Running head: COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL 1

Components of
Inte!u"tua" Communi!ation
Tiaa #o"pe
Otta$a Uni%esit&
'une ()* (+1,
COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL
Components of
Inte!u"tua" Communi!ation
Intepesona" !onf"i!t !an -e e.a!e-ated duing inte!u"tua" intea!tions/ Limited
e.posue to othe !u"tues !an "ead to negati%e steeot&ping/ O%egenea"i0ations ha%e
!onsidea-"e imp"i!ations fo inte!u"tua" !ommuni!ation/
The pima& !omponent of inte!u"tua" !ommuni!ation is !u"tue* $hi!h is a 1e& e"ement
in identit& de%e"opment/ On!e an identit& is esta-"ished* a we versus them menta"it& ma& fo""o$*
$hi!h !an "ead to dis!iminato& pa!ti!es/
It is impotant to a-o"ish dis!imination in e%e& dimension* in!"uding the $o1 p"a!e*
$hee man& inte!u"tua" intea!tions often o!!u/ Inte!u"tua" !ommuni!ation !an -e!ome
futhe s1e$ed -& non%e-a" messages/ 2ue to the !ompounding effe!ts of an in!easing"&
di%ese demogaphi! and g"o-a"i0ation* -e!oming !u"tua""& !ompetent is a $oth& pusuit/
Popular Culture
3hi"e man& s!ho"as o%e"oo1 the inf"uen!e of popu"a !u"tue in so!iet&* it is a main
!onstituent of an indi%idua"4s identit& de%e"opment/ Communi!ation pofesso 'ohn Fis1e
e.p"ained that !u"tue is 5the a!ti%e po!ess of geneating and !i!u"ating meanings and p"easues
$ithin a so!ia" s&stem67 8Matin 9 Na1a&ama* (+1,* p/(+:;/ Theefoe* popu"a !u"tue is moe
%a"ua-"e than simp"& goods to -e so"d fo a pofit/ The ideas and o-<e!ts that a popu"ation assigns
meaning and p"easue to* ae a podu!t of popu"a !u"tue inf"uen!e/
The !i!u"ation of these ideas ae u-i=uitous to the e.tent that most indi%idua"s do not
e%en ea"i0e the& ae -eing -om-aded -& these inf"uen!es/ The ad%ent of so!ia" media futhes
the omnipesen!e of popu"a !u"tue/ This !u"tue is -oth geneated -& and manifested in mo%ies*
musi!* and fashion/
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COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL
The &outh of so!iet& ae moe sus!epti-"e to the fo!e of popu"a !u"tue/ Sus!epti-i"it&
often diminishes $ith age/ This a!!ounts fo geneationa" diffeen!es $ithin a so!iet&/ 2iffeing
geneations genea""& ho"d diffeent %a"ues/ This !an -e atti-uted to the popu"a !u"tue
inf"uen!e duing the espe!ti%e &ouths/ Popu"a !u"tue affe!ts identit& fomation -& infoming
the genea" popu"ation of so!ia" noms* $hi!h se%e as guide"ines in so!iet& 8Matin 9
Na1a&ama* (+1,;/
Discrimination
3hi"e popu"a !u"tue !an po%ide a -onding e.peien!e fo its goup mem-es* it !an
distan!e those mem-es fom outsides/ On!e ideas a-out so!ia" noma"!& ae fim"& esta-"ished*
it is possi-"e to <udge those $ho fo""o$ a diffeent set of guide"ines de%e"oped -& thei !u"tue/
Categoi0ing indi%idua"s into %aious goups and <udging them -ased on goup mem-eship
athe than on indi%idua" meit is the -asis fo dis!imination/
2is!imination !an -e di%ided into t$o "e%e"s/ Intepesona" dis!imination o!!us on a
moe pesona" "e%e" -et$een t$o o moe indi%idua"s/ Institutiona" dis!imination o!!us on a
"age s!a"e/ This fom of dis!imination is 5manifested in institutiona" pa!ti!es o po"i!ies that
epodu!e a!ia" statifi!ation7 8A!e%edo>?a!ia* Rosenfe"d* @ad&* M!Ad"e* 9 Os&pu1* (+1A*
p/1:B,;/
2is!imination $ithin the $o1p"a!e !ou"d -e intepesona"/ This ma& manifest as outine
and puposefu" e.!"usion of the "one Asian $o1e fom afte offi!e so!ia" gatheings/
2is!imination in the $o1ing en%ionment !ou"d a"so -e institutiona"* in the fom of genea"
po"i!ies that seem to opeate a hidden agenda/ An e.amp"e $ou"d -e a <o- posting fi""ed $ith
$ods asso!iated $ith mas!u"init& o femininit& to atta!t a spe!ifi! gendeed app"i!ant poo"/
Intercultural Communication in the Work Place
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COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL
Intepesona" dis!imination !an dei%e fom indi%idua"4s ideas of noma"!& and !an "ead
to !onf"i!ts $ithin a mu"ti!u"tua" setting/ The $o1p"a!e is often a site of mu"ti!u"tua"ism due to
the e%o"%ing popu"ation demogaphi!* as $e"" as -usiness g"o-a"i0ation/ Conf"i!ts ma& aise
$hen %a&ing !u"tua" attitudes to$ad $o1 ae not e!ogni0ed/
In Amei!a4s indi%idua"isti! so!iet&* emp"o&ees ha%e !"ea"& defined <o- o"es and a
stong $o1 ethi! is %ituous/ ?ood -usiness pa!ti!es %a"ue high effi!ien!& and "o$ !ost/ Tas1
!omp"etion is %a"ued o%e $o1ing e"ationships 8Matin 9 Na1a&ama* (+1,;/
A hamonious $o1 en%ionment is possi-"e $hen emp"o&ees and emp"o&es ea"i0e that
not a"" !u"tues %ie$ $o1 e=ua""&/ Man& !o""e!ti%ist !u"tues appaise team$o1 high"&/ 'o-
duties ae usua""& assigned to $o1ing units* athe than to indi%idua"s/
Some !u"tues* su!h as those in Me.i!o and Ita"&* do not !"assif& $o1 as a %itue/ It is a
e=uiement to "i%e -ut it is not the meaning of "ife/ In ode to ma1e $o1 moe p"easua-"e*
geat emphasis is p"a!ed on the so!ia" aspe!t/ Chinese !u"tue a!tua""& di!tates stong
intepesona" e"ationships as a pee=uisite to a %ia-"e -usiness 8Matin 9 Na1a&ama* (+1,;/
Non-Verbal Communication
Non>%e-a" messages ae inheent in a"" !u"tues and pose a ne$ set of po-"ems fo
inte!u"tua" $o1 !onf"i!ts/ #aious !u"tues !an gi%e diffeent meanings to simi"a gestues/ In
man& Asian !u"tues* e&e !onta!t is !onsideed ude/ This is the e.a!t opposite meaning in
Amei!an !u"tue* $hi!h e"ates "a!1 of e&e !onta!t $ith negati%e messages/ Simi"a to the U/S/*
Saudi Aa-ian !u"tue !oe"ates e&e !onta!t $ith attenti%eness* e.!ept man& Amei!ans ma&
fee" the Saudi ga0e is too intense/ Often times* e.p"i!it %e-a" !ommuni!ation !an eso"%e
am-iguities/
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COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL
In situations $hee the !ommuni!atos do not spea1 the same "anguage* &et ha%e a
message to !on%e&* the& !ommon"& esot to non%e-a" !ues/ 3hi"e it ma& -e possi-"e to
tansmit messages in this $a&* it genea""& is not entie"& effe!ti%e/ As pe%ious"& mentioned*
e%en non%e-a" !ommuni!ation %aies -& !u"tue/
Cultural Competence
Cu"tua" !ompeten!e !an ease inte!u"tua" !onf"i!ts/ To -e!ome inte!u"tua""& sa%%&*
one must fist dispose of an& steeot&pes/ E"iason 8(+1,; efeed to this as de!ategoi0ation/
This po!ess e=uies one to see the indi%idua" peson* not a possi-"e !atego& to $hi!h the&
-e"ong/ It is a"so impotant to -e!ome a$ae of pesona" 5ps&!ho!u"tua" inf"uen!es7 $hi!h
ena-"e spe!ifi! e.pe!tations and attitudes/ E"iason 8(+1,; epoted:
Ce!oming inte!u"tua" is a po!ess of "i-eating ouse"%es fom a "imited pespe!ti%e on
"ifeDof -e!oming moe fu""& human $ith a geate a$aeness of and sensiti%it& to se"f*
othes* and the e"ationships -et$een them 8p/1+B;/
This is !etain"& a good eason to -e!ome moe !u"tua""& !ompetent/
The 1e& to inte!u"tua" !ommuni!ation is to e!ogni0e simi"aities as $e"" as diffeen!es/
T&ing to petend that e%e&one is the same is a e!ipe fo disaste -e!ause it simp"& is not tue/
Fo!using so"e"& on the diffeen!es is not idea" -e!ause it !an e.a!e-ate the pe!ei%ed sepaation/
Rea"i0ing that as diffeent as t$o goups ma& -e* the& ma& sti"" shae simi"a goa"s and -e"iefs to
some e.tent that !an -ing them togethe/
Conclusion
Cu"tua" !ompeten!e is an impotant tait to possess due to emeging g"o-a"i0ation and
in!easing"& di%ese popu"ations/ It !an -e e.teme"& -enefi!ia" in the $o1p"a!e* espe!ia""& in
egad to non%e-a" !ommuni!ation/ Cu"tua" !ompeten!e is a ne!essa& !omponent in a-o"ishing
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COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL
dis!imination/ 2/ Matin Luthe Eing* '/ on!e said* 5In<usti!e an&$hee is a theat to <usti!e
e%e&$hee7 8Nationa" Coa"ition to Pote!t Ci%i" Feedoms* (+1,;/
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COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL
References
A!e%edo>?a!ia* 2/* Rosenfe"d* L/E/* @ad&* E/* M!Ad"e* N/* 9 Os&pu1* T/L/ 8(+1A;/ Futue
die!tions in esea!h on institutiona" dis!imination and !hi"den4s hea"th/ American
Journal of Public Health, 103(10), 1:B,>1:FA/ doi: 1+/(1+BGA'@/(+1(/A++H)F
E"iason* S/ 8(+1,;/ Some "essons fom inte!u"tua" "i%ing and !ommuni!ation/ Language in
Inia, 1!("), HH>1+B/
Matin* '/N/* 9 Na1a&ama* T/E/ 8(+1,;/ #$%eriencing intercultural communication& An
introuction 8Bth ed/;/ Ne$ Io1* NI: M!?a$>@i""/
Nationa" Coa"ition to Pote!t Ci%i" Feedoms/ 8(+1,;/ Feedom and a!tion =uotes/ Retie%ed
fom $$$/!i%i"feedoms/og on 'une ()* (+1,
Sun* '/ 8(+1A;/ Taining the taines: 3hat do pofessiona" !ommuni!atos need to -e a$ae of in
inte!u"tua" !ommuni!ationJ/ 'hina (eia )esearch, *(3), :,>)A/
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