HCOM 320 Exam 1 Study Guide

-- O.D.I.S. Method and its application to My Big Fat Greek Wedding

- A mindful method that refers to mindful observations, description, interpretations and suspending ethnocentric evaluations. O: observe attentively verbal and nonverbal cues that are being exchanged in the communication process D: describe mentally and in behaviorally specific terms what is going on in the intercultural interaction (ex: he is not making eye contact with me, she is standing 6 feet away from me while chatting.) I: generating multiple interpretations to make sense of the behavior we are observing and describing. ( "Maybe from his cultural point of view, avoiding eye contact is considered a sign of respect, from my perspective it is considered rude/ She is shy or she is just doing her thing.) S: suspend ethnocentric evaluation and decide to respect differences. We may also decide to engage in open-ended evaluation by acknowledging our discomfort with unfamiliar behavior ( "I understand that eye contact avoidance may be a cultural habit, but it's making me uncomfortable/ I like the fact that she is keeping part of her cultural norms.)

--internal versus external locus of control

-Internal: 1) tend to emphasize free will, individual motivation, personal effort and personal responsibility over the success or failure of an assignment. External: 1) emphasize external determinism, karma, fate, and external forces shaping a person's life happening and events.

Offer practical reasons for the importance of studying ICC

A. Adjust to Global Workplace Heterogeneity B. Adapt to Domestic Workforce Diversity C. Engage in Creative Multicultural Problem Solving D. Comprehend the Role of Technology in Global Communication E. Facilitate Better Multicultural Health Care Communication F. Enhance Intercultural Relationship Satisfaction G. Foster Global & Intrapersonal Peace H. Deepen Cultural Self-Awareness and Other-Awareness

--Family structures and gender socialization patterns

A. Families Come in Different Shapes 1. Types of families: Traditional, Extended, Blended, and Single-Parent Families 2. Two family systems: personal and positional The TRADITIONAL family consists of a husband-wife, father- mother pair with a child or children, a father working outside the home, and a homemaker-mother. The EXTENDED family consists of extended kinship groups, such as grandparents, aunt and uncles, cousins, and nieces and nephews. The BLENDED family refers to the merging of different family systems from previous marriages. The SINGLE-PARENT family refers to a household headed by a single parent. In many U.S. households, parents are single, and men and women can be single parents to their children. B. Gender Socialization and Interaction Patterns 1. Gender identity: Meanings and interpretations concerning gender images 2. Expectations concerning "femaleness" and "maleness" in our socialization process *Third Gender in India: Hijra in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan - Transgender and socialization

--understand the difference between acculturation vs. enculturation

Acculturation: incremental identity-related change process of immigrants and refugees in a new environment from a long-term perspective. Enculturation: sustained, primary socialization process of individuals in their original home culture wherein they have internalized their cultural values.

--use examples to illustrate the three layers of ICC meanings

CONTENT meaning refers to the factual (or digital) information that is being conveyed to the receiver through an oral channel or other communication medium RELATIONAL: Relational meaning offers information concerning the state of the relationship between the two communicators. IDENTITY: Identity meaning refers to the following questions: "Who am I and who are you in this interaction episode?" "How do I define myself in this interaction scene?" and "How do I define you in this interaction scene?"

--practising ICC flexibility

Centers on integration of knowledge.

--discuss the distinctions between cultural identity & ethnic identity + value content & identity salience issues

Cultural value content: individualistic, small power distance, etc Cultural value salience: how strongly you identify with that culture Ethnic value content: language, history, religion. For example, with knowledge of the individualism-collectivism value tendencies of the originating countries, we can infer the ethnic value content of specific ethnic groups. Most hyphenated Americans (e.g., Asian Americans) who identify strongly with their traditional ethnic values tend to be collectivistic. Ethnic salience: subjective allegiance and loyalty to a group—large or small, socially dominant or subordinate—with which one has ancestral links

--Discussion Exercise: Compare and contrast your culture with another culture using iceberg metaphor

Iceberg Metaphor A represent YOUR culture and give personal examples. Iceberg Metaphor B represent ANOTHER CULTURE that you know about & give its examples.

--clarify the cultural value functions

Identity Meaning Function: reference to answer the most fundamental question of each human being: who am I? -Cultural beliefs and values provide the anchoring points to which we attach meanings and significance to our complex identities Explanatory Function: Within our group, we experience acceptance and approval. We don't need to constantly justify or explain our actions or values -When we interact with people from our own culture, we fill in the blanks -When we communicate with people from other cultures, we need mental energy to try and figure out why they behave the way they behave Motivational Function: - It takes a village to raise a child - Cultural values serve as the internal drives for self and others in terms of what rewards are emphasized and what punishments are awaiting you if you violate the basic norms of the cultural community.

--discuss and use examples to illustrate: Hofstede's four value dimensions:

Individualism-collectivism- individualism: 1) "I" identity 2) Nuclear family 3) Privacy regulation 4) Individual competition 5) Personal competence 6) Direct communication patterns 7) Independent self Collectivism: 1) "We" identity 2) Extended family 3) relationship harmony 4) Ingroup emphasis 5) Teamwork 6) Indirect communication patterns 7) Interdependent self power distance- Small power distance: 1) value equal power distributions, equal rights and relations 2) equitable rewards and punishments on the basis of performance 3) children may contradict their parents and freely speak their mind 4) children are expected to show self-initiative and learn verbal articulateness and persuasion. 5) at work situations, subordinates expect to be consulted and the ideal boss is a resourceful democrat. 6) horizontal self Large power distance: 1) accepts unequal power distribution 2) hierarchal rights, asymmetrical role relations, and rewards and punishments based on age, rank, status, title and seniority 3) children are expected to obey their parents. 4) the value of respect between unequal status members in the family is taught at a young age. 5) children are punished if they talk back and/or contradict their parents 6) the power of an organization is centralized at the upper management level. Subordinates expect to be told what to do and the ideal boss plays the benevolent autocratic role. 7) vertical self uncertainty avoidance- Weak uncertainty avoidance: 1) cultures that encourage risk-taking and conflict approaching modes 2) Singapore, Jamaica, Denmark, Sweden, Hong Kong, UK, USA 3) family members in weak uncertainty avoidance, prefer informal rules to guide their behavior 4) family roles and behavioral expectations are negotiated 5) In work situations, there is a greater tolerance of innovative ideas and behaviors. Conflict is also viewed as a natural part of organizational productivity. 6) Career mobility is high Strong uncertainty avoidance: 1) cultures that prefer clear procedures and conflict avoidance behaviors 2) Japan, Greece, Portugal, Belgium , Uruguay 3) family roles are clearly established and family rules are expected to be followed closely 4) in work situation, there is a great resistance to deviant and innovative ideas. 5) Career stability is a desired goal & feminine-masculine dimension- FEMININE: 1) Flexible sex roles 2) Emphasize nurturance 3) Both genders take initiative 4) Social adjustment is critical 5) Work in order to live 6) Fluid gender communication 7) Overlapped gender roles 8) U.S .is # 15 from 50 feminine cultured countries MASCULINE :1) Complementary sex roles 2) Emphasize achievement 3) Males take initiative 4) Academic performance is critical 5) Live in order to work 6) "Masculine" toughness vs. "feminine" softness 7) Clear masculine/feminine gender roles

Media illustrations Part 2

Japanese Snowboarders & Values, & The Last Samurai

--analyze the three components of flexible intercultural communication

KNOWLEDGE -Refers to the systematic, conscious learning of the essential themes and concepts in intercultural communication flexibility. -Can happen through formal studying (taking courses or classes) -Can happen through informal learning (traveling reading international magazines and newspaper) ATTITUDE -Refers to both cognitive and affective predispositions and learned tendency that influence our thinking pattern. -Cognitive layer refers to the willingness to suspend our ethnocentric nature and learn about cross cultural differences -Affective layer refers to the emotional commitment to engage in cultural perspective-taking and the cultivation of an empathetic heart in reaching out to culturally diverse groups. SKILLS Our operational abilities to integrate knowledge and a responsive attitude with adaptive intercultural practice. Helps us to communicate mindfully in an intercultural situation. --identify the three criteria to flexible ICC APPROPRIATENESS The degree to which the exchanged behaviors are regarded as proper and match the expectations generated by the insiders of the culture. -EX: A friend who eats with chopsticks, hands, spoon, instead of telling him "you're weird", as if he can teach you how. EFFECTIVENESS -The degree to which communicators achieve mutually shared meaning and integrative goal-related outcomes -Productivity is closely related to outcome factors such as the generation of new ideas, new plans, and creative directions in resolving the intercultural problem. ADAPTABILITY -Our ability to change our interaction behaviors and goals to meet the specific needs of the situation.

--contrast personal family system and positional family system

Personal: include the emphasis on personal, individualized meanings, negotiable roles between parents and child(ren), and the emphasis on interactive discussions within the family Positional: emphasizes communal meanings, ascribed roles and statuses between parents and child, and family rule conformity

--Media illustrations:

Pretty Woman and Mr. Todd in Outsource and The Teddy Bear Story

--discuss ICC process thinking principles

Principle 1 : Intercultural communication often involves mismatched expectations that stem, in part, from cultural group membership differences. Principle 2: Intercultural communication often involves varying degrees of biased intergroup perceptions. Principle 3: Intercultural communication involves the simultaneous encoding and decoding of verbal and non- verbal messages in the exchange process. Principle 4: Intercultural communication involves multiple goals, and the goals people have are largely dependent on how they define the interaction episode. Principle 5: Intercultural communication calls for understanding and acceptance of diverse communication approaches and styles. Principle 6: Many intercultural encounters involve well-meaning culture bumps or clashes. Principle 7: Intercultural communication always takes place in a context. Principle 8: Intercultural communication always takes place in embedded systems.

--compare the definitions on social identity and personal identity

Social identities include cultural or ethnic membership, gender, sexual orientation, social class, religious affiliation, age, disability, or professional identity. Personal identities include any unique attributes that we associate with our individuated self in comparison with those of others

--use examples to illustrate: systems-level, individual-level, & interpersonal/ethnic media-level acculturation factors

Systems-level (such as socio-economic conditions) Systems level factors elements in the host environment that influence newcomers' adaptation to the new culture. Sustained, primary socialization process of strangers in their original home culture wherein they have internalized their primary cultural values. Individual-level:(such as personal motivation & communication competence) Having a permanent resident status evokes a mixture of emotional and work-related stress (There's no going back) A number of immigrants uproot themselves due to the push of motivational factors in the new environment (political, religious and/or economic conditions) Cultural knowledge: Plays a vital role for the newcomer's adaptation to the new environment. Includes: history of the place, geography, political and economic systems Interaction-based knowledge: fluency in language, helps develop relationships and get access to health care. Interpersonal F2F and Network-Level Factors (such as social networks & interpersonal skills) Ethnic communities and enclaves form as immigrants move from their homeland to communities in their new adopted land. These communities provide support during the initial stages of an immigrant's adaptation process If the ethnic clusters and niches in the ethnic community are strong and available as a supportive network, then immigrants may find supportive role models and mentors to assist with the transition and with culture shock. Mass Media-Level Factors (such as ethnic newspaper, TV, and radio and internet)

--define and use clear examples to illustrate each stage of the Staircase Model on Flexible ICC

Unconscious incompetence: blissfully ignorant - individuals in this category are unaware of the communication blunders she has committed in interacting with a cultural stranger. Conscious incompetence: semi-awareness - individual knows of their incompetence yet doesn't try to do anything to change his or her behavior. Conscious competence: full mindfulness - individuals are actively pursuing new intercultural knowledge to improve their communication competencies. Unconscious competence: mindlessly mindful - individuals in this category move in and out of spontaneous yet adaptive communication.

--define & compare ethnocentric mindset and ethnorelative mindset

ethnocentric mindset- thinking that your way of thinking is the right way, thinking that you are above everyone else, or thinking that you are the best ethnorelative mindset- giving people the benefit of the doubt, not being stuck on just one mindset, looking at things from others perspectives

--compare different sets of individual personality traits: independent & interdependent self-construal, horizontal vs. vertical self-construals

independent: an individual is a unique entity with an individuated repertoire of feelings, cognitions, and motivations. 2) Individuals with high independent self-construal tend to view themselves as distinct and unique from others. 3) They use their abilities and ideas as motivational bases rather than the thoughts and feelings of others. 4) They tend to dominate in individualistic cultures. interdependent: Involves an emphasis on the importance of fitting in with relevant others and ingroup connectedness. 2) People who have high interdependent self-construal, strive to fit in with others, act in a proper manner, value conformity and emphasize relational connections. 3) Tend to be in collectivistic cultures. Horizontal: 1) prefer informal-symmetrical interactions (equal treatment) regardless of people's status, age, position or rank 2) they prefer to approach an intercultural problem directly and use impartial standards to resolve the problem Vertical: 1) prefer formal asymmetrical interactions (differential treatments) with due respect to people's position, age, rank, titles and life experiences. 2) will seek different types of relationships, and convert relationships to the kinds they are most comfortable with.

--explain and use examples to illustrate: Four classical value orientation patterns + preferences:

meaning (doing, being-in-becoming, being)- Doing solution: achievement-oriented activities (action-oriented) being-in-becoming solution: living with an emphasis on spiritual renewal regeneration (inner-development) Being solution: living with emotional vitality and being relationally connected with significant others (emotional) destiny (control, harmony, subjugation)- Is the relationship between people and the natural (or the supernatural) environment one of control, harmony or subjugation? Controlling or mastering their environment: those who can increase their productivity and efficiency in accumulating material security and comfort. If something goes wrong, they believe they can fix it (China) Harmony with nature: those who their outlook tends to emphasize spiritual transformation or enlightenment rather than material gain. (Native Americans, Buddhists, African /Asian/Latino(a) in the U.S.) Subjugation to nature: are those who tend to be more fatalistic than individuals in controlling destiny orientation. Disasters such as earthquakes, volcano eruptions and floods may have been contributed to their belief that nature is a powerful force that is beyond the control of individuals. Notions include karma (Middle Eastern & Indian cultures) time (future, present, past)-Is the temporal focus in culture based on the future, present or the past? Future oriented time sense: planning for short to medium-term developments and setting out clear objectives o realize them. Present oriented time sense: valuing the here and now, especially the interpersonal relationships that are unfolding currently. Past oriented time sense: honoring historic and ancestral ties, and respecting the wisdom of the elders. space (privacy-centered, moderate privacy, communal-centered)- relative concept involving relationships between the individual, body and objects and persons within that space -intimate zone, personal zone, and social/public zone -nurse moves through all 3 zones and needs to be aware of the differences and respecting the culture -nurses must ask permission and explain procedure/reasons before entering client's spouse

--differentiate and explain the three levels of the Iceberg Metaphor/Model

surface-level culture, intermediate-level culture, and deep-level culture Surface culture refers to popular culture consists of cultural artifacts or systems with mass appeal and deals with the sensory preceptors (what we eat, smell, and taste) Intermediate-level culture: Family Roles, Norms,Meanings & Symbols Deep culture refers to the ideas, beliefs, feelings, and attitudes associated with a particular country or culture.

--analyze each characteristic of the term: intercultural communication + the transactional nature of ICC

symbolic exchange process whereby individuals from two or more different cultures communities attempt to negotiate share meanings in an interactive situation within an embedded societal system.

--explain the synergistic perspective in creative problem solving

the idea that you can work in different states or countries and you find the best way to solve a problem across all cultures, which is a big demand in the workplace