1. Intercultural Communication
Chapter 2:
What Is the Relationship between Communication and Culture?

2. Objectives for Chapter 2
Understand how culture affects communication because of different worldviews.
Understand how culture affects communication because of different values.
Understand how culture affects communication because of different norms.
Understand two major theses on the relationship between culture and communication (monolithic force and reflexive force).

3. Manifestations of Culture
Culture influences how we communicate!
Three common manifestations of culture are:
Worldviews: most “broad” or abstract; wide variety among individuals
Values: less abstract than worldviews, but still large variety
Norms: more specific; some variety, but common agreement within cultural communities

4. Worldviews Mostly unconscious ideas about how the world is
Not “right” or “wrong” so not challengeable: subjective
They occur on a continuum, not all or nothing
General trends, rather than hard and fast “rules”
Could be situational, depending on context: class, friends, family . . .
Eight worldviews explored in the text

5. Worldview #1: Individualism/Collectivism
Focus on uniqueness and how different from others
Better than, faster than, shorter than . . .

6. Worldview #1: Individualism/Collectivism
Focus on relationships and shared “membership”
Everyone pitches in . . .
We worked really hard
Couldn’t have done it without you . . .
Remember:
continuum, contextual, subjective . . .

7. Worldview #2: Ascription/Achievement
Position, reward, etc. are “given” based on “rights” and do not require effort
Achievement:
Effort is what determines position, reward, etc.

8. Worldview #3: Egalitarian/Hierarchical
Everyone has the same worth and value as any other.

9. Worldview #3: Egalitarian/Hierarchical
Assume there is and should be differentiation (one is in charge or better at something)
The military is one example where hierarchy is embraced

10. Worldview #4: Good/Evil
People are inherently good and will do the right thing
Examples: Lock your bike? U-pick fruit stands where you leave the appropriate amount of money in a box after you weigh what you pick

11. Worldview #4: Good/Evil
People cannot be trusted and will take advantage of you
Glass half empty or half full?

12. Worldview #5: Mastery/Adaptive
Can and should control the world around us
Emphasis on ownership
Rice fields in Japan, planted by hand!

13. Worldview #5: Mastery/Adaptive
Co-habitants in the world
Emphasis on respecting environment
Natural mineral pools are found all over the world!

14. Worldview #6: Language as Social Lubricant/Information
Communication influences image (self- and public)
Relationships are more important than accuracy
Information:
Communication to convey thoughts
Accuracy, directness, and clarity are valued

15. Worldview #7: High Context/Low Context
Need previous knowledge and context (backgrounds, social setting, previous interactions or relationship)
Example: taking off shoes at door, hugging

16. Worldview #7: High Context/Low Context
Relies on words
Example: What does that mean?? Do I park my bike here?

17. Worldview #8: Time as Polychronic/Monochronic
Time is linear
Schedules and being on time are important
That plane might leave without you!

18. Worldview #8: Time as Polychronic/Monochronic
Time is more fluid
No such thing as “wasting time” or “not enough time”
Relationships matter more than punctuality
A meal is an event to enjoy company rather than just eat

19. Worldviews Final thoughts on worldviews:
General trends, not hard and fast rules that every individual follows
Belong to many different cultures, so some cultural memberships override others
Occupation/age/background
Situational: not the same in all contexts

20. Values Different from worldviews:
How the world should be rather than how the world is
Some values and worldviews may seem to overlap
But shared worldviews ≠ shared values may cause frustration
Examples of values: honesty, integrity, privacy, loyalty, responsibility, accountability, punctuality, humor

21. Values Still abstract, so hard to predict in others
Different in different situations
Honesty in all situations??
How do you like my hair cut?
When a value is violated = recognition of that value

22. Values Three levels of values: Primary Secondary Tertiary
Not all values are equal
Some may “trump” others: Punctuality or humor? Responsibility or loyalty? Honesty or friendship?

23. Norms More specific and concrete than values.
Social rules for what people should and should not do.
Importance based on:
Consensus: widely agreed upon
Intensity: have serious consequences for violation
Mostly notice when norms/values are violated
Question #4: p. 59

24. Norms in other cultures

25. Norms What time is lunch? How do you greet people? Where do you park?
How close do you stand at an ATM?
How do you show you’re excited/interested?

26. Remember culture influences communication
Three common manifestations of culture are:
Worldviews: most “broad” or abstract, a lot of variety
Values: less abstract, but still large variety
Norms: more specific; still some variety

27. Two Perspectives on the Culture–Communication Connection
Monolithic Force
Casual model: Culture helps predict behavior (deductive)
Communication patterns will be universal/consistent for the whole cultural group
Reflexive Force
Sense-making: Culture helps us to make sense of behavior (past, present, and future)
Communication patterns are contextual, not universal