Communication Across Cultures

1. CommunicationAcross Cultures Dan Pratt Josh Fernandez Charles Rath Laura Thomas Lindsey Hughes

2. “…the values, attitudes, beliefs, orientations, and underlying assumptions prevalent among people in a society” - Dominant Cultures - Co-Cultures http://jrenseyblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/muslim-culture-in-us.jpg

3. Intercultural communication occurs when interactions are affected by the differences between those cultures. -Culture Shock

4. Factors that effect differences in culture: • Age • Religion • Race and Ethnicity • Social Class • Sex and Gender

5. Age and Communication • Age has a strong impact on communication due to the large difference in experiences. • Differences in technology have created some of the largest communication issues. • “…the conceptual world of the two generations are very different. And so are the ways in which they have learned to learn: the young people of today understand instinctively that their games are their very best teachers.” – Marc Prensky

6. Age and Communication • Have you ever had to introduce a parent or grandparent to a smartphone? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyahTmX_sIs

7. Religion • Religion is frequently the most controversial topic among individuals when opinions differ. • In communication, religion not only can cause argumentative situations, but it can also simply be the source of a common misunderstanding. http://www.cuttingedge.org/NEWS/earth7.jpg

8. According to the World Almanac, only 6.6 million people are non-religious or atheist. • Over 10 major religions and over 25 sects are listed in the Encyclopedia of Religious Practices

9. Stereotypes and Prejudice

10. Race and Ethnicity • Different racial and ethnic groups are parts of different cultures. • Communication is largely affected by the ethnic group you belong to. • The major barriers are verbal and non-verbal communication • Ethnocentrism plays a big part in misunderstandings. The larger countries tend to think the whole world operates the same way they do.

11. Verbal • Each culture has it’s own language, so communication between different ethnic groups and cultures can be difficult. • “To do so [translating], one has to have deep understandings of both cultures and both languages.” – Lim • Basically the key to understanding language is understanding the culture.

12. Non-verbal • Just like words, gestures also have different meanings across cultures. • Max Kirch, in The Modern Journal of Language, states that the use of foreign gestures can cause just as much confusion as the use of foreign words. • It creates a “foreign accent” if you will

13. Social Class • Determined by income, education, occupation, and social habits • Often determines where one lives, therefore who associates with one another.

14. Types of Social Classes • Capitalist • Upper-Middle • Middle • Working • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC6izGmBox0&feature=related

15. Sex and Gender

16. Masculine and Feminine Cultures Masculine Cultures (Mexico, Italy, Japan) • Maintain traditional sex roles • Often value masculine traits more highly Hofstede (2000) Feminine Cultures (Norway, Denmark, Sweden) • Fewer sex-role expectations • Men and women take on a variety of roles dependent on context

17. Gender Traits Masculine Traits Emphasis on: • Performance • Ambition • Assertiveness • Competitiveness • Material success Feminine Traits Emphasis on: • Service • Nurturing • Investment in relationships • Helping behaviors

18. Communication in Masculine and Feminine Cultures In masculine cultures: • Men less likely to be nurturing or caring • Women less likely to be assertive or argue persuasively In feminine cultures: • Both men and women tend to have a mix of traits • Tend to be more flexible in the way they communicate

19. Examples of Differences in Communication • When women have a problem or need to make a decision, they are more likely to talk to other women • Women are relationship oriented • Look for things in common to relate with other women • Men keep their problems to themselves • Don’t see the point in sharing their personal issues • Status and dominance are important to men Lieberman “Differences in Male and Female Communication Styles”

20. Examples of Differences in Communication • “Women get things done at work by building relationships” • Women focus on bonding by sharing experiences and asking questions • “Men build relationships when they are working on tasks with each other” • Men like to tell and give information rather than ask questions • Men share experiences as a way of establishing dominance