COMM 211 Midterm

What are the 7 imperatives for studying intercultural comm?

Self-awareness, demographic, economic, environmental, technological, peace, and ethical

main concepts for Self-awareness imperative

• increasing understanding of our own location in larger social, political, and historical contexts

• becoming aware of privilege and how it affects our intercultural interactions

• recognizing how we are influenced by systems not of our own making

main concepts for Demographic imperative

• driven by changing US and global demographics 

• college enrollment: about 45% of undergrads belong to a racial/ethnic minority group 

• changing immigration patterns globally 

• increasing diversity in workplaces and communities 

main concepts for Economic imperative 

• globalization requires intercultural communication skills 

• international business relationships 

• economic recessions and their impact on intercultural relations 

• global marketplace demands cultural competence 

main concepts for Environmental imperative

• climate change forces migration (climate refugees) 

• floods, droughts, and wildfires lead to population displacement 

• water rights disputes between different cultural groups 

• environmental factors create new intercultural encounters 

main concepts for Technological imperative 

• technology changes how we communicate across cultures

• raises questions about identity in digital spaces 

• access inequalities (digital divide) 

• social media’s role in both connecting and dividing people 

main concepts for Peace imperative 

• working through issues of colonialism 

• addressing economic disparities between groups 

• managing racial, ethnic, and religious differences 

main concepts for Ethical imperative

• universalist: certrain ethical principles apply to all cultures 

• relativist: ethical principles are culture-specific 

• dialogical: dialogue and negotiation between ethical systems B

Being an ethical student of culture:

• developing self-reflexivity

• learning about others 

• developing social justice and responsibility 

• NOT avoiding contact with different cultures 

what are the 3 approaches

social science, interpretive, and critical

what the goals of the 3 approaches?

• social science: describe and predict behavior 

• interpretive: describe and understand behavior in context 

• critical: change behavior and challenge power structures 

what are the methods of the 3 approaches?

• social science: surveys, statistical analysis, and observation 

  • Hofstede’s cultural dimensions research

• interpretive: participant observation, field studies, ethnography 

• critical: textual analysis of media and discourse 

what are the views of culture of the 3 approaches? 

• social science: external and measurable 

• interpretive: symbolic patterns created through communication 

  • meaning-making and context

• critical: site of power struggles, contested zone 

what are the views of behavior for the 3 approaches?

• social science: predictable and patterned

• interpretive: creative and voluntary

• critical: changeable through awareness

  • power relations and social justice 

Dialectal approach 

• integrates all 3 approaches 

  • holds contradictory ideas simultaneously 

  • recognizes that all approaches are interconnected and sometimes contradictory

  • goes against traditional dichotomous thinking

what are the 6 dialectics of intercultural communication? 

• cultural-individual 

• personal-contextual

• differences-similarities 

• static-dynamic 

• privilege-disadvantage 

• history/past-present/future 

Cultural-Individual dialectic

• communication is both cultural (shared patterns) and individual (unique characteristics) 

• prevents overgeneralization while acknowledging cultural influences 

Personal-contextual dialectic

• focuses on both the person and the context of communication 

• context affects how we enact social roles

differences-similarities dialectic

• people are simultaneously similar to and different from each other 

• need to recognize both without stereotyping or ignoring differences 

static-dynmaic dialectic

• some cultural patterns remain constant while others change over time 

• ex: anti-immigrant sentiment is static, but target groups change 

Privilege-disadvantage dialectic

• people can be simultaneously privileged and disadvantaged

• privilege/disadvantage can vary by context 

History/Past-Present/Future dialectic

• must focus on both historical forces and contemporary realities 

• past events significantly impact current intercultural interactions 

what are the 3 definitions of culture?

social science, interpretive, and critical

social science definition of culture

• culture as learned, group-related perceptions and behaviors

• measurable and observable

• shared among group members

interpretive definition

• culture as contextual symbolic patterns of meaning involving emotions 

• focus on meaning-making and symbols 

• created through communication 

critical definition

• culture as heterogeneous, dynamic, and a contested zone 

• sites of struggle and power 

• culture is performative (we “act” our identity) 

• not uniform within groups 

who is the developer of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions? 

Greet Hofstede 

What are Hofstede’s 6 cultural dimensions 

1. Power distance

2. Individualism vs Collectivism

3. Masculinity vs Femininity

4. Uncertainty Avoidance

5. Long-term vs short-term orientation

6. Indulgence vs Restrant 

Power Distance

• high: large gaps between powerful/powerless, hierarchies accepted 

• low: smaller power gaps, hierarchies questioned 

Individualism vs Collectivism

• Individualism: personal achievement, individual rights

• Collectivism: group loyalty, collective responsibility

Masculinity vs Femininity

• Masculinity: competition, material success, achievement 

• Femininity: cooperation, quality. of life, caring (Sweden example) 

Uncertainty Avoidance

High: prefer rules and structured situations

Low: Comfortable with ambiguity 

Long term vs Short term Orientation

Long term: future focused, planning (Buddhism) 

Short-term: Quick results, immediate gratification 

Indulgence vs Restraint

Indulgence: related to happiness, free expression 

Restraint: controlled behavior, suppressed desires 

Activity orientation

being: self-actualization

growing: spiritual growth and development 

doing: action-oriented, material achievement 

Human-nature relationship

harmony: living in balance with nature

domination: controlling/conquering nature

Define “communication” 

a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed

• NOT just sending/receiving messages

• NOT just information transfer

• IS symbolic and involves meaning-making

define “Embodied ethnocentrism”

feeling comfortable with one’e own cultural practices

define “contested zones”

areas where cultural meanings are struggled over

what are the 6 types of history?

• political

• intellectual 

• social 

• family 

• national 

• cultural-group 

political history

• government structures, elections, wars, politial leaders 

  • example: presendential elections, legislation 

intellectual history

• development of ideas, philosophies, belief systems 

  • ex: scientific discoveries, philosophical movements 

social history

• everyday life, customs, experiences of ordinary people 

  • ex: working class experiences, family structures 

family history

• personal narratives passed through generations 

• characteristics: often oral tradition, not always written 

national history

• official narratives promoted by nation-states 

• often “altered” or revised to support political agendas 

cultural group history

• experiences of specific, ethnic, racial, or cultural communities 

• shaped by migration, colonialism, shared experiences 

• ex: diasporic histories, colonial histories 

absent history

historical experiences that have not been recorded or documented

• affects: often marginalized communities 

• impact: creates gaps in understanding of intercultureal relationships 

gender history

often “hidden” or marginalized in traditional historical accounts

contact hypothesis

interaction between groups can improve attitudes under specific conditions 

• 8 specifc conditions

  • equal status between groups

  • common goals

  • intergroup cooperation

  • authority support, etc… 

Avowel

how we define and present ourselves

• self indentification + internal process 

Ascription

how others define and categorize us 

• external labeling + may not match our avowel 

how do avowel and ascription play a role in identity formation? 

• help define how we see ourselves and others 

• shape personal and social identity 

• NOT fixed- change over time and context 

• apply to ALL identities, not just minority identities 

identity development

minority + majority identity devleopment follow different patterns

• NOT: the same pattern for all groups 

• NOT: completed by adulthood 

• NOT: solely determined by genetics 

how cultural identity influences communication

• shapes interactions and understanding

• affects interpretation of messages 

• influences communication patterns and expectations 

• NOT irrelevant - has significant impact 

• NOT limited to personal relationships 

primary ways to express identity

• through our actions and words

• through communication and behavior 

• NOT by: conforming to stererotypes, suppressing true selves, or avoiding communication