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