Presentation Transcript

1. Nonverbal Cuesin Intercultural Communication

   When in Rome…
2. Cultural controversies France’s burka ban Mosque near ground zero Arizona’s immigration law Honor killings Terry Jones Kuran burning Westboro Baptist Church Asian drivers Female circumcision
3. The world is becoming more American American culture is a leading export Movies Music TV shows YouTube Facebook Twitter Fashion
4. American exceptionalism? “America is the greatest country in the world” Freedom Democracy Free speech Land of opportunity But are we #1? Infant mortality: 33rd Life expectancy: 37th (behind Cuba, Puerto Rico, Chile, Costa Rica) Education: The U.S. ranked 14 out of 34 countries in reading, and 25th in math Health care quality: 37th Gender gap/gender equality: 27th
5. Culture bias Culture bias: interpreting and judging another culture based on standards from one’s own culture Example: hygiene standards in the U.S.A. Ethnocentrism: belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own culture Example: “capitalism is good, socialism is evil” Cultural imprinting begins at an early age Culture bias may be conscious or unconscious Which fellow is dressed “weird”?
6. high versus low contact cultures high contact cultures exhibit greater immediacy Touch more Stand closer More olfactory examples South America Southern France Southern Italy Southern Spain Greece, Portugal Latin America low contact cultures exhibit lesser immediacy Touch less Stand farther apart More visual examples Germany Great Britain Norway Japan China The U.S.A. is a moderate contact culture
7. high versus low contact cultures When passing another stranger on the sidewalk: 1-2% of Japanese people smiled, nodded, or spoke to the passerby 9-25% of Americans smiled, nodded, or spoke
8. high vs. low context cultures High context cultures are more collectivistic; concerned with group harmony, getting along cultural rules and social norms are implicitly understood are more nonverbal tend to read between the lines Examples: China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea Low context cultures are more individualistic; celebrate individuality and personal autonomy cultural rules and social norms are discussed, negotiated are more verbal tell to spell things out Examples: Germany, U.S. Switzerland, Sweden
9. High vs. low context cultures American college roommates Messy roommate: “It’s your turn to clean the kitchen.” Noisy roommate: “Keep it down, I’m trying to study.” Unpaid debt: “You owe me 20 bucks. Pay up.” Japanese college roommates Messy roommate: “If someone visits, they will think are messy.” Noisy roommate: “The neighbors may be disturbed by all the noise.” Unpaid debt: “I wish I could afford to buy a subway pass for this month.”
10. high context vs. low context Japanese tea ceremony Every behavior of the host and guest is highly ritualized and prescribed all meaning is contextual The tea ceremony reflects the principles of: Wa - Harmony, Kei - Respect, Sei - Purity, and Jaku - Serenity An American who said “hey, great tea,” or “hurry up and finish your tea” would be committing a cultural faux pas
11. feminine vs. masculine cultures Feminine cultures have more flexible, androgynous gender roles Examples: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany , Chile, Portugal Masculine cultures have more rigid, clearly defined gender roles Examples: Japan, Italy, Mexico, Venezuela The U.S. is moderately masculine Nascar dads Stay-at-home dads Career women Home-schoolers
12. Mohammad, the teddy bear, controversy A British schoolteacher, Gene Gibbons, was sentenced to 40 lashes for allowing her students to name a class teddy bear Mohammad Sharia law should not be taken lightly
13. Don’t show the soles of your shoes or feet In Middle Eastern countries it is considered rude to point the bottom of your foot at someone. The sole of the foot is considered unclean. Shoes are removed before entering a Mosque. It is akin to “mooning” someone in the U.S.A.
14. Cultural differences In Saudi Arabia it is illegal for a man and woman to hold hands in public It is not illegal for two males to hold hands in public An American who kissed a woman in pubic was jailed then deported
15. Intercultural gaffes Richard Gere “greets” ShilpaShetty too enthusiastically Hindu followers consider any public display of affection (PDA) to be taboo. PDA is even more frowned upon if the pair is unmarried. Gerewas a non-Hindu foreigner in a country that endorses arranged marriages
16. Intercultural gaffes Low bow humor: Obama was criticized for bowing too low the the Japanese emperor, and for shaking hands at the same time. Hands off the crown jewels: Michelle Obama broke royal protocol during a reception at Buckingham Palace when she placed her arm around the Queen.
17. intercultural gaffes “Our North Korean Ally” While being interviewed on Glenn Beck’s radio show, Palin twice referred to North Korea as America’s ally. "Obviously, we gotta stand with our North Korean allies“ she remarked.
18. Intercultural gaffes Cameron Diaz toured Mach Picchu carrying a Chinese handbag with the phrase “Serve the People.” The phrase, by Mao Zedong, touched a nerve among Peruvians The Maoist Shining Path insurgency in Peru killed 70,000 people
19. Intercultural gaffes We are not amused: Following a verbal gaffe, (he suggested the Queen had toured the U.S. in 1776) George W. Bush winked at the queen. She returned the wink with a cold glare