Intercultural Communication Competence (Vocabulary Flashcards)
Three Components of Intercultural Communication Competence
Cognitive component: you must know something about the different culture you are engaging with; doing your homework before travel or engagement; orientation emphasizes researching the location, the people, and the culture.
Affective component: demonstrate a willingness to approach someone from a different culture; withdrawing into a shell will impede intercultural communication.
Behavioral component: possess the skills to interact competently in the new culture or environment.
Preparation and Orientation in Practice
Orientation and pre-travel research are emphasized by the speaker and program directors to ensure students know something about the destination before departure.
The goal is to present readiness to engage through knowledge, attitudes, and skills.
South Africa Example and Historical Context
South Africa is described as the southernmost country at the Horn Of Africa (note: geographically inaccurate in the transcript), with a population of about .
Demographics pre-1994 (approximate): about % Black, % White, % Asian (Indian). Durban has the most Indian population outside of India.
Minority groups: Black population lived under strict segregation; designated townships for different groups; passes (permits) were required to move outside townships.
Political context: until 1994, a 9% White minority ruled; global boycotts and sanctions against South Africa occurred, including Olympic bans.
Nelson Mandela: imprisoned for 27 years; emerged as a key leader of the ANC (African National Congress).
1994: end of apartheid; universal national voting rights; Mandela became the first nonwhite president of South Africa.
Ongoing comments: the speaker will share more about South Africa in later sessions.
Pre-Departure Cultural Training and Language Preparation
Before traveling, students are taught a handshake ritual specific to South Africa (African handshake) that includes finger snapping at the end.
Purpose: signal to hosts that students have knowledge about the culture and are prepared to engage.
Handshake sequence described as: one -> two -> three (snapping the fingers at the end).
Greeting practices: South Africa has nine official languages; English and Afrikaans are among them; Afrikaans is linked to Dutch settlers from the Netherlands; many South Africans, especially Black individuals, commonly speak multiple languages (often 4–5).
Example greetings (language and phrases):
Sotho: a common greeting exists (the exact word is not provided in the transcript).
Zulu: Sawabona (hello/are you well?) and Sawubona (greeting to an individual).
Group greeting: Sani Bonani (to a group).
Another Zulu greeting: unjawney.
The training aims to equip students with language tools to signal cultural knowledge and facilitate positive initial interactions.
The teaching of language and greetings is tied to the behavioral component of intercultural competence.
Norms, Rules, and Nonverbal/Verbal Etiquette in Intercultural Encounters
Host-culture norms and rules are essential; culture-specific expectations should be observed (e.g., dietary or ceremonial norms).
The speaker cautions against violating norms (e.g., certain attire or behaviors that may be restricted by governments in specific contexts).
Apprehension can lead to avoidance, but continued practice improves approach tendencies, confidence, and overall competence.
Textbook reference: page 11 discusses personal report challenges and strategies to overcome them.
Ubuntu: emphasizes interconnection and ethical responsibility; behavior is a function of others’ behavior and mutual respect.
Core Assumptions in Intercultural Communication (Five Key Assumptions)
Message interpretation: the message sent is often not the message received due to using one’s own cultural context; expressions of intent may be misinterpreted.
Ethnocentrism: people judge other cultures by their own cultural values.
Nonverbal emphasis: intercultural engagement is often nonverbal, with cultural differences in nonverbal codes.
Communicator style clash: direct, verbal Western styles vs. other cultural preferences for indirect or action-based communication.
Example: US directness vs. other cultures that express love or approval through actions rather than words (illustrated via the reference to relationships and media like the show Ninety Day Fiancé).
Individual vs. group perception: we often overgeneralize a culture and overlook individual variation; treat the person as an individual rather than a stereotype of their country.
Cyclical adaptation: successful intercultural communication requires ongoing adjustment of mindset, verbal, and nonverbal messages according to the interlocutor, leading to growth.
Ethics: actions affect others; there is an obligation to act in ways that preserve the other person’s integrity and well-being (ubuntu).
Ethical Frameworks in Western Cultures (Five Approaches)
Utilitarian principle: the most ethical choice is the one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number; the action is ethical if it benefits the most people and harms the fewest.
Formulation: maximize overall good across the affected population.
Rights principle: actions are ethical if they respect the rights of others or uphold self-determination; unethical acts violate others’ rights.
Fairness principle (Social Justice): focus on equal and consistent treatment; avoid favoritism or discrimination; ensure fair distribution of benefits and burdens.
Common Good principle: actions should contribute to policies and practices that support the safety, health, and welfare of the community; adherence to public systems and laws is essential.
Virtues principle: behavior should reflect culturally valued virtues; cultures differ in which virtues are foregrounded, but common themes include honesty, integrity, compassion, truth-telling, etc.
Ethical Frameworks in Eastern Cultures and Hindu Traditions
Confucianism as a key ethical tradition in East Asia:
Core virtues: benevolence (kindness), integrity, propriety (following conventional rules), moral understanding, and trust/loyalty.
Propriety equates to behaving in a proper, conventional, rule-following manner; the emphasis on propriety can clash with more rule-breaking or independent-minded Western norms.
The Hong Kong example illustrates tensions between Western and Confucian-influenced expectations about rules and conformity.
Hinduism and ethical aims (dharma, karma, samsara, moksha):
Four aims of life (purusharthas):
kama (pursuit of pleasure)
artha (pursuit of wealth)
dharma (pursuit of righteousness/ethical living)
moksha (pursuit of enlightenment)
Hindu ethical worldview posits that behavior aligned with these aims is ethical; wealth pursuit is not inherently immoral within this framework and may be celebrated in certain contexts (as illustrated by a high-profile wedding in India with a reported cost of , i.e., in the transcript’s phrasing).
Additional notes: Hindu contexts include countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Indonesia, Singapore; karma and the cycle of life influence ethical considerations.
Practical Implications and Strategies for Competence
Adapt verbal and nonverbal messages to the cultural context; adjust and modify communication to be appropriate and effective.
Understand which behaviors are appropriate or inappropriate in a given host culture; be attentive to dietary and ceremonial needs (e.g., Muslims avoiding pork; kosher requirements).
Recognize that ethical decision-making can be guided by multiple frameworks; in Western contexts, the five approaches provide a toolbox to evaluate behavior; in Eastern contexts, Confucian and Hindu frameworks provide alternative evaluative criteria.
The ethical imperative includes ensuring that interactions keep others whole (non-harm) and respect the shared humanity (ubuntu).
Practical examples and caveats:
Dietary restrictions at events with Muslim participants or those following kosher rules.
Matching greeting practices to demonstrate cultural knowledge and willingness to engage.
Observing local norms around attire or symbolism (e.g., camouflage in certain contexts).
Recognizing differing communicative styles (direct vs. indirect) and avoiding forced alignment with one’s own style.
Real-world illustrations mentioned in the transcript:
The Ninety Day Fiancé show as a case illustrating clashing communicator styles in cross-cultural relationships.
Hong Kong protests as an example of Confucian-based propriety and rule-following shaping responses to political actions.
High-profile Indian wedding as an illustration of Hindu cultural emphasis on wealth and ceremonial grandeur, within the context of ethical reflections on wealth and public perception.
Summary of Key Takeaways
Intercultural communication competence consists of cognitive knowledge, affective willingness, and behavioral skills.
Preparation, language learning, and awareness of host norms are essential before engaging another culture.
Ethical behavior in intercultural settings can be analyzed through multiple frameworks (Western: utilitarian, rights, fairness, common good, virtues; Eastern: Confucian virtues; Hindu aims).
Treat individuals as unique rather than as embodiments of their culture or country; be willing to adapt and learn continuously (the cycle of intercultural communication).
Practical ethics require sensitivity to dietary and social norms, thoughtful nonverbal/verbal choices, and a commitment to the common good and ubuntu-like interconnectedness.