Intercultural Communication
Ethnic value content
Value dimensions of a particular ethnicity
Understand the different functions of cultural values and how these functions drive communication expectations, evaluations, and styles
Values: shared ideas about what counts as important Identity meaning function: cultural value provides the frame of reference to fundamental questions Explanatory Function: within our own group we experience acceptance and approval Motivational function: serve as the internal drives for self and other in terms of what rewards are emphasized
System level factors
Elements in host culture that influence adaption
Cultural identity
Emotional significance re belonging to larger culture
Interpersonal F2F and Network level factors
Ethnic communities provide critical support Established locals and supportive social networks also support Internet contact with new and old cultural contacts
Mass media level factors
Ethnic media eases loneliness and stress Mass media is broad based influence. Personal relationships are deeper
Pre-encounter
Ethnic monotony members self concept influenced by values and norms of larger culture
Distinguish between an ethnocentric and ethnorelative mindset
Ethnocentric: stuck in our own cultural worldviews and values to evaluate others behaviors Ethnorelative: understanding behaviors from others cultural frames of reference
Extended family
Extended kinship groups (aunts, cousins, etc)
Traditional family
Father mother pair with child or children
Compare and contrast the difference between flexible and inflexible intercultural communication
Flexible: integrate knowledge, open minded, attitude, putting into adaptive practice Inflexible: use our own cultural values, judgements, and routines
Socioeconomic conditions
Good economy results results in more tolerance
Explain how cultural membership and values influence human behaviors across cultures
-Part of self concept based on how closely we associate with both the dominant culture and the various co cultures -race/ perceived race -religion -ethnicity. -native language -sex and gender -sexual orientation -religion -socioeconomic status -age/generation -disability
Explain the importance of studying intercultural communication
-adjust to global workplace heterogenity -adapt to domestic workforce diversity -engage in creative multicultural problem solving -comprehend the role of technology in global communication -facilitate better multicultural health care communication -enhance intercultural relationship satisfaction -foster global & intrapersonal peace -deepen cultural self awareness and other awareness
W shaped adjustment model
1. Honeymoon: excited 2. Hostility: major emotional upheavals 3. Humorous: learn to laugh at their cultural faux 4. In sync adjustment: at home experience identity security 5. Ambiance: grief, nostalgia 6. Reentry culture shock: not anticipating reentry shock 7. Resocialization:
U Curve intercultural adjustment
1. Initial adjustment: optimistic phase 2. Crisis: stressful phase, overwhelmed at own incompetence 3. Regained adjustment: settling in, coping
Explain and use examples to illustrate the four stages of developing intercultural communication flexibility along the staircase model
1. Unconscious incompetence = blissfully ignorant 2. Conscious incompetence= semi awareness 3. Conscious competence= full mindfulness 4. Unconscious competence= mindlessly mindful
Personal family system
A democratic family system that emphasizes personal, individualized meanings and negotiable roles between parents and children.
Define the A-B-Cs of culture shock
Affectively- sojourners often feel anxiety, bewilderment, confusion, disorientation, and intense desire to be elsewhere Behaviorally- they are confused as to norms and rules that guide communication appropriateness and effectiveness Cognitively- they lack competence to interpret or explain "bizarre" behaviors
Ethnic identity salience
Allegiance, loyalty to a group
Attitude re "cultural assimilation" or "cultural pluralism"
Assimilationist: expects immigrants to conform quickly Pluralistic: encourages diversity of values
Identify and use examples to illustrate the three levels of the cultural iceberg metaphor
Bottom= universal human needs (water, food) Deep-level culture: traditions, beliefs, and values (church on sundays) Intermediate level culture: symbols, meanings, and norms (bless you after you sneeze) Surface level culture- pop culture (kardashians)
Cultural and ethnic identity factors that may be relevant when communicating with culturally and racially diverse others
Cultural identity/ cultural identity salience National identity Ethnic identity Ethnic value content Ethnic identity salience Ethnic oriented identity Assimilated Bicultural Marginal Pre encounter Encounter Immersion-emersion Internalization
Identity meaning function
Cultural value provides the frame of reference to fundamental questions
Compare and contrast ethnic cultural identity & racial ethnic identity
Cultural-ethnic: cultural identity, cultural identity salience, national identity, ethnic identity Ethnic- racial: ethnic oriented identity, assimilated, bicultural, marginal, pre encounter, encounter, immersion-Emersion, internalization
Define the key attributes of the term "culture"
Culture is a learned meaning system consists of patterns of.. -consists of patterns of -traditions, beliefs, values -norms, meanings, and symbols -that are passed on from one generation to the next and are shared to varying degrees -by interacting members of a community
Relate the deep level cultural factors shaping in meanings that individuals attach to an intercultural encounter process
Deep level culture is the hardest to relate to inter culturally. A lot of the time deep culture factors shape the meanings in an encounter process because it drives whether the two can connect or not - ethnocentric vs ethnorelative
Acculturation
Degree of identity change in new environment
Marginal
Disconnect from both ethnic group and larger society
single family
Household headed by a single parent
Ethnic-oriented identity
Identifies strongly with ethnic traditions and values, identifies weakly with dominant culture's values.
Bicultural
Identify strongly with both ethnicity and larger culture
Assimilated
Identify weakly with ethnicity, strongly with larger culture
Compare the difference between ingroup attitude and our group attitude
In group: groups whom we feel emotionally close with and with who we share our interdependent Our group: groups whom feel no emotional ties and at times we may experience great psychological distance from them and even feel competitive against them
Describe different constructive strategies to manage culture shock as they move from a familiar environment to an unfamiliar one
Increase motivation to learn about new culture Keep expectations realistic Increase linguistic fluency Work on tolerating ambiguity Develop close friends or acquaintances to help loneliness Suspend ethnocentric thoughts
Explain and use examples to illustrate the four key cultural value dimensions
Individualistic (I) vs collectivistic (we) Small power (emphasize interpersonal equality) and large power distance (emphasize status based difference) Weak (uncertainty is valued) and Strong Uncertainty (uncertainty is a threat) Feminine (flexible sex roles) and masculine (complementary sex roles) cultures
Encounter
Marginal identity stage, new racial-ethnic realization awakened die to "racially shattering" event (racism)
Multiracial and Biracial Identity- social identity complexity theory
Intersection: compound identity, multiple social categories cross to form single unique identity Dominance: individual adopts one major social identity Compartmentalization: shift social identity based on context, situation Merger: awareness of complexity of identity
Understand the content components of intercultural communication flexibility
Knowledge: through formal studying and informal learning Attitude: includes both cognitive and affective layers (cognitive: suspend ethnocentrism, be open minded/ affective: emotional commitment to perspective taking and cultivation of an empathetic heart) Skills: operational abilities
Identify and use examples to illustrate the three additional cultural value orientations
Meaning: doing — being in becoming—-being Destiny: controlling nature — harmony with nature—— subjugation nature Time : future oriented — present oriented —past oriented
Gender identity
Meanings associated with images and expectations of femaleness and maleness Gender related behaviors learned in home, school, and games
Identify the underlying factors that shape the developmental process and outcome of intercultural adjustment
Motivational orientation: volunteers do better than involuntary movers Personal expectations: realistic, accurate Cultural distance: amount of difference between cultures Psychological adjustment: feeling of wellbeing Sociocultural adjustment: ability to fit in Communication competence: mindfulness Personality attributes
Describe the mindful O-D-I-S (observation, description, interpretations, suspend ethnocentric judgement)
O = observe verbal and nonverbal signals attentively D= describe specific behaviors with a minimum of distortion I= generate multiple interpretations S= suspend ethnocentric evaluation, perform open ended evaluation
National identity
Ones legal status in relation to a nation
Blended family
Previous marriages merging into a new family
Individual level factors
Push factors (persecution) and pull factors (economic opportunity) Cultural (geography, political system) and interaction based knowledge (language) Resilience or personal strength
Bicultural
Relates to both cultures of enculturation and acculturation
Internalization
Secure racial ethnic identity phase
Motivational function
Serve as the internal drives for self and other in terms of what rewards are emphasized
Values
Shared ideas about what counts as important
Enculturation
Socialization process in original home culture
Cultural identity salience
Strength of affiliation with large culture
Immersion-emersion
Strong racial ethnic identity phase
Ethnic identity
Subjective beliefs about origins of ones forebears
Define the specific characteristics of intercultural communication
Symbolic exchange (digital, analogic) Process (transactional, irreversible) Cultural community Negotiate shared meanings (content, relational, identity meaning) Interactive situation (relational, psychological, physical) Embedded societal system (multilayered context)
Explain a "transactional, process-centered" approach to intercultural communication
Transactional: simultaneous encoding and decoding
Explanatory function
Within our own group we experience acceptance and approval
Positional family system
emphasizes communal meanings, ascribed roles and statuses between parents and child, and family rule conformity
Reentry culture shock
involves the realignment of one's new identity with a once familiar home environment