Culture and Communication
Contributed by Amber Fatima
The concept of culture refers to any set of customs, values, traditions, behaviors, standards, manners, or other beliefs that have been handed down through the generations within a certain country, people, or social group. The cultural influences we are exposed to affect our upbringing, learning, and development. When we communicate, we often confine ourselves to the cultural practices we know. In order to effectively communicate, one needs to be aware of both their own cultural beliefs, language, and standards, as well as the culture of others.
Culture influences our clothing, eating habits, behavior, and actions. It affects the structure of society, as well as the relationships between the various genders and age groups. If one is unfamiliar with the culture of a certain group, their communication may be viewed as offensive or ostracized. Shaking hands, for instance, may be regarded as an act of respect in some cultures for elders and the opposite gender, but may be considered disrespectful in others (Bevan, 2020). In order to avoid stereotypes that can hinder communication, it is important to understand cultures. People who are not able to look you in the eye are stereotyped as lying when it comes to communication.
Nevertheless, nonverbal communication forms differ according to culture. Further, to comprehend the differences in non-verbal communication, one must understand the difference between high context and low context cultures. The use of body movement and facial expressions for conveying messages is not used in high context cultures according to Bevan (2020). Communication can also be effective through the way a person speaks, or even through silence.
Individuals’ facial expressions and their interpretation of facial expressions of those around them are influenced by their cultural background. Greeting a stranger with a smile is considered a sign of friendliness and courtesy in the United States. Nevertheless, it may be considered appropriate to smile at strangers from other cultures, such as the Japanese. Eye contact may be regarded as a sign of respect as well as confidence, but could also be considered disrespectful in certain situations.
Furthermore, culture influences how nonverbal communication such as touch, eye contact, and familiarity are interpreted (Bajracharya, 2018).
Individualism vs. collectivism
A person’s initial cultural dimension is shaped by the concepts of individualism and collectivism. The collective is concerned with the good of the whole group and the purposes of the group. Personal goals and individual rights are at the center of individualism. According to Bevan, 2020, the motivation of individualists derives from personal gains and rewards. Individuals who set their own goals are more comfortable working alone than with others because they set them based on personal needs and wants. The motivation of collectivists is based on group goals. Working together, they build long-term relationships and exceed their personal goals by creating bonds with others.
High vs. low context cultures
A high context culture is one in which contextual features are used as the basis for transferring rules of communication. A person’s tone of voice, body language, and any other non-implicit characteristics are contextual features. The primary way in which information is exchanged in low context cultures is through language, while rules are explicit. No culture can be categorized strictly as high or low context, says Bevan (2020). Each culture has a mix of low context and high context, although the degree of each might differ.
Culture members often have long-term relationships with each other and are close to each other. Thus, since they have interacted with each other for so long, they are all familiar with the rules and how to behave and think. As a result, the rules do not need to be stated explicitly (United Language Group, 2021). The reverse is true for low context cultures, where members tend to be unfamiliar with one another, and rules are not always easy to understand if they are not explicitly stated.
A person’s culture must be understood in order to communicate effectively. Communicating with someone from a different culture shows respect for the other culture and an interest in its contributions. Besides eliminating stereotypes, those willing to learn about another culture can also eliminate their comfort zone and see that cultures are not that different after all.
In the majority of cases, communication without consideration of cultural differences does not yield the desired results. Understanding other cultures are very important for communicating effectively with them. Communication barriers are removed when you understand their attitude and behavior. It is impossible to communicate effectively without understanding the culture.
References
Bevan, J. L. (2020). Understanding Interpersonal Communication: Making Connections (3rd ed.). Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Bajracharya, S. (2018, February 15). Non-verbal Communication in Different Cultures. Businesstopia.https://www.businesstopia.net/communication/non-verbal-communication-different-cultures
United Language Group. (2021). Communicating in High Context vs. Low Context Cultures. https://www.unitedlanguagegroup.com/blog/communicating-high-context-vs-low-context-cultures
