The Importance of Communication Chapter 6 Outline The Cultural Context of Communication Communication an interactive process that uses symbols like words and gestures to both send and receive messages Each person brings to the process his or her own life history assumptions and interpretations We communicate both verbally and nonverbally and these two forms do not always send the same message smiling while criticizing someone Communication is a transaction all human behavior is continuous exchange and partners are simultaneously senders and receivers of messages Communication is a process it is dynamic and always changing and culture race ethnicity and sex are crucial Communication includes co construction of meanings each partner speaks a language and interprets meaning in a way acquired from his or her own orientation Communication uses symbols to construct meanings or definitions we rely on symbols that can be verbal like words or nonverbal like gestures Our sex social class race and ethnicity all contribute to an overall perspective that influences how we relate to others as friends as partners as spouses and as parents Race Ethnicity and Communication Members of particular social class race or ethnicity group develop their own ways of communicating through words gestures or expressions include actual words syntax acoustics and rules for subject agreement Racial differences in speech patterns also help explain the gap in wages between Blacks and Whites Whites did Study found that Blacks with racially distinct speech earned lower wages than Nonverbal messages also differ across racial and ethnic group ex Looking into the eyes of an authority speaker is a sign of disrespect in Hispanic culture Social Class and Communication Members of lower social classes tended to speak less standard American English use more words of simple coordination and use fewer pronouns than compared to the middle and upper middle classes Cultural Differences Culture is a macro level factor that shapes our communication Sapir Whorf hypothesis the concept that language shapes our culture and at the same time our culture shapes our language Six cultural orientations 1 Individualist versus collectivist cultures an individualist culture values personal achievement and independence the general belief is that people are responsible for themselves and should receive as little help as possible from outside sources ex U S Australia and then Netherlands In contrast a collectivist culture focuses more on the group the family the community and the society ex China Guatemala and Pakistan 2 High versus Low Context Cultures in high context cultures emphasis is placed on indirect and nonverbal communication Communication is based on the context of the individual also are collectivist cultures ex Latin America or Japan people tend to use more feeling in their expressions In a low context culture like the U S or Germany communication is more direct more emphasis is placed on formal transactions and everything must be explained explicitly 3 Masculine versus Feminine Cultures in masculine cultures gender stereotypes tend to be more rigid and women have less power in society ex Japan Austria and Mexico Feminine cultures are more likely to see compromise and negotiation as useful communication tools Sweden and Norway where masculine cultures may see those as a sign of weakness 4 Centralized versus Decentralized Power Centralized power is when the power is only in the hands of a few There is usually a great distance between those few who have power and the masses that do not ex India the Philippines and Brazil In cultures with decentralized power power is more evenly distributed and average people have the chance to participate ex Denmark and New Zealand 5 High versus Low Ambiguity Low ambiguity cultures do not tolerate ambiguity well and their members may experience anxiety about the future they tend to have clear cut rules for behaviors and communication ex Greece Portugal and Serbia Cultures that tolerate high levels of ambiguity on the other hand are generally comfortable with unknown situations They minimize the importance of strict rules governing relationships and communication ex Malaysia Sweden and Hong Kong 6 Short term versus Long term Time Orientation Cultures that focus on the long term emphasize the future and tend to value traits like thrift deferred gratification and perseverance many Asian cultures Short term cultures are more interested in spending rather than saving place greater emphasis on social status and look for quick results from their effort ex Nigeria Czech Republic and Pakistan Types of Communication Are you listening to me Listening the process of giving thoughtful attention to what we hear First we need to receive or hear the message Second understanding occurs when you decode what the speaker is saying Third messages that you receive and understand must be retained for some period of time Fourth you evaluate the messages that you hear by asking yourself a series of questions Finally you respond to what has been said A good listener stops looks listens asks questions and reflects by paraphrasing Active listening extremely attentive listening where the listener has good eye contact and body language and encourages the other person to continue talking Verbal Communication It s all Your Fault Verbal Communication the spoken exchange of thoughts feelings or other messages this includes the content of the words themselves and the tone and the expression used Barriers to understanding verbal communication 1 Bypassing misunderstanding a word because it has many meanings Lack of Precision incorrect or unclear language 2 3 Overgeneralizing you always these statements imply that evidence has been collected to reach a definitive conclusion when in reality this is probably not the case 4 Static evaluation statements made that do not allow for change 5 Polarization speaking in extremes and ignoring the middle ground 6 Biased language using words that reflect biases about race ethnicity sex sexual orientation etc this can cause conflict Ways to make the environment more of a supportive dialogue 1 Describe your own feelings rather than evaluating the behaviors of others 2 Solve problems rather than trying to control others 3 Be genuine rather than manipulative throw away the hidden agenda 4 Empathize rather than remaining detached 5 Be flexible rather than rigid 6 Present yourself as equal rather than
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