Transcript Cultural - Bakersfield College

th
13
Inter-Act,
Edition
Chapter 3
Intercultural
Communication
1
Chapter 3 Objectives
Describe the role of communication in defining,
transmitting, and changing culture
 Discuss the relationships between dominant
and co-cultures
 List and discuss the ways in which cultures
differ and how that affects intercultural
communication
 Explain how one develops intercultural
competence

2
Culture Shock
The psychological discomfort of adjusting to a
new cultural situation
3
Intercultural Communication
Interactions that occur between
people whose cultures are so
different that the communication
between them is altered
4
Culture
The system of beliefs, values, and attitudes
shared by a particular segment of the
population
5
Dominant Culture
Culture within a society whose
attitudes, values, beliefs, and customs
hold the majority opinion
6
Co-Cultures
Groups of people living within a
dominant culture who are clearly
different from the dominant culture
7
Co-Cultures
1.
Gender
2.
Race
3.
Ethnicity
4.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
5.
Religion
6.
Social class
7.
Generation
8
Cultural Identity
Self-image based on cultural group or
groups you associate with
9
How Cultures Differ
Individualism-Collectivism: extent to which people in a culture
are integrated into groups
 Uncertainty Avoidance: extent to which people in a culture
avoid unpredictability regarding people, relationships, and
events
 Power Distance: amount of difference in power between
people, institutions, and organizations in a culture
 Masculinity-Femininity: extent to which notions of "maleness"
and "femaleness" are valued in a culture
 Time Orientation: differences in how cultures perceive time
 Cultural context: differences in how cultures share meaning

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Individualism-Collectivism
Individualistic cultures
value:
 Personal rights and
responsibilities
 Competition and
personal achievement
 Self-expression
 Privacy
Collectivist cultures
value:
 Community, strong
connection to groups
 Harmony and
cooperation
 Avoiding
embarrassment
 Group interests over
self-interests
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Uncertainty Avoidance
Low Uncertainty
Avoidance
 Comfortable with
unpredictability
 Takes risks
 Few rules
 Accepts multiple
perspectives of “truth”
High Uncertainty
Avoidance
 Creates systems of
formal rules
 Believes in absolute
truth
 Less tolerant of deviant
ideas or behaviors
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Power Distance
High Power Distance
 Power distributed
unequally
 Power imbalances seen
as natural
 Power is respected
Low Power Distance
 Power is distributed
equally
 Inequalities are
downplayed
 People with power are
not feared
 Democracy is valued
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Masculinity-Femininity
Masculine Cultures
 Traditional sex-based
roles followed
 Men are assertive and
dominant
 Women are nurturing,
service-oriented
 Male traits valued over
female traits
Feminine Cultures
 Roles not based on
one’s sex
 People free to act in
nontraditional ways
 Feminine traits valued
 Both men and women
demonstrate both
masculine and feminine
behaviors
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Time Orientation
Monochronic
 Value punctuality
 Follow plans
Polychronic
 Value flexible schedules
 Multitasking
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Cultural Context
Low-Context
 Direct verbal messages
 Speakers expected to
say what they mean
High-Context
 Indirect meaning
 Understood by referring
to unwritten cultural
rules and subtle
nonverbal behavior
 “Read between the
lines”
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U.S. Rankings
(among 53 Countries/Regions)
15th
38th
43rd
17
Intercultural
Communication
Competence
effective and appropriate behavior and
communication in intercultural situations
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Barriers to Effective Intercultural
Communication

Anxiety

Assuming similarity or difference culture

Ethnocentrism

Stereotyping

Incompatible communication codes

Incompatible norms and values
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Pyramid Model of Intercultural
Competence
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Intercultural Communication Competence
• Internal outcomes:
• Informed frame of reference, filter shift
• Adaptability, flexibility
• Ethnorelativism: point of view that allows you
to see value in other cultural perspectives
• Empathy
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Intercultural Competence
External outcome: Behaving and communicating
effectively and appropriately to achieve your goals
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Homework
Analyze your own intercultural
communication skills. Which skills are
strong? What barriers most hinder your
ability to communicate interculturally?
 Write down a goal and a plan to improve
one specific intercultural goal this
semester.
 Review your Assignment Rubric!!

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