- Represents the lack of knowledge of difference
- People behave accordingly to their own world views , which they assume is the only world view


University of Connecticut

The model has two aspects:
* The first part of the continuum has three stages of decreasing levels of ethnocentrism 
- (Denial, Defense, Minimization) 
* The second has three stages of increasing ethnorelativism 
- (Acceptance, Adaptation, Integration).

Two Aspects of Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity

The First Stage of the Bennett's Model, Denial

* People realize differences exist but still preserve their own cultural views. 
* Three examples:
- (a) they may put down or denigrate another culture; 
- (b) they may uplift their own as superior; 
- (c) if living in a community outside their own, they may uplift that particular community as superior. 


The Second Stage of the Bennett's Model, Defense



- People who claim they are "color blind"
- People at this level minimize the differences and continue to interact within their own culture,
- Living with the assumption that their behaviors  are shared by others. 
- No awareness of their own cultures has occurred yet

The Third Stage of the Bennett's Model, Minimization

- Represents a critical change from ethnocentrism to the first stage of ethnorelativism. 
- People recognize that others have different values and world views
- People begin to accept and respect different behaviors and communication styles


The Fourth Stage of the Bennett's Model, Acceptance

 - Reflects the behavioral changes when people are more able to act in an ethnorelative way. 
* People are finally able to 
- (a) change their processing of reality; 
- (b) modify their behaviors so that they are more appropriate; 
- (c) be able to think and/or to act from another cultural perspective

The Fifth Stage of the Bennett's Model, Adaptation


- In the process of becoming a part of a given cultural context
* This stage has two subphases: 
- Contextual Evaluation : in which people can evaluate a phenomenon from another perspective or within the cultural context; 
- Constructive Marginality:  in which people see outside of themselves continuously and stand outside of all cultural frameworks.

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