CHAPTER 3
INTERCULTURAL COMMUICATION
COMPETENCE
I. United States as an Intercultural
Community: What does it mean to
be an American?
Metaphors
 Melting
Pot: This image represents the
ideal blending of cultural groups. To
create a great big assimilated culture
that is stronger and better than the
unique individual cultures of which it is
composed.
 Single
cultural entity has never existed
 Accommodations have been made
 Some practices have been adopted
 Tributaries:
cultures maintain their
unique identity as they surge toward
their common destination.
 Suggests
that it is acceptable and desirable
for cultural groups to maintain their
identities Also, suggests that their objective
is to be apart of the majority
 (Tributaries are small creeks that ultimately
flow into a common stream, where they
combine to form a major river).
 Tapestry:
A decorative cloth made up of
many strands that are woven together
into an artistic design that may be
pleasing to others and not to some.
 Is
static and unchangeable
 Garden
Salad: A complex array of
distinct cultures that are blended into a
unique, tasteful mixture.
 You
can mix the salad differently
 Provides different textures, colors and tastes
 Always in a state of flux.
5. Create your own metaphor

How would you describe the
American Culture?

Names: many people who live in the U.S.A
prefer to call themselves American. But,
people in Brazil, Argentina, Guatemala,
Mexico, and other central and South
American countries also consider
themselves, as Americans-they are apart
of the continent collectively known as the
Americas. They believe for U.S.A to call
themselves Americans is imperialistic and
insulting. They resent the implication they
are less central or less important.
United Statians
 United Staters
 U.S. Americans- this narrows the scope

Cultural Groups

We avoid- majority, minority,
dominant, non-dominant groupings
 We
avoid grouping that denote race (ex.
White/Caucasian-European American)
 Hispanics- derives from the dominant
influences of Spain and the Spanish
language-seems to group people who
have Spanish surnames

Chicano-refers to the multiple
heritages of Mexicans in the United
States. Speaks to political and social
consciousness.

Those who wish to acknowledge
their cultural roots to their national
heritage prefer Mexican American &
Cuban American.

Latino- a cultural and linguistic term
that includes all groups in the
Americas that share the Spanish
language, culture and traditions

Native American, Arab American,
Pacific Islander, Asian American, etc.
 African
American
II. Competence and
Intercultural


Communication: interaction that is perceived as
effective in fulfilling certain rewarding objectives in a
way that is also appropriate to the context in which
the interaction occurs.
Intra-cultural Communication Competence
Perceived- competence is bases on the
communicators
 Is specific to context of the relationship
 Appropriate- communicators use symbols
that they are expected to use.

What are the goals &
objectives of the
communication?
 Components
Competence



of Intercultural
Context
Appropriateness/Effectiveness; Proper
suitable behaviors
3. Knowledge (Culture general/specific),
Motivations (emotional associations/ feeling
on intercultural comm./intentions), Actions
(actual performance)
III. Basic tools for improving
Intercultural Competence
BASICS: Behavioral Assessment Scale for
Intercultural Competence
 8 Steps
1. Display of respect: Show positive regard for
another person
2. Orientation to knowledge: terms used to
explain yourself and your world
3. Empathy: behave as though you understand
the world of others
4. Interaction Management: skill of regulating
conversation
5.
6.
7.
8.



Task role behavior: initiation of ideas
related to group problem solving
Relational Role behavior: behaviors
associated w/ interpersonal harmony
Tolerance ambiguity: ability to react
to new and ambiguous situation with
little visible discomfort
Interaction posture: ability to
respond to others in descriptive, nonevaluative, and nonjudgmental way
Description
Interpretation
Evaluation
HOMEWORK: CULTURAL DO’S &
Don'ts

IDENTIFY 10 CULTURAL DO’S FROM
YOUR CULTURE

IDENTIFY 10 CULTURAL DON’TS FROM
YOUR CULTURE
Homework





Are
Are
Are
Are
Are
you
you
you
you
you
African American?
Black?
Filipino?
Caucasian
Hispanic?
WHY????
400 words on why you identify
yourself in one of these cultural
groups