Verbal Communication styles And Culture

 Some commonly applied definitions view culture as patterned ways of thinking, feeling, and
reacting common to a particular group of people and that are acquired and transmitted through
the use of symbols.
 Other view culture as a function of interrelated systems that includes ecology, subsistence, and
sociocultural systems.

Two approaches in understanding of cultural variations in communication styles:

1. Value Dimension

 Value can be defined as an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct is socially preferable
to an opposite or converse mode of conduct.
 Values serve a number of functions for individuals.

2. Thinking Styles (cognitive Styles)

 A way of thinking that influence how we feel and how we act.

 Direct an individual’s attention, guide his/her interpretation of communication context, and
influence communicative choices.

Dimensions of Cultural Values

Four dimensions of cultural value (Hofstede, 2001):

1. Individualism-Collectivism

 Individualism – defined as a loosely knit social framework in which people are supposed to take
care of themselves and their immediate family only.
 Collectivism – defined as a tight social network in which people distinguish between ingroups
and outgroups, expect their ingroup to look after them and in return they owe absolute loyalty.

2. Power Distance

 Defined as the extent to which a society accepts the fact that power is distributed unequally.

3. Uncertainty Avoidance

 Defined as the extent to which a society feels threatened by uncertain and ambiguous
situations.

4. Masculinity-Femininity

 Defined as the extent to which the dominant values in society as “Masculinity” that is,
assertiveness and the acquisition of money and things, and not caring for others.
(Added cultural value) Hofstede and Bond (1988)

5. Dynamic Confucianism

 Long Term Orientation – refers to future-oriented values such as persistence and thrift.
 Short Term Orientation – refers to past and present oriented values such as respect for tradition
and fulfilling social obligations.

The Geography of Thoughts

The cognitive approach views culture as complex knowledge system. From this perspective, the key to
understanding culture is to know the rules and scripts that guide actions- how people make sense of
their communication environment, and how does this influence patterned action.

Nisbett’s Geography of Thought Theory

Holistic Thinking (Dialectical)

 Holistic thinking is field-dependent.

 Holistic thinkers tend to perceive events holistically or within a large context. They assume that
there is a coherent whole and individual parts cannot be fully understand unless they are placed
within the interdependent relationships.

Analytical Thinking (Logical)

 Analytical thinking is a field-independent.

 Analytical thinkers attend more to focal objects and specific details; what is going on in their
environment is less important. They tend to place focal elements into a cause-effect, assuming
that there is a clearly definable cause leading to the observed effects.