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2: Culture and Communication
Opening the book…
Culture and communication are inseparably intertwined as “language and culture are the frameworks through which humans experience, communicate, and understand reality” (Vygostky, 1968, p.39). Culture influences our worldview, beliefs, and what we consider normal. However, as we all know from experience, many differences among cultures exist, which can often cause miscommunication and conflict. In this chapter, we will define culture and intercultural communication, explore eight ways in which cultural groups differ, discuss how a dialectical approach can be applied to intercultural communication, and address ways to improve communication competence.
Learning Objectives
How do cultures differ? And how do those differences affect intercultural interactions?
How can we improve intercultural communication competence? And for what reasons?
Successful students will be able to
identify the definitions of culture and intercultural communication
recognize 8 cultural variables
explain four aspects of a dialectical approach to intercultural communication
Every person has a range of identities, according to how they see themselves (and how others see them) in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age, and so on. This means that seeing an individual in terms of one aspect of their identity – as a black person, for example, rather than as (say) a black working-class woman who is also a social worker, a mother and a school governor – is inevitably reductive and misleading.
Hofstede and Hall have studied how values and behavior are influenced by our culture. Dr. Charles Tidwell provides insight about cultural differences in nonverbal communication
Sections 2.1.1, 2.3.1-2.3.6, & 2.4.3: adapted from Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies; University of Minnesota; 2016; CC BY NC SA 4.0
Sections: 2.2.1- 2.2.8, & 2.4.1: English at Work; EFL, 2014-2017; “The materials are Open Educational Resources. As a learner or trainer, you may download, reproduce, customize and otherwise make use of the materials. You may also amend, edit or otherwise change all original text, provided that all original copyright notices remain intact and appear on all amended versions or reproductions thereof. You may distribute the materials by any means including electronic mail or on a storage device such as a CD for the purpose of education or training. However, the materials may not be sold, leased or loaned. Any other use of the materials not defined in this agreement is subject to (the copyright holders) written approval.”
Sections 2.0, 2.1.0, 2.1.2, 2.2.0, 2.4.0, & 2.4.2: Interpersonal Communication Abridged Textbook (I.C.A.T.); Central New Mexico Community College; 2019; CC BY NC SA 4.0