COM100 Module 2 Key Concepts and Vocabulary

intercultural communication

communication between people with differing cultural identities

ethnocentrism

our tendency to view our own culture as superior to other cultures

global village

where vast distances are now much shorter due to new technology that make travel and communication more accessible and convenient (McLuhan, 1967)

digital divide

the unequal access to technology and related skills that exists in much of the world

dichotomies

dualistic ways of thinking that highlight opposites, reducing the ability to see gradations that exist in between concepts

cultural-individual dialectic

captures the interplay between patterned behaviors learned from a cultural group and individual behaviors that may be variations on or counter to those of the larger culture

personal-contextual dialectic

the connection between our personal patterns of and preferences for communicating and how various contexts influence the personal

differences-similarities dialectic

allows us to examine how we are simultaneously similar to and different from others

essentialize

reduce/overlook important variations within a group

static-dynamic dialectic

culture and communication change over time yet often appear to be and are experienced as stable

history/past-present/future dialectic

reminds us to understand that while current cultural conditions are important and that our actions now will inevitably affect our future, those conditions are not without a history

privileges-disadvantages dialectic

captures the complex interrelation of unearned, systemic advantages and disadvantages that operate among our various identities

intersectionality

asks us to acknowledge that we each have multiple cultures and identities that intersect with each other

intercultural relationships

are formed between people with different cultural identities and include friends, romantic partners, family, and coworkers

antimiscegenation laws

common in states and made it illegal for people of different racial/ethnic groups to marry

intercultural communication competence (ICC)

the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in various cultural contexts

motivation

refers to the root of a person's desire to foster intercultural relationships and can be intrinsic or extrinsic (Martin & Nakayama, 2010)

mindfulness

a state of self- and other-monitoring that informs later reflection on communication interactions

cognitive flexibility

refers to the ability to continually supplement and revise existing knowledge to create new categories rather than forcing new knowledge into old categories

intersectional reflexivity

a reflective practice by which we acknowledge intersecting identities, both privileged and disadvantaged, and implicate ourselves in social hierarchies and inequalities (Jones Jr., 2010)

tolerance for uncertainty

refers to an individual's attitude about and level of comfort in uncertain situations (Martin & Nakayama, 2010)

interpersonal conflict

occurs in interactions where there are real or perceived incompatible goals, scarce resources, or opposing viewpoints

avoiding

style of conflict management often indicates a low concern for self and a low concern for other, and no direct communication about the conflict takes place

accommodating

conflict management style indicates a low concern for self and a high concern for other and is often viewed as passive or submissive, in that someone complies with or obliges another without providing personal input

compromising

style shows a moderate concern for self and other and may indicate that there is a low investment in the conflict and/or the relationship

collaborating

involves a high degree of concern for self and other and usually indicates investment in the conflict situation and the relationship

face

the projected self we desire to put into the world

facework

refers to the communicative strategies we employ to project, maintain, or repair our face or maintain, repair, or challenge another's face

face negotiation theory

argues that people in all cultures negotiate face through communication encounters, and that cultural factors influence how we engage in facework, especially in conflict situations (Oetzel & Ting-Toomey, 2003)

individualistic cultures

Ex. the United States and most of Europe - a culture that emphasizes individual identity over group identity and encourages competition and self-reliance.

collectivistic cultures

Ex. Taiwan, Colombia, China, Japan, Vietnam, and Peru - a culture that values in-group identity over individual identity and values conformity to social norms of the in-group (Dsilva & Whyte, 1998)

serial arguing

a repeated pattern of disagreement over an issue

mindreading

communication in which one person attributes something to the other using generalizations