A. POWER DISTANCE

Consequences for processing views within the belief system

• pluralistic views ("hundred flowers blooming")
• evolving patterns of views of relatively stable nature
• weak polarization of schools of thought
• stress on equal access to information
• belief systems organized to ensure maximum dissemination
• specialized producers of insights organized for pragmatic purposes

• highly ordered beliefs rapidly categorized
• sudden changes in the manner by which beliefs are ordered
• highly polarized schools of thought (if such polarization is tolerated)
• access to information restricted (and determined by right to know)
• belief systems designed to conserve the advantages of the information rich
• if specialized producers of insights are permitted to organize their organizations tend to be ideologically based and involved in the politics of information

• success of hypotheses stressing equality
• paradigm implying power equalization
• non-reductionist theories
• stability through exchange of insights

• success of hypotheses stressing stratification
• paradigm implying power polarization
• reductionist theories
• stability through control of beliefs and insights

• less centralization
• flatter category hierarchies and category networks
• smaller proportion of information gate-keepers
• smaller differences in satisfaction from exploration of views and beliefs
• high qualification of lower strata of processors of insights and views

• more centralization
• deeper category hierarchies
• larger proportion of information gate-keepers
• larger differences in satisfaction from exploration of views and beliefs
• low qualification of lower strata of processors of insights and views

• dress such as to reduce any differences between facilitator and other participants
• use style of speech which establishes easy communication with participants
• avoid any stress on titles or other formal modes of address
• open to processes which ignore social status

• dress formally such as to maintain an appropriate distance with other participants
• use style of speech which maintains appropriate formality of relationships with participants
• remain attentive to formal modes of address practiced within each religious framework
• reluctant to engage in processes which fail to acknowledge the respective status of each participant

B. UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE

Consequences for policies of belief systems

• slower development of belief system
• weaker boundaries between spiritual disciplines
• less aggressiveness towards other spiritual disciplines
• less cohesive bodies of religious knowledge
• stronger recognition of competence of individual in processing spiritual insights
• more tolerance of dissenting and "alternative" views
• ad hoc approach to methodological issues

• faster development of belief system
• well-defined boundaries between spiritual disciplines
• more aggressiveness towards other spiritual disciplines
• more cohesive bodies of religious knowledge
• greater dependence on authorities for interpretation of spiritual insights
• less tolerance of dissenting and "alternative" views
• more elaborate methodology

• either no general paradigm or more de facto tolerance of alternative views
• pragmatic or meditative paradigm
• relativism
• practical contributions to spiritual knowledge
• empirical influence on social sciences
• pragmatic information fashionable

• paradigm more intolerant of dissenting views
• activist paradigm
• absolutism (search for absolutes)
• theoretical contributions to spiritual knowledge
• theoretical influence on social sciences
• theological information fashionable

• less structuring of religious activities
• fewer explicit rules
• more generalists or amateurs
• variety of approaches to organization of insights
• managers of belief system more involved in strategy
• mangers of belief system more flexible in style and willing to make individual and risky decisions
• high turnover in processors of spiritual insights
• more ambitious involvement in spiritual insight
• less power through control of uncertainty
• less ritual behaviour in relation to spiritual insights

• more structuring of religious activities
• more explicit rules
• larger number of professionals and specialists
• preference for standardized organization of beliefs according to dogma
• managers of belief system more involved in detail
• managers of belief system managers more consistent in style and less willing to make individual and risky decisions
• lower turnover in processors of spiritual insights
• less ambitious involvement in spiritual insight
• more power through control of uncertainty
• more ritual behaviour in relation to spiritual insights

• collective conversions to a new perspective
• empathy for the flows and patterns of spiritual insight in the environment
• emphasis on traditional perspectives, and approaches to religious insight

• individual conversions to a new perspective
• individualistic personal reaction to the religious and spiritual context context
• encouragement of the independent spiritual quest

• individuals associated with organization of beliefs primarily for moral reasons
• individuals expect to be supported permanently within the religious or spiritual discipline environment to which they give their loyalty
• the organization of the religious community has great influence on the individual's sense of well-being

• individuals associated with organization of beliefs primarily for opportunistic reasons
• belief systems not expected to provide permanent support for individuals operating within them
• the organization of the religious community has only moderate influence on the individual's well-being

• facilitation processes with unclear, open-ended outcomes are acceptable
• participants may be dependent on implicit contextual clues to which the facilitator needs to develop sensitivity

• facilitation processes should be clearly defined so that participants understand the rationale and what to expect
• participants may be insensitive to contextual clues normally provided by certain facilitation techniques

Consequences for religious dogma

• emphasis on a polarized perspective is neither socially nor materially rewarded
• adaptation-oriented educational system
• greater benevolence toward the disadvantaged
• preservation of balance of perspectives perceived as of greater importance than the advancement of the most productive perspective
• small-scale religious initiatives fashionable
• polarized perspectives presented and developed within the same religious context
• polarized perspectives can be equally productive
• less segregation of polarized perspectives within religious contexts

• successful enhancement of one polarized position at the expense of the other is rewarded
• performance-oriented education system
• less benevolence toward the disadvantaged
• advancement of the most productive perspective perceived as of greater importance than balance of perspectives
• large-scale religious intiatives fashionable
• polarized perspectives presented and developed within different religious contexts
• in the case of polarized perspectives, one is viewed as productive and the other as supportive or decorative
• in the case of polarized perspectives, some religious contexts only consider one of them admissible

• conceptual innovation accepted as resulting from either pole of a polarized perspective
• empathy with subtle patterns of thinking and insight
• recognition of complementary value of opposing perspectives
• moderated expression of repressed perspectives

• conceptual innovation normally expected to result from the dominant pole of a polarized perspective
• empathy with strong and uncompromising spiritual perspectives
• greater value accorded to the dominant position in a polarized perspective
• aggressive expression of repressed perspectives

• spiritual insights, whether asserted or not, are not necessarily expected to have a significant impact and do not expect to be viewed as inappropriate if they do not
• the religious community is not expected to interfere with the development of individual spiritual insights
• in the case of a polarized perspective, both poles are expected to occupy positions of significance in the religious community
• less conflict between spiritual perspectives
• the appeal of religious reform is perceived to lie in the increased integration of the range of perspectives so grouped

• any spiritual insight asserted is expected to have a significant impact on the information contrast or be viewed as inappropriate
• the interests of the religious community are a legitimate reason for interfering with the development of individual spiritual insights
• in the case of a polarized perspective, the non-dominant perspective is not expected to occupy many positions of significance in the religious community
• greater conflict between spiritual perspectives
• the appeal of religious reform is perceived to lie in the additional opportunities offered for individual spiritual development

• participants may be very sensitive to any facilitation messages which appear to discriminate inappropriately between male and female
• participants will tend to feel free to use a wide range of bodily expressions and to permit physical contact
• a range of forms of dress will tend to be acceptable

• facilitators need to be especially sensitive to the respective roles of male and female in any meeting in which they participate together
• facilitators need to be sensitive to unstated rules concerning precedence, forms of address, body language, and physical contact
• facilitators need to be sensitive to dress codes

• beliefs ordered for religious community
• stimulus to gneration of spiritual insights in spiritally rich societies
• unbalanced distributions of spiritual insight
• unequal benefits in different sectors from cultivation of spiritual insights
• more restrictions on publicized religious information and the media
• potentially repressive religious policies
• organization of those genrating religious insights
• individuals expect to be protected and defended by the religious community to which they adhere
• policies and practices based on loyalty and sense of duty to the religious community
• access to positions of greater power within the religious community dependent upon seniority within that community
• less concern with fashionable approaches to organization of beliefs
• policies and practices within the religious community adjusted to the circumstances of the individual

• beliefs ordered for society at large
• reduced generation of spiritual insights once a certain threshold of religious belief has been reached
• balanced distributions of spiritual insight
• equal benefits in different sectors from cul;tivation of spiritual insights
• fewer restrictions on publicized religious information and the media
• dissemination of socially disruptive religious information
• disorganization of those producing religious insights
• individuals are not expected to depend on the religious community to protect their interests
• policies and practices allowing for individual initiative in relation to the religious community
• access to positions of power within the religious community dependent upon competence and not restricted to those within that community
• sensitive to fashionable innovations in approaches to the organization of beliefs
• policies and practices applied without adjustment for special cases

• facilitators should be cautious about challenging individuals to express themselves in situations when they are dependent on cues from their peers

• facilitators should compensate for any tendency of voluble individualists to dominate group communications