Six forces that help generate cultural differences (Chapter 2)-- Intercultural Communication

history

affects the development and maintencance of a culture. Descriptions transmit across generations to form shared knowledge that guides a culture's action. You have to know what people have gone through to understand what they do/don't want.

Institutional Networks

are the formal organizations in societies that structure activities for large numbers of people (ex: government, school, relgious groups) Religion: (ex:) Christianity and Judaism, people belong to a particular church/synagogue. Hindus do not belong to one temple, they worship in whatever temple and at whatever time they deem appropriate.

Biology

describe the inherited characteristics and genetic composition cultural members share. There is more variation within races than between races-- racial distinctions are often used to in/exclude others, racial categories are not just biological distinction sbut it is also political and social categories. Differences result from cultural learning/environmental causes Race is an imperfect term for categorizing human populations-- visible differences, race is not a biological term as there is no scientific basis for race.

Ecology

external environment where the culture lives. Conditions affect fomation and functioning, often hidden from the culture's members because the climate and environment is a pervasive and constant foce. Includes geographical features (ex: availability of water, land contour)

Technology

inventions a culture has created/borrowed (tools, weapons, navigational aids, computers, paper clips). Media allows humans to communicate across time and distance-- can minimize the effects of geographic distance by increasing speed, volume, and opportunities where ideas can be shared between cultures. Media can influence how people percieve other cultures (stereotypes)

verbal and nonverbal coding system

used to convey meaning and intnetions used within a culture