ch 10 communication and culture Flashcards
(32 cards)
culture
culture is part of everything we think, do, feel and believe
is our way of life
system of ideas, values, beliefs structures and practices that is communicated by one generation to the next & that sustains a particular way of life
T or F : does our culture directly shape how we communicate
TRUE
define how cultures are systems
a culture is a coherent system of understandings, traditions, values, communication practices and ways of living
example: at ecu we believe if you walk under the cupola you will not gradate in 4 years!
what are the 5 dimensions culture vary on?
- individualism/collectivism
- uncertainty avoidance
- power distance
- masculinity/femininity
- long term/ short term orientation
Individualism/ Collectivism [ a dimension of culture ]
refers to the extent to which members of a culture understand themselves as part of and connected to their families, groups and cultures
high collectivism cultures (China, Pakistan) peoples identities are deeply tied to their families
high individualism cultures (USA, Australia) people tend to think of themselves as individuals who act independent
Uncertainty Avoidance [ a dimension of culture ]
extent to which people try to avoid ambiguity and vagueness
example: some cultures uncertainty is more tolerated and expectations are more flexible (Hong Kong)
other cultures like everything explicitly in order to avoid misunderstandings (South Korea)
Power Distance [ a dimension of culture ]
the size of the gap between people with high and low power and the extent to which that gap is regarded normal
low power distance: people assume those in power have earned it, rather than gaining power from being in powerful families (high power distance)
Masculinity/Femininity [ a dimension of culture ]
a culture values aggressiveness, competitiveness, looking out for yourself and dominating others and nature —would be considered masculine orientations
gentleness, cooperation, taking care of others, living in harmony with the natural world–would be considered Feminine orientations
Long-term/Short-term Orientation [ a dimension of culture ]
what members of a culture think about and long term (history and future) vs. short term (present)
examples: long term- respect for elders and ancestors are valued in cultures with a long term orientation
living for the moment, not saving for a rainy day and not much respect for ancestors would be short term
how are cultures dynamic?
cultures evolve and change over time
what are the 4 sources of cultural change
- invention
- diffusion
- calamity
- communication
what is the meaning invention as a cultural change
creation of tools, ideas and practices
EX: the USA founded the concept of democracy and its influenced laws, rights and responsibilities
what is the meaning of diffusion as a cultural change
involves borrowing from other cultures
example: Americans use lots of words imported from other cultures like touché, yin & yang
what is the meaning of calamity as a cultural change
a bad event that bring about change in a culture ( natural disaster, war, disease )
what is the meaning of communication as a cultural change
how people communicate brings change by naming things that shape how we understand them
it sustains and spreads culture
example: a tool of social movements, communication requires changes in cultural life MLK. JR demanded rights in the USA, or more recently #BlackLivesMatter even #loveislove
what are social communities aka cocultures
are groups of people who live within a dominant culture, yet also are members of another group that is not dominant in that culture
what is high-context communication style
you need context!
indirect and undetailed, it is assumed that people are deeply interconnected
this type of communication is popular in collectivist cultures and social communities (think China)
what is low-context communication style
the direct, detailed communication
individualistic cultures and social communities use this
ex: priority is given to personal freedom, independence and individual rights (think USA)
what are the guidelines for improving communication between cultures and social communities
- ethnocentrism
- cultural relativism
- recognize that interacting w/ diverse people is a process (resistance, tolerance, understanding, respect, participation)
what is ethnocentrism?
apart of a guideline to improve culture/social communities communication
the tendency to regard ourselves and out way of life as superior to other people and other ways of life
what is cultural relativism?
it recognizes that cultures vary in how they think, act and behave as well as in what they believe and value
cultural relativism reminds us that something that appears odd may seem normal from a pov in a different culture (French eating horses is difficult to understand in the US)
what are the 5 responses to diversity
resistance ( want no part in culture, their own practices are better) assimilation can happen where ppl give up own ways to adopt to the dominant culture
tolerance ( can accept differences even if we might not approve or even understand them)
understanding ( driven to learn about cultural aspects)
respect ( understand the “whys” of things in that culture and value differences)
participation (we incorporate some of the practices and values of other groups into our own life like being multilingual )
The use of one’s own culture and its practices as the standard for interpreting the values, beliefs, and norms of another culture is known as
ethnocentrism
Dejon is very connected to his family and values harmony and group interdependence. Dejon comes from a culture that would be considered?
collectivistic
