Intercultural Communication: Competence, Behaviours, Barriers & Theoretical Approaches

Recap of Previous Session ─ Foundational Terminology

• Multicultural communication
  • People of different cultural backgrounds co-exist in the same physical or social space without intense, regular interaction.
  • Focus = recognising diversity, not necessarily interacting deeply.
  • Example: an international dorm where students largely keep to their own linguistic/cultural groups.

• Cross-cultural communication
  • Emphasises comparison of styles, values, etiquette, etc. across cultures.
  • Goal = identify similarities / differences to predict or explain behaviour.
  • Example: research paper comparing American directness vs. Japanese indirectness in business emails.

• Intercultural communication
  • The actual interaction between individuals from different cultures.
  • Core aims: respect, mutual understanding, adaptation.
  • Example: a Filipino engineer collaborating daily with a German and a Kenyan colleague on Zoom.

• Why distinction matters
  • Guides training objectives: e.g.
  – Multicultural settings → diversity management policies.
  – Cross-cultural studies → benchmarking, comparative research.
  – Intercultural settings → hands-on skills for everyday interaction.

Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS)

• Proposed sequence of $6$ stages describing how individuals grow in cultural sensitivity.

1. Denial – "There are no real cultural differences".
2. Defense – "My culture is superior" (strong ethnocentrism).
3. Minimisation – "Deep down we’re all the same" (glosses over difference).
4. Acceptance – Recognises legitimacy of differences.
5. Adaptation – Modifies behaviour to communicate effectively.
6. Integration – Identity includes multiple cultural frames; can shift fluidly.

World Bank (2010) – $7$ Key Characteristics of Competent Intercultural Communicators

• Framework endorsed by UNESCO for global-citizenship education.

1. Flexibility & High-Tolerance for Uncertainty
   • Stay calm amid unknown norms.
   • Ex: Interpreting silence during a Japanese business meeting as thoughtful respect rather than disengagement.
2. Reflectiveness / Mindfulness
   • Continually evaluate how one’s words/actions might affect others.
   • Ex: Double-checking whether a joke about dogs is offensive in Muslim contexts.
3. Open-mindedness
   • Willing to learn and accept divergent world-views.
   • Ex: Appreciating that Chinese New Year (late Jan / Feb) is as culturally central as 1 January in the West.
4. Sensitivity
   • Awareness of others’ emotions, values, rituals.
   • Ex: Not scheduling a critical exam on a major local religious festival.
5. Adaptation
   • Adjusting verbal & non-verbal style to increase comfort.
   • Ex: Lowering one’s speaking volume when inside a Thai temple.
6. Divergent Thinking & Systems-Level Awareness
   • Seeing issues from multiple angles; linking culture to institutions (education, religion, government).
   • Ex: Understanding why same-sex marriage laws differ across predominantly Catholic (Philippines) vs. secular (Netherlands) societies.
7. Politeness / Etiquette Proficiency
   • Mastery of culturally appropriate greetings, honorifics, turn-taking.
   • Ex: Bowing in Japan; using "po / opo" in Filipino to elders.

Significance

• These $7$ traits serve educators, travellers, and multinational teams when designing training, policy, and assessment rubrics for intercultural competence.

Brent Ruben (1976) – $8$ Basic Behaviours for Intercultural Competence

1. Display of Respect
   • Positive regard through words & non-verbals; follow local greeting rituals.
2. Orientation to Knowledge
   • Realise that people filter reality through cultural lenses; avoid absolute statements ("That’s wrong").
3. Empathy
   • Feel and articulate another’s perspective (e.g., imagining the stress of migrants).
4. Interaction Management
   • Regulate turn-taking, clarify meaning, allow silence.
5. Task Role Behaviour
   • Contribute to goal completion without derailing via cultural misunderstandings.
6. Relational Role Behaviour
   • Build solidarity, help colleagues cope with culture shock.
7. Tolerance of Ambiguity
   • Remain comfortable when norms or instructions are vague/novel; delay judgement.
8. Emotional Expression & Interaction Posture
   • Express feelings appropriately while maintaining openness and non-judgement.

Barriers to Effective Intercultural Communication (Lehman & DuFrene 2012)

• Ethnocentrism
  • Belief that one’s own culture is the sole correct yardstick.
  • Leads to "us vs. them", mis-judging behaviours.
• Stereotypes
  • Over-simplified, fixed ideas ("Britons never invite you to dinner").
  • Blocks genuine discovery of individual uniqueness.
• Interpretations of Time (Chronemics)
  • Monochronic cultures (U.S., Germany) value strict punctuality; polychronic cultures (many Latin / Arab) treat schedules fluidly.
  • Mismatched views → frustration.
• Personal Space Requirements (Proxemics)
  • Acceptable conversational distance varies (e.g., Japan larger distance vs. Mediterranean closer distance).
• Body Language
  • Gestures, eye-contact, posture differ ("OK" sign = "zero" in France, profane in Brazil).
• Translation Limitations / Language Fluency Gaps
  • Idioms or humour often untranslatable; unequal language skills create social distance.

Major Theoretical Approaches to Intercultural Communication

• Social-Science (Functionalist) Approach
  • Assumes objective reality; studies variables (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism) to predict behaviour.
  • Methods: surveys, experiments.
  • Example: Correlating power-distance scores with meeting participation rates.

• Interpretive Approach
  • Reality is socially constructed; seeks to understand meaning from insiders’ viewpoints.
  • Methods: ethnography, interviews, thick description.
  • Example: Observing how a rural Indian village uses storytelling to transmit values.

• Critical Approach
  • Focuses on power, inequality, ideology, media representation.
  • Methods: discourse analysis, historical critique.
  • Example: Analysing news framing that labels certain migrants as "illegals".

• Dialectical Approach
  • Integrates the above three; highlights simultaneous oppositions:
  – Cultural ↔ Individual,
  – Static ↔ Dynamic,
  – Difference ↔ Similarity,
  – Past ↔ Present / Future,
  – Privilege ↔ Disadvantage,
  – Personal ↔ Contextual.
  • Encourages holding multiple truths (e.g., a Filipino-American is both Filipino and American, depending on context).

Practical / Ethical Implications

• Education: Use DMIS stages to scaffold study-abroad preparation.
• Business: Audit teams for ethnocentrism; teach tolerance of ambiguity for innovation.
• Policy: World Bank’s $7$ skills inform citizenship curricula & migrant integration programs.
• Media Literacy: Critical approach highlights need to challenge stereotypical portrayals.

Examination Logistics & Coverage Reminder

• Preliminary exam (face-to-face) scheduled Wednesday or Thursday.
• Coverage:
  1. Lesson 1 – Definition, elements, process of communication.
  2. Lesson 2 – Models of communication.
  3. Lesson 3 – Functions of communication.
• Prepare summaries; secretary will record participation during recitation practice.