CHAPTER 3: Local and Global Communication in Multi-cultural Settings Flashcards
the learned and shared behavior of a community of interacting human beings (stated by_____)
Culture by Charles A. Useem
the learned, shared symbols, language, values and norms that distinguish one group from another
Culture by Floyd, 2009
a learned system of meanings that fosters a particular sense identity-hood and community-hood among its group members
Culture by Magan, 2018
Components of Culture (Floyd, 2009)
- Symbols
- Language
- Values
- Norms
What are the Adaptation to New Cultures?
- Cultural Integration
- Cultural Assimilation
- Cultural Accommodation
one group assumes the beliefs, practices and rituals of another
group without sacrificing the characteristics of its own culture
Cultural Integration
-private, intimate language reserved for family members or intimate people.
Cultural Assimilation
they give up their own ways in an effort to assume the modes of behavior of the dominant culture
Cultural Assimilation
balances adopting values and beliefs from the host
culture in the public sphere while preserving one’s parent culture in private life.
Cultural Accommodation
attempts to maintain their cultural identity even while they strive to establish relationships with members of the dominant culture
Cultural Accommodation
resist interacting with members of the dominant culture
Separation
Communicating within and Across Cultures
- Avoiding
- Accommodating
- Forcing
- Educating – Persuading
- Negotiating – Compromising
- Collaboration – Problem-Solving
Refusing to engage with cultures that operate based on different ethical principles
Avoiding
Adapting to different ethical systems and conforming to practices that differ from one’s own
Accommodating
Insisting on conducting business according to one’s own ethical standards
Forcing
Convincing others of the appropriateness of one’s ethical
principles
Educating – Persuading
Engaging in mutual concessions to reach a settlement
Negotiating – Compromising –
Collaboratively working to address issues and achieve mutually satisfying solutions
Collaboration – Problem-Solving
Characteristics of Cultures
- Cultures are learned, not innate
- Cultures are shared
- Cultures are multifaceted
- Cultures are dynamic
- Cultural identities are overlapping
acquired through upbringing and exposure. We think and act according to our cultural backgrounds.
Cultures are learned, not innate
cultural norms guide individuals as members of their
cultural groups, emphasizing conformity to group norms
Cultures are shared
cultural norms influence various aspects of life, including language, religion, basic worldviews, education, technology, social organization, politics, and law. Practices considered ordinary in one culture may be taboo in another.
Cultures are multifaceted
cultures evolve over time due to increased cultural interactions, emerging technologies and shifts in economic conditions.
Cultures are dynamic
people often belong to multiple,
overlapping cultures as they engage with various communities
Cultural identities are overlapping
determined by who raised you and what their symbols, language, values and norms were.
Enculturation
The Nature of Common Cultural Differences
- Leadership
- Work Productivity
- Group allegiance
- Task commitment
cultures may emphasize different forms of power and influence in decision-making
Leadership
some cultures exhibit a “ masculine” or “feminine approach in their workforces or family organization
Work Productivity
individual-oriented cultures value personal agency, while group oriented cultures prioritize collective well-being
Group allegiance
different cultures may place varying importance on tradition
and commitment to the group versus individual autonomy
Task commitment
Communicating with Cultural Awareness
- People with different cultural backgrounds think differently
- Teenagers and senior citizens may have difficulty getting along because their customs and values are so different.
- People from different cultures and co-cultures differ in how they think and behave
Seven Cultural Differences
- Individualism and Collectivism
- High and Low-Context Culture
- Low and High Power Distance
- Masculine and Feminine Cultures
- Monochronic and Polychronic Cultures
- Uncertainty Avoidance
- Cultural Communication Codes
primary responsibility is to themselves
*US, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, and Australia
Individualistic
primary responsibility is to their families, communities, and the
companies they work for
*Korea, Japan and many countries in Africa and Latin America
Collectivistic
people are expected to be direct, say what they mean and not
beat around the bush
*US, Canada, Israel, and most northern European countries
Low-context culture
are taught to speak in a much less direct way for them
High-context culture
measures the extent to which individuals are willing to accept power differences
Power distance
view power as a fact of life since certain groups such as
royalty or the ruling political party have great power and the average citizen has much less
*Saudi Arabia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore and Philippines
High power distance culture
they believe in the value of equality- that all men and women are created equal
*Israel, Sweden, US, Canada, New Zealand, Denmark and Austria
Low-power distance
value male aggressiveness, strength, ambition, achievement
and material symbols of success. They also value sex- specific roles for women and men
*Austria, Japan, Mexico, Italy, Germany and Breat Britain
Highly Masculine Culture
members value relationships, nurturance, tenderness in
members of both sexes, service to others and high quality of life. People from feminine culture are more apt to compromise and negotiate to resolve conflicts, seeking win-win solutions
*Sweden, Chile, Netherlands, Norway and Thailand
Highly Feminine Cultures
they view time as a commodity
*Swiss, Germans and most US Americans
Monochronic
conceive time as more holistic and fluid and less structured
*Latin America, Arab part of the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa
Polychronic orientation
are drawn to people and situations that are familiar and
relatively unlikely to take risks for fear and failure
Highly Uncertainty avoidant
more open to new situations, and are more accepting people and ideas that are different from their own
Uncertainty-accepting culture
3 Kinds of Communication Codes:
- Idioms
- Jargon
- Gestures
phrases whose meaning is purely figurative
Idioms
specific form of idiomatic communication that often separates cocultures.
Jargon
It’s also a language whose technical meaning is understood by people within that co-culture but not necessarily by those outside it
Jargon
movements that express ideas
Gestures
7 gestures
a. Facial Expressions
b. Smiling
c. Eye Contact
d. Physical Contact
e. Gestures
f. Vocal Patterns
g. Space
Guidelines on Developing Intercultural Competence
- Widen your field of experience by making new contact
- Learn about history and the experiences and aspirations of people from different
cultures - Examine yourself for possible stereotypes
- Look at the world from someone else’s way of looking at and thinking about
something, not just yours - Work on becoming more self – confident
- Appreciate cultural similarities and differences
- Acknowledge the essential equality and value of all cultures
- Be sensitive and interpret cultural styles of communication
Interact with people from cultures different from your own to enhance understanding.
Widen your field of experience by making new contact
Study the history, experiences, and aspirations of diverse cultural groups to gain insight and appreciation
Learn about history and the experiences from different cultures
Identify and overcome stereotypes and biases, which often result from ignorance
Examine yourself for possible stereotypes
Strive to understand how others perceive the world and
experience their emotions
Look at the world from someone else’s way of looking, not just yours
Increased self-confidence fosters better understanding and relationships with others
Work on becoming more self – confident
Recognize both similarities and
differences across cultures to establish better intercultural connections
Appreciate cultural similarities and differences
Never assume superiority over any cultural group, including minority ones.
Acknowledge the essential equality and value of all cultures
Develop the ability to interpret the communication symbols of a target culture, encompassing verbal language, signs, gestures, body language, and customs
Be sensitive and interpret cultural styles of communication
The tendency to see your own culture as superior to all others
Ethnocentrism
the acceptance of other cultural groups as equal in value to
one’s own
Cultural relativism
Barriers to Effective International Communication
- Ethnocentrism
- Stereotypes and prejudices
- Stereotypes
- Prejudice
- Assumed similarities
- Anxiety
How Culture affects Communication
- Ethnocentrism
- Cultural relativism
The belief that one’s own culture is superior and the tendency to
judge other cultures by the norms of one’s own
Ethnocentrism
Negative characteristics attributed to a group can lead to biases and discrimination
Stereotypes and prejudices
Generalizations about a group based on a limited sample of its
members
Stereotypes
Negative preconceived opinions about members of another group,
leading to biased perceptions and discrimination
Prejudice
Assuming that all cultures behave like one’s own
Assumed similarities
Fear or apprehension associated with communication with people from other cultural groups, whether real or anticipated
Anxiety
