PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION Lesson 5-7

Intercultural Communication

The exchange of information between individuals from different cultural backgrounds. It involves understanding and navigating cultural differences in verbal and non-verbal communication to foster effective interactions.

Intercultural Competence

The ability to function effectively across cultures, think and act appropriately, and communicate and work with people from different cultural backgrounds, at home or abroad.

Challenges of Intercultural Communication

Different languages can result in intercultural miscommunication and misunderstanding. Shared knowledge and background may also be limited when communicating with people who are very different from us.

Interracial Communication

Communicating with people from different races.

Interethnic Communication

Interacting with people of different ethnic origins.

International Communication

Communicating between representatives from different nations.

Intracultural Communication

Interaction with members of the same racial or ethnic group or co-culture.

High-Context Communication

A tradition-linked communication system that strongly favors indirect communication and relies heavily on non-verbal cues, context, and relationships.

Low-Context Communication

A system that works through straightforward communication and relies more on explicit verbal communication with less emphasis on context.

High-Context Communication Characteristics

Indirect communication, reliance on non-verbal cues, importance of context, and relationships helping convey meaning.

Low-Context Communication Characteristics

Straightforward communication, explicit verbal communication, less emphasis on context, and a more explicit message.

Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory

A framework for understanding how cultural values shape behavior in societies and organizations. It identifies six key dimensions.

Power Distance

Describes the extent to which less powerful members of a society accept and expect unequal distribution of power.

High Power Distance

Accepts hierarchical structures where authority is rarely questioned and decision-making is concentrated at the top. Countries mentioned are Malaysia and Mexico.

Low Power Distance

Prefers flatter organizational structures and expects leaders to be approachable and open to input. Countries mentioned are Denmark and New Zealand.

Individualism vs. Collectivism

Measures whether people in a culture prioritize personal goals over group goals, or vice versa.

Individualistic Culture

Values personal freedom, self-reliance, and achievement. Countries mentioned are the United States and Australia.

Collectivist Culture

Values loyalty to family, community, or company; decisions often consider group harmony. Countries mentioned are Japan and Colombia.

Masculinity vs. Femininity

A cultural dimension involving values associated with competitiveness and achievement versus cooperation, care, and quality of life.

Masculinity

Values competitiveness, achievement, and material success. Countries mentioned are Japan and Germany.

Femininity

Values cooperation, care, and quality of life. Countries mentioned are Sweden and the Netherlands.

Uncertainty Avoidance

Measures how comfortable a culture is with ambiguity, change, and the unknown.

High Uncertainty Avoidance

Prefers clear rules, detailed plans, and stability.

Low Uncertainty Avoidance

Values flexibility and adaptability. Countries mentioned are Singapore and Denmark.

Term Orientation

Reflects whether a culture prioritizes future rewards over immediate results.

Long-Term Orientation

Values perseverance, planning, and thrift. Countries mentioned are China and South Korea.

Short-Term Orientation

Focuses on immediate results, personal stability, and maintaining established traditions. Countries mentioned are the United States and Nigeria.

Indulgence vs. Restraint

Looks at how freely societies allow people to gratify their desires and enjoy life.

Indulgent Culture

Encourages happiness, leisure, and personal freedoms. Countries mentioned are Mexico and Australia.

Restrained Culture

Places greater emphasis on self-control, duty, and following social norms. Countries mentioned are Russia and Egypt.

Hofstede's 6 Dimensions Memory Aid

P-I-M-U-T-I: Power Distance, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity vs. Femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance, Term Orientation, and Indulgence vs. Restraint.

Cultural Awareness

Knowing that there are multiple different cultures based on religion, ethnicity, nationality, and other factors, and that these cultures have different attitudes and outlooks.

Cultural Sensitivity

Accepting cultural differences without insisting that your own culture is better or that everyone should do things your way.

Cultural Competence

The PPT states that cultural sensitivity skills are sometimes called Cultural Competence.

Guidelines for Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity

View human differences as positive, have a clear sense of your own ethnic, cultural, and racial identity, understand and share your own culture, be aware of discomfort and assumptions, recognize stereotypes, understand how cultural perspectives influence judgments, accept uncertainty, learn about differences and create relationships, and understand that others may perceive you as having power or racial privilege.

Gender Sensitivity

The aim of understanding and taking account of the societal and cultural factors involved in gender-based exclusion and discrimination in different areas of public and private life.

Gender-Sensitive Language

The realization of gender equality in written and spoken language.

Gender Equality

A core development objective that can enhance productivity, improve development outcomes for the next generation, and make institutions more representative.

Gender Equality in Language

Women, men, and those who do not conform to the binary gender system should be visible and addressed as persons of equal value, dignity, integrity, and respect.

Sexism in Language

The use of language that devalues members of one sex, almost invariably women, and fosters gender inequality.

Gender-Sensitive Language

Language that shows respect for all persons, favors social equality, supports equal opportunity, and helps avoid ambiguity.

Politically Sensitive Text

A piece of discourse reflecting sensitivity toward certain attitudes, ideologies, religious beliefs, identity issues, and other related concerns.

Politically Sensitive Language

Choosing and using words that focus on empathy, fairness, and justice.

Taboo Language

A type of language taboo involving restrictions on the use of words or parts of language because of social constraints. It refers to words and phrases generally considered inappropriate in certain contexts.

Three Major Categories of Taboo Words and Phrases

Sex and Excretion, Christian Religion, and Animal Abuse.

Animal Abuse as Taboo Language

Calling a person by the name of an animal.

Taboo of All Varieties

Bodily Excretions, Death and Disease, Sex, Four-Letter Words, Swear Words, Privacy, and Discriminatory Language.

Discriminatory Language

Language that includes sexist language or racist language.

Sexist Language

Discriminatory language based on sex or gender.

Racist Language

Discriminatory language based on race or ethnicity.

Racism

The belief that some human races are inherently inferior to others.

Racist Language

Language that shows bias against certain racial or ethnic groups and degrades or belittles them.

Political Correctness

The process of speaking without offending anyone and avoiding forms of expression or action perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.

Politically Correct Language

Language that reflects awareness and sensitivity toward another person's physical, mental, cultural, or other disadvantages or deviations from a norm.

Euphemisms

Expressions used to put a more positive light on a situation in an attempt to mask the truth or hide unpleasant realities.

Spoken Mode

Often associated with everyday registers.

Written Mode

Strongly associated with academic registers.

Spoken and Written Modes

Spoken mode is often associated with everyday registers while written mode is strongly associated with academic registers, but this is not always true.

Multimodality

The use of multiple modes of communication, including spoken language, written language, images, music, videos, and gestures.

Nature of Language Variation

Language varies when communicating with people within and outside our community, in speaking and writing, and in everyday and specialized discourse.

Joos' Five Language Registers

Frozen, Formal/Academic, Consultative, Casual/Informal, and Intimate.

Frozen Register

Fixed or unchanging language.

Formal/Academic Register

Formal language associated with academic or formal situations.

Consultative Register

Language used in situations involving consultation or interaction.

Casual/Informal Register

Conversational language commonly used with peers or friends.

Intimate Register

Highly personal language used between very close individuals.