The contribution of autophotography for cross-cultural knowledge transfer

This paper introduces the use of autophotography in cross-cultural research and describes the possibilities of knowledge transfer using the research output directly in cultural training settings. Autophotography is a method used to compare two cultures on the basis of photographs. Test persons (members of one culture who live in a second culture) are required to make photos expressing certain aspects of a culture. In an interview the test persons then explain their motives, what values they wanted to express and why this photo was typical of the target culture. This method produces authentic photographs which offer insights into the perception of artefacts by people from different cultures. The photographs may then be used in cross-cultural knowledge transfer processes. One way of incorporating emotions into the training process is the use of photographs. Since visual material has a stronger and more direct impact on emotions (Goleman, 1995), photographs can help fill the emotional gap in trainings.