Interpersonal Communication Chapter 2

Culture

• Encompasses language, values, beliefs, traditions, and customs shared and learned by people.
• Perception and definition of culture can vary, making it subjective.

In-groups and Out-groups

• In-groups refer to groups individuals identify with, fostering belonging.
• Out-groups label those perceived as different, often leading to differentiation.

Social Identity

• Derived from group memberships, influencing the self-concept of individuals.

Co-culture

• Refers to a perceived membership in a group that coexists within a larger cultural context.

Intercultural Communication

• Occurs when message exchange happens between members of different cultures or co-cultures, influenced by diverse cultural perceptions and nonverbal cues.

Salience

• Concerns the importance or weight assigned to a particular person or phenomenon in communication.

Cultural Contexts

• Low-context cultures prioritize direct expression of thoughts, commonly found in the U.S., Canada, Northern Europe, and Israel.
• High-context cultures rely on subtle, often nonverbal cues to maintain social harmony, typical in Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American contexts.

Individualism vs. Collectivism

• Individualistic cultures emphasize personal responsibility and self-reliance.
• Collectivistic cultures value loyalty and obligations to in-groups over individual desires.

Power Distance

• Reflects acceptance of unequal power distribution within a society.
• Low power distance cultures minimize social class distinctions, viewing all individuals equally.
• High power distance cultures display hierarchical structures where lower-status individuals have less input in decision-making.

Uncertainty Avoidance

• Indicates how cultures respond to ambiguous situations, reflecting comfort levels and avoidance strategies.

Achievement vs. Nurturing Cultures

• Achievement cultures prioritize material success and task completion.
• Nurturing cultures value supporting relationships as a primary objective.

Cultural Differences in Verbal Style

• Differences include directness vs. indirectness, elaboration vs. succinctness, and varying levels of formality.

Developing Intercultural Communication Competence

• Essential elements: motivation and attitude, tolerance for ambiguity, open-mindedness, and knowledge/skill acquisition.

Ethnocentrism and Prejudice

• Ethnocentrism involves an attitude of cultural superiority over others.
• Prejudice consists of unfairly biased attitudes toward out-group members.

Acquiring Culture-Specific Information

• Mindfulness is key to becoming aware of personal behavior and that of others, facilitating cultural competence.

Social Media

• Encompasses various channels enabling remote personal communication.
• Characteristics include message richness, synchronicity, and permanence.

Communication Dynamics

• Synchronous communication occurs in real-time, allowing for immediate interaction, as seen in phone conversations.
• Asynchronous communication features time gaps between message sending and receiving, such as emails and voicemails.

Netiquette

• Digital communication necessitates specific rules for respectful interaction, including:
  • Respect for undivided attention
  • Maintaining a civil tone
  • Being mindful of bystanders
  • Balancing mediated and face-to-face interactions.

Disinhibition

• Refers to the tendency to share messages without forethought about potential repercussions.

Flaming

• An extreme form of disinhibition, involving aggressive and harmful communication, typically through emails, texts, or blogs.

Explore key concepts from Chapter 2 on interpersonal communication within the context of a changing world. This quiz will help reinforce your understanding of culture and group dynamics. Test your knowledge through definitions and true or false questions.