Home Uncategorized intercultural communication interview

Uncategorized

intercultural communication interview

You are expected to interview someone who had been to another country/ies in a business trip or as a tourist, or an international student/person who visited or came to this country. You may interview a “Westerner” who did not travel but had interactions with “foreigners” in his/her Western country. Your interview will focus on the social and business interactions that your interviewee engaged in. After providing information about your participant and a rational for choosing him/her, you can ask questions similar, but not necessary limited, to the following:

1- When were you in that country?

2- How did you find your social/ business interaction similar/different from what you are used to.

3- Can you relate the most shocking or strange incident(s) that you witnessed or been part of?

4- Did you have any orientation (including personal research) about the customs and traditions of that country?

5- How did your learning of the culture of the country affect your experiences?

6- Did you notice that the religion, attitudes, and beliefs of the people affected their interactions or the way they conduct business? How?

7- What things would you do differently if you are to relive your experience doing business in that country?

8- What advice would you give to a foreigner going in a trip to that particular country?

You may report your interview in any format you like (e.g. essay or question and answer). However, you need to conclude in a paragraph in which you link what your interviewee mentioned and what has been discussed in the class, the concepts of intercultural communication. Failing to include this paragraph will automatically drop your grade to half of the assigned grade for this assignment.

Please remember that the provided questions should serve as a guide or sample for your interview. Make sure to ask about comparisons between the country your interviewee visited and the common expected behavior in similar settings in the United States.

StudentName

Gaby Semaan

FLAN 3440

Interview

23 May 2020

Interview with [Name of Interviewee]

For this project, I interviewed my uncle, [Name of Interviewee], who has worked in and

traveled to numerous countries across the globe as a Human Rights Lawyer. In this interview,

[Interviewee] discussed what it was like to live and work in the country of Bhutan for five years.

While working in Bhutan, [Interviewee] and my aunt helped start up the royal law school, most

significantly the conflict resolution clinic.

1. When were you in that country?

[Interviewee] was in Bhutan from 2015-2020.

2. How did you find your social/business interaction similar/different from what you
are used to?

[Interviewee] stated that the most contrasting aspect about his business experiences in
Bhutan was disagreement. He said that, “people did not openly disagree”. In other
words, they do not say what they disagree about to someone’s face. During the interview,
[Interviewee] presented both a macro and micro example of Bhutan’s concept of

disagreeing.

For the macro example, [Interviewee] stated that, “Bhutanese hire consultants to come in
and write policy. These consultants may have 20 years of experience, and Bhutan will

send out a car to the airport, the king and queen will be there etc. The consultant will do

everything needed, write out the opinion, the Bhutanese will nod, put an official seal on it
and publish the policy. It looks great.” Everything is all great, until the consultant leaves
and the Bhutanese “chip it to death, make committees, and do studies their own way”.

The Bhutanese may have brought in this international consultant, however they “won’t
accept someone from the outside’s opinion”. [Interviewee] views this somewhat as a
positive, because, it is “important to have integrity in your own decisions”. He does
however quote that this decision may be, “frustrating for consultant, because they

thought the idea was great”. They may be upset that their policy hasn’t been put into
effect or their end of the bargain hasn’t been met. He said the consultant may feel like the
whole decision was a “complete waste of time”.

With the micro example, [Interviewee] said that he was that consultant. He said that, “As
a consultant you’re hired in to come and do something, you do it, and you change
something, the Bhutanese nod, not openly communicating.” He said you may get
frustrated that, “people won’t move forward with your decision/vision”. In Bhutan,

[Interviewee] ’s job was to teach law in a different way. Normally, a professor teaches
law in the lecture style, students sit, take notes and have an examination at the end of the
semester. Bhutan wanted something different. [Interviewee] said this job was very
difficult because he had to attempt to tell the Bhutanese to, “change how to teach and

change what they teach”. His major obstacle was that he can’t just force people to do
something, so he tried his best to work with the Bhutanese to come up with the best
educational techniques for both students and teachers.

3. Can you relay the most shocking or strange incident(s) that you have witnessed or
been part of?

In terms of shocking strange incidents, [Interviewee] referenced Bhutanese tradition. He

said that, “Super traditional people have a strong belief in karma. Because of that, they
have a different sense of ethics. You can’t get away with anything (ie. lying, stea ling etc.).
Judgment comes at the end of life in terms of rebirth. It doesn’t matter when you do it.”
[Interviewee] also said that the Bhutanese may be, “less trusting of someone who is an

outsider because they are unfamiliar with the value system”. It is important to note that
though they are less trusting at this time, it doesn’t mean they could grow to trust that
certain outsider at some point.

4. Did you have any orientation (including personal research) about the customs and
traditions of that country?

While in Bhutan, [Interviewee] and my aunt facilitated a years’ worth of field research in
the countryside, but for his answer he says that “Personal research is not the same as
experiencing it for yourself”. Basically, someone can look up Bhutan all they want;

however, they won’t be able to understand the true scope of the country and the cultures
within the land, without experiencing it firsthand.

5. How did your learning of the culture affect your experiences?

When learning about the culture of Bhutan, [Interviewee] said that it was an “incremental
process” and that it was like “peeling back layers of an onion”. As [Interviewee] was
learning about the culture he had to think if he should act “irrationally or rationally,
logically or illogically”. Once he learned these things, he said the “Wisdom of culture

becomes more apparent”. In terms of a microculture he said he was part of many, being
in an English-speaking neighborhood, and living in the capital city, Thimphu. However,
he notes that one major struggle of being an expat in Bhutan was the language barrier.

6. Did you notice that the religion, attitudes, and beliefs of the people affected their
interactions or the way they conduct business? How?

While in Bhutan, [Interviewee] noticed a major difference between the United States, and
other countries he’s been to vs. how Bhutan conducts business. He said that, “I’m not
sure if it’s because of a lack of experience with crime, but they have a very serious

currency of trust.” One example is, say someone in Bhutan wanted to purchase an item,
they could take it one day and come back and pay for it the next. When I asked if people
really do this, and don’t just steal, he said they really do. He also said that “If someone
were to be at an ATM and accidentally leave their credit card, the person who found it

next would put it on top of the ATM with a sticky note saying it was left there.” The
person could then go back and retrieve it, but if it wasn’t picked up for quite some time,
the bank actually goes out with a bin and collects them and will return them to the owner
at the bank. [Interviewee] said a main reason behind Bhutan’s currency of trust is to “try

and invest in communities”. By doing such business, it helps them create stronger bonds
within the communities of Bhutan.

To add, [Interviewee] filled me in on Bhutan’s different approach to tourism as well. In

Bhutan, a tourist must pay a fee of $270 a day to stay in the country. This came after the
Bhutanese saw large amounts of sex tourism, harassment, gambling and other forms of
“gross tourism” – as [Interviewee] calls it, in places such as Kathmandu, Nepal and
Bangkok, Thailand. When the Bhutanese saw this, they didn’t want their youth to be

exposed to such behaviors, so they came up with the High Value, Low Impact concept.
Many people around the world have heard about Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness
(GNH), and this is where it comes from.

[Interviewee] also says that though Bhutan is not like the U.S. or other ‘developed’
countries in terms of modernization, the country is still considered high-end and
developing. He says that the capital city where he lived, Thimphu, is actually heavily
influenced by the Western culture. For an example as to how Thimphu is influenced by

Western culture, he cites the habitants of the city. Thimphu’s population is made up of
the ‘one percent’. These individuals of the ‘one percent’ have inherited assets, for
example hotel chains, which is how they can afford the luxuries of the top class. He said,
despite the whole GNH philosophy and the country’s routes in Buddhism, Bhutan is

seeing “insidious materialism through the backdoor”. These wealthier individuals are
purchasing goods which is resulting in people asking, “Where do you get that” and the
person may say, “the store downtown has three pairs” or “oh I was in Bangkok”, which

turns into a nightmare. This nightmare is the “obsession with stuff”, when GNH was
about having less stuff. [Interviewee] says that though this materialistic perspective
strays away from GNH and Buddhism’s beliefs of not caving into your indulgences,
Bhutan is a democracy and not authoritarian. Therefore, though it goes against those

beliefs, people can still make decisions on their purchases, how they would like.
[Interviewee] also wanted to note that none of these one percent people are necessarily
bad, in fact he and my aunt were close with many of them, this is just how they lived and
dealt with consumerism.

7. What things would you do differently if you were to relive your experience doing
business in that country?

[Interviewee] said, if he were to stay in Bhutan for forever [which was never the
intention], “I would refrain from criticizing things I see. I would work behind the scenes,
instead of openly confronting something”. The aspect of “working behind the scenes”
was hard for [Interviewee] because as a Human Rights Lawyer, and a key player in

helping create the law school, he had to point out the flaws in Bhutan. However, the
Bhutanese don’t necessarily like having those flaws pointed out.

8. What advice would you give to a foreigner going on a trip to that particular
country?

In terms of tourists traveling to Bhutan, [Interviewee] says “Open yourself up to the
seemingly irrational and enjoy it.” What [Interviewee] means by this is that, when
learning about Bhutan, an American tourist may be shocked at how the Bhutanese lay out
their history. Since Bhutan was built on the basis of Buddhism, a lot of their history

includes stories about figures such as Buddha Guru Rinpoche, and tales such as ‘108
fortresses being built by one man in one day’. This may seem perplexing to the American
tourist, who is used to the stories about George Washington or other historical figures,
where people lay out lots of facts in front of you. This is why [Interviewee] says it is

important to open yourself up to the irrational, because you may not be expecting a
particular story in Bhutan’s history. [Interviewee] also adds that if a tourist travels to
Bhutan “you should push your tour guide to take you off beaten trail. Don’t let them just
show you stereotypical monuments, but mundane life.” He compared this scenario to

thinking a tourist may know everything about New York City after going to Times
Square, the Empire State Building, eating a hotdog and seeing the Statue of Liberty,
when there’s much more to know and understand about a particular location.

Conclusion-

After having my interview with [Interviewee], I was able to connect his answers to

several concepts in Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach. To begin, in Question

#2, [Interviewee] stated that the Bhutanese “did not openly disagree”. This reminded me of the

example conversation on page 64 of the textbook, where businessmen from two different

cultures were speaking. Because one businessman was from a high-context culture and the other

was from a low-context culture, they weren’t on the same page. This same issue happened with

[Interviewee] in Bhutan, where the Bhutanese didn’t use a verbal code to express how they felt

about the changes he was making. For Question #3 and the ATM example in Question #6, I

thought about the section in Chapter 1 on The Five Approaches to Determining Which Behaviors

are Ethical. Here, I think an orientation like The Common Good Approach is blended with

Bhutan’s Buddhist belief system. In the textbook it states that, “The common good approach is

based on the idea that community life is, in and of itself, good and that people within the

community and their subsequent actions should contribute to the community good.”
1
With

karma, there’s no tolerance for stealing or committing crimes, and the example of the ATM,

shows that there is a lot of trust in the community. If you lose something, expect the community

to have your back.

In this sense, a community working together could lead one to believe that Bhutan is a

collectivist country. However, after doing some research, Hofstede Insights claims that Bhutan

“has an intermediate score of 52 in this dimension . A score in the middle like this does not

1 Neuliep, J. (2017). Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach (7th ed., p. 34). Sage.

indicate a strong preference to either end of the scale.”
2
Two reasons for this result could be

because, Bhutan holds true to their GNH beliefs, and they are still a democracy where

individuals have a right to their own decisions. For example, the one percent who are discussed

in Question #6 feeding into their indulgences, while still living in a Buddhist country. By this

happening, these indulgences could cause Bhutan to become influenced by the more globalized

countries of the world. Another concept I thought of while interviewing [Interviewee] for

Question #3 and Question #6, was uncertainty avoidance. I would say from [Interviewee]’s

interview, that Bhutan has a high uncertainty avoidance, especially amongst the more traditional

Bhutanese. This, however, could change as Thimphu gradually opens itself up to the rest of the

world, and if GNH ever dissolves. Overall, my interview with [Interviewee] was able to teach me

how concepts within Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach apply to the real

world.

2 Bhutan* – Hofstede Insights. Hofstede Insights. Retrieved 4 June 2020, from

https://www.hofstede-

insights.com/country/bhutan/#:~:text=In%20Collectivist%20societies%20people%20belong,either%20end
%20of%20the%20scale.

Works Cited

1. Neuliep, J. (2017). Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach (7th ed., p. 34). Sage.
2. Bhutan* – Hofstede Insights. Hofstede Insights. Retrieved 4 June 2020, from

https://www.hofstede-

insights.com/country/bhutan/#:~:text=In%20Collectivist%20societies%20people%20belong,either
%20end%20of%20the%20scale.

https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country/bhutan/#:~:text=In%20Collectivist%20societies%20people%20belong,either%20end%20of%20the%20scale

Intercultural Communication:

Principles and Practice.

FLAN 3440

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 Recognize that no culture is purely individualistic or
collectivistic.

 Discuss the research behind the notion of a
pancultural self.

 Identify some cultures that are high context and low
context.

 Compare value orientations among cultures.

 Identify cultures that are weak uncertainty avoidant
and strong uncertainty avoidant.

2 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

3 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

Culture hides more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it
hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants.

—Edward T. Hall1

 Individualism-Collectivism

 High-Low Context

 Value Orientations

 Power Distance

 Uncertainty Avoid

4 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 Valuing personal independence
 personal responsibility

 freedom of choice

 personal autonomy

 achieving self-fulfillment

5 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 Promoting the self
 talent and potential in each person

 pursuit and development of

abilities

6 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 Groups bind and mutually obligate individuals
 a sense of duty to group

 interdependence to others

 harmony

 working with the group

 subordinating personal goals for the sake of preserving
the ingroup

 People are not seen as isolated individuals but as
interdependent with others

7 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 How do individuals perceive themselves?
 “I am distinct and unique.”

 “I am a member of a family.”

 How do individuals relate to others?
 “What do I gain?”

 “How will this affect others?”

8 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 What goals do they follow?
 “I want to win.”

 “I am a team player to help the group win.”

 What drives their behavior?
 “It is my right to do this.”

 “My duty is to my group.”

9 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 Vandello & Cohen measured percentage of:

 People living alone

 Elderly people living alone

 Households with grandchildren in them

 Divorce-to-Marriage ratio

 People with no religious affiliation

 Libertarian voters over past 4 presidential elections

 Ratio of people carpooling to work

 Self-Employed people

10 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440 11

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440 12

Individualism – Collectivism

Individualism and Collectivism can coexist within a person of any culture

Valuing personal independence
• personal responsibility
• freedom of choice
• personal autonomy
• achieving self-fulfillment

Promoting the self
• talent and potential in each

person
• pursuit and development of

abilities

Groups bind and mutually obligate
individuals

• a sense of duty to group
• interdependence to others
• harmony
• working with the group
• subordinating personal goals

for the sake of preserving the
ingroup

People are not seen as isolated
individuals but as interdependent
with others

13 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 Horizontal individualism

 Vertical individualism

 Horizontal collectivism

 Vertical collectivism

14 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440 15

Communication Consequences
Individualism Collectivism

Social behavior is guided by one’s personal attitudes… Social behavior is guided by the group

Value personal independence Group goals have precedence over individual goals

Decisions made democratically Decisions made by hierarchy

Friendships based on individual qualities Friendships based on hierarchical role in society

Equality sometimes Different value standards

 The idea that the individual self is
pancultural (i.e., the individual self
is more fundamental to self-
definition than the collective self
across all cultures)

 Motivation to achieve positive self-
regard

16 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440 17

High and Low-Context Cultures
Communication is dependent on the context in which it occurs

Culture

Physical Environment

Sociorelational

Perceptual

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440 18

 HIGH CONTEXT

 Restricted code

 Silence is valued

 Indirect, implicit
messages

 Examples: China,
Vietnam, and many
African cultures.

 LOW CONTEXT

 Elaborated code

 Silence is uncomfortable

 Direct, explicit messages

 Examples: the U.S.,
Switzerland, and France

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440 19

 Self Assessment 2.3 p. 65, 66

 An intercultural conversation
p. 64

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

http://high-low-context-cultures-hall.wikidot.com/chatter:wiki-template-created

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

 Values affect intercultural
communication.

 Values
 Guide social behavior

 Prescribe what is preferred or
prohibited

 Comprise the evaluative component of
attitudes and beliefs

 Guide how we think about right/wrong

 Trigger positive or negative emotions

 Guide our actions

20 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC
BY-SA-NC

https://www.peoplematters.in/blog/behavioural-assessments/driving-values-in-organization-14044

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440 21

Value Orientations

Values are the evaluative component of an individual’s attitudes and beliefs.

How values affect intercultural communication!

Universal Values

 Self-direction

 Stimulation

 Hedonism

 Achievement

 Power

 Security

 Conformity

 Tradition

 Spirituality

 Benevolence and Universalism

 “The extent to which the less powerful members of
institutions and organizations within a country expect
and accept that power is distributed unequally.”

–Hofstede

Smaller Power Distance vs. Large Power Distance

22
Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

 An intercultural Conversation
p. 81

23
Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

http://www.geo.coop/story/health-and-hierarchy

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

 Uncertainty Avoidance—the degree to which the
members of a particular culture feel threatened by
uncertain or unknown situations.

24 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

Uncertainty

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/911-uncertainty

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

 Paradox of Culture

 Five Dimensions of Cultural Variability

1. Individualism-Collectivism

2. High-Low Context

3. Value Orientations

4. Power Distance

5. Uncertainty Avoidance

25 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440

FLAN 3440

Intercultural Communication: Principles and Practice

CHAPTER 1: The Necessity of Intercultural
Communication.

1 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

http://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/about

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Need for Intercultural Communication

The history of our planet has been in great part
the history of the mixing of peoples.

—Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.1

• Technology

• Information Dissemination

• Social Media

• International Tensions

• National Tensions

2 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Benefits of Intercultural Communication

• Healthier communities

• Increased commerce

• Reduced conflict

• Personal growth through tolerance

3 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Diversity in the United States

Immigration Trends

4 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under
CC BY-SA

http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2016/12/it-can-happen-here.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Diversity in the United States

• Language

• Division vs Unity

5 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under
CC BY-SA

http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2016/12/it-can-happen-here.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Eight Dimensions of Communication

• Process

• Dynamic

• Interactive-Transactive

• Symbolic

6 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

The Nature of Human Communication

Eight Dimensions of Communication

• Intention

• Context

• Ubiquitous

• Culture

7 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

The Nature of Human Communication

Communication

• Communication is the ubiquitous dynamic
interactive process of encoding and
decoding verbal and nonverbal messages
within a defined cultural, physiological,
relational, and perceptual context. Although
many of our messages are sent intentionally,
some others—perhaps our nonverbal
messages—can unintentionally influence
other people.19

8 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Communication Apprehension (CA)

• 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. suffer
from CA every time they
communicate with others.
(McCroskey)

• The fear or anxiety associated
with either real or anticipated
communication with another
person or group of persons.

9 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Four Types of CA

• Traitlike

• Context based

• Audience based

• Situational

10 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Culture

• Write your own definition

11 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Culture

• An accumulated pattern of values, beliefs,
and behaviors, shared by an identifiable
group of people with a common history and
verbal and nonverbal symbol systems.

12 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Nature of Culture

• Accumulated Pattern of Values, Beliefs &
Behaviors

• Identifiable Group of People w/Common
History

• Verbal & Nonverbal Symbol Systems

13 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Microcultures

• Microcultures coexist within
the mainstream
society….within the broader
rules and guidelines of the
dominant cultural milieu
but are distinct in some way,
perhaps racially or
linguistically, or via their
sexual orientation, age, or
even occupation.

14 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Microcultures
• Microcultures coexist within
the mainstream
society….within the broader
rules and guidelines of the
dominant cultural milieu
but are distinct in some way,
perhaps racially or
linguistically, or via their
sexual orientation, age, or
even occupation.

15 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Intercultural Communication

A brief history

16 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Edward T. Hall 1966 (1914-2009)

Intercultural Communication

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

A Contextual Model of Intercultural Communication

17 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Contexts

• Cultural

• Microcultural

• Environmental

• Perceptual

• Sociorelational

18 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Contexts

• Cultural
• Microcultural
• Environmental
• Perceptual
• Sociorelational

19 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Intercultural Communication and Uncertainty

• Uncertainty can lead to
anxiety.

• Reduction of uncertainty
can lead to certainty

• Interaction with
strangers is a process of
reducing uncertainty

20 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Intercultural Communication Apprehension

• Intercultural communication
apprehension is the fear or
anxiety associated with either
real or anticipated interaction
with people from different
groups.

21 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Communication Competence

• Cognitive Components

• Affective Components

• Behavioral Components

22 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Fundamental Assumptions about Intercultural
Communication

• #1: During intercultural communication, the
message sent is usually not the message
received.

23 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Ethnocentrism

• Ethnocentrism: the
idea that one’s own
culture is the center
of everything and all
other groups (or
cultures) are scaled
and rated with
reference to it.

• GENE Scale

24 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Fundamental Assumptions about Intercultural
Communication

• #2: Intercultural
communication is
primarily a nonverbal
act between people.

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT 25

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

• #3: Intercultural
communication
necessarily involves a
clash of communicator
style.

26 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Fundamental Assumptions about Intercultural
Communication

• #4: Initial
intercultural
communication is a
group phenomenon
experienced by
individuals.

27 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Fundamental Assumptions about Intercultural
Communication

• #5: Intercultural
communication is a
cycle of stress,
adaptation and
growth.

28 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Fundamental Assumptions about Intercultural
Communication

The Ethics Of Intercultural Communication

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT 29

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

http://prehospitalresearch.eu/?p=1495

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Five Ethical Approaches*

• The Utilitarian Approach

• The Rights Approach

• The Fairness or Social
Justice Approach

• The Common Good
Approach

• The Virtues Approach

• (*Western perspective)

Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT 30

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

http://prehospitalresearch.eu/?p=1495

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Ethical Principles of Eastern Cultures

• Confucianism

• Hinduism

31 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

Intercultural Communication Competence

• Empathy

• Intercultural experience/training

• Approach Tendencies

• Global Attitude

• Listening Skills

32 Intercultural Communication/FLAN 3440/UT

1Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Intercultural Communication: Principles and Practice.

FLAN 3440

Learning Objectives

• Define and explain the concept of a
microculture and the criteria for
membership.

• Recount the fundamental assumptions of
the muted group theory.

• Provide examples of the various
microcultures in the U.S.

2Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

The Cultural/Microcultural Context

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 3

Activity

• Write down the first three words that

come to your mind when you
hear/read the terms said by your
professor.

4Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

TERM Your words

https://www.perl.com/article/how-to-write-your-first-article-for-perl-com/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Activity
• Write down the first three words that

come to your mind when you
hear/read the terms said by your
professor.

5Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

Terms Terms

Middle Eastern Hispanic

Amish Asian American

Mexican Arab

African American Farsi

White Arab American

Asian Gay/Lesbian

Chinese Christian

Hmong French

Muslim Canada

https://www.perl.com/article/how-to-write-your-first-article-for-perl-com/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Microcultural Group Status

• Physical or cultural trait

• Membership is usually not voluntary

• Generally practice endogamy

• Awareness of subordinate status

• Experience unequal treatment

6Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Muted Microcultural Groups

• Lack of Linguistic Power

– Not able to communicate freely

– No contribution to the construction of language

– No words or symbols to represent their group

7Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Microcultural Group Response

• Attempt to change the dominant mode of
expression

• Create their own “private” language

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 8

Microcultures in the U.S.

• Formation Process

•

Hispanic/Latino

• African American

•

Asian Americans

• The Amish

• Hmong

• LGBTQA+

9Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Hispanic/Latino

• Size: 17% of the
U.S. population

• Values: Family,
Language, Religion

• Communication
Pattern:
collectivistic

• Stereotype:
Machismo

10Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Black Americans

• Size: 14% of U.S.
population.

• Communication:
Ebonics

• Stereotypes:
poor, indifferent
to poverty

11Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Asian Americans

• Size: 6% of the U.S.
population

• Values & Communication
Styles:
– Collectivism
– Conforming to norms
– Emotional self-control
– Family recognition

through achievement
– Filial piety
– Humility

• Stereotypes: Model
minority; Competent but
cold

12Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 13

SOURCE: Elliott, C., Adams, R. J., &
Sockalingam, S. (2010). Summary
of Normative Communication
Styles and Values. Retrieved from
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/m
ulticulturaltoolkit-styleschart-
normative.html

Native Americans/American Indians

• Size: 2% of U.S.
population

• Membership:
Individual
Tribes
determine
criteria
– Blood

Quantum

– Pure Blood

14Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Native Americans/American Indians

• Communication
Patterns: High
Context, Collectivism

• Stereotypes: red
men, Indiana
princesses, children
of nature

15Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

http://www.ya-native.com/nativeamerica/Symbols.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 16

Arab Americans

• Size: 3.6 million U.S.
citizens have roots in
an Arab country

• Communication
Patterns: Religious
expressions common,
repetition, descriptive
modifiers, high context

• Stereotypes: evil
terrorists; naïve
character who pursues
extravagance; Bedouin
Arab living in a tent

17Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

LGBTQA+
• Distinguishing

cultural trait: Sexual
Orientation

• Membership
voluntary or
involuntary?

• Endogamy is possible
all states now

• Awareness and
Unequal Treatment
by the larger
dominant group

18Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

Gayspeak

1. Protects against detection of one’s
LGBTQA+ status.

2. Facilitates the expression of gay and
lesbian roles within gay culture.

3. Is a vehicle for political identity and
activism.

Stereotypes: behavioral and manner of
speaking

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 19

Summary

• Defined Microculture

• Explored the following Microcultures:

– Hispanics/Latinos

– Black Americans

– Asian Americans

– Native Americans/American Indians

– Arab Americans

– LGBTQ

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 20

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 1

CHAPTER 6

The Sociorelational

Context

Flan 3440

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Creating a More Sustainable Lifestyle – One Community Weekly Progress Update #129

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Learning Objectives

• Compare and contrast the nature of group
membership and group behavior across
cultures.

• Define and discuss the concept of role
relationships across cultures.

• Compare and contrast sex and gender roles
across cultures.

• Compare and contrast families and family
roles across cultures.

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 2

Activity

• List the number of groups to which you now
belong.

• Identify which groups on your list you made a
choice to belong to and which ones you did
not.

• How do the groups you listed affect the way
you think, feel, and act?

• What is your role within each of these groups?

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 3

The sociorelational context refers to how
group memberships affect communication.

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 4

Dimensions of Group Variability

• Membership groups

– Involuntary membership
groups

– Voluntary membership
groups

• Nonmembership groups

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 5

In-Groups & Out-Groups

• Ingroup

– a group whose norms,
aspirations, and values
shape the behavior of its
members.

• Out-group

– a group whose attributes
are dissimilar from those
of the in-group, or that
opposes the
accomplishment of the in-
group’s goals.

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 6

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/29555486/detection-of-groups

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Reference Groups

• A group to which we may
or may not belong but
with which we identify in
some important way

– comparative function

– normative function

• Voluntary membership in-
groups serve as positive
reference groups

• Voluntary
nonmembership out-
groups are seen as
negative reference groups.

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 7

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2015/5/25/red-blue

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Role Relationships

One’s relative position in a
group with an expected set of
verbal and nonverbal behaviors.

• Formal roles (well-defined
behavioral expectations)

– Explicit

– Violations can lead to
removal from role.

• Informal roles (expectations
vary greatly)

– Implicit.

– Learn from experience.

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 8

Roles and Communication

• Roles prescribe
1. with whom

2. about what

3. how to communicate
with others.

• Social identity

• Dimensions upon
which roles vary
– Personalness

– Formality

– Hierarchy

– Deviation

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 9
This Photo by Unknown Author
is licensed under CC BY

https://www.exceptionnotfound.net/five-personas-of-an-effective-programmer/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 10

Role Differentiation and Stratification

• Social Stratification

– Rank ordering of roles within a culture

– Varies across cultures

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 11

Role Differentiation and Stratification

• Role Differentiation

– Complexity of role hierarchy varies by culture

– Some cultures make relatively few distinctions,
whereas others make many

• Differences in Cultures

– High/Low Context

– High/Low Power Distance

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 12
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

http://thecollaboratory.wikidot.com/2013-fall-sociology-traditional-ii

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Intercultural conversation

• Please read the
Intercultural
conversations on
pages 197-198 & 201

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 13

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

http://www.span3853.julieannward.com/lib/exe/detail.php?id=inicio_del_grupo_cuatro&media=btyooebtl

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Family Groups

• Socialization and children

• Patriarchy & Matriarchy

• Profiles of family groups
in

– Hmong culture

– Korea

–

Israel

– Mosuo

– Kenya

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 14

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_skin_color

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Family Groups
• Socialization and children
• Patriarchy & Matriarchy
• Profiles of family groups
in
– Hmong culture
– Korea
– Israel
– Mosuo
– Kenya

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 15

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_skin_color

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Sex and Gender Groups

• Sex is biological

• Gender is socialized
& constructed

16Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

This Photo by Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

http://www.smallfriendly.com/small-friendly/2012/01/a-feminist-on-raising-a-boy-1.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

Gender Stereotypes

17Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018.

SOURCE: Adapted from
Williams, J. E., & Best, D. L.
(1994). Cross-Cultural
Views of Women and Men.
In W. J. Lonner & R.
Malpass (Eds.), Psychology
and Culture (pp. 191–196).
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Japan

• Japanese Constitution stipulates all
are equal

• Younger Japanese have more
egalitarian attitudes toward sex roles

• Older Japanese have more traditional
attitudes toward sex roles

• Japanese women continue to
sacrifice personal goals for harmony
of family, in accordance with
collectivism

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 7e. © SAGE Publications, 2018. 18

India

• Preamble of the Indian Constitution
guarantees equality

– Male children seen as a blessing

• Continue family name

• Economic asset

– Female children seen as a burden

• Dowry

• Less education

China

• Patriarchal (mostly)

• 1950 Marriage Law
abolished feudal forms of
marriage

• Women have little freedom
and few rights

• Women discouraged from
living alone

• Women are considered
more vulnerable and less
capable of dealing with the
outside world than are men

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Mexico

• More Mexican women than men are
divorced, possibly because Mexican men tend
to emigrate once they divorce

• Today, Mexican women are more educated
than ever.

• Nearly 93% of women age 12 years and
older do domestic work

• During the past few years, the roles of men as
providers and women as in charge of
domestic work have changed noticeably

http://www.mpdc.es/mapas/mapas/mexico/mexico.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Israel

• Women have been guaranteed equal rights
since Israel’s establishment as a state in
1948

• Segregation still occurs

• Certain fundamental religious groups reject
such rights

• Israel is the only country in the world with a
compulsory military service requirement
for women

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_the_Palestinian_territories

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Saudi Arabia
• Overwhelming majority of published

articles on Saudi women portray them
as oppressed and passive victims of
Islamic law

• Saudi is sex segregated country

• Women have financial and emotional
security

• Women have less restrictions in
semipublic and private settings

• Women voted for the first time in
December 2015 & were allowed to
drive in 2019

Summary

• Focused on Sociorelational Contexts

• Explored Group Memberships
– Voluntary

– Involuntary

• Defined Group Roles
– Formal

– Informal

• Examined Family and Sex Roles in various
countries

Kingdom of Women

Learning Objectives

• Compare and contrast high- and low-load
environments.

• Discuss the relationship between culture and the
natural environment.

• Discuss the relationship between culture and the built
environment.

• Compare and contrast the housing patterns of
different cultures.

• Compare and contrast cultural preferences for privacy.

• Compare and contrast monochromic and polychromic
time orientations.

How we see the environment around us is influenced by our individual
psychological perceptions, which, in turn, are shaped by culture.

Activity:
 Draw your apartment/house; then

your room including the furniture

 Draw a sketch your dream house,
the exterior and interior including
the front and backyards. Identify
the colors you will paint the
rooms, the furniture you will have;
the flooring material, roofing
material, walls…

Environmental Contexts

• Natural/Physical Environment

– Geographical Place

– Terrestrial Location

• Built Environment

– Architecture

– Landscaping

– Housing

• Perceptual Environment

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

http://edgeeffects.net/four-greco-roman-perspectives/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

Environments & Information Load

• Information rate: amount of
information contained or perceived in
the environment per some unit of time.

• High load

– Uncertain, complex, dense, random,
improbable

• Low load

– Certain, simple, sparse, patterned,
probable

This Photo by Unknown Author
is licensed under CC BY-SA

This Photo by Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_picture_candidates/Busy_Street

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

https://www.freeimageslive.co.uk/free_stock_image/quiet-place-jpg

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

SOURCE: Adapted from Mehrabian, A.
(1976). Public Places and Private
Spaces: The Psychology of Work, Play,
and Living Environments. New York:
Basic Books.

Environments & Information Load

• Affect feelings in three ways:

– Arousal-Non-arousal

– Pleasure-Displeasure

– Dominance-Submissiveness

This Photo by Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

http://bryanrutt.blogspot.com/2011/03/todays-anxiety-attack-stalemate-with.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

https://sansdosage.blogspot.com/2012/06/holding-it-in.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Culture & the Natural/Terrestrial Environment

• Some aspects
exist in every
culture

• Influences life in
that culture

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Worldviews of the Natural Environment

• Omnipotent Nature

• Harmony with Nature

• Controlling Nature

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC
BY-SA

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryggedal_Tunnel

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Children_crossing_river_by_canoe_(4623612101)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

https://elearningatliverpool.wordpress.com/category/turnitin/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Natural Disasters as Cultural and Social Events

• Cultures manage
disaster based on
their view of nature

• Disasters provide
opportunity for
Intercultural
Communication

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

https://futurism.com/new-throwable-tactical-camera-will-be-police-officers-360o-third-eye/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Influence of Social Phenomena on Natural Disasters

• Impact of disasters influenced
by power distance

– Women disproportionately
affected

– Violence against women
increases after natural
disasters

• Impact of disasters influenced
by social factors

– Age, Ethnicity, Social Class
Standing, Disability

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

http://www.onyxtruth.com/2017/09/03/why-black-men-do-not-fight-against-domestic-violence/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

The Built Environment

• Adaptations to the terrestrial environment…

• Include architecture, housing, lighting,
landscaping, etc.

• Artificially change natural patterns of
behavior, heat, light, sound, odor and human
communication.

• Reflect the values, motivations, and
resources of the culture.

The Built Environment: Layout Patterns

• Fixed-feature space

• Semi-fixed feature space

• Informal space

• Adaptable or Flexible space

Hall’s Classification of Social Distances

• Intimate Distance

• Personal Distance

• Social-Consultative
distance

• Public distance

AP Photo/CHINATOPIX

Japanese Housing: New Approaches

• Kyosho Jutaku

– Microhomes or
Ultrasmall Homes

• Vertical space vs
Horizontal space

• Measure space in
3-D not floor space

• Capsule Hotels

Koichi Kamoshida/Staff/Getty

Japanese Housing: Traditional

• Shoji/Fusuma
(opaque sliding
screen)

• Yuka (floor)
• Tatami mats
• Reception/Sitting

Room
• Garden & Tokonoma
• Private rooms: kitchen

and bathroom.

American Navajo Housing

• Hogan

– Space used differently based on sex

• Ramada

– Space and division of labor not divided
based on sex

Muslim Homes

• Privacy

– Between neighbors

– Between males and
females

– Between family
members

– Individual privacy

– Visual Privacy

– Acoustic Privacy

– Olfactic Privacy

• Modesty

– Physical

– Inner

• Hospitality

– Reception of guests

– Entertainment of
guests

– Public Hospitality

– Semipublic Hospitality

– Private Hospitality

Types of Privacy

• Solitude

• Isolation

• Intimacy
w/family

• Intimacy
w/friends

• Anonymity

• Reserve

James W. Neuliep

Perceptions of Privacy in the U.S.

• Perceptions differ throughout the country

• Types of Mediated Voyeurism

– Video Verite Voyeurism

– Reconstruction Voyeurism

– Tell-All/Show-All Voyeurism

– Sexual Voyeurism

• Privacy Acts

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCOWs29WbiMgCFYYIkgodsm8D6w&url=http://thepoliticalscienceclub.com/politics-of-the-internet-the-hidden-costs-of-free-software/&psig=AFQjCNEejA9LYeZDG2gCRSh8a1HaGyz79A&ust=1442927923068083

Cross-Cultural Variations on Privacy

• United States

• China

• Turkey

• Java

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Online Privacy Across Cultures

• Gender

• Individualistic/Collectivistic

• Power Distance

• Education

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

http://thefuturesagency.com/2014/11/16/snowdens-motivation-what-the-internet-was-like-before-it-was-being-watched-and-how-we-can-get-there-again

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Time Orientation

• Monochronic (M-time)
orientation

• Polychronic (P-time)
orientation

• Time orientation
influences:

– Scheduling

– Housing space

– Business practices

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Four days late … but He’s still on time

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

Monochronic (M-Time) Orientation

• Time is money
– Linear,

compartmentalized,
measurable, discrete

• Scheduling is
paramount
– Dictates daily

activities, limits
number of activities

– Dictates relationships

• Time is Power

Polychronic (P-Time) Orientation

• Schedules less important and
frequently broken

• People do many things at
once.

• Relationships take priority
over schedules.

• Tolerant of interruptions.

• In the present guides
behavior.

Turn in your highest-quality paper
Get a qualified writer to help you with

“ intercultural communication interview ”

Get high-quality paper

NEW! AI matching with writer

Hire a Writer

Client Reviews

4.9

Sitejabber

4.6

Trustpilot

4.8

Our Guarantees

100% Confidentiality

Information about customers is confidential and never disclosed to third parties.

Original Writing

We complete all papers from scratch. You can get a plagiarism report.

Timely Delivery

No missed deadlines – 97% of assignments are completed in time.

Money Back

If you're confident that a writer didn't follow your order details, ask for a refund.

New to Your Trusted Assignment Help Service? Sign up & Save

Calculate the price of your order

Type of paper needed:

Pages:

You will get a personal manager and a discount.

Academic level:

We'll send you the first draft for approval by at

Total price:

$0.00

Power up Your Academic Success with the
Team of Professionals. We’ve Got Your Back.

Power up Your Study Success with Experts We’ve Got Your Back.

Order Now Order Now