Culture and Visual Communication

1. Culture and Visual Communication TC 151: Visual Communication

2. Culture and How We Communicate • Culture influences our communication practices. • Epistemology: underlying beliefs we don’t even know we have. • Certain “cultural aspects” display themselves through communication.

3. Specific Cultural Aspects • Power-distance • Masculinity vs. Femininity • High and low context • Globalizing vs. Localizing

4. Power-distance: High vs. Low • High power-distance: a very vertical power structure, where power-authorities have influence in many contexts. • Low power-distance: a more flattened power structure, where power-authorities only have influence in certain context, and that influence is limited.

5. Masculinity and Femininity • The value placed on traditionally male and female values. • Masculine values equate to ambition, accumulation of wealth, competition, the urge to dominate. • Feminine values equate to the urge to cooperate, the sharing of resources, and a more democratic power structure.

6. High and Low Context • Refers to the amount of information delivered simply by the context of the communication • High context culture will leave much unsaid, depending on culture to fill in the gaps. • Low context culture will leave little unsaid, attempting to ensure no misunderstandings.

7. Globalizing and Localizing • Globalizing: attempting to create a standard theme, brand or product that attempts to fit the entire globe. • Localizing: attempting to create multiple themes, brands or products that closely fit the attitudes and cultures of different regions.