Week 4-occ corrected

What is Intercultural Communication?
Intercultural communication is the study and practice of communication across cultural
contexts. It applies equally to domestic cultural differences such as ethnicity and gender
and to international differences such as those associated with nationality or world region.
Intercultural communication is an approach to relations among members of these groups
that focuses on the recognition and respect of cultural
differences, seeks the goal of mutual adaptation leading to
biculturalism rather than simple assimilation, and supports
the development of intercultural sensitivity on the part of
individuals and organizations to enable empathic
understanding and competent coordination of action
across cultural differences.

The term "intercultural communication" is often used to refer to the wide range of communication issues
that inevitably arise within an organization composed of individuals from a variety of religious, social, ethnic,
and educational backgrounds. Each of these individuals brings a unique set of experiences and values to the
workplace, many of which can be traced to the culture in which they grew up and now operate. Businesses
that are able to facilitate effective communication—both written and verbal—between the members of these
various cultural groups will be far better equipped to succeed than will those organizations that allow
conflicts that arise from internal cultural differences to fester and harden. The failure to address and resolve
culturally based conflicts and tensions will inevitably show up in the form of diminished performance and
decreased productivity.
The importance of effective intercultural communication can hardly be
overstated. Indeed, as Trudy Milburn pointed out in Management Review,
communication serves not only as an expression of cultural background, but
as a shaper of cultural identity. "Cultural identities, like meaning, are socially
negotiated," she wrote. "Ethnic identities, class identities, and professional
identities are formed and enacted through the process of communication.
What it means to be white, Jewish, or gay is based on a communication
process that constructs those identities. It is more than just how one labels
oneself, but how one acts in the presence of like and different others, that
constructs a sense of identity and membership."

The Role of Gender in Communication
The idea that men and women are different in their ability to communicate has been one of the
most popular beliefs about gender differences that exists to this day. Whether it is with words, tone
of voice, emotional expression, or body language, the way in which males and females
communicate have been explored in a variety of ways to distinguish the characteristics that makes
us so different (Disch, 2009). It may seem obvious that males and females tend to use different
communication styles. It is commonly generalized that females communicate in a more indirect,
elaborate, and emotional, sense that can reflect uncertainty, tentativeness, and a lack of authority.
While males are perceived to have a communication style that is direct, succinct, and instrumental.
Although it may seem that the female communication style might be the weaker form, it can also
be said that females are more able to establish a rapport that encourages response because of their
ability to empathize and connect. While males’ conversational style usually centers around their
own independence, female communication style reflect their need for connectedness (von Hippel,
Wiryakusuma, Bowden, & Shochet, 2011).

The Role of Gender in Communication
One major difference between male and female communication style is in the amount of
emotion that is used in their conversations. Gendered cultural norms such as emotional
expression and communication styles are both learned in childhood through
interactions with family members and friends. Specifically, conversations that children
have with their peers help them learn appropriate emotional responses which develop
their socio-cognitive understanding. For example, females use more affiliative language
whereas males use more assertive language in conversations with both parents and peers
(Tenenbaum, Ford, & Alkhedairy, 2011).
(Churgai, 2015)

There are many stereotypes about language and culture
concerning race/ethnicity. According to Dictionary.com, language
is a body of words and the systems for their use common to
people who are of the same community or nation, the same
geographical area, or the same cultural
tradition. Dictionary.com defines culture as the behaviors and
beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group.
According to Salas, language and culture is a critical tool
in the development of an individual's identity, self awareness,
and intellectual and psychological growth. Salas also went on to
mention that "people who share the same language or dialect
often share the same feelings, beliefs, and behaviors". Language
and culture bring people together and link them with one another.
The association of people with language and culture also brings
stereotypes to that group of individuals.
Stereotypes in Language and Culture

The concepts of high context and low context refer to how people communicate in different
cultures. Differences can be derived from the extent to which meaning is transmitted through
actual words used or implied by the context.
High context implies that a lot of unspoken information is implicitly transferred during
communication. People in a high context culture such as Saudi Arabia tend to place a larger
importance on long-term relationships and loyalty and have fewer rules and structure implemented.
Low context implies that a lot of information is exchanged explicitly through the message itself and
rarely is anything implicit or hidden. People in low context cultures such as the UK tend to have
short-term relationships, follow rules and standards closely and are generally very task-oriented.
Understanding whether your international colleagues are high context or low context will help
you to adapt your communication style and build stronger relationships with them. These
concepts are covered during cross-cultural training programs such as Communicating across
Cultures and managing international teams.

Barriers to
Intercultural
Communication

ANXIETY
The feeling of not knowing what to expect from their counterparts and lack of any
knowledge about the ways to interact with them usually causes a great deal of anxiety in individuals
(Communicaid). Out of their anxiety individuals usually make small mistakes which can result in a
great deal of problems for the two parties conducting the business. For example, in the UAE it is
customary for greetings to be physical in nature such as hugs and long handshakes that are very
common.
Anxiety is usually defined as a state of human condition where a
person has a feeling of unease and nervousness. It is even sometimes
associated with the feeling of an unrealistic fear. Anxiety usually occurs
when a person usually comes across his or her first cross-cultural
interaction.

ETHNOCENTRISM
Ethnocentrism is the belief
that one's culture is superior to all
other cultures. Ethnocentrism is a term
which is mostly used in social science
in reference to the act of believing that
one’s culture is superior to all other
cultures. Ethnocentrism is used in
social sciences and anthropology to
describe the act of judging another
culture as inferior and believing that
the values and standards of one's own
culture are superior to those of all
other cultures – especially about
language, behavior, customs, and
religion.

Prejudice is an affective feeling towards a person based on
their perceived group membership. The word is often
used to refer to a preconceived, usually unfavorable,
evaluation of another person based on that person’s
political affiliation, sex, gender, beliefs, values, social class,
age, disability, religion, sexuality, race/ethnicity, language,
nationality, beauty, occupation, education, criminality,
sport team affiliation or other personal characteristics.
Gordon Allport defined prejudice as a "feeling, favorable or
unfavorable, toward a person or thing, prior to, or not
based on, actual experience".
PREJUDICE

Cultural relativism is another most notable barrier of intercultural
communication. The denial of others’ values and cultures for the
augmentation of self values and cultures refers to cultural
relativism. Cultural relativism is a notion that reflects the
superiority of a certain group. The denial of others’ values makes
cultural relativism a prominent barrier of cross-cultural
communication. It is the same like imposing your conceptions on
others’ morals and conceptions The concept of cultural relativism
is mostly found in UAE small and medium enterprises, where
employees are kept on to the adaptation of the static culture
(Flinders). The firms restrict their employees to engage with the
static culture, which indirectly affects their intercultural
communication
CULTURAL RELATIVISM

A language barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily
to refer to linguistic barriers to communication, i.e.
the difficulties in communication experienced by
people or groups originally speaking different
languages, or even dialects in some cases.
Language is an exchange gate of communication. It
refers to a source which exchanges values, ideas, and
thoughts between two exchange groups. If exchange
groups are cross cultural, definitely language can be a
major barrier of exchange. Communication gap is
there due to differences in language between
exchange groups.
LANGUAGE BARRIER

Sometimes people assume that two cultures are not different,
but are similar in their nature. For example, if an Arab prefers to
drink coffee instead of tea then others assume that coffee is a
popular drink in UAE. This is not always true as people from
different cultures have different preferences. The preference of a
person or a group of people does not reflect the entire culture.
When dealing with different cultures one must not make any
predetermined assumptions about their opposite numbers
culture. To play it safe one should assume that there are no
cultural differences between the two cultures. The best way is to
present oneself in a manner that they would do in their daily
lives and carry out activities in an orderly fashion.
ASSUMPTION OF SIMILARITY

Communication is the exchange of messages, which takes place across two certain
groups. It is a skill that some people have and especially those who live in a cross-cultural
setting. Intercultural communication is the interaction of people.
People from different values, cultures and backgrounds have to deal with issues of
intercultural communication.
There are certain barriers that come across intercultural communication. Barriers such
as prejudice, anxiety, ethnocentrism, language, and assumption of similarity are most
significant ones to consider.
On a conclusive node, these barriers are significant and have to be removed to make cross-
cultural communication effective.
For this purpose, a solution for cross-cultural communicators is that individuals must
attain a basic understanding of each others’ cultures and thoughts. This will reduce the impact
of the interfering barriers that come across while engaging in a cross cultural interaction.
Importance of Knowing the Barriers of Intercultural Communication

Video Credits to Mr. Biboy Tacardon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGRkVqr8EII

1. Give at least 2-3 values that you care deeply about? Where do you draw them from?
________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. What cultural affinities do you have (cultural group that you are part of, or admire) and why do you
find the important?
________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. What are you hoping to learn and practice in taking this course?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Directions: Identify what is asked to
the following questions.
______1. Shared thoughts and feelings of bodily behavior, time and space.
______2. The way in which cultures employ symbols to portray things and experienced.
______3. This refers to the business education, heath tourism and personal relation to others.
______4. An affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership.
______5. Often used to refer to the wide range of communication issues that inevitably arise within an
organization
______6. Refers to linguistic barriers to communication
______ 7. Act of judging another culture as inferior and believing that the values and standards of one's own
culture.
______8. The denial of others’ values and cultures for the augmentation of self values and cultures refers to
_____.
______9. This usually occurs when a person usually comes across his or her first cross-cultural interaction.
______10. This refers to one of major difference between male and female communication style is called
_____.

1. Explicate the concept of High and Low Context Culture using your own understanding.
________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. Based on the barriers of intercultural communication, did you experience any of those?
________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. How are you going to promote intercultural communication as a students?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

• Bennett, Milton. Revised Edition, Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication: Paradigms, Principles, & Practices. Boston: Intercultural Press, 2013
Brislin, Richard. Working with Cultural Differences: Dealing Effectively with Diversity in the Workplace (Contributions in Psychology Number 51). Westport, Conn: Praeger,
2009.
• Rose, B. (2020, May 8). Barriers to Intercultural Communication [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://ivypanda.com/essays/barriers-to-intercultural-communication/
• Churgai, D. (2015 January 26). The influence of genderon communication style. Retrieved on May 22, 2020 from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/influence- gender-communication-
style-debbie-churgai
• Tacardon, B. (2016 September 28) Intercultural communication. Retrieved on May 22, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGRkVqr8EII
• https://www.google.com/search?q=intercultural+communication&sxsrf=ALeKk00smI27v7ZbEyKBozaP3tn4j7Me7w:1590041611849&source=lnms&tbm=isch&s
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• https://www.google.com/search?q=intercultural+communication&sxsrf=ALeKk00smI27v7ZbEyKBozaP3tn4j7Me7w:1590041611849&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKE
wiQ287LpsTpAhVNzIsBHQJUCQsQ_AUoAXoECBQQAw&biw=1366&bih=655#imgrc=gTgtG348SkyZUM
• https://www.google.com/search?q=intercultural+communication&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiK1oS1qcTpAhUF0pQKHSyNB68Q2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=intercultural+communication&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1AAWABggscCaABwAHgAgAEAiAEAkgEAmAEAqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWc&sclient=img&ei=AR_GXsrR
MIWk0wSsmp74Cg&bih=655&biw=1350&hl=en#imgrc=IvAMoZcYju02pM
• https://www.google.com/search?q=intercultural+communication&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwib2vmkqsTpAhVMXJQKHdb7DEUQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=inter&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgAMgQIIxAnMgQIIxAnMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyBQgAEIMBUIgsWPU0YKs-
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• https://www.google.com/search?q=intercultural+&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwj8pIfsqsTpAhWyG6YKHRRXD5IQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=intercultural+&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1D18wtY9fMLYOL0C2gAcAB4AIABAIgBAJIBAJgBAaABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img
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• https://www.google.com/search?q=cultural+relativism&hl=en&sxsrf=ALeKk015U-xM0KJTI-
ItH23C7dV04n1nkA:1590114878681&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjrq_vDt8bpAhVVIqYKHR16Cc4Q_AUoAXoECBQQAw&biw=1366&bih=655#imgrc=ovYhU
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• https://www.google.com/search?q=language+barrier&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi2lJCquMbpAhWTAKYKHXPvB1QQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=language+&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgCMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BAgjECdQ8OoT
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