6 Imperatives of Intercultural Communication

1. Technological

2. Demographic

3. Economic

4. Peace

5. Self-Awareness

6. Ethical

3 Paradigms Used to Study Intercultural Communication

1.Interpretive Approach

(Observation)

2. Functionalist/Social Science Approach

(Test/Survey)

3. Critical

(Conglomerate of Data)

7 Elements to Speech Communication

Process Model

1. Speaker

2. Listener

3. Message

4.Channel

5.Feedback

6.Interference

7. Situation

3 Aspects of Cultural Patterns

1. Beliefs

2. Values

3. Norms

5 Categories of Human Values

(Kluckhohn & Strodbeck)

1. Human Nature

2. Relationship to Nature

3. Sense of Time

4. Activity

5. Social Relationships

5 Steps to Perception Process

1. Observe available data

2. Choose what data to select & process

it for the future

3. Define the data to build expectations

for the future

4. Expectations determine our future behavior

5. Behavior affects the other's perceptions

3 Perception Process Components

1. Attributive- what we give

2. Expectative- what we predict

3. Affective- what we feel

3 Steps to Perception Checking

1. Description of the behavior you notice

2. At least 2 possible interpretations of

the behavior

3. A request for the clarification about how

to interpret the behavior

3 Aspects of Social Cognition

1. People (physical constructs, implicit personality

theory, self-fulfilling prophecy,

cognitive complexity)

2. Relationships (self monitoring)

3. Behavior (attribution theory)

5 Attribution Errors

1. Personality Error

2. Group Bias

3. Egocentric Bias

4. Premature Closure

5. Negativity

4 Characteristics of a Competent Intercultural

Communicator

1.Increase the complexity of our stereotypes

2. Question our unconscious assumption that

most, if not all, members of a group fit a

single stereotype.

3. Cultivate mindfulness- a state of "alert &

lively awareness".

4. Focus on the process of communication,

not the outcome.

Formation of Cultural Identity

1. Unexamined Cultural Identity

2. Cultural Identity Search

3. Cultural Identity Achievement

8 Social & Cultural Identities

1. Gender

2. Age

3. Racial & Ethnic

4. Religious

5. Class

6. National

7. Regional

8. Personal

Frame of Reference

Your take on things; who you are

Primary Dimension of Diversity

-Aspects of ourselves that we cannot change

-For the most part, physically visible

 -Characteristics we are most sensitive about

Secondary Dimension of Diversity

-Things around us that we have the power to change, disclose, or conceal.

-Characteristics we are less sensitive about.

Intercultural Communication

Occurs whenever a minimum of 2 persons from different cultures come together and exchange verbal & nonverbal symbols (contextual)

Culture

Set of values & beliefs, norms & customs, and

rules & codes that socially defines a group of

people, binds them to one another, and gives a sense of commonality.

Cultural Patterns

Shared beliefs, values, and norms that are stable over time and lead to similar behaviors across similar situations.

Beliefs

Ideas about the world that people assume

to be true

Values

Things we hold dear.

Norms

Socially shared expectations of appropriate behavior; outwards manisfestations of beliefs & values.

Perception

How we select, organize, and interpret the stimuli we receive through out senses to create meaning.

In-Group

Our culture, our family, our friends

- People we perceive as like us.

Out-Group

Those outside of our in-group who we perceive

as not like us.

Ethnocentricism

Judging the customs of other cultures by the standards of one's own culture; considering your own culture to be superior, most moral, efficient,

logical, etc.

Cultural Relativism

Viewing the beliefs and customs of other people within the context of their culture. Suspending judgement and making the effort to understand another culture in its own terms.

5 American Cultural Norms

1. Emphasis on promptness & time

2. Direct explicit communication

3. Competitive Spirit

4. Rugged Individualism

5. Informality in Relationships

5 "Other" Cultural Norms

1. Emphasis on harmony and order

2. Respect for authority

3. Collectivism

4. Focus on relationship building

5. Emphasis on saving face

Social Cognition

(People, Relationships, Behavior)

The way we make a coherent "picture" of

any event.

4 Physical Constructs

(Social Cognition)

1. Physical

2. Role (Social Position)

3. Interaction (Comm.)

4. Psychological (Disposition)

Implicit Personality Theory

(Social Cognition)

Individual traits are related to other traits;

when we see "one", we assume the person

possesses the other traits in that cluster

as well.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

(Social Cognition)

-Person A believes X about Person B

-Person A behaves toward B as if X is a fact

-A's behavior causes B to behave just as A

expected.

Cognitive Complexity

(Social Cognition)

Quantity and quality of cognitions in evaluating others.

-With more cognitive complexity, one is better

able to emphasize other's position & adapt to

other cultures.

Self Monitoring

Our ability to be aware of and adapt our self

 image to the current situation.

3 Principles of the Attribution Theory

1. People attempt to determine the causes of behavior.

2. People assign causes systematically.

3. The attributed cause affects our perception

and our behavior.

Personality Error

(Attribution Error)

Underestimating the influence of situational factors

Group Bias

(Attribution Error)

Positive behavior to personality and negative

behavior to situation for in-group members,

& vice versa for out-group members.

Egocentric Bias

(Attribution Error)

The tendency to see our own behavior as normal

and appropriate; holding others to a higher

standard than ourselves

Premature Closure

(Attribution Error)

The tendency to stop searching for explanations

once we believe ours is reasonable and relevant;

stopping at a label.

Negativity

(Attribution Error)

The tendency to over-emphasize negative information about others.

Stereotype

A generalization about a group of people that can be positive or negative; making assertions about the characteristics of all people who belong to a certain category.

Prejudice

Negative attitudes toward others based on faulty & inflexible stereotypes; viewing differences as weakness

Discrimination

Overt & inadvertent; behaviors exhibited as a result of prejudice.

Racism

The tendency by groups with "power" to use that power to oppress members of groups who do no have access to the same kinds of power; oppression.

Avowal

How we perceive ourselves; our true identity

Ascription

The identity others give us.