Cultural Map: Communicating / High & Low Context Societies
Low-context communication
Communication that is precise, simple, and explicit
High Context communication
Communication that is sophisticated, nuanced, and layered with reading between the lines
(H)igh-context/(I)mplicit & L()ow-context/(E)xplicit
Overall communication patterns throughout the world fall into two categories:
High-context societies
Societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time; behavior not made explicit; members know how to react & interact due to years of interaction with each other
Low-context societies
Societies or groups where people tend to have many connections but of shorter duration or for some specific reason; behavior is explicit so those coming into cultural environment know how to behave
Low-context Cultures; Western US, Anglo-Saxon countries
Type of culture that assumes a low level of shared context-that, is few shared reference points and little implicit knowledge linking speaker and listener; simple, clear, explicit
High-context cultures; Asian & African cultures; some Latin cultures
Type of culture where relationship-oriented societies where networks of connections are passed on from generation, generating more shared context among community members
Surroundings, background, and environment
What 3 things shape a message as much as words do?
The structure of relationships(1) and the main type of cultural knowledge(2)
What are two ways high and low context cultures differ?
Dense, intersecting networks and long-term relationships, strong boundaries, relationship more important than task
What is the structure of high-context relationships?
Loose, wide networks, shorter term, compartmentalized relationships, task more important than relationships
What is the structure of low-context relationships?
More knowledge is below the waterline-implicit patterns that are not fully conscious, hard to explain even if you are a member of that culture
What is the type of cultural knowledge of high-context cultures?
More knowledge is above the waterline, explicit, and consciously organized
What is the type of cultural knowledge of low-context cultures?
Languages
What reflects the communication styles of the cultures that use them?
More on High-context on cultures
less written/formal information (1), more internalized understandings of what is communicated (2), multiple cross-cutting ties and intersections with others(3), long-term relationships(4), strong boundaries- who is accepted as belonging vs who is considered an "outsider" (5), knowledge is situational, relational(6), decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face relationships, often around a central person who has authority (7)
More on Low-context cultures
people play by external rules (1), more knowledge is codified, public, external, and accessible (2), •Sequencing, separation--of time, of space, of activities, of relationships (3), more interpersonal connections of shorter duration (4), knowledge is more often transferable (5), task-centered decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done, division of responsibilities (6).
