Transcript Culture & Effective Communication

Culture
&
Effective Communication
Pamela Heatlie
Office of Institutional Equity
University of Michigan
Beginning Points
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Generalizations, not stereotypes
Automatic pilot
Culture clash has emotional impact
Ethnocentrism - things are right or
wrong viewed from the perspective of
your culture
• Differences, not better than and worse
than
Culture is like an iceberg…
Cultural Artifacts
(e.g., fashion, popular culture)
------------------------------Language and Verbal Symbols
Nonverbal Symbols
Symbolic Meanings
Cultural Norms
Cultural Values
Cultural Beliefs
Cultural Traditions
----------------------------------------------------UNIVERSAL HUMAN NEEDS
American Culture
• Value individual freedom
• Value achievement, hard
work and action (and
material results)
• Value time
• Value equality
• Value privacy (but are open
• Value directness
• Value informality
• Future Oriented
Film Clip
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1061776432653343493&q=intercultural+communication&total=72&start=10&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
Culture is like an iceberg…
Cultural Artifacts
(e.g., fashion, popular culture)
------------------------------Language and Verbal Symbols
Nonverbal Symbols
Are you speaking English or are
you speaking English?
Moving down the iceberg…
Cultural Artifacts
(e.g., fashion, popular culture)
------------------------------Language and Verbal Symbols
Nonverbal Symbols
Symbolic Meanings
Cultural Norms
Cultural Values
Cultural Beliefs
Cultural Traditions
----------------------------------------------------UNIVERSAL HUMAN NEEDS
Collectivism ↔ Individualism
Extended Family
Nuclear Family
Cooperation
Competition
Equal Distribution of
Rewards
Individual Rewards
Group Belongingness
Individual Privacy
Confirming and
Interdependent
Unique and Independent
Group Goals
Personal Goals
Group Oriented
Self-Oriented
Group Unity and Harmony
Individual Autonomy
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2098296093114652442&q=intercultural+communication&total=72&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=4
China
Emphasis on
Collectivism
Countries in the Middle East
Countries in South America
Ethiopia
↕
Greece and Portugal
Finland
France
Emphasis on
Individualism
Scandanavian Countries
Australia
United States
High Context ↔ Low Context
High Orientation to In-Groups
Low In-Group/Out-Group Distinction
Relies Heavily on Nonverbal
Communication
Relies More on Verbal
Communication
Discussion Very Wide Ranging
Discussion More Task Focused
Emphasize Relationships and
Processes
Emphasizes Practical Outcomes
Supportive Relationships Common
Individual Self-Reliance Common
Open and Flexible Time
Highly Organized Time
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-949673987039303775&q=intercultural+communication&total=72&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=8
High
Context
Japan
Countries in the Middle East
Greece
↕
Spain
Italy
England
France
US/Canada
Low
Context
Scandinavian Countries
Germany
How loud do you talk?
Proxemics
To interrupt or to not interrupt
Achieved v. Ascribed Status
Time
Expressing Emotions
Touch
Symbolic Meaning
Eye Contact
The 8 Habits of
Interculturally Competent Communicators
• Be aware that what you understood may not be what was meant
• Try not to assume sameness, especially when you share a
language
• What you think of as “normal behavior” maybe only be cultural
• be aware that familiar behaviors may have different meanings
• It’s okay not to feel good about “different” behavior, but try to
understand where it comes from
• Keep in mind that people from other cultures are not acting a
certain way just to make you mad. Most people behave rationally;
you just have to discover the rationale.
• If you know that you’re going to be interacting with another
culture, try to learn as much as you can about what makes up that
culture’s iceberg.
• Allow yourself (and others) to make mistakes
Questions?