2 - culture and identity - interpersonal comm

What is culture?

Culture is made up of the values, beliefs, and customs shared by a group of people.

What are cultural institutions?

groups defined by nationality, religion, or ethnic heritage.

What are standpoints in culture?

groups formed based on how people perceive the world, influenced by social and economic status.

What defines a speech community?

a group of people who use and interpret symbols in the same way, often based on language.

What are subcultures?

speech communities that share specific practices within a larger culture.

What are the three processes through which cultures form and change?

selectivity, socialization, and change.

What does selectivity in culture refer to?

how culture emerges from basic human processes performed in different ways.

How is culture shared with new members?

through socialization, which includes initiations, orientations, and internships.

What is cultural change?

the evolution of cultural practices through invention and diffusion.

What is individualism in cultural dimensions?

values independence and autonomy more than the group.

What is collectivism in cultural dimensions?

prioritizes the needs of the community over individual needs.

What does high power distance indicate?

respect for a rigid hierarchy based on power and status.

What does low power distance suggest?

suggests that all people are assumed to have equal rights and opportunities.

What is high context communication?

relies on the social situation to give messages meaning.

What is low context communication?

relies on explicit language to make meanings clear.

What is outcome-oriented culture?

values achievement, deadlines, and getting a job done.

What is process-oriented culture?

appreciates the experiences gained by working on a task.

What does uncertainty avoidant mean?

to a preference for stable routines that avoid risks or novel experiences.

What does uncertainty seeking mean?

a preference for diverse, novel, and even risky experiences.

What is Speech Codes Theory?

culture shapes communication behaviors through a system of symbols, rules, and assumptions.

What are boundary markers in communication?

messages that signal actions that are inappropriate or off-limits within a cultural group.

What are myths in cultural context?

sacred stories that embody core cultural themes, such as family stories and fairy tales.

What are rituals in culture?

carefully scripted performances that mark culturally significant events.

What is intercultural communication?

when interactions are guided by participants' memberships in different social groups.

What is Communication Accommodation Theory?

describes how cultural group memberships influence interpersonal interactions.

What is the difference between accommodation and divergence?

adjusting behavior in response to another, while divergence accentuates differences from the outgoing speaker.

What barriers exist in intercultural communication?

include ethnocentrism, uncertainty and anxiety, and marginalization.