Lesson 2 Flashcards
- Be aware of your own
cultural attitudes - Understand other worldviews
- Develop culturally appropriate interpersonal skills
FRAMEWORK IN DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Orientation to Groups
Orientation To Time
orientation to Power and Authority
orientation to Gender
Eckert (2006) gives four orientations that result to opposing worldviews.
Individualism is a social orientation which places more importance in an individual’s own needs, rights, or choices over a collectives or groups.
Collectivism, on the other hand, values a group more than an individual.
- Orientation to Groups
Clock-oriented cultures value observance to time and schedule, punctuality and organization.
In contrast, event-oriented cultures see time as abstract and flexible, not fixed or rigid.
- Orientation to Time
Hierarchical - cultures draw attention to status, social classes, titles, and degrees.
Egalitarian - cultures pride on equality and opportunities for all. People here strive to empower,for instance, women and minority groups.
- Orientation to Power
and Authority
Masculine cultures - see ambition, decision making, wage-earning as values associated to males as leaders of home and the society.
Feminine culture- s prefer enabling and nurturing relationships. Feminine culture as egalitarian.
- Orientation to Gender
is the belief that one’s own culture ways are superior to other cultures. It prevents you from seeing the perspectives of other people practicing cultural beliefs different from yours.
Ethnocentrism
is the practice of categorizing and generalizing about a certain race or ethnic group based on a distorted view of that group.
- Stereotyping
is a negative attitude toward a cultural group based on little or no experience of that group.
- Prejudice
is the explicit action we take to exclude or avoid others. It takes stereotypes and prejudice a step further to either personal action such as excluding someone from a coversation; or collective action such as excluding others from jobs or economic opportunities.
- Discrimination
Gestures have different meanings across cultures; what’s friendly in one place may be offensive in another.
- Emblems:
Gestures that show emotions vary by culture. In China, women cover their mouths to express joy, while in Uruguay, a wringing motion shows anger.
- Affect Displays
Arabs stand closer when talking, while Americans prefer more space. This difference can lead to misunderstandings.
3.Personal Distance:
In Western cultures, direct eye contact shows trust, while in some Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern cultures, avoiding eye contact shows respect.
4.Eye Contact
Facial expressions are universal, with six common ones—anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise.
- Facial Displays of Emotion
Westerners shake hands, Mediterraneans kiss both cheeks, and Asians bow, with deeper bows showing more respect.
- Greeting Behavior
Monochronic cultures (U.S., Canada, Germany) value punctuality, while polychronic cultures (France, Brazil, Mexico) see time as flexible.
- Time Orientations
France, Mexico, and Greece are high-contact, Japan, Sweden, and Finland are low-contact, while the U.S. is medium-contact.
- Touch
English speakers use “umm” and “err,” while Chinese speakers say “zhege zhege” as fillers.
- Vocalics
