Communication and Culture
Understanding Cultures and Cocultures
Culture - the language, values, beliefs, traditions, and customs people share and learn
Coculture - the perception of membership in a group that is part of an encompassing culture
Intergroup Communication - the interaction between members of cocultures
Age (e.g. teen, senior citizen)
Sexual Orientation (e.g. LGBTQ)
Physical Disability (e.g. wheel-chair users, deaf persons)
Language (e.g. native/non-native speakers
Religion (e.g. Mormon, Muslim)
Activity (e.g. biker, gamer)
Intercultural and Intergroup Communication: A Matter of Salience
Salience- how much weight we attach to a particular person or phenomenon
In-groups - groups which we identity with
Out-groups - groups which we view as different from us
Cultural Differences as Generalizations
Broad patterns don't necessarily apply to every member of a group.
Although Asian cultures are more collectivistic, many Asians identity themselves as individualists.
There is more difference between two Americans with vastly differing levels of formality than two casual members of different cultures.
Cultural Values and Norms Shape Communication
Individualism Collectivism
Individualistic Cultures - *A culture in which members focus on the value and welfare of individual members, as opposed to a concern for the group as a whole
Collectivistic Cultures - *A culture in which members focus on the welfare of the group as a whole, as opposed to a concern for the group as a whole
relatively tolerant of conflicts, using a direct, solution-orientated approach
self-reliance and competition
less direct, placing greater emphasis on harmony
more attentive and concerned with the opinions of significant others
High and Low Cultural Context
"I gotta be me"
"If I hurt you, I hurt myself"
High-Context Cultures - A culture that relies heavily on subtle, often nonverbal cues to maintain social harmony
Low-Context Cultures - A culture that uses language primarily to express feelings, ideas as directly as possible
Uncertainty Avoidance
Values straight-talk and grow impatient with people who "beat around the bush"
"Beat around the Bush" - make indirect remarks instead of stating a point clearly and directly
Communicators often avoid speaking directly if doing so would threaten another person's dignity
Uncertainty Avoidance - the cultural tendency to seek stability and honor tradition instead of welcoming risk, uncertainty, and change
In cultures that avoid uncertainty, out-of-the-ordinary people and ideas are considered dangerous; high intolerance
In cultures that are less threatened by the new and unexpected are more likely to tolerate/welcome people who don't fit the norm; low intolerance
Power Distance
Power Distance - the degree to which members of a group are willing to accept a difference in power and status
Cultures with high power distance believe that those in higher power/social status must be respected and honored.
Cultures with low power distance believe in minimizing the differences between various social classes
Beliefs About Talk and Silence
Western cultures tend to value talk rather than silence
Silence can be interpreted as lack of interest, unwillingness to communicate, hostility, anxiety, shyness, or a sign of interpersonal incompatibility
Asian cultures (and others) value silence over "excessive" verbal expression of thoughts and feelings
Talk is used for social purposes, as well as performing tasks
Japanese/Chinese people more often believe that remaining quiet is the proper state when there is nothing to be said
To Asians, talkative people is often considered a show-off or a fake
Competitive and Cooperative Cultures
Competitive Cultures
Cooperative Cultures
Gender roles are more differentiated
Gender roles are less differentiated
Competitiveness, independence, assertiveness are highly valued
Equality, relationships, cooperation, and consensus building are emphasized
Cocultures and Communication
Race and Ethnicity
Race - a construct originally created to explain differences between people whose ancestors originated in different regions of the world
Ethnicity - a social construct that refers to the degree to which a person identifies with a particular group, usually on the basis of nationality, culture, religion, or some other unifying perspective
Race offers little use in explaining individual differences
Intersectionality - the idea that people are influenced in unique ways by the complex overlap and interactions of multiple identities
"it's a mistake to focus on one cultural or cocultural dimension in isolation because people are shaped by all the elements of their identity"
Regional Differences
Accents
"Speakers of standard ("newscaster") English are typically viewed as more competent and self-confident than others, and people tend to take what they say seriously."
Style of Speech
the "high-involvement" style of Jewish New Yorkers
Facial Expression
"People from the southern and border states smile the most, and Midwesterners smile more than New Englanders."
"Climate and geographic latitude were accurate predictors of communication predispositions."
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
There is a communication dilemma facing many individuals with diverse gender identities
Being open about gender identity can create a sense of authenticity and belonging into a supportive coculture
People may be shocked/judgemental and ridicule individuals they consider to be nontraditional, discriminate against them, or even attack them.
Coming-out - declaring one's non-traditional sexual orientation clearly
"CNN host Anderson Cooper didn't tell the public he was gay for years because he considered it private information, he felt it might put him and others in danger, and he thought he could do a better job as a journalist if he 'blended in.'"
Religion
Intergroup hostility within religion
Shia and Sunni sects
Protestants and Catholics
Religion affects romantic relationships
"Dating in the Orthodox faith is communication centered and focused, a bit like a job interview."
"Teens who believe that only one religion has merit date less frequently than other teens, perhaps because their pool of acceptable partners is smaller."
Religious beliefs affect family life
"Members of the evangelical churches are likely to view parents as family decision makers and honor children for following their advice without question."
Physical Ability/Disability
Many people with disabilities find that belonging to a community of similar people can be rewarding.
"The shared experiences of deafness can create strong bonds."
Age/Generation
Relationships between older and younger people are shaped by cultural assumptions that change over time.
Today, Western cultures mostly honor youth, and attitudes about aging are more negative than postive.
Butt into - meddle in the affairs of others
Socioeconomic Status
Organizational Culture - a relatively stable, shared set of rules about how to behave and a set of values about what is important
People identify with their social class and feel a sense of solidarity with others of the same social strata.
"Gangs provide people who are marginalized by society a sense of identity and security in an often dangerous and hostile world."
Developing Intercultural Communication Competence
Increased Contact
Spending time with people from different backgrounds leads to a host of positive outcomes.
reduced prejudice
greater productivity
better, more positive relationships
lower stress levels
a more cooperative communication climate
disconfirm stereotypes
"Door-to door canvassers in Los Angelos were able to dramatically change attitudes of area residents by engaging in 10-minute conversations aimed at breaking down stereotypes."
Tolerance for Ambiguity
The ability to live with uncertainty is essential for intercultural communication competence.
Open-Mindedness
Three traits that go against open-mindedness
Ethnocentrism - the attitude that one's own culture is superior to others'
Prejudice - an unfairly biased and intolerant attitude toward others who belong to an out-group
Hegemony - the dominance of one's culture over another
Knowledge and Skill
Tying the knot - getting married
The ability to shift gears and adapt to one's style to norms of another culture or coculture is essential for competence
Shift gears - change what one is doing
Passive observation - noticing what behaviors members of a different culture use and applying these insights to communicate in ways that are most effective
Active strategies - reading, watching films, and asking experts and members of the other culture how to behave, as well as taking academic courses related to intercultural communication and diveristy
Self-disclosure - volunteering personal information to people from the other culture with whom you want to communicate
Patience and Perseverance
Adaptation to intercultural communication is not easy.
Experiences with culture/adjustment shock are normal occurrences
I also have experienced adjustment shock the first time I came here to America.
"- when Lynn Chih-Ning Chang came to the United States from Taiwan for graduate school, she cried every day on the way home from class."
What surprised you in the readings?
I didn't expect to see so many different cultural factors that can play into how we communicate.
What confused you or made you want to find out more?
I'm really interested and would like to know more in depth about the relationship between cultural values and the predispositions in how we communicate.
What bothered you?
I'm bothered to know that, on average, one out of five hate crimes are committed on the basis of someone's sexual orientation or gender identity.
For example,
Thailand is a collectivistic culture.
For example, Thailand is a high-context culture.
For example, Thailand is a high certainty avoidance culture.
People from Thailand usually smile; Land of Smiles
For example, Thailand has relatively high power distance.