intercultural communication Flashcards
socialisation
the process in which individuals become functioning members of their societies by internalising values, norms and roles.
Culture determines the ways individuals encode + mediums + interpretation
encoding
low con
- explicit
- direct
- active voice
- information in words said
- save time
high con
- implicit
- indirect
- passive voice
- information in tone and gesture
- save face
decoding
low con
- indirect = indecisive = weak
- increased importance on verbal
high con
- direct = rude = not caring for group
- non verbal
medium - social media
low con
- new friends
high con
- old friends
Low context - individualistic
- Direct
- Straightforward
- Information expressed explicitly through message
- Non verbal not as significant
- Active voice
High context - collectivist
- Indirect
- Implicit
- Group > individual
- Group harmony greatly valued
- Passive voice
- Avoid conflict + be more polite
Encoding
High context
- Non verbal
- Social media - improve connections with existing friends
Low context
- Verbal
- Social media - make new friends
Interpretation
Cultural lens
Western view passive voice = indecisive
Eastern —> view rude
Verbal + non verbal
Verbal > an educator teaching through online platforms
words and language
Nonverbal
body language symbols sound
communication Queen Lizzy
Bag
On floor - I want to leave now - she wants to be rescued
On table - I want to leave in 5 mins
Standing up - switching hands for bag means she wants to wrap the conversation up
Role of communication in maintaining social relationships and social control
Social relationships - interpersonal relationships involving an individual and the people they interact with
Social control relates to the ways in which people’s behaviours are regulated in a particular social system.
both maintain social order
Social order is the arrangement of practices and behaviours on which a society’s members base their daily lives.
social control - formal and informal controls
Drinking
Formal
Drinking age being 18
litering fines
Informal
Peer pressure - non verbal communication —> disapproving looks and side eyes + arms crossed and shaking heads
social relationships - socialisation
Communication + transmission of cultural values through socialisation —> social control
Values - respect your elders
- Social relationships - young are looked down upon for being rude to older individuals
- Social control - older people are given respect and authority
Individuals right and responsibilities in relation to communication + technologies and citizenship
Macro level - social media
Rights - protect personal data, no harassment,
Responsibilities - hate speech, observe minimum age requirement, not post or share inappropriate content
Impact of changing communication technologies on
intra-generational communication
language use
cross generational interaction
social interaction
cross cultural interaction
globalisation
Intragenerational interaction
Technology - social media
Digital activism - #MeToo movement or #BLM black lives matter
+ more awareness
— less nuance on social issues
Language usage
Instant message delivery
Emojis
Nouns > verbs “to message”
Proper nouns > verbs “to friend”
Increased use of acronyms + internet slang
+ new modes of expression
— more room for misunderstanding
+ quick
— tone lost
Cross generational interaction
Emojis
Slang
Increasing the divide between younger and older generations
+ more belonging FaceTime + connect with younger and older members of family
— emojis and slang can be misinterpreted
Social interaction
+ belonging to an online group
— need to fit in to certain beauty standards
– online bullying and harassment - follows you home on your phone
Cross cultural interaction
+ instant translation - google translate
+ more informed about different cultural events - apple news
— inaccurate translation + information
Globalisation
+ new jobs ecommerce ebanking and influencers
+ video conferencing - pandemic
— less reliance on community
CAT theory explained + pros and cons
Convergence
- Adapt to one anothers commonicative behaviours
- Reduce difference
-
Divergence
- Over accentuate communicative behaviours
- Increase difference
- Going overseas + speaking in your accent
Overaccomodation
- over use of convergence
Patronising immigrant who have an accent
Strengths
- Easy to understand and apply
- Mass media families and Chinese students
Weaknesses
- Over simplified
- Communication more complex
- Doesn’t take into account other aspects such as race and ethnicity
- Communication not always rational
India
Aspects of society and culture similar and different to own culture
Expression of festivals - Diwali and Christmas
Diwali
Christmas
Both use light to light up the world
Christmas tree + diya lights
Exchange of gifts
Prayer - church + temple
Representation of God on Earth
Diwali - Lakshmi
Christmas - Jeses
fireworks NYE
Fireworks Diwali
Different
Types of celebrations
Diwali
Holi day
- Religious
Vs
Anzac Day
- Commemorate aus + nz landed in Gallipoli
Australia Day
- Commemorate the colonisation and genocide of Indigenous peoples
- Culture + patriotism - country
India Existence of group identity and commitment to cultural continuity
Traditions
Festivals
Diwali
- Victory of forces of light over the evil
- Light festival
- Fireworks
- Diya lights
- Chalk drawing for Lakshmi - invite her into their homes
- Buy new clothes
- Exchange food
- Jasmine chains to celebrate the good and prosperity form Lakshmi
- Start of festival is when Lakshmi was born form Samundra mathnan - churning of the exile of life
- the night of dwell represents when Goddess Lakshmi - goddess of wealth and prosperity married Vishnu - god of preservation
Holi Day
- Festival of colours
- Colourful chalk thrown
- Nation wide celebration
- Celebrate start of spring end of winter
- Beauty of love
- Celebrate harvest
- Ancient love story between Lord Krishna and Maiden Radha
- Lord Krishna - wanted her but he was worried about the colour of his skin
- His mother urged him to go to her regardless and say she can colour his face in whatever colour she likes
- He did and Radha accepted him and coloured his face
- They became a couple
- Holy day celebrates this love and the playful colouring of Lord Krishna’s face
Dress
Saris
Passed down for thousands of years
Devi Indian Goddesses > wear saris
Colour symbolism
Red - courage
White - purity
Yellow - good fortune
Empowering for women - accessories with traditional jewellery - ankles and nose rings
Bindis
- Sacred symbol of marriage
- Rich Muni wrote Vedas
- Chakras - conc energy
- Ajun chakra - third eye chakra
- Wisdom
- Truth
- No ego
India Potentials for intercultural misunderstandings
Cultural appropriation
Cultural exploitation
Bindi
- sacred symbol for marriage
- Rishi-muni wrote Vedas
- Powerful stores of concentrated energy - chakra
- Enhance the powers of the third eye chakra Ajna
- Inner wisdom see truth
Now = fashion statement
Holi Day:
Colour runs
Festival of Colours in Victoria
Orientalise and exploit Holi day for economic means
0% of profits go towards Indian economy
Exploitation
Holi day
- Celebration of good conquering evil
- Blooming of spring end of winter
- Harvest
- Divine origins
- Love story between Lord Krishna + Maiden Radha
- Blossoming love
- Lord Krishna didn’t;t think Maiden Radha would like him because of his skin colour
- His mother told him to ask Radha to colourr his face in any colour she wants
- Radha did accepting his love
- Became a couple
- Playful colouring of Lord Krishna’s face is commemorated by Holi
communication
High vs low context
India - indirect and passive voice to save face
Keep peace and harmony in collectivist culture
Polite to be indirect
Tone and gesture is far more important than what is said
Head wobble and nod
West
Interprets indirectness and indecisiveness and weakness
Can be rude by being direct
Take what is said at face value without understanding the nonverbal communication of head wobble
Verbal communication of tone
Strategies to deal with intercultural misunderstandings
Cultural appropriation
Cultural exchange rather than exploitation
Bindi
- Learn meaning behind it
- Don’t wear it
Holi day
- Learn meaning behind it
- Celebrate in India and boost local economy as well as immersing in culture
cultural relativism - concepts = socially contructed + viewed through ones own cultural lens
Be cautious of how you are perceived and how you perceive others
Not using own cultural lens try to adapt Indian lens to avoid rudeness
Understand cultural norms
- Time is stretchable
- Family is greatly valued
Role of intercultural exchange in gaining cultural perceptions and values
Both:
Gain awareness of others cultural identity
- reduction in misinformation > directly from persons culture
- First hand explore traditions and immerse yourself in the culture —> socially and culturally aware
Non Indians:
World wide tourism
gain understanding
Boost economy
- Income
- Employment
- Reduction in poverty
- 6.23% of national GDP
- 8.78% total employment
Adoption and exchange > negative too
Cultural appropriation + exploitation
Traditional and sacred symbols,
Bindi
Coachella
Colour runs - profit off of festival
Indians:
Reduction of cultural values in younger generations
- Marriage = contract
- According to reports,divorcees have doubled over the past two decades
Reduction in caste system
- Intercaste marriages more common than ever before
Festivals
- Valentines day
- Fathers Day
- Mothers Day
- Before - exclusively traditional Hindu festivals
Role of intercultural dialogue in effective intercultural communication
Enriching insightful
Overcoming cultural differences
CAT
Accomodating to the culture + ways of communication
Understand societal values in order not to offend
reading in between the lines - head nod - use of tone
Don’t take for face value
In order not to overstep boundaries
Divergence
Explaining and representing ones own group
Explain cultural similarities - cricket, use of light + fireworks for festivals NYE + Diwali
Differences too - explaining cultural background to enhance conversation
