Reflection paper
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Intercultural Communication: Principles and Practice.
FLAN 3440
Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440
Recognize that no culture is purely individualistic or collectivistic.
Discuss the research behind the notion of a pancultural self.
Identify some cultures that are high context and low context.
Compare value orientations among cultures.
Identify cultures that are weak uncertainty avoidant and strong uncertainty avoidant.
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Culture hides more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants.
—Edward T. Hall1
Individualism-Collectivism
High-Low Context
Value Orientations
Power Distance
Uncertainty Avoid
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Valuing personal independence personal responsibility
freedom of choice
personal autonomy
achieving self-fulfillment
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Promoting the self talent and potential in each person
pursuit and development of abilities
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Groups bind and mutually obligate individuals a sense of duty to group
interdependence to others
harmony
working with the group
subordinating personal goals for the sake of preserving the ingroup
People are not seen as isolated individuals but as interdependent with others
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How do individuals perceive themselves? “I am distinct and unique.”
“I am a member of a family.”
How do individuals relate to others? “What do I gain?”
“How will this affect others?”
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What goals do they follow? “I want to win.”
“I am a team player to help the group win.”
What drives their behavior? “It is my right to do this.”
“My duty is to my group.”
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Vandello & Cohen measured percentage of:
People living alone
Elderly people living alone
Households with grandchildren in them
Divorce-to-Marriage ratio
People with no religious affiliation
Libertarian voters over past 4 presidential elections
Ratio of people carpooling to work
Self-Employed people
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Individualism - Collectivism
Individualism and Collectivism can coexist within a person of any culture
Valuing personal independence • personal responsibility • freedom of choice • personal autonomy • achieving self-fulfillment
Promoting the self • talent and potential in each
person • pursuit and development of
abilities
Groups bind and mutually obligate individuals
• a sense of duty to group • interdependence to others • harmony • working with the group • subordinating personal goals
for the sake of preserving the ingroup
People are not seen as isolated individuals but as interdependent with others
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Horizontal individualism
Vertical individualism
Horizontal collectivism
Vertical collectivism
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Communication Consequences Individualism Collectivism
Social behavior is guided by one’s personal attitudes… Social behavior is guided by the group
Value personal independence Group goals have precedence over individual goals
Decisions made democratically Decisions made by hierarchy
Friendships based on individual qualities Friendships based on hierarchical role in society
Equality sometimes Different value standards
The idea that the individual self is pancultural (i.e., the individual self is more fundamental to self- definition than the collective self across all cultures)
Motivation to achieve positive self- regard
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High and Low-Context Cultures Communication is dependent on the context in which it occurs
Culture
Physical Environment
Sociorelational
Perceptual
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HIGH CONTEXT
Restricted code
Silence is valued
Indirect, implicit messages
Examples: China, Vietnam, and many African cultures.
LOW CONTEXT
Elaborated code
Silence is uncomfortable
Direct, explicit messages
Examples: the U.S., Switzerland, and France
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Self Assessment 2.3 p. 65, 66
An intercultural conversation p. 64
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Values affect intercultural communication.
Values Guide social behavior
Prescribe what is preferred or prohibited
Comprise the evaluative component of attitudes and beliefs
Guide how we think about right/wrong
Trigger positive or negative emotions
Guide our actions
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This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
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Value Orientations
Values are the evaluative component of an individual's attitudes and beliefs.
How values affect intercultural communication!
Universal Values
Self-direction
Stimulation
Hedonism
Achievement
Power
Security
Conformity
Tradition
Spirituality
Benevolence and Universalism
“The extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.”
–Hofstede
Smaller Power Distance vs. Large Power Distance
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An intercultural Conversation p. 81
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Uncertainty Avoidance—the degree to which the members of a particular culture feel threatened by uncertain or unknown situations.
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Uncertainty
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Paradox of Culture
Five Dimensions of Cultural Variability
1. Individualism-Collectivism
2. High-Low Context
3. Value Orientations
4. Power Distance
5. Uncertainty Avoidance
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