2- Culture and Gender Understanding Culture & Communication How Culture Affects Communication Understanding Gender and Communication How Gender Affects Communication

Santiago Ventura’s Story “…Culture acts as a lens through which we make sense of communication behavior.” (Floyd) How does gender act in the same way?

Write a short description of your culture. Take A Moment Write a short description of your culture.

Vocabulary 1. Culture- learned and shared symbols, language, values, and norms that distinguish one group from another 2. Society- a group of people who share a given culture

Defining Culture In-Groups & Acquiring a Culture Out-Groups We identify with the In-Group We identify as being different from the Out-Group Stress resulting from being in the Out-Group is called “culture shock” Many prefer those that are similar to them or In-Groups *Ethnocentrism Learned culture is called “enculturation” Culture is not always based on ethnicity (heritage) Culture is not always based on nationality (country) Culture is determined by who, where, and how we were raised Ethnicity/ Nationality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqV3CK6QfcU

Components of Culture Symbols- something that represents an idea (national symbols, metaphor, and historical references) Language- Passes culture on from one generation to the next (Commonly spoken today in order: Chinese, Spanish, and English) Wade Davis Speech: http://www.ted.com/talks/wade_davis_on_endangered_cultures.html Values- standards for judging good, desirable, and beautiful (equality, material wealth, practicality and efficiency, achievement, democracy, enterprise, choice) Norms- rules or expectations that guide behavior Examples: shaking hands, eye contact, greetings, etiquette)

Co-Cultures Groups of people who share values, customs, and norms related to mutual interests or characteristics beside nationality. Examples of Basis: Generation (Teenagers), Ethnicity (Hispanic), Religion (Muslim), Interests (Hackers), Physicality (Deaf) Many people identify with several co-cultures

Communicating People with different cultures don’t just communicate differently- they think differently. “Similarity assumption” presumes that most people think the way we do without questioning it. “Cultural awareness” questions cultural assumptions. A matriarchy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay_a7Mpcg-0

Seven Cultural Differences (Hofstede & Hall) Individualism/ Collectivism Low-Context/ High-Context Low-Power Distance/ High-Power Distance Masculine/ Feminine Monochronic/ Polychronic Uncertainty Avoidance Codes

Individualistic/Collectivism I- primary responsibility to self. C- primary responsibility to family, community, and employer. I- importance is on the individual/ self reliance C- importance is on the needs of others/ duty & loyalty I- US, Canada, Great Britain, Australia C- Korea, Japan, Africa, Latin America

Low-Context/ High-Context L- people are direct H- speak less L- value expression H- maintain harmony L- value opinion L- value persuasion H- opinions conveyed in subtle/ nonverbal ways L- more critical H- reluctance/ avoidance of “No”

Low-Power/ High-Power L- respect equality H- respect power H- power is distributed L- no person is better than another H- some groups deserve more power L- relationships for Love H- relationships for Status L- question authority L- more autonomy

Masculine/ Feminine M- value traditional masculine values (ambition, achievement, material wealth) F- value feminine values (nurturance, quality of life, and service to others) M- value sex-specific roles F- sex-specific roles are differentiated M- US

Monochronic/ Polychronic M- time is a commodity P- time is fluid and flexible M- time is tangible P- time is measured by quality M- time demonstrates power P- Do not prioritize punctuality

Uncertainty Avoidance Extent to which people avoid situations that are unstructured, unclear, or unpredictable H- unwilling to take risks L- open to new situations H- fear of failure L- more accommodating H- favor rules and laws L- prefer few rules US- midpoint on scale

Codes Idioms- a phrase with figurative meaning (break a leg) Jargon- language used in co-cultures or in technical professions (ecchymosis/ bruise) Gestures- movements that express ideas (Peace sign)

Masculine, feminine, and androgynous Roles Biologically male or female A broad term encompassing the influences of gender roles, biological sex, and sexual orientation. Gender Masculine, feminine, and androgynous Roles Biologically male or female Sex Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, and asexual Orientation

Gender Roles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py5X_biBOYk -Media http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGoC8FTLKSI&feature=related -Friends

Biological Sex Male- XY chromosome Female- XX chromosome Transgendered- conflict between the sex you were born and the sex you feel Transsexual- living as opposite sex Chromosomal disorder (XO or XXY) Intersex- sexual organs do not match appearance

Gender and Verbal Communication Expressive (establish closeness through talk) and Instrumental Talk (means to solve problems) Language and Power (style reflects superiors and subordinates/ talking, interrupting, direction, opinion) Linguistic Style- patterns of speech (pronouns, emotions, adverbs)

Nonverbal Touch and Body Movement (amount, age, sex, space all change based on sex) Emotions (women express more happy emotions/ men more negative) Affection (women more nonverbal- other than that no differentiation)