Transcript Lecture 1 - University of Hawaii

Lecture 2
Perception, Meaning,
Reality, and
Axioms of ICC
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Perception
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Made up of three characteristics:
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Stimuli
Dimensions
Categories
Perception is the process by which people
categorize objects (stimuli) along
dimensions of importance.
 A stimuli is anything that we need to pay
attention to in order to get our needs met.

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Constructing Reality
People construct a “reality” of their
surroundings by “taking in” all of the stimuli
around them.
 We go through the same process of creating
a reality for our job, family, commute,
relationships, recreation, etc.
 All of these combined create a “reality” of
our life.
 Perception is used to make sense of and
construct a reality of their world.

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Constructing Reality
(con’t)
We learn the rules for placing stimuli in
categories from our parents, family, friends,
bosses, teachers, media, etc.
 Because each person has a slightly different
combination of these people, etc. we each
have a slightly different set of rules for
placing stimuli into categories.
 Therefore, each person has a slightly
different “reality.” Each of us lives in a
slightly different world.
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Meaning
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Meaning is “culturally relative.”
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Meaning is “absolute.”
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The meaning of an object lies within the
object itself, and not in the perception of the
stimuli of the person looking at the object.
Meaning is “universal.”
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Everybody (and every culture) gives a
different relative meaning to an object.
Everyone gives the object the same
meaning. (i.e. everyone agrees what the
desk in the classroom is.)
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6 Axioms of ICC
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Axiom…
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A statement universally accepted as true.
An established principle or law.
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Axiom 1: ICC Assumes Perceived
Cultural Difference (PCDs)
PCDs create “blind spots”
 Many people do not share the same norms,
thought patterns, structures, and systems.
 Sources of miscommunication attributed to
PCDs:
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1) Culture
2) Personality
3) Relationship history
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Axiom 2: ICC Relates to Content
and Relationships
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ICC assumes differences not only in the
“message,” but also in the “interaction”
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Not only “content,” but also “context”
Both “what is said,” and “who said it”
Relationships alter Meaning
 Messages alter Relationships
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Axiom 3: Communication Style
Affects First Impressions
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Each individual has their own communication style.
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Sometimes conscious, but often people are
not aware of their style
People’s communication styles develop out
of habits formed interacting with family,
friends and other individuals.
 Upon communicating with someone the first
time we develop a first impression of that
person.

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Axiom 4: ICC Involves
Uncertainty Reduction
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In interpersonal encounters, people
generally try to avoid ambiguity.
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Redundancy and predictability are useful in
reducing uncertainty.
Generally, people use the communication
habits, patterns, customs, and rules they
have developed.
 Problem: in IC interactions there is generally
more ambiguities and uncertainties than
when interacting with someone from one’s
own culture.
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
The “rules” are different.
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Axiom 4: ICC Involves
Uncertainty Reduction
(cont’)
Answer...
 1) Use the rules, customs, rituals, nonverbal
behaviors that match the other person’s
culture.
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2) Understand and manage interaction
stages and process:
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Can be rather confusing if both sides
attempt this.
Precontact
Contact and impression
Closure
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Steps to Uncertainty Reduction
1) Precontact - by learning about a culture
before we encounter it, we start from an
focused scanning perspective rather than
from an unfocused scanning of the
environment.
 2) Contact and impression - Initial
impressions occur in the first four minutes of
verbal communication.
 3) Closure - the lasting attitude based on the
contact stage. We form a summary and
mental picture of each person.
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Axiom 5: Culture and
Communication are Inseparable
Every culture has symbols, rituals, customs,
and formats.
 Misunderstanding occurs when we
misinterpret the relationship between the
symbols and communication system with the
culture.

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Axiom 6: Intercultural
Effectiveness is the Goal of ICC
Theoretical knowledge is not enough to
becoming competent. Improving one’s
behavior and skills are necessary to improve
one’s performance.
 Success has many rewards…
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Conflict reduction
Improved relationships
Better job performance
Smooth cultural adjustment
In a nutshell, this is the goal of the course.
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