1. Conceptual Application
Assignment
by: Whitney Wise
D iv ing in to th e Dom in ic a n C ul tu re

2. Background
Located in the Caribbean Sea, The Dominican
Republic shares the island of Hispanola with
Haiti. The capital city is Santa Domingo,
established over 500 years ago. The Dominican
Republic is known for their sugar cane
plantations and Merengue dance culture. Some
of the most beautiful beaches including Punta
Cana are located on the southwest tip of the
island.

3. What is
Culture?
Culture: The Rules
for living and
functioning in a
society.

4. Time: Polychronic
No set start or end time. People
come and go as they please.
My words: What is important is
not schedules and efficiency, but
events and people.
In the Dominican culture,
relationships are more
important than schedules, so
being late for an appointment is
socially acceptable.

5. Kinesic
Kinesic behavior studies include
some aspects of people’s facial
expressions, body movements,
gestures, and conversational
regulators.
My words: Facial expressions &
gestures.
In the Dominican culture, they
point with puckered lips instead
of a finger.
Wrinkling your nose means you
do not understand.

6. Physical Appearance
The most externally obvious
nonverbal code that covers relatively
stable physical features of human
beings.
My words: The way you present
yourself; hair, makeup, clothing,
body type, etc.
Dominicans take pride in their
personal appearance. They draw on
New York fashions, wearing the latest
dresses and jeans.
Professional business men wear
business suits or the traditional
Chacabana- A white shirt worn over
dark pants and well shined shoes.

7. Collectivistic Culture
The “We” group is the major source of one’s
identity and the only secure protection one
has against the hardships of life.
My words: The culture is centered on
keeping the members together.
Family is one of the most important
elements to the Dominican Culture.
Extended families usually live together or
right next door.
Within extended families informal adoption
is common. Family members take in and
raise the kids when parents need help.

8. Beliefs
Individually held subjective ideas about the
nature of an object or event.
My words: Ideas that directly influence our
behavior.
Dominican’s dominant religion is Catholic.
Some children are taught to “ask blessings” of
their elders. They would say Bendicion, tia
(Bless me Aunt) and the response would be
Dios te bendiga (May God bless you.)
When a person dies a Vela (candlelight vigil)
is held. Within 24 hours the casket is put in
the back of a truck and carried to the
cemetery, and followed by mourners on foot.
Nine days after, and every year on the day of
the death, a vela is held.

9. Values
Represents those things we hold important in life
such as morality, ethics, and aesthetics.
Dominicans love music and dancing. Merengue
is the national dance. Festivals or discos are held
where women dress in extravagant clothing with
head-dresses and dance the night away.
Food and diet is an important aspect of their This is a photograph of my Grandma Sarah
culture. If Dominicans do not eat rice and beans taken when she was 21. This what a typical
young women would wear to the discos or
at midday, they feel they have not eaten. festivals.
Platanos, fried bananas, are among one of the
most popular dishes in the culture.

10. Attitudes
Learned tendencies to act or respond in a
specific way to events, objects, people, or
orientation.
My words: The way people react based
upon the way they were raised.
In the Dominican Culture, Machismo is the
desire of men to prove their manliness or
superiority.
Dominicans are very warm and friendly.
They are very curious about others and like
to ask personal questions.

11. Perception
We see, hear, feel, taste, and even smell the
world through the criteria that culture has
placed on our perceptions.
My words: The process of selecting,
organizing, and evaluating stimuli.
Ex: Selecting- Greetings
Organize- Handshakes or kisses
Evaluate- How each greeting presents
formality or informality.

12. Bibliography
1. Samovar, Larry A., Richard E. Porter, and Edwin R. McDaniel. Intercultural
Communication: a Reader. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2006. Print.
2. "Dominican Republic." CultureGrams. Provo, UT: Proquest, 2009. 197-99. Print.
3. Foley, Erin, and Leslie Jermyn. Cultures of the World: Dominican
Republic. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cacendish Benchmark, 2005.
Print.
4. "Dominican Republic and Haiti." Area Handbook Series: Sudan -
A Country Study. 1982. Print.
5. "Dominican Republic Flag, the History and Creation of the
Dominican Flag." Dominican Republic Guide,Beach Fun in the
Dominican Republic, Must Know Vacation. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.welcome-dominican-republic.com/Dominican-Republic-
Flag.html>.