INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION Flashcards
(35 cards)
culture
a complex, abstract, and pervasive matrix of socially developed assumptions that provide a framework for living, thinking, and behaving
characteristics/nature of culture
learned, transmissible, dynamic, selective, interconnected, ethnocentric
Intercultural communication
communication between members of distinct social groups
social groups of intercultural communication
macro-cultural identities, speech communities
Three types of culturally significant discourse
myths/narratives, social dramas, totemizing rituals
Assumptions about cultural identities
- cultural identities vary in salience (importance, prominence)
- different facets of cultural identities can be salient at different times
- communication is intercultural when people interact based on group identity rather than individual identity
face
the image of the self that people display in their conversations with others; metaphor for the boundaries people have in their relationships
positive face
desire to be liked and admired by others
negative face
desire to be autonomous and unconstrained
facework
the actions taken to deal with the face needs of self and others
three types of facework
tact facework, solidarity facework, approbation facework
tact facework
protecting someone’s right to make their own decisions and actions, avoiding intrusion or imposition
solidarity facework
showing support and establishing connection with others, emphasizing shared values or experiences
approbation facework
minimizing criticism and emphasizing positive qualities, to maintain a person’s self-esteem
Assumptions of face negotiation theory
- self identity is important in interpersonal interactions
- individuals negotiate their identities differently across cultures
- the management of conflict is mediated by face and culture
- certain acts threaten one’s projected self-image
face threatening acts
attacks on our positive or negative face needs
face saving
efforts to prevent events that impair one’s self-image or create embarrassment
face restoration
efforts to repair face after it has already been damaged
individualism
a cultural value that places emphasis on the individual over the group; self-face oriented
collectivism
a cultural value that places emphasis on the group over the individual
Five styles of conflict management as they relate to individualism and collectivism
- obliging (accommodating)(collectivist)
- compromising (bargaining) (collectivist)
- avoiding (withdrawing)(collectivist)
- integrating (problem solving) (individualistic)
- dominating (competing) (individualistic)
Assumptions of communication accommodation theory
- similarities and dissimilarities in speech and behavior exist in all conversations
- the manner in which we perceive another’s speech and behavior will determine how we evaluate a conversation
- language and behaviors impart information about social status and group belonging
- accommodation varies in its degree of appropriateness and norms guide the accommodation process
Three ways to accommodate speech in conversation
convergence, divergence, over-accommodation
convergence
adapting speech to become more similar to the other person