2.culture and Interpersonal Communication

The Interpersonal Communication Book
Joseph A. Devito
Culture and
Interpersonal
Communication
Chapter 2
Chapter Objectives
2.1 Define culture, enculturation, and acculturation
and explain the relevance of culture to
interpersonal communication.
2.2 Explain the seven cultural differences identified
here and how these impact on interpersonal
communication.
2.3 Define intercultural communication and explain
and use the guidelines for making intercultural
communication more effective.
We live in a multicultural world
Culture
The relatively specialized lifestyle of

a group of people
That is passed on from one
generation to the next through
communication, not through genes
The relatively specialized lifestyle of a
group of people
Included in a social group’s “culture” is

everything that members of that group have
produced and developed-their values, beliefs,
artifacts, and language; their ways of
behaving; their art, laws, religion, and of
course communication theories, styles and
attitude
That is passed on from one generation to
the next through communication, not
through genes
Culture is not synonymous with race or

nationality. The term culture not refer to skin or
the shape of one’s eyes because these
characteristics are passed on through genes not
communication.
Culture
•Cultural Evolution and
Cultural Relativism
•Sex and Gender
•The Transmission of
Culture
Cultural Evolution Approach
Often called social
Darwinism: holds that much
as the human species
evolved from earlier life
forms to Homo sapiens,
culture also evolved
Culture may be considered
advanced and others
primitive (Most
contemporary scholars
reject this view).
Cultural Relativism (theory)
On the other hand, holds
that all cultures are different
but that no culture is either
superior or inferior to any
other
Sex and Gender
Sex and gender are often synonymously. In academis
discussion of culture, however, they’re more often
distinguished.
Sex refers to the biological distinction between male
and female ; sex is determined by genes, by biology
Gender, on the other hand, refers to the social
construction of masculinity and femininity within a culture.
Sex is transmitted genetically and by communication,
gender may be considered a cultural variable.
The Transmission of Culture
Enculturation
Acculturation
Assmiliation
Enculturation
the process by which we learn the
culture into which you’re born (your
native culture)
an ethnic identity is a commitment to
the ways and beliefs of your culture
Acculturation
The process by which you learn the
rules and norms of a culture that is
different from your native culture and
that modifies your original or native
culture
Assimilation
Gradually, the values, ways of

behaving, and beliefs of the host
culture become more and more part of
immigrant’s culture.
Table 2.1 Seven Metaphors of Culture
Metaphor Metaphor’s Claim/Assumption
Salad/jelly Like items in a salad or a bag of jelly beans, cultures are individual, yet they work
beans together with other cultures to produce an even better combination.
Iceberg Like the iceberg, only a small part of culture is visible; most of culture and its
influences are hidden from easy inspection.
Tree Like the tree, you see only the trunk, branches, and leaves, but the root system,
which gives the tree its structure and function, is hidden from view.
Melting pot Cultures blend into one amalgam and lose their individuality, but the blend is
better than any one of the ingredients.
Software Culture dictates what we do and don’t do much as a software program does.
People are taught, often without awareness, to think and behave
by their culture.
Organism Culture, like an organism, uses the environment (other cultures) to grow but
maintains boundaries so its uniqueness is not destroyed.
Mosaic Like a beautiful mosaic is made up of pieces of different shapes, sizes, and
colors, so is culture; the whole, the combination, is more beautiful than any
individual piece.
Culture
The Importance of Culture
Demographic changes
Sensitivity to cultural differences (hate speech, racism,
sexism, homophobia, and classism)
Economic and political interdependence
Advances in communication technology
Culture-specific nature of interpersonal communication .
(Ex.Japan, and Jehovah’s Witnesses)
The Aim of a Cultural Perspective
The Aim of a Cultural Perspective
Culture permeates all forms of
communication, it’s necessary to
understand its influences if you’re to
understand how communication works
and master it skills.
Culture influence communications of all
types:
1)It influences what you say to yourself and how
you talk with your friends, lovers, and family in
everyday conversation.
2)Its influences how you interact in groups and
how much importance you place on the group
versus the individual.
3) It influences the topics you talk about and the
strategies you use in communicating information
or persuading.
4)It influences how you use the media and the
credibility you attribute to them.
Culture In a Global World
For effective interpersonal communication to

take place in a global world, a
goodwill and
good intentions are helpful but
they are not enough.
Cultural Differences
LO 2.2 Explain the seven cultural differences identified here and how these impact on
interpersonal communication.
Individual and Collective Orientation

High- and Low-Context Cultures
Power Distance
Masculine and Feminine Cultures
High-Ambiguity-Tolerant and Low-Ambiguity-
Tolerant Cultures
Long- and Short-Term Orientation
Indulgence and Restraint
VIEWPOINTS
Masculine and Feminine Organizations
Table 2.2 Values of the Workplace
Values Selected by Asian Values Selected by American

(Long-Term-Oriented) (Short-Term-Oriented)
Executives Executives
Hard work Freedom of expression
Respect for learning Personal freedom
Honesty Self-reliance
Openness to new ideas Individual rights
Accountability Hard work
Self-discipline Personal achievement
VIEWPOINTS
Health and Cultural Orientation
Principles for Effective Intercultural
Communication
LO 2.3 Define intercultural communication and explain and use the guidelines for
making intercultural communication more effective.
Educate Yourself
Recognize Differences
Differences between yourself and the culturally
different
Differences within the culturally different group
Differences in meaning
Differences in dialect and accent
A Model of Intercultural Communication
Principles for Effective Intercultural
Communication
Confront Your Stereotypes
Reduce Your Ethnocentrism
Adjust Your Communication
VIEWPOINTS
Gender Stereotypes
VIEWPOINTS
Ethnocentrism
The
Ethnocentric
Continuum
Cultural Differences and Interpersonal Adjustment

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The Interpersonal Communication Book

The relatively specialized lifestyle of

Included in a social group’s “culture” is

Culture is not synonymous with race or

Gradually, the values, ways of

For effective interpersonal communication to

Individual and Collective Orientation

Values Selected by Asian Values Selected by American

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