Comm 3513-001 Intercultural Communication
Other factors that influence effective communication
(social identities, intergroup expectations, prior intergroup contact) are considered "secondary causes" because their influence on effective communication is MEDIATED through anxiety and uncertainty.
8 assumptions about Communication
-A symbolic activity -Process Involving the Transmitting and Interpreting of Messages -Involves the creation of meaning -Takes Place at Varying Levels of Awareness -Communicators make predictions about the outcomes of their communication behavior -Intention is not a necessary condition for communication -Every communication message has a content dimension and a relationship dimension -Communicators impose structure on their interactions (Husband/wife drinking and working late ex.)
Anxiety
-Anxiety refers to the FEELINGS of being uneasy, tense, worried, and apprehensive about what MIGHT happen. -When communicating with strangers we NOT ONLY have a high level of uncertainty, but also a high level of anxiety. -Affective (EMOTIONAL) response to strangers, not a COGNITIVE response like uncertainty
Intergroup and interpersonal behavior (Tajfel)
-Based on which identity is guiding our behavior -The source of interGROUP behavior is our SOCIAL identities, and the source of interPERSONAL behavior is our PERSONAL identities.
Key components of mindfulness: Article 01
-CREATION of new categories -OPENNESS to new information -AWARENESS of more than one perspective
Key differences between German and American work orientations/behaviors:
-Different organizational structure -Open door policy -Both task oriented, but US cares more about emotion -Germans very punctual -Care less about private relationships at work -Annual reports vs. Quarterly reports
Four key Russian values that reflect the Russian worldview
-Emotionality: For Russians relationships are more important than the contextual reality. - Tommy leads to Tom -Judgemental Attitudes: Highly judgmental -Fatalism: Attitude of having no control over the world. -Irrationality: The world is considered an irrational place. Can't always think in analysis and logic. Opposite of American positivism
Common communication challenges in German-American companies
-Germans argue facts and data -Germans don't like admitting mistakes bc mistakes means uncertainty
Arabic: Collectivistic cultural values
-Hospitality -Generosity -Courage -Honor -Self-respect
Independent-interdependent self-construals in collectivistic/individualistic cultures
-INDEpendent self construal predominates in INDIvidualistic cultures. -INTERdependent self construal predominates in COLLECTivistic cultures. -The independent construal of self involves the view that an individual's self is a unique independent entity.
Hofstede's four dimensions of cultural variability
-Individualism -Uncertainty Avoidance -Power Distance -Masculinity-Femininity
High/Low Context in Individualism-Collectivism
-Individualistic use low-context and communicate in direct fashion -Collectivistic use high context messages when ingroup harmony is important and tend to communicate in an indirect fashion.
Independent-interdependent self-construals
-Influence of cultural individualism-collectivism on communication is mediated in through the way we CONCEIVE ourselves.
US: Individualistic cultural values
-Materialsim -Success -Work and Activity -Progress -Rationality -Democracy -Humanitarianism
Definition of Culture (Keesing)
-NOT simply a collection of symbols but a system of KNOWLEDGE -CULTURE = STRUCTURE, as COMMunication = PROCESS.
Pure Interpersonal behavior
-Occurs when all predictions are made using PSYCHOlogical data. -The source of interPERSONAL behavior is OUR PERSONAL identities
3 Assumptions Kluckhohn/Strodtbeck's value orientations
-People in all cultures must find solutions to a limited number of common human problems -The available solutions to these problems are not unlimited but vary within a range of potential solutions -While one solutions tends to be preferred by the members of any given culture, all potential solutions are present in every culture.
Members of high uncertainty avoidance cultures
-Resist change more -Have higher levels of anxiety -Have higher levels of intolerance for ambiguity -Worry about the future more -See loyalty to their employers as more of a virtue -Have a lower motivation for achievement -Take fewer risks.
Common problems in international business contexts (Western perspective)
-Russians don't know how to work hard -Business problems are simple in Russia -Change is impossible in Russia -Russians lack experience and know how -Russians must follow the Western consultant's advice -Russians rely too much on an intuitive approach
The concept of the Stranger (Simmel)
-Strangers represent the idea of NEARNESS bc they are physically close and the idea of REMOTENESS bc they have different values and ways of doing things. -Physically present and participating in a situation BUT, at the same time, are outside the situation bc they are not members of the ingroup.
Individualism-collectivism (Triandis)
-The major dimension of cultural variability used to explain cross-cultural differences and similarities in communication across cultures. -Individualism-collectivism exist in all cultures, but one tendency predominates in each culture.
Activity Orientation
-W-culture - Doing -Soviet - Pretending to be doing -TR-culture - Being
Time Orientation
-W-culture - Future -Soviet - Future/Past -TR-culture - Present/Past
Gudykunst/Kim's organizing model for studying intercultural communication
-We see in figure 2.3 encoding and decoding of communication messages to be an interactive process influenced by conceptual FILTERS, which we categorize into cultural, sociocultural, psychocultural, and environmental factors. -Transmitting messages, Interpreting messages, Cultural influence, Sociocultural influences, Psychocultural influences, environmental influences
Common problems in international business contexts (Russians perspective)
-Westerners have no appreciation of recent societal changes -Westerners don't know how to teach and how to transfer skills to Russians -The West has failed to manage effective relationships with Russian partners -Westerners have no interest in "Russian mentality" -Relationship management must be based on equivalence -Russian staff feels undervalued, underutilized, and discriminated against
Uncertainty
-What we want to be ABLE to predict, what we CAN predict, and what we MIGHT be able to DO about it. -Cognitive -Uncertainty we have about strangers' attitudes, feelings, beliefs, values, and behavior. Trying to think of ways to get a girl you find attractive to talk to you after the party.
Pure Intergroup behavior
-When predictions are made on the basis of SOCIOlogical and or CULTURAL data. -The source of interGROUP behavior is our SOCIAL identities
Ascription-Achievement
Are objects or people treated in terms of qualities ascribed to them (Ascription) or in terms of qualities they have achieved. (Achievement) (Parson's pattern variables)
Instrumental Orientation
Are our interactions a means to another goal? -valued only because they help the person reach another goal. (Parson's pattern variables)
Expressive Orientation
Are our interactions an end in and of themselves? -Interactions are valued because they are important, not because they will lead to anything else. (Parson's pattern variables)
Anxiety/uncertainty management theory (Gudykunst)
Argues that MINDFUL anxiety and uncertainty management are the "primary causes" of EFFECTIVE communication.
Global Village (McLuhan)
Because of the rapid expansion of worldwide transportation and communication network. (Internet)
Key characteristics of German business corporations
Bureaucratic organizations in which personal relations play a minor role because the focus is on the tasks at hand. Specified qualifications required.
Self-orientation
Collective-orientation is identical to individualism-collectivism and, therefore, is omitted here. (Parson's pattern variables)
Diffuseness-Specificity
Concerned with how we respond to people or objects -Diffuseness orientation - If a person or an object is responded to in a holistic (intimately interconnected) manner -Specificity orientation - If a particular ASPECT of a person or an object is responded to (Parson's pattern variables)
Universalism-Particularism
Concerned with modes of categorizing people or objects. (Parson's pattern variables)
Subculture communication
Cultural ordering at lower levels of social ordering -A set of shared symbolic ideas held by a collectivity within a larger society
Culture communication
Cultural ordering at the societal level
Uncertainty Avoidance
Deals with the degree to which members of a culture try to avoid uncertainty.
Stranger as the organizing concept in studying intercultural communication
Drawing artificial distinctions among intracultural, intercultural, interracial, and interethnic communication.
Structural Tightness (Olsen)
Focuses on the norms, rules, and constraints cultures place on individuals behavior. -Tight cultures impose many rules and constraints on behavior, while loose cultures place few rules and constraints on behavior -In tight cultures, the norms and rules tend to be clear. -Cultural homogeneity (people are similar) tends to lead to structural tightness. -The US is a loose culture but not as loose as Thailand
Grice's conversation maxims
Four assumptions regarding coordinated social interaction that are characteristic of LOW context communication. -The Quantity Maxim -The Quality Maxim -The Relevancy Maxim -The Manner Maxim These conversational maxims are NOT characteristic of high context communication.
Etic Perspectives on culture
From outside (from the perspective of the observer) -This approach realizes that members of a culture often are too involved in what they are doing to interpret their cultures impartially
Emic Perspectives on culture
From within the social group (from the perspective of the subject) -How local people think -How they perceive and categorize the world, their rules for behavior, what has meaning for them, and how they imagine and explain things
Relational Orientation
Individual goals and objectives take priority over group goals and objectives
The Relevancy Maxim
Individuals contributions should be PERTINENT to the context of conversations
Person-nature Orientation
Involves the view that all natural forces can and should be overcome and or put to use by humans. Example - damming rivers, moving mountains, and controlling illness
Monochromic Time Orientation
Isn't time punctual
German education system
Most German states decide what secondary school they'll be going too by the 4th grade.
Low Context
One which the mass of information is vested in the explicit code -Doesn't expect more from others -Precise -Open with others -Silence is a space to be FILLED (violates relevancy maxim)
Parson's pattern variables
Pattern variables are mutually exclusive CHOICES individuals make before engaging in action. -These choices are made both consciously and unconsciously; however, they generally are made unconsciously since they are learned during the socialization process at an early age.
Kluckhohn/Strodtbeck's (5) value orientations
Patterned principles which give order and direction to the ever-flowing stream of human acts and thoughts as these relate to the solution of common human problems. -Human Nature Orientation -Person-nature orientation -Time Orientation -Activity orientation -Relational orientation
The Manner Maxim
People should avoid obscure expressions, ambiguity, excessive verbosity, and disorganization
The Quality Maxim
People should state only that which they believe to be TRUE with sufficient EVIDENCE
Mindlessness: Article 01
Relies on old categories -The older we become the more reluctant we become to making new categories
Comparing RUSSIAN and Western communication patterns
Russian - Value solidarity politeness (positive) more than deferential (Negative) politeness -Express more emotive data -Invest more effort into supporting requests by using justifications -Friends normally considered intimates -Express more politeness to friends
The overarching German cultural theme
Strong desire to avoid uncertainty and to establish order
Intercultural communication
The attribution of MEANING between PEOPLE from different CULTURES. -Does not suggest that communication must be effective in order to be labeled intercultural
Particularistic Interaction
The categorization of people or objects in SPECIFIC categories -Asia - Collectivistic and Particularistic orientation. (Parson's pattern variables)
Mindfulness: Article 01.
The continual creation of new categories
Power Distance
The extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations accept that power is distributed equally
Ingroups
The relative IMPORTANCE of ingroups is one of the major factors that differentiate individualistic and collectivistic cultures.
Polychromic Time Orientation
Time Punctual
Mindfulness (Langer)
To MANAGE our uncertainty and anxiety, we must be CONSCIOUS (mindful) of our communication
I/We Orientation
W-culture - Individual Soviet - Group TR-culture - Group
Human Relationships
W-culture - Individual Soviet - Ranked TR-culture - Mutual
Comparing Russian and WESTERN communication patterns
Western - Pay more attention to negative politeness -More conventionally indirect in requests -Preface corrections with positive remarks more than Russians -Friends normally considered familiars -Express more politeness to strangers
Activity Orientation
What is the focus of human activity -Being or doing? Being is spontaneous
Time Orientation
What is the focus of human life with respect to time -Not hours days or weeks but longer -Like Japan, respect for their elders and ancestors -Monochromic Polychromic
Human Nature Orientation
What is the innate (natural) character of human nature -Good evil? able to change, not able to change?
Instrumental-Expressive Orientation
What is the nature of goals we seek in our interactions with others? US - Instrumental Arab and Latin American Cultures - Expressive (Parson's pattern variables)
In organizations, workers in high uncertainty avoidance cultures prefer
a specialist career, prefer clear instructions, avoid conflict, and disapprove of competition between employees more than workers in low uncertainty avoidance cultures. -More critical attitudes toward younger people and a larger generation gap in high uncertainty avoidance cultures than in low uncertainty avoidance cultures.
Individuals from high power distance cultures
accept power as part of society -As a result, superiors consider their subordinates to be different from themselves and vice versa.
With an ascription orientation people
are judged on qualities inherent in them (gender or family heritage) (Parson's pattern variables)
Members of Collectivistic cultures (Ingroups)
belong to a few GENERAL ingroups (work group, university, family)
Members of individualistic cultures (Ingroups)
belong to many SPECIFIC ingroups (family, religion, social clubs, profession)
High level of predictability can also be associated with
boredom
Universalistic interaction
generally follows a STANDARDIZED pattern, and particularistic interaction is unique to the situation -US- Individualistic and characterized by a Universalistic orientation. (Parson's pattern variables)
Norms
guidelines for behavior based on the moral code and rules as guidelines for behavior that are not based on the moral code.
The prevalent orientation
in the US is achievement, while that in many other cultures (India) is ascription. (Parson's pattern variables)
The Quantity Maxim
individuals should not give others MORE or LESS information than necessary
High Context
is a message where most of the information is either in the physical context or internalized in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, transmitted part of the message. -High context will expect you to know what's wrong with them, so they beat around the bush -SILENCE is a communicative ACT rather than a mere void in communicational space -Openness is NOT a characteristic
Affectivity-Affective Neutrality orientation
is concerned with the nature of the gratification we seek -Do we look for IMMEDIATE gratification from the situation at hand (affectivity) or do we DELAY gratification into the future by expressing self-restraint (affective neutrality) (Parson's pattern variables)
Parents in high power distance cultures value
obedience in their children and that students value conformity and display authoritarian attitudes more than those in low power distance cultures
For us to be motivated to communicate with strangers,
our ANXIETY has to be below our maximum thresholds and above our minimum thresholds -In the middle
Femininity
pertains to societies in which social gender roles OVERLAP. (Both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with quality of life)
Masculinity
pertains to societies in which social gender roles are clearly DISTINCT (men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success, where as women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life) -High Masculinity - more assertive and ambitious and focused on achievement
Members of low power distance cultures believe
power should be used only when it is legitimate and prefer expert or legitimate power
The more often we engage in the activity,
the more likely it is that we rely on scripts for the completion of the activity and the less likely there will be any correspondence between our actions and those thoughts of ours that occur simultaneously.
When we are engaging in habitual or scripted behavior,
we are NOT highly aware of what we are doing or saying.
If our anxiety is above our maximum thresholds,
we are so uneasy that we do not want to communicate with strangers. -If our anxiety is below our minimum thresholds, there is not enough adrenaline running through our systems to motivate us to communicate with strangers.
Langer argues that when we first encounter a new situation,
we consciously SEEK cues to GUIDE our behavior.
If our uncertainty is above our maximum thresholds,
we do not think we have enough information to predict or explain strangers behavior
If our uncertainty is above our maximum thresholds or below our minimum thresholds,
we feel uncomfortable and will have difficulty communicating effectively
If our uncertainty is below our minimum thresholds,
we think strangers behavior is highly predictable
