Module 6: INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Let’s Begin 

Verbal communication refers to the reception, storage, retrieval, manipulation, and generation of linguistic symbols. Communicative misunderstanding, which is defined as “a potential breakdown point in conversation, or at least a kind of communicative turbulence” by Mauranen (2006, p. 128), is usually perceived as a problem in verbal communication and more specifically, in the interpretation of what is said by one or the other party. According to Bremer (1996), a problem in communication arises when “the listener achieves an interpretation, which makes sense to him or her — but it wasn’t the one the speaker meant” (Bremer, 1996, p. 40). This mismatch between the speaker’s meaning and the hearer’s interpretation is attributed by Hua (2014) to two factors: inadequate linguistic proficiency and pragmatic mismatch which results in pragmatic failure. 

Read

1. https://www.wellspanphilhaven.org/Portals/0/Docs/Nonverbal%20Communication.pdf

2.  Communication styles. (n.d.). From    

     https://moniviestin.jyu.fi/ohjelmat/hum/viesti/en/ics/20   

Think  

1. What is individualism and/or collectivism? What is the difference between individualism and

    collectivism? 

2. What are self-construals? What are examples of self-construals? 

3. How does individualism-collectivism impact on behavior? 

4. What did the authors hypothesize and find out about the relationship between individualism-

     collectivism, self-construals, and communication styles? 

5. What practical applications might these results have for cultural groups who are not mentioned in

     the study? 

Let’s begin

Although language is an effective and efficient means of communicating explicit messages, a full appreciation of the communication process especially in intercultural interactions requires consideration of nonverbal communication behavior. Nonverbal behaviors include all actions that take place during communication that do not use words, such as facial expressions, eye gaze, posture, use of space, and even tone of voice. 

Watch/Read  

1. Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1969). The repertoire of nonverbal behavior: Categories, origins, usage, and coding. Semiotica, 1(1), pp. 49 – 98. 

From https://1ammce38pkj41n8xkp1iocwe-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp- content/uploads/2013/07/The-Repertoire-Of-Nonverbal-Behavior-Categories- Origins-.pdf  

2. Hall, E. T. (1982). The hidden dimension. Anchor Books.  

From http://index- of.es/z0ro-Repository-2/Cyber/03%20- %20General%20Science/The%20Hidden%20Dimension%20- %20Edward%20Hall.pdf 

3. Hall, E. T. (1959). The silent language. 

     From https://monoskop.org/images/5/57/Hall_Edward_T_The_Silent_Language.pdf

Think

1. What did Ekman and Friesen say about the usage and origin of nonverbal behavior? How did they elaborate on the cultural origins of nonverbal behavior? 

2. How did they categorize nonverbal behavior? 

3. What did Hall say about space? How does space take on different meanings across cultures? 

4. How does space impact on the other categories or forms of nonverbal behaviors? In Hall’s treatise, it appears that space is the thread that shapes and links the other nonverbal behaviors. What is your stand on his proposition? 

5. Ekman et al. and Hall wrote their treatise on nonverbal behavior and their communicative implications in the 1960s. Society has changed since then. Given the fact that culture is dynamic, do you think that their conceptualizations of nonverbal communication is still an adequate framework of analysis in the present time? Why do you say so? If no, which part needs to be re-examined today? 

Let’s begin  

Aside from the clashes of meanings brought about by different cultural frameworks, there are bigger issues in intercultural communication that stem from a lack of understanding of other cultures. These include anxiety, ethnocentrism, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. We consider these to be bigger issues as they do no only stem from and result in misunderstood meanings; rather they impact negatively on relationships between cultures and, at their worst, may be the source of intercultural conflicts with serious socio-political consequences. 

Watch/Read  

1. Sorrels, K. (2016). Intercultural communication globalization and social   justice (Second edition). Sage. 

From https://canvas.umn.edu/courses/137772/files/8254102/download?download_ frd= 1 

2. SpringboardSchools. (2008, July 14). The lunch date [Video]. YouTube. 

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epuTZigxUY8&t=5s

Think

Link 1: 

1. Sorrells proposes a re-imagination of intercultural communication in the age of globalization. How is it a re-imagination and why is it necessary to propose it? 

2. What did she say about intercultural praxis? What are the important considerations in intercultural praxis? 

Link 2: 

1. What does the short film suggest the older White woman had been taught about Black American men? And what does the short film suggest the Black  American man had been taught about White Americans? 

2. What assumptions did the white woman make about the Black American in the diner? What assumptions did the Black American make about the woman? What actions did each of them take based on their assumptions about each other? How did the characters’ assumptions about each other affect their ability to communicate their internal states? 

3. Consider the man behind the counter who watched the event unfold. What do you think does he stand for in that example of a cultural clash that is reflective of the bigger cultural collisions in our society? 

4. What barriers in intercultural communication are evident in the interaction between  the two characters in the short film? 

5. Choose one of the two main characters and propose how Sorrells’ framework for intercultural praxis can be applied to improve the character's communicative encounter.