Communication Across Cultures

Dan Pratt Josh Fernandez Charles Rath Laura Thomas Lindsey Hughes

• “…the values, attitudes, beliefs, orientations, and underlying assumptions prevalent among people in a society” - Dominant Cultures - Co-Cultures http://jrenseyblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/muslim-culture-in-us.jpg

• Intercultural communication occurs when interactions are affected by the differences between those cultures.

-Culture Shock

• Factors that effect differences in culture: • • • • • Age Religion Race and Ethnicity Social Class Sex and Gender

Age and Communication

• • • Age has a strong impact on communication due to the large difference in experiences.

Differences in technology have created some of the largest communication issues.

“…the conceptual world of the two generations are very different. And so are the ways in which they have learned to learn: the young people of today understand instinctively that their games are their very best teachers.” – Marc Prensky

Age and Communication

• Have you ever had to introduce a parent or grandparent to a smartphone?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyahTmX_sIs

Religion

• • Religion is frequently the most controversial topic among individuals when opinions differ.

In communication, religion not only can cause argumentative situations, but it can also simply be the source of a common misunderstanding.

http://www.cuttingedge.org/NEWS/earth7.jpg

• • According to the World Almanac, only 6.6 million people are non-religious or atheist.

Over 10 major religions and over 25 sects are listed in the Encyclopedia of Religious Practices

Stereotypes and Prejudice

Race and Ethnicity

• • • • Different racial and ethnic groups are parts of different cultures.

Communication is largely affected by the ethnic group you belong to.

The major barriers are verbal and non-verbal communication Ethnocentrism plays a big part in misunderstandings. The larger countries tend to think the whole world operates the same way they do.

Verbal

• • Each culture has it’s own language, so communication between different ethnic groups and cultures can be difficult.

“To do so [translating], one has to have deep understandings of both cultures and both languages.” – Lim – Basically the key to understanding language is understanding the culture.

Non-verbal

• • Just like words, gestures also have different meanings across cultures.

Max Kirch, in The Modern Journal of Language, states that the use of foreign gestures can cause just as much confusion as the use of foreign words.

– It creates a “foreign accent” if you will

Social Class

• • Determined by income, education, occupation, and social habits Often determines where one lives, therefore who associates with one another.

Types of Social Classes

• • • • Capitalist Upper-Middle Middle Working • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC6izGmB ox0&feature=related

Sex and Gender

Masculine and Feminine Cultures

Masculine Cultures

• • (Mexico, Italy, Japan) Maintain traditional sex roles Often value masculine traits more highly

Feminine Cultures

• • (Norway, Denmark, Sweden) Fewer sex-role expectations Men and women take on a variety of roles dependent on context Hofstede (2000)

Masculine Traits

• • • • • Emphasis on: Performance Ambition Assertiveness Competitiveness Material success

Gender Traits

Feminine Traits

• • • • Emphasis on: Service Nurturing Investment in relationships Helping behaviors

Communication in Masculine and Feminine Cultures

• • In masculine cultures: Men less likely to be nurturing or caring Women less likely to be assertive or argue persuasively • • In feminine cultures: Both men and women tend to have a mix of traits Tend to be more flexible in the way they communicate

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Examples of Differences in Communication  When women have a problem or need to make a decision, they are more likely to talk to other women  Men keep their problems to themselves  Don’t see the point in sharing their personal issues  Women are relationship oriented  Look for things in common to relate with other women  Status and dominance are important to men Lieberman “Differences in Male and Female Communication Styles”

Examples of Differences in Communication •

“Women get things done at work by building relationships”

•

“Men build relationships when they are working on tasks with each other”

• Women focus on bonding by sharing experiences and asking questions • Men like to tell and give information rather than ask questions • Men share experiences as a way of establishing dominance