COM151

CHAPTER 2
Poll Everywhere

 Type one word . . .

Activity:
Cultural Communications

 How culture influences the communication process.

 Continental Statistics

 4.7 billion Asian

 1.4 billion African
 749 million Europe
 592 million North American
 430 million South American
 43 million Austrian/Oceana
 0 in Antarctica
Fundamental Issues: National Culture

 About 220 million Nigerians

 About 120 million Ethiopians
 About 96 million Democratic Republic of Congo
 About 60 million South Africans
 About 53 million Kenyans
 About 34 million Ghanaians
Religion Stats

 2.3 billion Christians

 1.8 billion Muslims
 1.1 billion Hindus
 500 million Buddhist
 15 million Jews
Defining & Interpreting Culture

 Spiritual and/or Religious identity

 Geographic region
 Race
 Nationality
 Ethnicity
 Social Class
 Gender
 Generation
 Family type (e.g., stepfamily, single parent family)
Assumptions about Americans Activity?

 Pass Out Papers

Societal Classifications

 Melting Pot
 Salad Bowl
 Orchestra
 Vocabulary

 Fugu means
cloth
 Dagombas call
it Binga
 Frafras call it
Dansika
 Southerners
call it
Batakarii
Enculturation

 The process of identifying with a particular

culture and its various customs, values, and
patterns of interaction and acquire the
behaviors and values deemed appropriate.
 The process of learning about your own
culture and acquiring those traits.
 Learning indirectly about culture includes the
lessons we absorb without direct instruction.

Doing the Adowa

Acculturation

 A process in which an
individual adopts, acquires and
adjusts to a new cultural
environment as a result of
being placed into a new culture,
or when another culture is
brought to someone.

Rachel Dolezal, in Center of Storm, Is Defiant: ‘I Identify as Black’

 More Vocabulary

 Cultural Appropriation
 “borrowing” from another culture is not bad. What becomes problematic is
when this sort of “appreciation” becomes rooted in stereotyping or a
fetishizing of another culture.
 Everyday appropriations includes the view that one can understand a culture
based upon eating a particular type of food (tacos – Mexicans), (spaghetti –
Italians), and (grits – Southerners in the USA). One should not cherry pick
cultural elements without understanding the consequence of such behaviors.
 Assimilation
 The process whereby individuals or groups of differing ethnic heritage are
absorbed into the dominant culture of a society.
 Diaspora
 This diaspora, or the movement of a group of people from their native
country. Bo Derek
Assumptions about Culture

1. Culture is Complex
2. Culture Creates both divisions and communities
 Because culture relies on a common set of values, beliefs, norms, and
traditions, culture, by definition, typically brings people together in
community
 Culture clashes, or disagreements and conflicts over cultural
expectations, take place
3. Culture and communication are Intertwined.
Imperatives for Studying Culture and
Communication

1. Self-Awareness Imperative
 Importance of recognizing your sense of self and your own cultural
identity.
 Allows us to interrogate our own beliefs and become more deliberate
and inclusive in our thinking and behaviors.
2. Demographic Imperative
3. Peace Imperative
Hofstede’s 6-Dimension
Model of National Cultures
Hofstede’s 6 Dimension
Model of National Cultures

 It has become the most widely accepted and most frequently cited model for
cross-cultural research.
 After leaving IBM, Geert Hofstede published many articles focused on the
various cultures he studied.
 Hofstede, assisted by others, came up with six basic issues that
society needs to come to terms with, in order to organize itself -
called dimensions of culture.
 Each of them has been expressed on a scale that runs roughly
from 0 to 120.
 Values acquired in childhood rarely change in life.
1. Hofstede’s 6-Dimension Model of National
Cultures: Uncertainty Avoidance

 Desires predictability.
 If you are a person who doesn’t like change and gets rather anxious
when change happens, you have a high degree of uncertainty
avoidance.
 The extent to which individuals wish to avoid ambiguity.
 How tolerant are you of uncertainty?
 How willing are you to avoid certain communication encounters?
 Do you resist change when it is thrust upon you?
 On the UAI Scale
1. Hofstede’s 6-Dimension Model of National
Cultures: Uncertainty Avoidance

High Uncertainty Avoidance

 Places like Japan, France, Greece, and Portugal tolerate little uncertainty.
 People in these countries usually want to have everything clearly delineated
so there is little misunderstanding. You can imagine, then, why some people
will actively avoid risky decisions in these sorts of countries.
Low Uncertainty Avoidance
 Countries that are relatively unthreatened by change.
 Countries including Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland are those cultures that
typically have little problem with change and uncertainty
On the Other End is Uncertainty Acceptance

 Uncertainty is normal and life is accepted as it comes.

Uncertainty Avoidance In Uncertainty Acceptance
More stress and anxiety Less stress and anxiety

Aggression and emotions are vented Aggression and emotions should be

controlled.
What is different is dangerous. What is different is curious.
There must be rules. Don’t like rules very much, want fewer
rules. Even if the rules are necessary,
they may sometimes be broken if
necessary.

Formalization Deregulation
Technology is adopted carefully. Technology is adopted quickly.
People stay in the same job as long as Changing of jobs is easy.
possible.
Afraid of people who are different, More tolerant of others.
xenophobia
Uncertainty Avoidance In Uncertainty Acceptance
Differences
More Alcoholism Less Alcohol Abuse
You must be able to identify yourself. Have identity cards but don’t have
to carry them.
More doctors, fewer nurses. Few doctors, more nurses.
Wealthy countries seen as more corrupt. Wealthy countries are seen as less
corrupt.
Clean and pure products are valued. Advertising often Easy products, ready made are
shows an expert identifying why the product is more attractive. Advertising often
important. shows humor.
Poll Everywhere!

 Does having “Uncertainty Avoidance” Describe You?

Uncertainty Avoidance

 Highest Countries
 Greece (112), Portugal (104), Guatemala (101)
 Lowest Countries
 Demark (23), Jamaica (13), Singapore (8)
 Ghana – 54
 Libya - 68
 United States – 46
 United Kingdom – 35
 France - 86
 China - 40
 Jamaica – 13
 United Arab Emirates – 68
2. Hofstede’s 6-Dimension
Model of National Cultures:
Individualism: Individualism-
Collectivism
 2. Individualism: Individualism-Collectivism

 The extent to which a culture values connections to others, including friends,

families, and the culture at large.
 When a culture values individualism, it prefers the individual over the group.
 The individualistic culture values competition over cooperation and the private
over the public.
 Comprises of the nuclear family system, the Father Mother and Children.
 The use of “I” functions prominently in individualistic cultures and individual
responsibility is emphasized.
 Individualistic cultures such as Italy, Canada, the United States, and Australia
tend to embrace the philosophy of “pick yourself up” when things go wrong.
2. Collectivism: Individualism-Collectivism

 Collectivism places the group’s norms, values, and beliefs over

the individuals.
 Collectivistic cultures such as Pakistan, Peru, Colombia, and
Chile believe that the community can, should, and will provide
help.
 Collectivist communities typically believe that family members
should assist each other in times of need.
 Family, Extended Family, Village, Tribe.
Individualism Collectivism
People identify with “I” People identify with “we”

There is universalism, people are individuals They are exclusionists, classify others as in or
out group
Competition between individuals Competition between groups

In carrying out tasks, the task is first and the In carrying out tasks, the relationship is first
relationship may come afterwards. and the task is second.

Everything must be specified so High context communication, many things

communication is more extensive. are obvious so the communication can be
short.
Confrontation can do no harm, it can Keyword is harmony even if you disagree you
sometimes be healthy. must maintain an artificial harmony,
otherwise the in-group may be weakened
Collectivism Individualism
Tend to be poorer countries Tend to be wealthy countries
(Wealth comes first and then the
individualism follows)
Lower press freedom More press freedom
Lower divorce rates. Often the Higher divorce rates.
marriages are concluded by the
families.
Model relationship, older husband Model relationship, smaller age
younger wife. difference

Pace of life slower Pace of life faster. How fast people are
walking.
The word “I” in some places is taboo. Use “I” more – English is the most
You are not supposed to use it. individualist language. English writes
I with a capital letter, other languages
write “You” with a capital letter.
Use social media for communicating Use social media for active search.
with the in group.
PollEverywhere

 What do you practice Collectivism or Individualism?

IDV Index - Individualism Values
Individualism

 Highest Countries
 United States (91), Australia (90), United Kingdom (89)
 Lowest Countries
 Guatemala (6), Ecuador (8), Panama (11)
 Ghana – 20
 Libya - 38
 United States – 91
 United Kingdom – 89
 France - 71
 China - 20
 Jamaica – 39
3. Hofstede’s 6-Dimension
Model of National Cultures:
Power Distance (Distribution
of Power)
3. Power Distance (distribution of Power)

 The degree to which the less powerful expect and accept that power
is distributed unequally.
 High power distance means that there is a tendency to revere and
respect those in power.
 People tend to accept the clear dichotomy between the powerful and
the powerless
 Deference is paid to those, for instance, who have higher income and
advanced education.
 Those citizens from countries such as Malaysia, Panama, Mexico,
and Singapore tend to possess a large degree of power distance.
Power Distance Example (distribution of
Power)

 India has a history rooted in a caste system

 Indians have four castes or classifications of social standing:
 Brahmanas (priests and intellectuals)
 Kshatriyas (military and governmental administrators)
 Vaishyas (bankers and farmers)
 Shudras (laborers and musicians)
 Knapp contends that this caste system does nothing but oppress
those of lower social standing and renders it “useless” (p.7), despite
some scholars who believe that the system is beginning to change
significantly over the past few years (Farek, Jalki, Pathan, & Shah,
2017).
Power Distance (Distribution of Power)

 Other cultures that believe power distribution should be done equitably

regardless of age, sex, or status, are those that are low in power distance.
 The United States, Israel, Denmark, and Austria are countries that advocate
the 1970s John Lennon song, “Power to the People”.
 Many of these cultures also believe that one can attain power, regardless of
background. For instance, there are several cases of powerful people who
are products of economically challenging backgrounds, including Oprah
Winfrey, Ralph Lauren, Jim Carrey, and Jennifer Lopez.
Poll Everywhere

 Do you have a High-Power Distance attitude?

Power Distance - PDI Index

 Highest Countries
 Malaysia (104), Guatemala (95), Panama (95)
 Lowest Countries
 Austria (11), Israel (13), Denmark (18),
 Ghana – 77
 Libya - 80
 United States – 40
 United Kingdom – 35
 France - 68
 China - 80
 Jamaica – 40
Individualism and Power Distance

Higher Power Distance Collectivist

Lower Power Distance (somewhat Individualist

correlated with wealth) (Individualism is strongly
correlated with wealth)
4. Hofstede’s 6-Dimension
Model of National Cultures:
Masculinity-Femininity
4. Masculinity-Femininity: Masculinity

 The extent to which a culture represents masculine or feminine

traits.
 Countries such as Italy, Venezuela, and Japan are considered
masculine because they tend to value aggressiveness, competition,
achievement, and materialism, all masculine traits.
 The notion of success is prominent in masculine cultures and
success is usually defined as “the best” or “the winner.”
 In masculine cultures, the division of labor is generally sex-based,
meaning women and men are assigned various tasks based on their
sex and not their qualities.
Masculinity-Femininity: Femininity

 The emotional gender roles are distinct. What you feel as a boy and as a girl.
Boys should be assertive, tough, focused on material success and girls
should be focused on the quality of life.
 The countries Thailand, the Netherlands, and Finland are all viewed as
feminine cultures because they emphasize equality and caring for others.
 Unlike masculine societies, those feminine cultures define success as “the
quality of one’s life.”
 Standing out in the crowd is not embraced.
 In cultures that are higher in femininity, you would find both women and
men as cooperative.
Feminine Societies Masculine societies
People try to balance family with work. Work prevails over the family and it is an acceptable excuse to
neglect the family.
Both father and mother deal with affects and feelings. Father should deal with facts, mother deals with feelings, if
children are hurt they should go to momma.
Jealous of high-flyers. Admire the strong.
Have sympathy for the weak. People disdain the weak.
Both girls and boys cry, but neither should fight. Girls cry and boys should not. Boys fight but girls should not.
Religion focuses on the fellow human being. Religion focuses on God the father.
Sex can be used for couples to relate. Sex is for performing, the man is the subject and women are
the objects.
Percentage of functionality illiterate people is lower. Percentage of functionality illiterate people is higher.

Poverty is blamed on bad luck. Poverty is blamed on laziness

Spends less on their budget to aid for poor countries.
Advertising for men and women Advertising for women
Pleasure is more important than salary ( longer vacations). Salary is more important than pleasure
Poll Everywhere

 Would you prefer living in a Masculine or Feminine country?

MAS Index

 Highest Countries
 Japan (95), Hungary (88), Austria (79)
 Lowest Countries
 Sweden (5), Norway (8), Netherlands (14)
 Ghana – 46
 Libya - 52
 United States – 62
 United Kingdom – 66
 France - 43
 China - 66
 Jamaica – 68
5. Hofstede’s 6-Dimension
Model of National Cultures:
Long-and Short-Term
Orientation
5. Long-and Short-Term Orientation

 Some are more disposed to focusing on the future, enthusiastic about

the possibility of change. These are considered long-term orientation
cultures.
 Pragmatic virtues oriented to future rewards, like perseverance,
persistence, thrift/saving, adapting to changing circumstances.
 LTO countries such as Poland, Canada, and Germany support change
and persistence and the social relationships in these countries tend to
be organized by status.
 People from LTO cultures usually make quick money judgments, such
as decisions related to purchasing luxury items or investing in the
stock market. Personal adaptability is very important in LTO societies.
5. Long-and Short-Term Orientation

 Those counties that emphasize the present and the past and still support
tradition.
 Asian countries, in particular (e.g., China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea), are
viewed as STO societies.
 Greetings and favors are reciprocated by STO cultures and typically, these
countries view societal change with resistance.
 Leisure time is important in these cultures as is the protection of one’s “face” to
avoid embarrassment or shame.
 Fosters values related to the past and present, national pride, respect for
tradition, preservation of face, and fulfilling social obligations.
 Poorer countries that are LTO, economic growth goes faster
 Poorer countries that are STO, economic growth goes slower.
Long-Term Orientation Short-Term Orientation
Good and evil are relative. They can Good and evil are absolute and always the
change over time. Norms applied depends same. Fixed Norms always apply no mater
on the situation. the circumstances.
Superior person is someone who can Superior person is someone who is always
adapt to the circumstances. the same.
We should be humble. We seek positive information about
ourselves.
We want to learn from other countries. We are proud of our own country.
Traditions can change. Traditions are sacrosanct.
When two truths oppose each other they There is always a contradiction between A
may be integrated into something new. and B if they are not the same.

What is very important to resolve a Choosing the extreme, ideologically or

problem is common sense and choosing a fundamentally.
common way.
Poll Everywhere

 Do you have Long Term or Short Term Orientation?

LTO Index (Not all Countries Included)

 Highest Countries
 Hong Kong (96), Pakistan (87), Japan (80)
 Lowest Countries
 Ghana (16), Nigeria (16), Sierra Leone (16)
 Ghana – 16
 Libya – N/A
 United States – 29
 United Kingdom – 25
 France – N/A
 China - 118
 Jamaica – N/A
Long and Short Term Orientation Index (LTO)

 High Side
 East Asian, Japan, China, Germany, Russia
 Lower but high, Netherlands, France, Italy, Sweden
 Low Side
 But close to high Britain, India
 Short term
 Israel, US, Mexico, Australia, Nigeria & other African Countries
 Arabic Countries.
Hofstede’s 6-Dimension
Model of National Cultures:
Indulgence Verses Restraint
Dimension
6. Indulgence Verses Restraint Dimension

 Feelings of subjective happiness and control of people’s own

life, or the opposite.
 Indulgence societies allow relatively free gratification of basic
and natural human desires that lead to enjoying life and having
fun.
 Restraint societies suppress gratification of needs and regulate
it by strict social norms.
Indulgence Restraint
People feel happier and healthier People feel less happy and healthy although
objectively they may be the same.
People have a perception of personal life control. What happens to them, they feel is not under their own
control.
Has a leisure ethic. Have a work ethic.
Have a more optimist positive attitude More restraint, pessimist cynical attitude.
More extrovert personalities More introvert personalities.
Having friends is important Having friends is less important
People participate actively in sports. Sports is something you watch, you don’t do it
yourself.
Less moral discipline Stricter moral discipline, sexual mores are more
restricted.
Freedom of speech is important Not so much just maintaining order in the nation is
more important
Higher crime rate, smaller police force. Lower crime rate, more police.
Educated pop. – Have higher birth rates. Educated pop. – Have Lower brith rates
More obese people Less obese people
Higher approval of foreign music and films. Less approval of foreign music and films.
Poll Everywhere

 Are you oriented more towards indulgence or restraint?

(IVR) Indulgence Vs. Restraint Index.

Indulgence
 Mexico, Nigeria, and some other African countries, Sweden Australia, US.
Brazil
Restraint
 France, Japan, Germany, Italy, India, China, Russia, Egypt and other
Islamic societies.
Challenges and Barriers to Cultural
Understanding and Communication

 Ethnocentrism
 Stereotyping
 Anxiety and uncertainty
 The assumption of similarity
 Prejudice
1. Ethnocentrism

 The culture to which we belong is somehow superior to others, and/or if we view

ourselves as morally above others,
 Ethnocentrism derives from the Greek words ethnos (nation) and kentron (center).
When we combine these terms, “nation at the center” becomes the newly formed
combination.
 For example, you traveled to another country and openly criticized that country for
not being similar to your own country (“Hey, guys don’t hold hands,” or “Bowing to
someone seems weird to me,” or “Why doesn’t this country have food like we do?”).
These sorts of claims suggest that in some way that particular culture does not
measure up to the level that an ethnocentric individual may find appropriate.
2. Stereotyping

 Walter Lippman coined the word stereotype, which he called a “picture in our head”
 The process of conjuring up a fixed mental image of a particular group of people and
communicating with a single person as representative of that group.
 Although some stereotypes may be viewed as positive (e.g. all Asians are high
academic achievers), they inhibit communication because they stop us from
interacting with our conversational partner as a unique individual.
 Usually problematic because they are often untrue.
Stereotypes

Stereotypes are found in nearly all professions:

 entertainment (“They all get Botox!”)
 politics (“They’re all dishonest!”)
 journalism (“The Media are too liberal!”)
 law (“Crooked and money-hungry lawyers!”)
 sports (“Another dumb jock!”)
 medicine (“Doctors don’t listen to their patients!”)
3. Anxiety and Uncertainty

 If we are members of an in-group (a group to which a person feels he or she

belongs), we may be more comfortable with another
 if we are members of an out-group (a group to which a person feels he or she does
not belong), then we feel anxious and uncertain.
4. The Assumption of Similarity
5. Prejudice

 At the heart of prejudice is a loathing or vitriol toward a particular group

 The word “prejudice” comes from the Latin roots prae (in advance) and
judicium(judgment)
 those who are not in the dominant cultural group (e.g., white, male, educated) are
the targets of prejudice. Many people believe that they are not prejudiced, but their
words and behaviors suggest otherwise.
 xenophobia, or the fear of those from other lands, continues to be a significant
challenge for societies everywhere.
Co-cultural Theory

 words like subculture and minority are laden with negative inferences. Instead of
assuming and expecting that one dominant voice exists in diverse and complex
societies such as the USA, communication researchers advocate that we “co-exist as
co-cultures.”
 Co-cultural Theory suggests that societies are hierarchical and that those at the top
of the hierarchy are afforded power, privilege, and position. In most Western
cultures, the rich are given opportunities that other social classes can only imagine!
Co-cultural theorists propose that co-cultures – often referred to as marginalized or
disenfranchised cultures – struggle to get their voices heard.
 Diversity needs to be acknowledged rather than assuming that each co-culture thinks
and acts alike with common visions.
Co-cultural Theory

 Moreover, Co-cultural Theory suggests that non-dominant groups usually

experience mutedness, and they try to get their voices heard “to reinforce,
manage, alter, and over-come a societal position that renders them outside
the center of power” (Orbe, 2005, p. 65).
 the marginalized will engage in both assertive and aggressive
communication so that they are not rendered silent.
 co-cultural theorists have borrowed from other theories such as Standpoint
Theory to advance the notion that people’s standpoints – or positions that
influence their perspectives and experiences – are necessarily affected by
their communication with dominant populations.
Achieving intercultural sensitivity – 4 skills

 allowing the unknown - ask questions and to avoid judgments

 working toward commonality - They could, among other things, engage in cultural
empathy, which is a process of learning about the cultural experiences of another and
conveying that under-standing responsively
 establishing cultural equity - Any perception of cultural priority should be avoided and
instead, both intercultural communicators need to work toward the adage: “We’re all in
this together.”
 educating yourself
Achieving Cultural Sensitivity

 Our final suggestion for cultural understanding is something you do each week: study.
 Commit to educating yourself about other cultures and cultural practices.
The End