Intercultural Communication

Syllabus:

A student:

P1 – Identifies and applies social and cultural concepts

Introduction:

Focus Questions:

Paraphrase definitions for the related depth study concepts.
Describe the cultural ‘iceberg’ with examples.
Propose ways communication has changed.

Verb Match-up:

You know the drill!

Topic Focus:

From NESA:

“The focus of this study is to understand how people in different social, cultural and environmental settings behave, communicate and perceive the world around them so that they can better understand each other and their world. “

Fundamental Concepts:

Fundamental course concepts used throughout this topic:

Persons
Society
Culture
Environment
Time

Additional Concepts:

Additional course concepts used throughout this topic:

Power
Authority
Gender
Identity
Technologies
Globalisation

Related Depth Study Concepts

Acculturation
Continuity & change
Cultural heritage
Cultural relativism

Cultural transmission
Customs
Cultural diversity
Stereotypes
Values

Activity:

Using the following slides, put in your own words the definitions of each of the related course concepts in your books.

Related Concepts.pptx

Nature of Communication:

Culture has two parts:

The parts we can see and hear
The parts we can’t see or hear

Communication for the first group is easy.

But communication for the second is not.

Some examples of the different parts are shown below. Write them in your books.

Homework:

If we learnt about a culture using only what we can see (tip of the iceberg), what should we expect?
Through technologies & globalisation, our ability to communicate between cultures is expanding. Using what you’ve just learnt about culture, why might this be problematic?
Propose some ways communication has changed.

I want to hear your answers during the lesson on Wednesday.

Syllabus:

Students will develop knowledge and understanding of the nature of communication through a study of:

how culture determines the ways individuals encode messages, what mediums they choose for transmitting them, and the ways messages are interpreted

The Nature of Communication

Focus Questions:

Contrast low and high-context cultures.
Provide examples of low and high-context communication.
Outline the communication process.

Verb Match-up

Revision:

What is an example of:
1. Acculturation
2. Continuity
3. Cultural heritage
4. Cultural relativism
What is the culture ‘iceberg’ concept?
Why might intercultural communication be problematic?

What does the word 'context' mean?

Edward Hall was a social researcher who looked at communication in cultures.

His research led to the separation of cultures into high- and low-context.

High-context Cultures

Focus on relationships when communicating.
Culturally-specific language is common.
Posture, tone and body language are more important than words.
To understand communication, one needs to know the culture (context-specific).
Examples: Middle East, Asia, Africa & South America.

Low-context Cultures

Language is logical.
People value directness & facts.
Discussions end in action & actions are based on facts, not intuition or gut feeling.
Communicators are expected to be precise & straightforward.
Examples: North America, New Zealand & England.

Question:

What kind of culture do you think Australia would fit into? Why?

Question:

What problems might arise when someone from a low-context culture tries to communicate in a high-context culture?
When might it be important that we use low-context communication in our culture?

High-context: greetings, emotional support, jokes

Low-context: giving directions/instructions, teaching someone, describing something

The Communication Process

When we communicate we know there are often factors that impact how clearly our message is received.

What might be some of these factors?

Step 1

The Sender creates a message that is shaped by their personal experiences and cultural background. This is called encoding.

Step 2

The Receiver must now decode this message. This process is influenced by their own personal experiences and cultural background.

Step 3

Once decoded, the Receiver will encode feedback for the Sender.

Step 4

Can you guess what the Sender has to do with the feedback?

The Sender will now decode the feedback.

This loop keeps repeating itself as the conversation takes place.

Question:

Looking at the communication process, at what points is there the greatest possibility for miscommunication to happen?

Activity:

While watching the clips below, try to identify the 4 steps on the communication process.

mg1.mp4

mg2.mp4

Discussion:

What are some ways your family communicate?

What methods of communication are most effective for you?

Syllabus:

Students will develop knowledge and understanding of the nature of communication through a study of:

Verbal and non-verbal communication

Verbal vs Non-verbal Communication

Focus Questions:

Describe verbal and non-verbal communication.
Outline some factors that influence verbal communication
List some examples of idioms & slang from a variety of cultures.
Identify uses of non-verbal communication.

Verb Match-up

Revision

What is the difference between high- and low-context cultures?
When in our culture do we use high-context messages?
What about low-context messages?
How does communication happen?
When does miscommunication normally occur?

Write the following down:

Activity:

Try saying the following phrase to the person next to you using only verbal communication. In other words, you can’t use tone, volume or facial expressions.

“Oh my God.”

Now use non-verbal cues to show multiple meanings for this phrase.

You can also do this with the phrase “Yes!”.

Bit of Both

Communication is complex!

When we have a conversation with someone we rely on a combination of verbal and non-verbal cues to help us decode a message.

Have you ever misinterpreted the way someone felt online?

Why do you think this happens?

Influencing Factors

There are a number of factors that influence how well we can verbally communicate.

What might these be?

We also need to ensure clarity when using written communication.

Cultural Differences

We often use idioms and slang when we talk.

Who knows what an idiom is?

What are some examples of slang & idioms we use that people from other cultures may not understand?

We will now go through some idioms and slang from other cultures.

Asia

Phrase: “…the sick man of (something or somewhere).”

Meaning: Something or some place that is particularly unsound or doomed to fail.

Example: “Due in large part to years of indecision in its parliament, Greece has been the sick man of Europe.”

Slang: Keren

Meaning: something that is really cool.

America

Many American idioms we already know. Here’s one you might not.

Phrase: “Take the wind out of your sails. ”

Meaning: to be disappointed.

Example: "It really took the wind out of my sails when I found out I didn't get the promotion.”

Slang: Jonesing

Meaning: to crave something.

Example: ”I’m really Jonesing for a pie.”

England

Phrase: “Why aye, man!”

Meaning: Yes! A positive, excited or enthusiastic proclamation of agreement. To soften the enthusiasm replace ‘man’ with ‘pet’.

Example: “Do you want to hang out this weekend?” “Why aye, man.”

Slang: Canny

Meaning: good, pretty or nice; a compliment often about someone’s looks.

Australia

Phrase: “She’ll be right.”

Meaning: Everything will be okay.

Example: “Nah don’t worry mate, she’ll be right.

Slang: the shits

Meaning: to be angry or annoyed.

Changing Times

Language is so fast changing.

Try to guess the meaning of some of the following phrases.

Syllabus:

Students will develop knowledge and understanding of the nature of communication through a study of:

the impact of changing communication technologies on:

intra-generational interaction
language usage
cross-generational interaction
social interaction
cross-cultural interaction
globalisation.

Changing Technologies

Focus Questions:

Explain what a ‘digital footprint’ is.
Deduce who owns our online content.
Outline how technology impacts communication. (big question)

Changing Times

Communication has had its most intense changes all in the last 30 years.

First it was the introduction of landline phones into our houses.

Then it was mobile phones.

Texting.

The internet.

Facetiming.

While studies have shown that we are being more interactive, we are choosing less and less to have face-to-face conversations.

Digital Footprint

Your digital footprint refers to the trail of bread crumbs you leave on the internet every time you use it.

This includes posts, comments, likes, reactions, messages etc.

This trail is always and easily accessible.

What we are yet to see is the impact our digital footprint may have on our future career paths, seeing as Generation Y & Z are only now beginning to enter the workforce.

Discussion

What do your social media accounts reflect about your personality/identity?
Can our social media accounts impact our reputation?
Be careful when sharing or discussing your political views online as this can jeopardise your employment.

Questions:

Who owns your online data like your posts, photos and messages?

Do you own them or does Instagram/Facebook/Snapchat?

Well, in 2016, Facebook sold the data of users, proving that we don’t really own our online information.

Changing Social Patterns

With the introduction of new technologies have come new social norms.

For example, if you go to a tourist hotspot, it’s completely normal for people to be on their phones, sharing the images they take.

If we go back to the pre-internet era, it would have been normal for people to take photos, but these would get shared with loved ones later on.

We are opting more and more for temporary communication through apps such as Snapchat.

Non-verbal impacts

Younger generations often hold face-to-face conversations while also being on their phones.

How might this impact the communication process?

By multitasking in this sense, non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and body language are not included.

Remember that these cues make up majority of the way we communicate.

Verbal impacts

The internet has its own type of language.

Can you think of words that you use only when communicating online?

Even the phrase “Google it” came about as a result of the internet.

This technology has completely reshaped language.

It is often generation-specific language.

Text Language

When phones only contained number key pads text language involved shortening words as much as possible.

E.g. you = u, late = L8, see = c

As devices began to feature QWERTY keyboards, text language has reverted back to formal English.

Image Sharing

Two people can have an entire conversation by sharing memes.

Once memes got boring, people began to use GIFs.

Where do you think online language will go next?

Environmental Impacts

There are differences in what each generation consider acceptable regarding technology use in social situations.

For example, Generation Z may think it’s okay and understandable to have their phone at the dinner table, whereas Baby Boomers may disagree.

This leads to varied expectations and conflict in social settings.

Generational Impacts

As online language develops, so do the gaps between generations.Each generation uses technology and the internet differently.

Therefore, when Generation Z comes up with new slang, Generation X has no idea what’s going on.

This can lead to generations divides and conflict.

This is why my mum sent me “lol” at the end of every message until I explained that it didn’t mean ‘lots of love’. #smh 🤦🏻‍♀️

Just breathe...

These generational divides mean that workplaces can be frustrating environments when communication is not flowing.

All generations should be aware of the potential language barriers arising as a result of differing internet use.

Remember to be calm and considerate when you call your colleague snatched but they get offended.

What's okay?

Texting vs Emailing vs Socials

Different modes of online communication call for different types of language.

How do you use language when texting or on social media?

It’s important that when you write an email, you always begin by addressing your recipient and speak formally.

Emotional Impacts

Technology has allowed us to develop a sense of belonging, connecting with like-minded groups.

However, when writing from behind a screen, emotions and empathy are often lost.

This makes it a lot easier for some people to say things they would not normally say to someone’s face.

This is what we refer to as cyber bullying.

Cultural Impacts

Individuals from different cultures can now communicate more than ever before.

This has led to multicultural and a wider acceptance of foreign cultures. However, it has also encouraged acculturation.

Services like Google Translate mean that language barriers are no longer a thing.

The risk is cultural imperialism – the idea that core nations knows what’s best and tries to enforce their norms/expectations.

Discussion

What is the term used to describe the international sharing of ideas, technologies and trade?

This is the classic chicken and the egg scenario…

Discussion

‘Cultural diffusion’ is the idea that cultures are becoming very similar and less unique e.g. clothing and beauty trends.

Do you think the internet will encourage cultural diffusion to the point where we don’t have unique, separate cultures?

We have already discussed freedom of speech; however, now we will look at how much freedom you have on social media.

Has anyone ever had a post banned or removed before?

Facebook & Instagram have very detailed Community Guidelines that are in place to protect users of these services.

However, you should question how much these remove the human right – freedom of expression

Instagram Community Guidelines

Revision

What is a digital footprint?
Who owns our online content?
What are some of the major impacts technology had had on communication?
Has this impact been for worse or better?

Syllabus:

A student:

P9 – uses appropriate course language and concepts suitable for different audiences and contexts

Writing Skills

Question:

Evaluate the impact technology has had on communication.

(Extended response – 3 body paragraphs)

Structure

Syllabus:

Examine ONE of the following theories and identify its strengths and weaknesses:

Communication Accommodation Theory

Cross-Cultural Adaptation Theory

Communication Accommodation Theory

Discussion:

Before we get going, what does the word ‘accommodation’ mean?

What do you do if you accommodate for someone?

Origins:

Invented by Howard Giles in the 1970s.

Aim: to explain why we change the way we speak when communicating with different people.

Example: how you communicate with your grandparents is different to how you communicate with your siblings.

Key Idea:

In order to effectively communicate, people change their behaviours, language, tone and volume to accommodate for the other person.

Main Assumptions:

People use social norms to adapt their behavior when communicating.
People bring similarities and differences when communicating. The more similarities, the more likely they will accommodate for any differences.
When we start communicating we evaluate the situation to determine how to adjust our behaviours and speech.
When people from different cultures communicate, they will adapt to the person who has higher-status, speaking more clearly, slower or with an accent.

How Do We Adapt?

According to Giles, people will adapt in 1 of 3 ways:

Convergence
Divergence
Over-accommodation

Convergence

Converge = come together

Convergence occurs when a person changes their behaviours and speech to be more similar to the other person.

This might mean using certain words, changing their pitch or volume, or standing differently.

This is done to seek approval off the other person.

Can you think of other examples of this?

Convergence Examples:

convergence1.mp4

convergence2.mp4

Divergence

Diverge = move away from, become dissimilar

This occurs when someone makes the differences between themselves and the other person more obvious.

In what type of conversations do you think this type of accommodation is used?

This can express conflict or discontent with the conversation.

Divergence Example:

divergence1.mp4

Over-accommodation

Over-accommodation happens when someone tries to compensate for the difference in linguistic ability too much.

It can often come across as offensive, rude or patronising.

Examples: speaking too loudly, too slowly or using simple language.

Strengths

It is supported by a large amount of research from other academics.
It’s simple to understand when explaining communication as divergent or convergent.

Weaknesses

The convergent-divergent frame simplifies conversation too much. It is more complex than this. People may swap between these in one conversation.
Doesn’t cater for high levels of conflict when communicating.

Page updated

Report abuse