Intercultural Communication Flashcards
Define and give examples of Verbal communication as well as barriers
Noise we make with our voice when communicating. Verbal mediums, for example: talking, singing.
Voice tells listeners things: age from vocab used, accent reveals location, tone indicates mood, etc.
Lack of clarity can be misinterpreted, communication must be calm.
Barriers to communication: Background knowledge, interpretation, culture, closed ended
Define and give examples of non verbal communication as well as barriers and how to remove them
Interpretation of body language, gestures and eye contact.
Body language is conscious and unconscious. Shows attitudes, feelings. Can be different depending on culture.
Clear cultural context, what is appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another. For example, Arab and English men and personal space.
Barriers to communication: Perceptual barriers, attitude, unclear/ambiguous, perspectives, previous experience, culture
Removing barriers: active listening, avoiding bias, simple/objective
Define Theory of Proxemics and give examples of space
Theory: Western society, physical distance depends on relationship between communicating and nature of the situation.
Personal space: Immediate space surrounding a person
Territory: space ‘claimed’ to stop invasion.
It is expected that individuals keep their distance around each other, depending on environment such as elevator, room, train etc.
Semiotics in communication: The power of signs/symbols. give examples
Essential to understanding non-verbal communication
Automatic thoughts/actions result from cultural norms/values, governed by complex cultural guidelines.
For example: Different colours on traffic lights = automatic reaction. Established by cultural norms over time.
We learn about it as children, but it requires unconscious cultural knowledge.
Seeing and interpreting (decoding) enables navigation
The role of communication in maintaining social relationships and social control: Define social control, conformity, and what the goal of social control is.
social control- For example: regulation/enforcement of norms through social/political mechanisms.
conformity - Attempts to regulate behaviour, governance is easier and cost effective where there is large scale compliance to established rules.
Social control goal: Social order
What are Formal controls and give examples
Enforced by state/laws
For example: Police fines for speeding, new legislation created by the government to raise drinking age, imprisonment for murder.
What are Informal controls
Less obvious
For example: shame, ridicule, exclusion, disapproval, peer pressure, community pressure to conform to societal norms/customs/values
The community rewards or disapproves of particular behaviours.
Give examples of Social relationships and social control at micro mess and macro level
Micro: Disapproving looks, peer groups ridiculing ‘different’ kids, verbal reprimands from parents
Meso: Promotion at work, community groups using shame to influence person’s behaviour, expulsion from school
Macro: Serious formal sanctions enforced by government, punishments for violating norms (shoplifting), torture from rulers/leaders (Adolf Hitler)
The Individual’s rights and responsibilities in relation to communication, communication technologies and citizenship: Define communication and consequences of not having it
Social participation, allows humans to exchange information
Validates human equality
Enables us to be who we want, strengthens dignity
Validates human equality
No communication = opinionless, powerless, meaningless, lost freedom
What are the Four pillars of communication
Communicating on the public sphere: exercising democratic political participation in society
Communication knowledge: Communicated/blocked for use by groups
Civil rights in communication
Cultural rights in communication: diversity
How does Impact of changing communications technology
impact: Intra and cross-generational interaction, Language use, Social interaction, Globalisation. Define clicktivism and online disinhibition
1.Intra and cross-generational interaction
Non verbal cues lost due to communication tech and decrease face to face
Younger gen often multitasking - no focus specific to convo
Growing acceptance of multitasking
2. Language use
Less formal, SMS creating new language (grammar/conventions depending on age)
3.Social interaction
Instant nature of technology encourages spontaneousness.
Online disinhibition effect : online persona different to offline persona.
3. Globalisation
Clicktivism: spreading information for a cause online. Can be effective in spreading beliefs and ideas but some believe that it is useless.
Negative: spread distrust and misinterpretations
For example: unicef sweden advertisement: talks about how you take action through moves, not by likes or viewing.
Give examples of modes of communication and how they bring out different personas
Modes of communication (email, text) bring out different personas
For example, easy to cancel dinner via email/text rather than phone to discuss to avoid range of emotions (guilt)
Japan case study: How can a cultural group’s identity have an impact on intercultural communication? And how can we improve cross cultural communication to create an understanding and remove
barriers?
Group identity - strong shared culture, continuity of dressing style
There is some intercultural misunderstanding like facial expressions, conversation, eye contact, etc
To deal with this, read widely, language, respect, demonstrate patience
Intercultural exchange, opportunities for: equitable interactions, first hand understanding, how group are shaped, build own self concept.
Intercultural dialogue: overcome obstacles/incorrect assumptions, prevent rejections/violence/stereotyping/exclusion-fear of unknown, understand worldview/similarities
