offended however, you clearly are trying to gather information, and simply have been confused.

Your quote from the Times is nothing short of what George Dubbya said after September 11 though really. Don't try to read depper than the story goes and you will see your answer.... Thai, German , African and American, we are all human and we all grieve.

The Thai people are trying to maintain themselves while they grieve simply. The same way the 9/11 commission has suggested the American public should handle a crisis.

I think you misinterpreted my post. No where do I say that Thai's don't grieve or that their grief is any less important than Westerners. I am saying what Seeker wrote beautifully, how our pain is filted through our own cultural filter:

Quote[/b] ]For instance, if you see lack of tears at a Thai funeral, it may not mean that the participants are happy and relieved because the deceased has now passed to another life, but has more to do with the belief that the soul of the deceased has to swim through a sea of tears if people cry at the funeral.

With that said, 95% of the country of Thailand is Buddhist (Thais on this board please correct me if I am wrong). And after reading several journal articles last night, after posting my intial post, Thai values are a summative value of family structure and religion. If 95% of the country are Buddhist and this will be a main component or "filter" as seeker put it, of how one percieves the world and deals with the world.

For example, in one article I read their is a Buddhist concept called 'mai pen rai', which means "to never mind...when something unfortunate happens, reflecting the feeling that one must gracefully submit to external forces beyond one's control. Maybe I am looking into this, but this concept seems to be in align with the quote from the New York Times. Many Thai Buddhist, might react to tsunami with a sense of calmness, trying to accept that the outcome was beyond their control whereas a generic Western reaction might be that they could have done something to save their loved ones or others. I am not suggesting that adhering to this Buddhist concept would make the Thai people grieve any less, thats rediculous. What I am trying to look at is the differences in how we grieve. I mean, even within my own Westernized culture...even within my own group of friends, we grieve differently. Some are soft spoken about tragedy, very calm about the matter, while others, are very angry and guilt riddin.

Thank you guys for all of your replies and insight. I really appreciate it.

[7kitthuptarill]

I am sorry, But how would trying to arrange this to fit an NY Post article, make it Thai? Being that, as I mentioned the NY Post article is for the most part is exactly what Westerners are told to do? Seems the article in the Post is damaging the objectivity and unbiased research, does it not?

And I am sorry, I did misinterpret the post. I now see your point, I was thrown by the statement 'Thus the goal of the project is to assess how the Thai people experience distress after a disaster compared to Western cultures.' Not at all that you were speaking in a condenscending manner, rather I was thrown by the thought that death and crisis and total destruction would be handled differently by those in Hiroshima, Pearl Harbor, NYC, Baghdad, or Phuket.

I think we all handle it in very similar manners. It all but destroys your soul, and produces an unbearable amount of heartache, and creates a vast emptiness that will many times will never be filled again.

But if you are talking about after the fact, I think your best bet is to do some research on Buddhism, and the practices and beliefs surrounding death and funerals.

[DoctorDeryOne]

In my country there is a saying"do not believe what you read in the press".
Lies ,Lies and more Lies.Ignorance is bliss!!

[Emedgella]

I would be most interested in the nature of the presenting problem, the theoretical bases for the proposed line of inquiry, and the explanatory relevance of the results obtained. Let's suppose, for the sake of arguement, that you find a significant effect of culture on Thai's reactions to natural disasters: Would the effect be practically significant? What about potential response biases, such as social desirability? How will you determine whether participants are responding in socially desirable ways without a knowledge of what is socially desirable in the context of Thai culture?

[elton]

Quote[/b] (Stacker @ Feb. 07 2005,03:59)]I am sorry, But how would trying to arrange this to fit an NY Post article, make it Thai? Being that, as I mentioned the NY Post article is for the most part is exactly what Westerners are told to do? Seems the article in the Post is damaging the objectivity and unbiased research, does it not?

I used the NY post article as an example for what I was trying to say. The project is not based on that article alone, that wouldn't hold much water. I am not sure if I follow on how it will damage the objectivity and unbiased research. My research advisor, through his own studies in various other cultures, has reason to believe that their might be a difference. While research has shown their to be more similarities among cultures than differences, the literature would also support that there are some differences.

Quote[/b] (Stacker @ Feb. 07 2005,03:59)]I think we all handle it in very similar manners. It all but destroys your soul, and produces an unbearable amount of heartache, and creates a vast emptiness that will many times will never be filled again.

But if you are talking about after the fact, I think your best bet is to do some research on Buddhism, and the practices and beliefs surrounding death and funerals.?

First off thanks for the tip on the Buddhism research as I think that will be a useful avenue. Second, I agree 100% that we (different cultures) handle grief in similar ways and it does to our soul what you described. I lost my mom when I was 14 from cancer. You could say that that event alone fuels my curiosity for how other cultures grieve and to explain how people in my own culture grieve. Though I have had a significant loss in my life I cannot even begin to comprehend the magnitude of the loss that occured after this tsunami. Not only did these people life through a life threatening situation (which is reason enough to be distressed), many of them lost loved ones too.

Quote[/b] (mat @ Feb. 07 2005,04:31)]In my country there is a saying"do not believe what you read in the press".
Lies ,Lies and more Lies.Ignorance is bliss!!

LOL, we have that here too, which is unfortunate because so many people are spoon-fed what they read or see in the media that they assume it all to be true. As mentioned above, I used that as an example, nothing more.

Quote[/b] (visionchaser45 @ Feb. 07 2005,05:27)]Would the effect be practically significant?

I believe so. The ultimate goal for the research is to not only provide evidence of differences in the context of a natural disaster, but the results would *hopefully* be used toward the implementation of better recovery and intervention programs. Details of such programs are not aware to myself at the present time, as my advisor probably has a few ideas.

Quote[/b] (visionchaser45 @ Feb. 07 2005,05:27)]What about potential response biases, such as social desirability? How will you determine whether participants are responding in socially desirable ways without a knowledge of what is socially desirable in the context of Thai culture?

You encounter social desireability with any questionnaire based research. You can only hope to limit it, which will be tricky. Again, from what I have read in empircally based articles, written by or in collaboration with Thai researchers, Thai's *tend* or have shown to cope in a covert ways, which may be a factor in how honest their responses are. Even in Western cultures where the coping styles are very overt, you run into the same problem. We can only hope that we do enough homework on the situation by the time we head over their. Fortunately, as stated above, we have several Thai collaborators who will be doing the translation work and cross checking our questions to make sure that they are understandable and they are repsectful.

visionchaser45, I appreciate your interest in our questions, and I have to ask you, are you a pscyhology or socialogy student? You seem to be very knowledgeable in research methods.

Again, thanks for all of your replies and questions. I hope I haven't stepped on any one's toes here as I am trying to simpy undertsand a culture outside of my own.

[Emedgella]

Quote[/b] ]visionchaser45, I appreciate your interest in our questions, and I have to ask you, are you a pscyhology or socialogy student?

I have a Master's in psychology and am a 3rd year Ph.D. student (I/O concentration). I have a poster session at APA this year, two paper presentations at the local IOOB conference at the end of this month, and I am co-author of an article under review for publication in the journal Human Performance. I am currently writing up another research article, on which I am first author, which I hope to submit somewhere later this year. I have taught Research Methods (PSY 3213)x3, Dreams & Dreaming (PPE 4514)x2, Sensation & Perception (EXP 4204)x1, and Small Group Behavior (SOP 4525)x1. I assume your concentration is social psychology??? My current program of research is based very much in social psychology, primarily Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior.

Social desirability is likely to be a major issue in your research. Because my inlaws are Thai, I can tell you from experience that it is almost impossible to get a straight answer from anyone. This would likely even apply to those who will be assisting you. The tendency is especially salient when it comes to sensitive or emotional issues. Interacting with Thais requires a great deal of "reading between the lines." The accuracy of these necessary inferences will be a major concern with regard to the efficacy of any "findings."

[baskentt]

Is culture the only pivot point while pointing out differences between communities across countries. My question is - what about plain 'circumstances' as also one of the reason.

I also wonder when people consider the western world as one single identity (as in this research comparing western culture and thai...) Before I travelled abroad, I thought West was one set of behaviour, but now I feel very different about it. The differences between US and Thailand is as big or small as it is between Sweden and England! No?

[Emedgella]

Quote[/b] ]I also wonder when people consider the western world as one single identity...

Social scientists speak in general terms when talking about such social phenomena as culture. Although there is considerable variability within each set (culture), there are certain prototypical characteristics that the majority of individuals within a specific culture are deemed to possess. Thus, culture can be defined in very general or very specific terms. The degree of generality would have to do with the number of characteristics one wishes to classify as prototypical.

For example, Thai culture may be classified along with the cultures of other Asian countries. This might be labeled "Asian" culture. We may speak of Thai culture in narrower terms, in which case we might specify "Thai" culture. Thai culture may have certain characteristics that fit the prototype for an Asian culture. However, Thai culture also has some characteristics unique to Thailand. These uniquely Thai characteristics would distinguish the "Thai" culture from other Asian cultures, such as the Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Chinese cultures.