INTERCULTURAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNICATION

Questions to Ponder
1. What is culture?
2. How does culture go hand-in-hand with communication?

Introduction
In module 1 you learned the definition, process, importance, and
functions of communication in human life. Now, to elaborate on how
communication works in the society, we will discuss how it should come
hand-in-hand with culture. For the longest time that communication and
culture exist alongside one another, they developed a cause-effect
relationship, considerations, dimensions and ethical standards.

LESSON 1: THINKING ABOUT CULTURE

Culture is defined as a community or population sufficiently large
enough to be self-sustaining, that is large enough to produce new
generations of members without relying on outside people. We must take
note that culture does not create different communication but different
communication creates culture. Cultures are created through
communication; that is communication is the means of human
interaction through which cultural characteristics, whether customs,
roles, rules, rituals, laws or other patterns – are created and shared.
Everyday communication deeply affects who you are, and a lot of
it is cultural. It runs so deep within your routine talk and relational
performance that you don’t recognize at first. In whatever situation,
where culture definitely exists, you must consider these two types of
cultural communication.
Cross cultural communication which generally compares the
communication styles and patterns of people from very different
cultural/social structures such as nation-states;
Maria (Mexican) and Carmela (Filipino) are comparing Mexican
and Filipino cultures in terms of celebrations. They found out that
Mexican parties are filled with foods, music and dancing while Filipino
celebrations are with games, and non-stop videoke singing. What Maria
and Carmela did is cross-cultural communication.
Intercultural communication which deals with how people from
these social/cultural structures speak to one another and what difficulties
or differences they encounter, over and above the different languages
they speak.
If Maria will go to the Philippines and visit Carmela on her birthday,
there is a chance she will enjoy the party very much given that the way
they celebrate parties are very similar. This is intercultural
 communication, adjusting and finding out difficulties people from
different cultures can experience during interaction.
In this scenarios it can also be realized that:
1. Multiple cultures exist in one society or national group.
2. Multiple social communities coexist in a single society or national
amongst themselves as part of their conduct of membership.
In whatever situation whether there is a great or small difference in
culture we must avoid ethnocentrism or ethnocentric bias. It is believing
that your culture is the standard of all others. Your own cultural way of
acting is right and normal, and all other ways of acting are only variants
of the only really good way to act yours. It is important that we recognize
that each culture is different and this difference must be accepted and
respected.

LESSON 2: DIMENSIONS OF CULTURE

Cultures are not synonymous with countries. It does not respect

political boundaries. Therefore, we must identify the different dimensions
of culture.

Four cross cultural characteristics:

1. Context which is categorized into two.
● High context which places a great deal of emphasis on the total
environment or context where speech and interaction take place. In
high context, spoken words are much less important than the rest of
the context.
● Low context is when the message itself is everything and it is much
more important to have a well-structured argument or a well
delivered presentation than it is. People tend to separate their
relationship from the messages and focuses on details and logic.

Let us look at the table below that shows the difference of the two:

High Context Low Context

Relationship build slowly Relationship begin and
Association
and depend on trust end quickly.
Nonverbal elements are
Nonverbal elements are
non significant.
significant.
Verbal messages are
Verbal messages are
explicit and
Interaction indirect and
communication is seen as
communication is seen
a way exchanging
as an art form or way of
information, ideals and
engaging someone.
opinions.
Territoriality Space is communal. Space is
 People stand close to compartmentalized.
each other and share Privacy is important, so
the same place. people stand farther
apart.
Events and tasks are
Everything has its own
scheduled and to be
time and not scheduled.
done at particular times.
Temporality Change is slow, and time
Change is fast, and time
is a process that belongs
is a commodity to be
to others and nature.
spent or saved.
One source of information
Multiple sources of is used.
information is used. Thinking proceeds from
Thinking proceeds from specific to general.
Learning
general to specific. Learning occurs by
Learning occurs by following the explicit
observing others. directions and
explanations of others.

2. Collectivism / Individualism
● Collectivism refers to togetherness. To collectivist culture, building
and maintaining good relationship with others is more important than
accomplishing the task. Those who are collectivist suppresses their
independent activities and individual aims for the group’s welfare.
● Individualism refers to individuality. To individualist culture, achieving
the goal and finishing the task is more important than building
relationship with others.

3. Time
Chronemics refers to the study of the use of time system which has
two types.
● Monochronic which refers to the time system where schedules are
made and are strictly followed. Those who follow this time system also
do one task at a time. They are more committed to the job. They
follow strict rules to privacy. They are also accustomed to short term
relationships. In the sense, they are low-context.
● Polychronic people likes multitasking, and change plans often and
easily. They are more concerned with those who are closely related,
like family, than business associates. They borrow and lend things
often and they have the strong tendency to build lifetime
relationships. They are high-context people.

4. Conflict
Conflict can be present in many situations, more than a hindrance
we must look at it as an opportunity
● Conflict is a normal, useful process.
 ▪ All issues are subject to change through negotiation.
▪ Direct confrontation and conciliation are valued.
▪ Conflict is necessary renegotiation of an implied contract
– a redistribution of opportunity, release of tensions, and
renewal of relationships.
● Conflict as destructive
▪ Conflict is a destructive disturbance of peace.
▪ The social system should not be adjusted to meet the
needs of members; rather members should adapt to
establish values.
▪ Confrontations are destructive and ineffective.
▪ Disputants should be disciplined.
● Styles of Conflict Management
▪ Dominating style – involve forcing one’s will on another to
satisfy individual desires regardless of negative relational
consequences. For example, you and a friend decide to
order a pizza, and as you call in the order, your friend
mentions a desire for pepperoni. You would rather have
sausage and reply, “Too bad. I’m making the call, and
we are having sausage.”
▪ Integrating style – necessitate a great deal of open
discussion about the conflict and hand to reach a
solution that completely satisfies everyone involved. For
example, you and your friend differ on what pizza
topping you would like, so you both openly discuss your
positions and the options available until you reach a
solution that fulfils both of your desires- perhaps getting
both toppings or half-sausage and half pepperoni.
▪ Compromising styles – making a compromise demands
that everyone must give something up to reach a
solution. For example, you and your friend discuss the
conflict and decide to get mushrooms instead of
sausage or pepperoni.
▪ Obliging style – giving up one’s position to satisfy
another’s. Emphasizes area of agreement than
disagreement. As you and your friend discuss what
topping to include on your pizza, you probably mention
that the important thing is you both want pizza and then
agree to order pepperoni instead of sausage.
▪ Avoiding style – people avoid the conflict entirely by
failing to acknowledge its existence or by withdrawing
from a solution when it arises. So, your friend expresses a
desire for pepperoni on that pizza, and even though you
 really want sausage, you indicate that pepperoni is fine
and place the order.

LESSON 3: FIVE VALUE DIMENSIONS THAT VARY ACROSS CULTURE

● Individualism vs. Collectivism
In communication, individualists are said to have a more direct
style. Their wants, needs, and desires are embodied in the spoken
message. An indirect style of communication is associated with
collectivists. Their wants, needs, and desires are not obvious in the
spoken message.
● Masculinity vs. Femininity
Women’s social role varied less for culture to culture than men’s.
● Power Distance
This refers to the extent to which less powerful members of
institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that
power is distributed equally.
These countries tend to be more authoritarian and may
communicate in a way to limit interaction and reinforce the differences
between people.
In high power distance cultures, children are expected to
display respect for those of higher status.
● Uncertainty Avoidance
This is the extent to which people in a culture feel threatened by
uncertain or unknown situations.
This is expressed through nervous stress and in a need for
predictability or a need for written or unwritten rules.
Such situations are avoided by maintaining strict codes of
behavior and a belief in absolute truths.
For example, students from high uncertainty avoidance culture
expect their teachers to be experts who have all the answers. While low
certainty avoidance culture accepts teacher who admit to not
knowing all the answers.

● Task Orientation vs. Social Orientation

Task oriented culture focus on making the team more competent
through training and the use of up-to-date methods. They are highly
concerned with individual success, advancing to more responsible jobs,
better training, and so on.
Social oriented culture focus more on collective concerns:
cooperative problem solving, a friendly atmosphere, good physical
working conditions.

LESSON 4: IMPORTANT REMINDERS ABOUT CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

 ✔ When identifying your culture, YOU BELONG WITHOUT KNOWING IT and
YOU DO IT WITHOUT KNOWING IT!
✔ Communication approach to intercultural communication: personality
strength, communication skills, psychological adjustment and cultural
awareness.
✔ WE MUST AVOID THE FOLLOWING IN COMMUNICATION:
●Hate speech includes threats or verbal slurs directed against specific
groups or physical acts such as burning crosses, or spray-painting on
public or private property.
●Othering refers to the labeling and degrading of cultures and subgroups
outside of one’s own.
●Stereotyping refers to negative or positive judgments made about
individuals based on any observable or believed ethnic group
membership.
●Prejudice refers to irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group,
race, religion, sexual orientation.

References

Agustin, R. et al. (2018). Communication in Multicultural Contexts. Muntinlupa

City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House, Inc.