Transcript Section_2_march_12

Schedule for Today
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Cross-cultural communication
Presentation - Anxiety/Uncertainty
Management Theory (including Uncertainty
Reduction Theory)
Discussion
Genderflect Theory
Analysis
Question?
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What is culture? Define it,
Culture
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Culture is a socially constructed and
historically transmitted pattern of symbols,
meanings, premises and rules.
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It does not
necessarily
involve race.
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Comparing Cultures
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1. Power distance
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2. Masculinity (defined sex roles)
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3. Uncertainty Avoidance
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4. Individualism
Power Distance
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1. Accept that power
distribution is unequal.
Masculinity
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2. Clearly defined sex roles and male values of
success and $ dominate.
Uncertainty Avoidance
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3. The extent to which people are threatened by
ambiguity and create institutions or beliefs to
avoid it.
US – low
Japan – Extremely high
Individualism
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The extent to which a person values
individualism over trading that for loyalty.
Individualism vs. Collectivism
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Most important.
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Manifests in a different type of
communication.
Individualistic
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Low context – high content.
Meaning is in the ‘code’ (language)
Collectivist
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High context – lower content.
Much of meaning is in physical context and
within the person.
Issue
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When someone from a collectivist culture and
someone from an individualistic culture try to
communicate.
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Opportunities for misunderstanding increased
significantly.
Presentation
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Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory
(including Uncertainty Reduction Theory)
Effective Communication
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If misunderstanding can be minimized.
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If meaning attached by receiver is similar to
that of sender.
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Significant issue in cross-cultural
communication.
Differences in terms
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Uncertainty – cognitive – doubts about ability
to predict outcome of a encounter with
strangers.
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Anxiety – affective (an emotion)
Relationship between terms
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They tend to vary as one – as one goes up, so
does the other, for most people.
Relationship to cultural differences
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The bigger the gap, the higher the uncertainty
and anxiety.
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For two people from collectivist versus
individualistic cultures respectively, high
uncertainty and anxiety.
Some is good
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You need to feel some uncertainty and anxiety
to make you go to the effort of communicating
effectively.
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If you feel too much, you will withdraw and
feel as if it is impossible and therefore, not
worthwhile.
Unconscious incompetence.
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1. We misinterpret other’s behavior and are not
even aware of it.
Typical naïve American.
Conscious Incompetence.
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2. We know we are misinterpreting but we
don’t care.
The classic ‘ugly’
American.
Conscious Competence
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3. Mindfulness – We think about our
communication and constantly try to improve
it.
Unconscious Competence
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4.We have developed our communication
skills to the point we no longer have to think
about it.
Key to take away
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People from other cultures communicate
differently. The more you can practice
mindfulness, the better.
Genderflect Theory
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This is intercultural communication because
men and women communicate differently.
Gender versus Sex
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Sex is a biological fact.
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Gender is a societal role.
Men and
Communication
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Desire for Status and Power
Report rather than rapport
Comfortable with confrontation
Women and
Communication
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Interested in connection instead of power.
Rapport rather than report.
Not comfortable with confrontation.
What does that mean for us?
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Practice mindfulness – you are in essence
dealing with another culture.
Remember, culture is not based on race but
rather on a set of symbols, meanings, premises
and rules.