Inter-Act , 13 th Edition Chapter 3

1. Inter-Act, 13thEditionChapter 3 InterculturalCommunication

2. 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

3. Culture Shock The psychological discomfort of adjusting to a new cultural situation

4. Intercultural Communication Interactions that occur between people whose cultures are so different that the communication between them is altered

5. Culture The system of beliefs, values, and attitudes shared by a particular segment of the population

6. Dominant Culture Culture within a society whose attitudes, values, beliefs, and customs hold the majority opinion

7. Co-Cultures Groups of people living within a dominant culture who are clearly different from the dominant culture

8. Co-Cultures • Gender • Race • Ethnicity • Sexual orientation and gender identity • Religion • Social class • Generation

9. Cultural Identity Self-image based on cultural group or groups you associate with

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Time Orientation Monochronic • Value punctuality • Follow plans Polychronic • Value flexible schedules • Multitasking

16. 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”

17. U.S. Rankings(among 53 Countries/Regions) 15th 38th 43rd

18. Intercultural Communication Competence effective and appropriate behavior and communication in intercultural situations

19. Barriers to Effective Intercultural Communication • Anxiety • Assuming similarity or difference culture • Ethnocentrism • Stereotyping • Incompatible communication codes • Incompatible norms and values

20. Pyramid Model of Intercultural Competence

21. 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

22. Intercultural Competence External outcome: Behaving and communicating effectively and appropriately to achieve your goals

23. 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!!