Culture and Communication
Culture and Communication
Culture and Communication
Communication
MODULE 2 GNED 05: Purposive Communication
Objectives:
1. define culture;
2. explain how culture relates to
communication and vice versa;
3. determine the basic elements of culture;
4. identify the characteristics of culture; and
5. examine one's culture and communication
practices.
Hall (1977) pointed out that
"culture is communication and communication is culture."
But the main point is that we learn about our culture via
communication, while at the same time, communication is a
reflection of our culture.
What is culture?
Culture is...
History
It is a diagram that offers direction about how to live in the
present. It highlights the culture's origins, "tells" its members
what is deemed important, and identifies the accomplishments
of the culture of which they can be proud.
Kilusang Propaganda, mosquito press, and Martial Law
Religion
Swardspeak
Characteristics of Culture
Culture is learned.
Folktales, legends, and myths: These are stories that contain the wisdom,
values, and experiences of a culture.
We learn culture through
Art: Art explains the social elements of culture such as gender, identity, and
status.
Mass media: It carries images and stories that contribute to a sense of identity
at the same time that it shapes beliefs and values.
Culture is shared.
The means of transmitting the culture can take a variety of forms (proverbs,
stories, art) and can have numerous "carriers" (family, peers, media, schools,
church), but the key elements of culture must be shared by all members of the
culture.
Culture is transmitted from generation to generation.
If a culture is to endure, it must make certain that its crucial messages and
elements are not only shared, but are passed on future generations.
Culture is based on symbols.
The easy transition of culture from one generation to another is to discuss the
method of that exchange: symbols.
Culture is dynamic.
G. Smith, ed., Communication and Culture: Readings in the Codes of Human Interaction
(New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1966), 1.
H. Triandis, Culture and Social Behavior (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994), 23.
C. M. Parkes, P. Laungani, and B. Young, eds. Death and Bereavement Across Cultures
(New York: Routledge, 1997), 15.
J. J. Macionis, Society: The Basics, 4th ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998),
34.