![]() ![]() The iceberg, a commonly used metaphor to describe culture, is great for illustrating the tangible and the intangible. It is helpful to think about culture in the following five ways: UnderwoodĪdapted from Understanding Culture in Cultural Intelligence for Leaders (n.d.)Ĭulture consists of the shared beliefs, values, and assumptions of a group of people who learn from one another and teach to others that their behaviours, attitudes, and perspectives are the correct ways to think, act, and feel. From the choice of words (message), to how we communicate (in person, or by e-mail), to how we acknowledge understanding with a nod or a glance (non-verbal feedback), to the internal and external interference, all aspects of communication are influenced by culture. For example, if we are raised in a culture where males speak while females are expected to remain silent, the context of the communication interaction governs behaviour. Culture also involves the psychological aspects and behaviours that are expected of members of our group. More than just the clothes we wear, the movies we watch, or the video games we play, all representations of our environment are part of our culture. We create culture, and it defines us.Ĭulture involves beliefs, attitudes, values, and traditions that are shared by a group of people. It influences our worldview, what we value, and how we interact with each other. Even within a group of sisters, common characteristics exist, but they will still have differences, and all these differences contribute to intercultural communication. Among these students not only do the boys and girls communicate in distinct ways, but there will also be differences among the boys as well as differences among the girls. Do gender and the societal expectations of roles influence interaction? Of course! There will be differences on multiple levels. Suppose we have a group of students who are all similar in age and educational level. Within each group there may also be smaller groups, and each member of each department comes from a distinct background that in itself influences behaviour and interaction. We can quickly see two distinct groups with their own symbols, vocabulary, and values. For example, consider the difference between the sales and accounting departments in a corporation. Every business or organization has a culture, and within what may be considered a global culture, there are many subcultures or co-cultures. Whether it be the distinctions between high and low Germanic dialects, the differences in perspective between an Eastern Canadian and a Western Canadian, or the rural-versus-urban dynamic, our geographic, linguistic, educational, sociological, and psychological traits influence our communication.Ĭulture is part of the very fabric of our thought, and we cannot separate ourselves from it, even as we leave home and begin to define ourselves in new ways through work and achievements. While two distinct national passports communicate a key part of our identity non-verbally, what happens when two people from two different parts of the same country communicate? Indeed, intercultural communication happens between subgroups of the same country. We may be tempted to think of intercultural communication as interaction between two people from different countries. describe approaches to enhance interpersonal communication in cross-cultural contexts.describe circumstances that require effective cross-cultural communication, and.explain how the encoding and decoding process takes shape in cross-cultural communication,. ![]() describe how cross-cultural communication is shaped by cultural diversity,.distinguish between surface and deep culture in the context of the iceberg model,.Upon completing this chapter, you should be able to: ![]()
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