HSR130 Week 10 Intercultural Communication II PDF

HSR130: Introduction to Language & Communication Intercultural Communication (Part II) Week 10 Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 1  Intercultural Communication Do you remember what is Intercultural...

HSR130: Introduction to Language & Communication Intercultural Communication (Part II) Week 10 Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 1  Intercultural Communication Do you remember what is Intercultural Communication? Intercultural Communication is defined as communication, and the study of it, among peoples of different cultural, ethnic and tribal backgrounds. The study of intercultural communication often deals with problems or areas of risk. Can you think of any examples? 1.Ethnocentrism 2.Prejudice Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 2  Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism Refers to the tendency to put one’s own culture in the center of influence and use it as the point of reference for everything else. In many ways, this is a natural human tendency. Nationality, religion, ethnicity and culture all give us an identity, a sense of who we are and how we fit in with the world. They become our reference points. The difficulty, however, is that ethnocentrism also sets up standards of good and bad when in fact the issue should merely be noting differences. Give me examples of where ethnocentrism can occur. Parenting, religion, sports, workplace, establishing standards of public decency, and so on. What is the opposite of Ethnocentrism? The opposite of ethnocentrism is cultural relativism, which involves the analysis and assessment of a culture based on its own context rather than one’s own culture Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 3  Another problem associated with ethnocentrism is a phenomenon called Ethnophaulisms, using name-calling or slurs for members of the out-group. The consequence of all this is greater social distance between both cultures and less mutual understanding. Example: “Nigger", an offensive word for Africans, refers to their black skin. Give me examples of ethnophaulisms from your culture. Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 4  Prejudice Prejudice Refers to a judgment made on the basis of past experience rather than an evaluation of present circumstances. In theory, prejudice can be positive or negative, but in practice it is associated with negative judgments and bias. Like ethnocentrism, prejudice tends to emphasize “my” values at the expense of “your” values. Related to this is stereotyping, a judgment made on the basis of communicated information rather than personal experience. Can you think of any examples? Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 5  Prejudice can be: 1. Individual prejudice is focused on cultural out-groups, such as members of other races, religions or lifestyles. 2. Institutional prejudice is imbedded in organizations. It may not be conscious, but it gives evidence of discrimination against members of cultural out-groups in situations such as university or hospital admission policies, etc. Social psychologists suggest that prejudice is not a dichotomy (meaning that either a person is prejudiced or not) but rather a continuum (everybody is prejudiced to one degree or another). Racism, sexism, ageism, bias for or against people of particular religions or nationalities is a natural and unavoidable result of being socialized in a particular culture. Like ethnocentrism, prejudice is related to a person’s general feelingDr. about strangers and people who are different from oneself. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 6  What do you think the behavior associated with high/low prejudice? People high in prejudice seek to minimize contact with strangers; people low in prejudice seek to interact with strangers. Research shows that younger people are less prejudiced than older people. As we learn more about other people and increase our direct and/or mediated experiences with them, we are less likely to exhibit high levels of prejudice. Prejudiced communication can occur in various levels: 1. Prejudice in interpersonal communication  Example: situations is a family member who models prejudice against an out-group. 2. Institutional/organizational communication  Example: the requirement to use the language of the in-group. 3. Mass communication level  Example: prejudice may be exhibited in the use of ethnic, racial or religious stereotypes in books and movies. Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 7  How to Foster Better Communication Among Various Cultures? 1. Understand your own culture and communication variables such as social role, symbolism, etc. 2. Learn the communication rules for the other culture by reflecting on its approach to nonverbal and other aspects of communication. 3. Approach intercultural communication with a positive attitude and with the goal of understanding the other side rather than preaching about or defending your own. 4. Avoid ethnocentrism that interprets everything on the basis of your own social and cultural values. Instead, try to understand how a concept, product or practice fits into the other culture. 5. Be flexible, and be on the lookout for cues that suggest you should change your own communication style or your interpretation of the communication style of theAlblooshi Dr. Fatima other person. 12/12/2024 8 Arabic and English Comparisons A study by R.S. Zaharna at American University in Washington D.C. looked at intercultural communication with an application to public relations and a focus on Arab and American cultures. Arabic English High-context cultures Low-context cultures Indirect Direct Being-focused Doing-oriented Oral Literate Non-Linear Linear Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 9 1. High-context and low context: high-context cultures (in which much meaning is imbedded in social context and nonverbal communication) and low-context cultures (where the code or verbal language carries the meaning). The Arab culture is high-context and the burden of meaning falls on the listener, and American culture is low-context and the burden of meaning falls on the speaker. 2. Indirect and direct: direct communication styles are those that are concise and unambiguous, using language to present facts; indirect styles use language to evoke emotion and tolerate nuance and ambiguity. Zaharna judges Arabic to be indirect and English as direct. 3. Doing and being: another cultural divide comes from two different value orientations, one focusing on activity and valuing achievement and accomplishments, the other on being or becoming, valuing connectedness. Zaharna concludes that American culture is doing- oriented, while Arab culture is being-focused. Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 10 4. Oral and literate: anthropologists have noted distinctions between oral versus literate societies. The former are focused on intuition, anecdote and metaphor; the latter favor evidence, reasoning and analysis. American culture is classified as literate and Arab as historically oral. 5. Linear and nonlinear: scholars have observed differences between cultures in their thought frameworks. Linear societies stress beginnings and endings, empirical use of evidence, and an orientation toward objects. Nonlinear cultures focus on multiple themes and have less of an emphasis on time and time segmentation. Zaharna places American culture in the linear camp and Arab culture in the Dr. Fatima Alblooshi nonlinear. 12/12/2024 11  Are you LOST? Are you confused? Is there anything unclear? Any burning questions? Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 12  What’s Next? Week 10: “Elements of Mass Communication” Main Elements Mass Communication Characteristics of Mass Communication Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 13  Course Evaluation Go to blackboard Click on our course (HSR130: Intro to Language and Communication) Click on “Tools” Go to “Course Evaluation” Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 14  Participation Question Go to the Blackboard to complete the participation question. If you fail to complete the task, you will lose your participation grade for today's class. Dr. Fatima Alblooshi 12/12/2024 15