Culture And Communication PDF

Culture 3. CULTURAL ACCOMMODATION - – refers to the process by - is the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits. which individuals may take on values and beliefs of the host of a racial, religious, or...

Culture 3. CULTURAL ACCOMMODATION - – refers to the process by - is the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits. which individuals may take on values and beliefs of the host of a racial, religious, or social group culture. - the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes a group of people; the set of values, MULTICULTURALISM conventions or social practices of a given group of - is the belief that cultures, races, and ethnicities, people; particularly minority groups, should be accorded special acknowledgment of their differences within a dominant Characteristics of Culture political culture. 1. CULTURES ARE LEARNED, NOT INNATE. Multicultural - refers to a society that contains several cultural or 2. CULTURES ARE SHARED. ethnic groups. 3. CULTURES ARE MULTIFACETED Cross-cultural deals with the comparison of different cultures. 4. CULTURES ARE DYNAMIC. 5. CULTURAL IDENTITIES ARE OVERLAPPING. Intercultural - describes communities in which there is a deep understanding and respect for all cultures. ADAPTATION TO NEW CULTURES 1. CULTURAL ASSIMILATION - – occurs when members of one LANGUAGE AND CULTURE cultural group adopt the language, practices, and beliefs of Language - Language is embedded in culture, so it is culture and another group, often losing aspects of their traditional cultures not language code that dictates what is appropriate to say and do in the process. in every communication situation. 2. CULTURAL INTEGRATION - – is a form of cultural exchange Intercultural Communication - This is when people from two in which one group assumes the beliefs, practices and rituals different cultural groups interact. of another group without sacrificing the characteristics of its - to exchange ideas and cultural norms in the spirit of own culture. understanding and mutual respect. Culture of Language CULTURE OF INFERIORITY - When the language speakers find a. gives primary consideration to it so difficult to take pride in their use of the target language. modesty quality of life, tenderness LANGUAGE DEATH - is caused both by the imposition of a b. rewards are given for work language by foreigners and its acceptance by the locals. satisfaction CULTURE OF PRAGMATISM - This culture finds clear c. - salaries are determined based manifestation in language teaching's preoccupation with "skills" on need, not on production (speaking, writing, reading) in language use. C. GROUP ALLEGIANCE - Also, a bipolar Cultural differences are apparent in FOUR BASIC TRAITS characteristic, of individual and group orientation A. LEADERSHIP - key characteristics: power and exists. influence - the right to manipulate the outcome of a. Individual orientation (individualism)- an health welfare and critical decisions of protection. individual can change the standards of the B. WORK PRODUCTIVITY - bipolar - (marked by culture opposite extremes) characteristic of being b. Group orientation (collectivism) - whose "masculine" or "feminine" exists in the workforce emphasis is on the group, sacrificing or a family organization. everything for the sake of the group can 1. Masculine change the culture. a. assertive, aggressive behavior b. the objective is success in D. TASK COMMITMENT - The focus is on elements of competition controlling the group, such as tradition and c. winning is rewarded with high commitment to the group (high-context culture) versus honor the individual (low-context culture). d. unions symbolize high salaries, a. High-context cultures resist change, so few changes large output, and major impact are made since the belief is, "What was good enough 2. Feminine for father and grandfather is good enough for me." b. Low-context cultures work for the good of the cause, Responses to Cultural Differences: not the welfare of the group. The focus is "here" and a. AVOIDING - We may refuse to comply or do business in "now" and to get the job done, so change, growth, cultures that operate according to ethical principles that differ and innovation are encouraged. from us. b. ACCOMMODATING - We can accept the different ethical system and conform to practices that differ from ours. Imperative: Intercultural Communication Reduce the c. FORCING - We can insist on doing business in a way we believe is Strangeness of Strangers ethically proper. 1. Communicating Within and Across Cultures d. EDUCATING - PERSUADING - We can try to convince the a. Cultural imprinting starts early, so we are people with whom we want to do business why our ethical principle is often unaware of our cultural biases. more appropriate. b. Multinational communication challenges e. NEGOTIATING - COMPROMISING - We and the other party have increased with globalization and diverse can give each give up something to negotiate a settlement. workforces. f. COLLABORATION - PROBLEM SOLVING - We can work c. Cultural differences in communication with the other party to face the problem directly and reach a mutually include verbal and nonverbal symbols, satisfying solution. shaped by family, community, and media influences. CULTURAL DIALECTICS d. Family and community teach us verbal and nonverbal cues through direct experience Dialectics is at base a discourse between two or more people and imitation. holding different points of view about a subject but wishing to e. Media can distort perceptions of establish truth through reasoned arguments. communication by presenting staged 1. Individualism vs. Collectivism interactions as real. f. Cultural grids influence how we interpret 2. High Context vs. Low Context messages, shaped by past experiences and 3. High Power Distance vs. Low Power Distance cultural norms. 4. Masculine vs. Feminine Culture g. Bridging intercultural communication gaps 5. Affective vs. Neutral Culture requires open-mindedness, respect for differences, and a willingness to overcome 6. Sequential vs. Synchronic Culture biases. Dialectics 1. Individualism - cultures in which individual goals are 12. Synchronic Culture - the flow of time is viewed as assort stressed. of circle, with the past, present and future are interrelated. 2. Collectivistic Culture - cultures in which group goals are (South America, Southern Europe, and Asia) stressed; Arab, African, Asian & Latin American 3. High-context Communication - a tradition-bound communication system which depends on indirectness Ethnocentrism is the tendency to see your own culture as 4. Low-context Communication - a system that encourages superior to all others. directness in communication. Cultural Relativism is the principle of regarding the beliefs, 5. High Power Distance Cultures - cultures based on power values, and practices of a culture from the viewpoint of that differences in which subordinates defer to superiors. culture itself. 6. Low Power Distance Cultures - cultures that believe that Cultural Pluralism is a term used when smaller groups within a power should be used only when legitimate larger society maintain their unique cultural identities, and their 7. Masculine Culture - cultures that value aggressiveness, values and practices are accepted by the wider culture provided strength, and material symbols of success. they are consistent with the laws and values of the wider society. 8. Feminine Culture - cultures that value tenderness and Cultural pluralists advocate respect for uniqueness, tolerance relationships for differences, and adherence to cultural relativity. 9. Affective Culture - cultures that readily show their Melting Pot Philosophy is the view that different cultures should emotions; people show their feelings plainly by laughing, be assimilated into the dominant culture. scowling, grimacing, crying, shouting, walking out of the room, etc. Interpreting Cultural Differences 10. Neutral Culture - members of this culture do not telegraph - Where a culture falls on the individualistic-collectivistic, their feelings but keep them carefully controlled and the low-context-high-context communication, and power subdued distance scales affects the interactional preferences of its 11. Sequential Culture - businesspeople give full attention to members. one agenda item after another. (North America, German, Sweden, Dutch) Identifying Influences on Cultural Identity  1. We all belong to a number of groups, including 2. Stereotypes - are mental images or pictures we carry gender, age, racial and ethnic, religious, around in our heads; they are shortcuts, whether positive socioeconomic and national. or negative, that guide our reactions to others. 2. How we define gender roles, affects the way 3. Prejudice - describes how we feel about a group of males and females present themselves, socialize, people whom, more likely than not, we do not personally work, perceive their futures and communicate. know. 3. We also have ideas regarding the meaning and 4. Assumed Similarities - is a baseless, unreasonable significance of age, including how a person refusal to see cultural differences where they exist. should look and behave. 5. Anxiety - intercultural communication anxiety is the fear 4. Our racial and ethnic identities are similarly or apprehension associated with either real or anticipated socially constructed. communication with people from another cultural group. 5. Religious identity is the root of countless contemporary conflicts occuring in the Middle How to Improve Your Ability to Communicate Interculturally East, India, Pakistan, and Bosnia Herzegovina. 1. Refrain from formulating expectations based solely on 6. The socioeconomic identity frames how we your own culture. respond to issues of our day. 2. Recognize how faulty education can impede 7. National identity refers to our legal status of understanding. citizenship. 3. Make a commitment to develop communication skills and abilities appropriate to life in a multicultural world. Barriers to International Communication a. I will make a commitment to seek information from 1. Ethnocentrism - refers to the beliefs that a person's persons whose cultures are different from my culture (his "in-group" culture) is much better than any own. other group's culture (an "out-group" culture) and the b. I will try to understand how the experiences of tendency is for that person to judge any out-group culture persons from different cultures lead them to by using the norms of his in-group. develop perspectives that differ from mine.  c. I will pay attention to the situation and the context when I communicate with persons from different cultures. d. I will make every effort to become a more flexible The Development of Cultural Sensitivity communicator. A. According to Bennett and Bennett (2004), the e. I will not insist that persons from other cultures developmental model of intercultural sensitivity (DMIS) communicate with me on my own terms. has six stages which are as follows: Stage 1: Denial - The individual does not recognize cultural A. Guidelines on Developing Intercultural Competence differences; 1. Widen your field of experience by making new contacts. Stage 2: Defense - The individual starts to recognize cultural 2. Learn about history and the experiences and aspirations of people from different cultures. differences and is intimidated by them; 3. Examine yourself for possible stereotypes. Stage 3: Minimization - Although the individual sees cultural 4. Look at the world from someone else’s way of looking at and thinking about something, not just differences, he/she banks more on the universality of ideas than yours. cultural differences; 5. Work on becoming more self-confident. 6. Appreciate cultural similarities and differences. Stage 4: Acceptance - The individual begins to appreciate 7. Acknowledge the essential equality and value of all cultures. important cultural differences in behaviors and eventually in 8. Be sensitive and interpret cultural styles of values; communication. Stage 5: Adaptation - The individual becomes very open to world views when accepting new perspectives; and, Stage 6: Integration - The individual starts to go beyond his/her own culture and sees himself/herself and his/her actions based on multifarious cultural viewpoints. Intercultural Communication Skills A. When you interact, negotiate, or convey information in a multicultural setting, you apply your intercultural communication skills. Simply put, intercultural communication is the sending and receiving of information, ideas, or messages across languages and cultures. 1. Ability to express understandable and culturally sensitive thoughts, feelings, opinions, and expectations. 2. Ability to engage and immerse in the local language. 3. Ability to establish shared meanings with the local people to avoid stereotyping and miscommunication. 4. Ability to develop a language capacity such as using local greetings and opportunities to use the local language in other contexts. 5. Ability to empathize with how the locals see the world.