Communicating Effectively with the Chinese Chapter 3 Notes 1. One common Chinese belief about talk is the association of speaking with negative consequences as expressed by terms such as (“What has been said cannot be unsaid” or “Misfortune comes from the mouth”) 2. Speech is constantly exercised with caution and is less important in Chinese culture. 3. Talk has limitations and meanings can resides beyond words 4. The ability to figure out hidden meanings is highly desirable in Chinese culture 5. Maintaining relationships is important in Chinses communication because the communication is rooted in relationships rather than individual people. 6. Understanding how people are connected and how to reciprocate favors is essential of being a model person in Chinese culture. 7. There are 4 major characteristics of Chinese communication: A. Han Xu (Implicit communication) B. Ting Hua (listening centeredness) C. Ke Qi (politeness) D. Zi Ji Ren (focus on insiders) 8. Speakers are defined by what message they send and how they send it 9. Listeners are defined by their ability to understand and interpret the message received. Han Xu: Considered a social rule in Chinese culture To be efficient in Han Xu one must leave the unspoken context to the listeners Taking a more indirect approach to communication emphasizes what is implied and not what is said. Allows the person to take a more covert style of speaking thus minimizing mistakes and consequences when speaking. That the role of the speaker and listener are equally important in communication Involves a lack of expressiveness and Chinese people are socialized to not openly express emotions. Because of these practices Chinese report greater confidence in their ability to predict other people’s behavior based on indirect expressions than North Americans. Also essential in Chinese writing. Chinese believe that to “let things speak for themselves” is the best way of communicating. Ting Hua: Chinese personal identities are connected closely to the roles they play in society. Chinese communication in the context of status and role relationships is portrayed as listening centered, asymmetrical and deferential. These conditions are with those associated to speak and not everyone is allowed to speak. Recognition is often derived from one’s expertise on a subject for many reasons (years of experience, education and so on). Usually someone with seniority or expertise in a given context. Kids are meant to listen and take in what their parents say and not speak out. When a kid talks back to an elder it is considered disobedient and harmony in the family is disrupted. Most Chinese schools emphasize listening, memorizing writing and reading skills but not speaking skills. Because of these Chinese children have poor verbal fluency because it is seen as disrespectful if you are assertive or eloquent. Superior speaking and inferior listening also extend to the workplace. Mouth is considered the root of many misfortunes and calamities in interpersonal interactions. To be deferential in communication, ones need to exercise both restraint and hesitance when authority is present. Two ways to approach this by the subordinate is to appear conciliatory and agreeable or needs to downplay the significance of the point. In Summary, it is important for the speaker to have the ability to determine if a message was received or accepted by listeners through various means. Ke Qi: Basic principle Chinese observe in their everyday speaking. Communication should be made to be thoughtful, mannerly, pleasant and in civil fashion. Interpersonal relationships are based on the exchange of polite talk. There are many different sets of interactions so there are many different rule sets depending on what type of interaction you have. (Ex The “offer-decline” rule for host-guest) Ke qi embodies values of modesty and humbleness by not being boastful or taking credit in a situation which would be at a benefit to the person. Chinese are less likely to display pride in their successful endeavors than North Americans. In summary, observance of ke qi is not only a self-presentational goal but also a skill essential to any type of interpersonal interaction. Zi Ji Ren: The notion of the in-group is very significant because in-groups often serve as the primary, ongoing units of socialization of each person. The needs, goals and beliefs of the ingroup often precede those of the individual. Chinese are less likely to initiate interactions or to be involved in social relationships with outsiders. Chinese need to know where they are in relation to others of that is in the in-group or outgroup in a given context. Most Chinese do not feel comfortable dealing with strangers. Usually, a third party initiates the interaction first known to both parties. Chinese cultural expectation is that insiders and outsiders should not be treated in the same way because insiders share unity and interdependence. Chinese are more likely to express feelings and emotions with family members than nonfamily members. Chinese consult with and are consulted by nonfamily members about work the most and about marriage and family issues the least. Understanding Intercultural Communication Chapter 3 Notes 1. Values are shared ideas about what counts as important or unimportant, right or wrong, what is fair or unfair, and what counts as ethical or unethical conduct. 2. Cultural value patterns serve many functions, including the identity meaning function, ingroup-outgroup evaluative function, explanatory function, and motivational function. 3. Attitude- a predisposed and learned tendency that influences our thinking pattern and perceptual reactions. Favorable or unfavorable judgmental attitude toward dissimilar groups is acquired through your cultural socialization or religious/spiritual upbringing. 4. Ingroup favoritism and outgroup bias – interaction with members of our familiar group is viewed as positive and impression as and with a negative bias when interacting with members of the outgroup. 5. Ingroup- are groups with whom we feel emotionally close and whom we share and interdependent fate. 6. Outgroup- are groups with whom we feel no emotional ties and may experience great psychological distance and competitiveness against them. 7. We used are ingroup norms and standards to evaluate what constitutes right and wrong behaviors or gestures in our encounters in our intergroup communication. Explanatory function: Means coming up with a coherent logical reason to explain why people behave they way they behave in the cultural or ethnic community. Motivational Function: Cultural values are the internal drive for self and others in terms of what rewards are emphasized and what punishments are in store as embedded in the expectancy norms of the cultural community. If you understand a groups value of such cultures you can connect with people in that cultural community by engaging in more ingroup-based persuasive appeals or emphasize the importance of their family or extended family connection concerns. 8. Cultural values form the implicit standard by which we judge appropriate and inappropriate behaviors in a communication episode. 9. Individualism is the value pattern more towards the “I” identity while Collectivism is more towards the “We” identity. 10. Individualism- broad value of tendencies of a culture in emphasizing the importance of individual identity over group identity, individual rights over group rights, and individual needs over group needs. 11. Collectivism- refers to the broad value tendencies of a culture in emphasizing the importance of the “we” identity. 12. Ingroup collectivism- the sentiment of loyalty and solidarity between employees and their organization or ingroup community. 13. Institutional collectivism- the institutional perspective in enforcing ingroup norms, cohesion, and motivational incentives. Power: Small- Large Power Distance Value Dimension: The extent to which individuals subscribe to the ideology of equal power distribution and the extent to which members adhere to unequal power distribution in an interaction episode, within an institution or within a society. Smaller power distance cultures tend to value equal power distributions. Large power distance cultures tend to accept unequal power distributions. Uncertainty: Weak-Strong Uncertainty Avoidance Value Dimension Weak uncertainty avoidance cultures encourage risk-taking and conflict-approaching modes. Strong uncertainty avoidance cultures prefer clear procedures and conflict-avoidance behaviors. Sex Roles: Feminine-Masculine Value Dimension Femininity pertains to societies in which social gender roles are fluid and can overlap. Masculinity pertains to societies in which social gender roles are clearly complementary and distinct. Independent Self-Construal Versus Interdependent Self-Construal Independent construal of self- involves the view that an individual is a unique entity with an individuated repertoire of feelings, cognitions, and motivations. Interdependent construal of self- involves an emphasis on the importance of fitting in with relevant others and ingroup connectedness. Horizontal Versus Vertical Personality Style Horizontal self- prefer informal-symmetrical interactions regardless of a person’s status, rank, or age. Vertical self- prefer formal-asymmetrical interactions giving respect to a person’s rank, title, life experiences, and age. Uncertainty- Oriented Versus Certainty- Oriented Attributes Uncertainty-oriented individuals – characterized as directly responding to uncertainty by actively seeking out information to reduce and resolve the uncertainty. Certainty-oriented individuals are characterized by responding thoughtful or deliberately to uncertainty by reflecting on the opinions of others to help resolve uncertainty. Androgynous Versus Conventional Sex Role Dispositions Psychological androgyny -refers to an individual who identifies with both gender roles. Value Orientations: Background Information Three Value Orientations are: activity-meaning orientation, people-nature orientation, and temporal orientation. Activity Value Orientation: “doing” solution- means achievement-oriented activities “being” solution- living with emotional vitality and being relationally connected with significant others “being-in-becoming” mode means living with an emphasis on spiritual renewal and regeneration. People-Nature Vale Orientation Controlling or mastering their environment, cultural members can increase productivity and efficiency, and accumulate material security and comfort. Harmony-with-nature or “flowing” value solutions – outlook on life tends to emphasize spiritual transformation or enlightenment rather than material gain. Subjugation-to-nature or “yielding” value solution – tend to be more fatalistic than individuals who subscribe to the controlling nature value solution. Karma- involves fatalism. Internal locus of control – tend to emphasize free will, individual motivation, personal effort, and personal responsibility when it comes to the success or failure of an assignment. External locus of control emphasizes external determinism, karma, fate, and external forces shaping a person’s life happenings and events. Time: Temporal Value Orientation Future-oriented time sense means planning for desirable short to medium term developments and setting out clear objectives to realize them. Present-oriented time sense means valuing the here and now, especially the interpersonal relationships that are currently unfolding. Past-oriented time sense means honoring historic and ancestral ties plus respecting the wisdom of the elders.
