Intercultural Communication Course Module

Oral Communication in Context 1 Intercultural Communication Intercultural Communication The rise of the internet and the impr...

Oral Communication in Context 1 Intercultural Communication Intercultural Communication The rise of the internet and the improvement of transportation and technology made it possible for us to get to know our fellow humans from other countries. We are now living in a period where traveling from one place to another is easier than before and communication has become swift that we have found ways to work with other people from different time zones and regions. As our world becomes smaller in a sense that we get to touch base faster and in more frequently than before, we will then be more exposed to various cultures from different points in the world. This module will be centered around intercultural communication and the barriers as well as strategies to become effective and ethical communicators. It is expected that at the end of this module: 1. To be able to identify the aspects of intercultural communication; 2. To identify problems in intercultural communication; and 3. To be able to identify and apply strategies to avoid intercultural communication breakdown; Culture is the accumulated learned behavior of a group of people. It is the way of life of people that they accept without thinking and it is passed along from one generation to another through imitation and communication. Culture doesn’t have to be from another country, it can also be observed from people living in the same country but from different regions or states or even groups of people coming from different schools, religion or even family. Intercultural communication involves communicating with another person or group of people coming from a background or community who does not share your beliefs, tradition, symbolism, or values. This kind of communication should be done in a mindful way to be able to engage each other properly and effectively. Aspects of Intercultural communication There are five basic elements or aspects to remember when participating in an intercultural or cross-cultural communication. These elements are: 1) Cultural Identity As mentioned earlier, culture is the sum of the beliefs, traditions, values, symbols and practices of a group of people (Mulvaney, 2005). Different culture doesn’t necessarily mean you live in a different country or continent. Different culture can be seen within a community; say, culture in rural areas Course Module versus urban areas. We can even observe different culture from another family who lives next door to us. An example of cultural difference: Chinese families teach children early on the value of handling money well as they want their children to focus more on business, maths, and sciences. Also, it is part of their culture to be transparent when it comes to money matters. (Lee-Chua, 2012) (Li, 2008). On the other hand, Filipinos shy away from talking about money with their family as it is taboo. Money is often a topic avoided as it brings misunderstanding. (Rapisura, 2016). 2) Gender role Gender is a social construct and is not synonymous to sex, which refers to the anatomical differences between male and female. Gender roles are learned and taught by culture. A culture’s language reflects the social roles of men and women. An example can be calling an assertive girl “bossy” and calling an assertive boy “a leader”. Immediately you can observe the negative connotation of the term “bossy” – that is usually used to describe women in a patriarchal society. Male language is often direct, commanding, and assertive while female language should be polite, collaborative and nurturing. 3) Age Identity This refers not only to their biological age but it is also about how they think and feel about themselves as they age. Age identity influences one’s self- image, language use, personality, attitude and communication with others. We consider that some children can be mature and not all adults are responsible and matured. We may have dealt with cases wherein old people usually generalize that teenagers as brash and impulsive even if this is not true. Moreover, older people specially those have reached their 50s to be fragile and slow. In other instances, advertisements use life-span-related role identities can be used to trigger affect to a certain period. An example can be the infamous McDonald’s commercial aptly titled, “Lolo” (Notz, 2002). This commercial showed the relationship of “Karen” the granddaughter and her grandfather who were eating at McDonald’s. This commercial became popular as it showcases the relationship of the brand with the relationship of the two characters. 4) Social Status Social Status is determined and assigned according to income, titles possessions, etc. Social classes in other cultures also differ from one another. Generally speaking, the lower classes usually work blue collar jobs while the upper middle and elite or upper class hold white collar jobs or manage their own businesses. Perception of a person’s status affects how the people around her communicate. In the Philippines, the use of the English language, with the slight twang, projects an elite social status. As Tolentino (2011) stated in an interview with The Guidon, a student publication, English proficiency of Ateneans is “… a marker of a kind of elitism in the country”. Showing this  Oral Communication in Context 3 Intercultural Communication kind of language proficiency insinuates a wealthy background even if the student comes from the middle or lower classes and subsists on scholarships. 5) Religion Religion is defined by Geertz, an anthropologist, as “(1) a system which acts to (2) establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by (3) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (4) clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that (5) the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.” Religious identity is when someone sees themselves as a member of a religious group and may be active or inactive in practicing their rituals and customs. Religion plays a big part in the lifestyle of a person and seen as sacred and important. Thus, religious issues and prejudices should be handled respectfully. Why is it important to learn more about cross-cultural communication? At this day and age travel has become easier and the internet have made cultures more exposed and accessible. To be able to communicate with another person from another country, religion, social status, and gender means to be able to have a smooth and harmonious relationship. Problems in intercultural communication To be able to avoid intercultural miscommunication, one must be able to identify first the problems that need to be addressed. The following are the problems that usually arise in intercultural communication: 1. Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism is the term applied to ethnic bias. This term comes from the word “ethnos” meaning nation and the word “center”. This is the conscious or unconscious worldview coming from a person’s own perspective which establishes an archetype or rating of other groups in reference to the ideal of his or her own group. This kind of worldview often results to the inadequate understanding of other cultures and judging other groups according to the preference of the group they belong in which often leads to assertion of the inherent inferiority of other groups. “Tunnel vision” is the idiom used for ethnocentrism. An example of ethnocentrism in the Philippines can be observed during the 2017 Bar exam results. When the results of the bar exam were posted online on social media, the comments section became a platform where people questioned the results, some even saying that they do not know the schools where the top examinees came from since these schools were not from Metro Manila. One netizen even questioned the integrity of a Dumaguete based law school. This behavior clearly shows how Manilenos see provincial schools and Course Module  students subpar to those coming from NCR. They exhibit the superiority of those coming from Manila. 2. Stereotyping Stereotyping is the generalization “made about a group of people underestimating their culture” (Baraceros and Lintao). Stereotyping assumes members of a group of people share the same characteristics. When one stereotypes, you judge how a person behaves or looks based on what you believe about the group where they belong. One of the usual stereotyping we hear are about women. Women are still being boxed by society when it comes to rearing children. It is expected that women should have children in a certain age range while men are given the chance to do whatever they want until whatever age. That women must always prioritize building a family rather than building their own career. This stereotype is still rampant until now even if a lot of groups around the world have strived for equality in gender roles. Another kind of stereotype can be seen in local television series. Usually women protagonists have long straight hair while antagonist women have short or curly/wavy hair. Another thing to observe is how rich families are usually seen in formal clothes even if they’re inside their house and will not be attending any formal event. These stereotypes are very far from real rich families who dress simply when going out or even dress in plain house clothes when they are inside their house. 3. Prejudice Prejudice is when one has a negative preconceived notion, feeling, or attitude against a cultural group. These assumptions are often made even if there is little or no interaction with this said group at all. An example can be the prejudice towards Muslims. In Manila, it can be observed that Catholics are usually wary of Muslims. The author has observed how their neighbors are always hesitant or reserved when interacting with their Muslim neighbor. Rarely did anyone talk to their Muslim neighbors during events or gatherings. This prejudice usually comes from how Muslims are portrayed by media thus when one encounters a Muslim in society, their prejudice for this certain group kicks in. How to avoid intercultural miscommunication? With these three problems in mind, how exactly do we ensure that we communicate effectively and properly with people from other cultures? 1. Delay attributing meaning Non-verbal communication plays a big role in avoiding intercultural communication breakdown. Avoid interpreting non- verbal signals made by a person from another culture until you have read and studied their culture adequately. When visiting  Oral Communication in Context 5 Intercultural Communication another place, say a province or country, study their culture before the trip and try to learn more about their non-verbal cues. An example can be when attending church service with Iglesia ni Kristo. Men and women cannot sit together in one side even if they are already married. Women are also expected to wear a dress or skirt during service. Another example can be how you give your business card in Japan. In Japan, you are expected to hold your business card with both hands and to bow when you give it to someone. The business card must be turned towards the receiver. The receiver, on the other hand, must also receive the business card with both hands with head bowed slightly and must display the card for the duration of the meeting. 2. Develop awareness of your non-verbal communication Be mindful of how you use your face, gestures, body language, and voice when communicating. Understanding how certain cultures react to certain body language can smoothen and make the experience with other cultures pleasurable. Be aware of your voice, of your fidgeting or even the space you allot when communicating with people from other cultures. A thumbs up sign in Filipino means you “approve” or you’re okay or you agree. While in other countries such as Middle East the thumbs up sign is almost equivalent to giving someone the middle finger. 3. Check whether non-verbal messages correspond to verbal messages. It is given that you will not be able to understand the language of another group or culture immediately so you have to be very observant and persistent in listening when you communicate with them. Sometimes misinterpretation can happen when the verbal and non-verbal messages come in conflict with each other. Paying attention and being very mindful of how a person speaks or reacts can give you clues if you really are communicating with each other. Glossary  Blue collar jobs - Work that requires manual labor  Identity - A category or social group which is assumed to insinuate sameness or connection, such as gender, age, or nationality, or to a larger scale a sense of self to which the specific identity categorizes are assumed to contribute. Course Module   White Collar Jobs - Work that is done inside an office or cubicle or an administrative job References Diaz, Rafaela Hernandez. (2014). Speech and Oral Communication for College Students, Revised Edition. Quezon City: National Bookstore Baraceros, Esther L. and Lintao, Rachelle, B. (2010). English 4: Oral Communication in Context (First Edition). Quezon City: Rex Bookstore, Inc. Dapat, Jose Rizal O., Sadorra, Bryan Eli B., and Lumabi, Bethany Marie C. (2016). Oral Communication in Focus. Quezon City: Lormar Publishing, Inc. Hofstede, Geert. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind 3 rd Edition. USA Mulvaney, Becky Michele. (2005 ) UniversityGender Differences in Communication: An Intercultural Experience. Department of Communication. Florida Atlantic Retrieved from http://feminism.eserver.org/gender/cyberspace/gender- differences.txt Nicoleta, Angelica (2015). Culture and Gender Role Differences. Cross- Cultural Management Journal Volume 17, Issue 1. 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Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo- way/2014/03/09/288307452/sheryl-sandberg-the-word-bossy- should-be-banned Harwood, Jake. (2008).Age Identity and Communication [PDF File].Retrieved from  Oral Communication in Context 7 Intercultural Communication http://www.u.arizona.edu/~jharwood/pdf/int%20encyc%20of%20c omm%20age%20identity%20entry.pdf Production Village Philippines (Producer) and Notz, Thiery. (2002). Lolo [Video File]. Philippines: Production Village Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MCUb1psijk Taylor, Stephanie. (2014). Intercultural Communication, Overview. Encyclopeidia of Critical Psychology (pp 970-974). Retrieved from 10.1007/978-1-4614-5583-7_386 Pascua, E and Aquino, L. (2011, October 20). Inglisero Lamang. The Guidon. Retrieved from http://www.theguidon.com/1112/main/2011/10/inglisero-lamang/ http://communication.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/97801902286 13.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-166 Oliver H. Woshinsky. Explaining Politics: Culture, Institutions, and Political Behavior. Oxon, England; New York, New York, USA: Routledge, 2008. Pp. 141, 161 Cooper, E. (2012). Ethnocentrism. Anthropology: Oxford Index. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/obo/9780199766567-0045 Ethnocentrism (n.d) All about Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/ethnocentrism-faq.htm Gakuran, M. (2014). What you need to know when exchanging business cards in japan. Gaijinpot. Retrieved from https://blog.gaijinpot.com/exchanging-business-cards-japan/ Course Module