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Chapter 3: Communication, Culture, and Identity
Chapter Goals




Recognize and understand the complexity of culture.
Identify reasons for the importance of intercultural communication.
Explain the obstacles to achieving intercultural effectiveness.
Employ strategies to improve intercultural communication.
Outline
I. Intercultural communication
A. Communication between and among individuals and groups whose cultural
backgrounds differ.
B. Knowledge of others’ cultural values and practices enhances intercultural
communication.
C. Individuals do not have to be from different countries for intercultural
communication to occur.
II. Diversity in the United States
A. Diversity affects family structure, corporations, religious institutions,
schools, and the media.
B. Learning how to communicate effectively with members of different
cultures is a hallmark of a thoughtful and effective communicator.
III. Defining Culture
A. Out of hundreds of definitions, culture is defined here as the shared, personal,
and learned life experiences of a group of individuals who have a common set of
values, norms, and traditions.
B. Culture is learned.
C. Culture creates community.
D. Culture is multileveled.
IV. Dimensions of Culture
A. Geert Hofstede (1980; 1984; 1991; 2001) examined work attitudes across 40
cultures to conceptualize four dimensions of cultural values.
B. Uncertainty avoidance – refers to how tolerant or intolerant you are of
uncertainty.
C. Distribution of power – how a culture deals with power is called power
distance.
D. Masculinity--femininity – the extent to which cultures represent masculine and
feminine traits in their society.
1. masculine cultures focus on achievement, competitiveness, strength, and
material success.
2. feminine cultures emphasize sexual equality, nurturance, quality of life,
supportiveness and affection.
E. Individualism – collectivism
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1. A culture that values individualism prefers competition over cooperation,
the individual over the group, and the private over the public.
2. Collectivism suggests that the self is secondary to the group and its norms,
values, and beliefs.
V. Why Study intercultural Communication?
A. Six imperatives based on work by Martin and Nakayama (2004) follow to
address this issue:
1. technological imperative
2. demographic imperative
3. economic imperative
4. peace imperative
5. self – awareness imperative
6. ethical imperative
VI. Dimensions of Culture
A. Uncertainty Avoidance
B. Distribution of Power
C. Masculinity – Femininity
D. Individualism--Collectivism
VII. Challenges to Intercultural Communication
A. Ethnocentrism – the process of judging another culture using the standards of
your own culture.
B. Stereotyping – can be good or bad.
C. Anxiety and uncertainty – You may feel anxiety or uncertainty when you are
introduced to people who speak, look, and act differently from you (Gudykunst &
Kim, 1997).
D. Misinterpretation of nonverbal and verbal behaviors.
E. The assumption of similarity or difference
VIII. Choices for Intercultural Understanding
A. Know your biases and stereotypes.
B. Tolerate the unknown.
C. Practice cultural respect.
D. Educate yourself.
E. Be prepared for consequences.
F. Relate to the individual, not the culture.
G. Reevaluate and eliminate your prejudices.
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Terms for Review
Co-culture
Collectivism
Community
Cultural empathy
Cultural relativity
Culture
Culture clash
Dialectics
ethnocentrism
feminine cultures
global village
high-context cultures
individualism
in-groups
intercultural communication
low-context culture
masculine cultures
out-groups
outsourcing
power distance
stereotyping
uncertainty avoidance
worldview
Student Activities
1. Directions: Make a list of all the stereotypes you have heard about Americans. Now circle the
ones that apply to you. Cross out any that you think do not apply to you or to anyone you know.
Where do you think these stereotypes come from? Are there more crossed out than circled? How
accurate are stereotypes? Do you think your stereotypes about another culture might be
questionable?
2. Directions: Ask a classmate to switch textbooks. Now ask to switch pens. Ask to switch seats.
Does it feel odd to read someone else’s book or use his or her pen? Do you feel uncomfortable
sitting in another seat? None of these things are very personal, so why do we think twice? Do
you think you’d feel differently if you lived in a collectivistic culture? Why or why not?
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3. Directions: Attend a meeting of a group of people who differ from you in some definable
way. For example, if you are white, you might attend services at a black church; if you are
Christian, you might attend a Jewish synagogue; if you are heterosexual, you might attend a
meeting of gay and lesbian students; if you are European American, you might attend a meeting
of Native Americans, Asian Americans or another cultural group.
Pay attention to interaction patterns and styles while you are at the meeting. Afterwards, answer
the following questions (this activity taken from North & Wood, 2006, Student companion for
Wood’s communication in our lives.).
A. Did you notice any patterns of interacting that differ from ones to which you are accustomed?
Describe them.
B. Did you notice any words, phrases, or nonverbal behaviors that differ from those you
normally use? Describe them.
C. Describe how it felt to be a minority in the group that you visited.
D. Discuss your responses with other students in your class.
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4. Directions: Find 5 pictures of symbols that to most Americans represent a particular holiday.
For example, a clover is used to represent St. Patrick’s Day and a turkey is used to represent
Thanksgiving. Now find 5 more symbols that you think have little or no alternate representation.
These might have religious or spiritual connotations such as a Hindi goddess or just a seemingly
generic object such as a candelabra. Next ask different people to name each of the symbols and
what they think each means. Did you only ask Americans? What were their religions? Did each
person answer similarly? Were any answers completely different for the same picture? How does
culture affect how we interpret different artifacts? Were you surprised by any of your findings?
Interactive activities
3.1: Degrees of Uncertainty Avoidance
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/enrichment/culturematters/Ch4/uncertainty.html
Use this site to quickly test your understanding of high and low degrees of uncertainty
avoidance. Read the definitions provided and take the quiz. How did you do? If you didn’t do
very well, that’s okay. The term uncertainty avoidance can be confusing.
Summary: The Peace Corps provides excellent training to prepare people for humanitarian
service abroad. One of the many training topics addressed on their website is uncertainty
avoidance. Take the interactive quiz at the site Attitude Toward Uncertainty & The Unknown—
High & Low Uncertainty Avoidance site to test your understanding of this concept.
3.2: Culture in the Workplace
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/
The article “The ‘Power Distance’ and ‘Uncertainty Avoidance’ Factors,” by Clive Hook,
applies Hofstede’s dimensions of culture to a business setting. Read the article and answer the
following questions:
1. Do you know of people in a work setting, or entire companies, that communicate according
to the dimensions of culture listed?
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2. Did you realize that their communication style could be influenced by cultural background?
3. Identify and discuss a company that does business internationally. Based on what you’ve
read in Chapter 3 of your text, what suggestions can you make that you think would assist
them in communicating across cultures?
Summary: Not only does culture affect communication in interpersonal relationships, it also has
a dramatic impact in the workforce. Read this online article to explore Hofstede’s dimensions of
culture applied to business relations.
3.3: Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture
http://www.lastword.com/PDFfiles/inter.pdf
The website Intercultural Communication describes Hofstede’s dimensions of culture and
provides fairly thorough lists of representative cultures. Do any of the cultures listed—including
your own—surprise you?
Summary: Still need clarification on some of the cultural terms Hofstede describes? Check out
this site for definitions and examples of representative cultures.
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3.4: Effects of Globalization
http://www.emory.edu/SOC/globalization/issues.html
Do you know what globalization is? Do you understand its effects? Check out The Globalization
Website, sponsored by Emory University. Consider the six globalization issues listed.
1. In your own words, respond to at least two of the questions posed.
2. Click on the links to read the responses provided by the website. (And if you want to learn
more, the links on each issue page will take you to articles for further reading.)
Summary: The Globalization Website, sponsored by Emory University, lists six issues related to
globalization and its effects on women, poverty, and more.
InfoTrac College Edition Activities
3.1: Culture and Negotiation
“Next for Communicators: Global Negotiation” by William Briggs
Communication World, December 1998
Conducting business across cultures is a necessity for most successful companies. The article
“Next for Communicators: Global Negotiation” discusses Hofstede’s dimensions of culture
applied to business negotiation. Read this article and then discuss the following:
1. Do you know of any cultural mistakes that advertisers or companies have made?
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2. When you communicate cross-culturally, what do you do if someone says or does the wrong
thing based on a lack of cultural knowledge?
3. If you were a businessperson, would you let such a mistake interfere with negotiation?
Summary: This article stresses the importance of cross-cultural communication and business
negotiation. The article presents this topic in light of Hofstede’s dimensions of culture, and also
nonverbal communication and the importance of public relations.
3.2: Putting Patriotism on Ice
“Putting Patriotism on Ice: Top Figure Skating Duo Shen and Zhao Crave Gold—with Chinese
Characteristics” by Hannah Beech
Time International, 4 February 2002
Do you think it’s fair to compromise your cultural traditions or beliefs in order to gain the
acceptance of others? Even for an Olympic gold medal? The article “Putting Patriotism on Ice:
Top Figure Skating Duo Shen and Zhao Crave Gold—with Chinese Characteristics” discusses
Chinese figure skaters who struggle to maintaining their cultural pride while adapting their
skating performance to an “acceptable” style.
1. Have you ever judged someone or something from the perspective of your own culture?
2. What steps can you take to avoid an ethnocentric approach?
Summary: This interesting article discusses international competition and how some nonWestern athletes feel pressure to adjust their cultural style in order to win higher marks with a
Western-style performance.
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Your Turn Journal Activity
Think about the cultural diversity of the United States to which we refer in Chapter 3 of your
textbook. Choose a particular newspaper or watch a television newscast for a week. Keep a
journal of the numbers of stories related to intercultural communication. How many of these
stories did you perceive as positive? How many were negative? Write about your reactions to
how the media contribute to images about various cultures.
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Quiz
True or False
1. Some researchers have discovered over 500 different definitions for the word culture. (p. 84)
True or False
2. People who grew up in different time frames grew up in different cultural eras. (p. 86)
True or False
3. We aren’t born with knowledge of cultural practices and behaviors, they must be learned. (p.
84)
True or False
4. In the United States very few people belong to co-cultures. (p. 85)
True or False
5. Those cultures that are unthreatened by change have a low degree of uncertainty avoidance.
(p. 94)
True or False
6. Cultures that are low in power distance include Austria, Israel, and Denmark. (p. 94)
True or False
7. Money is important in masculine cultures while a compassion for the less fortunate
characterizes feminine cultures. (p. 95)
True or False
8. Individualistic cultures tend to reject authoritarianism. (p. 95)
True or False
9. In high-context cultures, the meaning of a message is primarily drawn from the surroundings.
(p. 97)
True or False
10. Native American culture is a low context culture. (p. 97)
True or False
11. The United States has fewer than 300 million citizens. (p. 87)
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True or False
12. Cultures high in power distance show respect for status. (p. 97)
True or False
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following is not one of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions? (p. 93)
A. uncertainty avoidance
B. technological imperative
C. individualism – collectivism
D. distribution of power
2. Today, extremely few places on earth are completely out of touch with the rest of the world.
This phenomenon is referred to as: (p. 91)
A. world village
B. shrinking world
C. global village
D. global world
3. Each of us has a unique way of seeing the world through our own lens of understanding. This
is known as: (p. 87)
A. rose-colored glasses
B. individualism
C. ethnocentrism
D. a world view
4.Which of the following is an example of the peace imperative discussed in your book? (p. 92)
A. The influx of immigrants from Mexico, Russia, and Vietnam has changed the workforce in
the United States.
B. The global market has prompted overseas expansion of U.S. companies.
C. The Internet facilitates cross-cultural understanding of societies around the world.
D. Resolution of world conflicts, such as those in the Middle East, requires cultural
understanding.
5. When we personalize culture and view our world using a selfish cultural lens, we are
practicing (p. 98)
A. ethnocentrism
B. ethical obligations
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C. ethical imperative
D. assimilation
6. In-groups are groups to which a person feels: (p. 102)
A. uncomfortable with being affiliated.
B. he or she belongs.
C. anxiety and uncertainty being around.
D. he or she cannot avoid.
7. Collectivistic cultures value: (p. 97)
A. group collaboration.
B. individual goals
C. group competitiveness.
D. group challenges.
8. Peter was making an effort not to judge the cultural practices of the Maasai using the standards
of his own culture and to just learn about them. What was he trying to avoid? (p. 99)
A. ethnicity
B. cultural relativism
C. ethnocentrism
D. cultural collision
9. The learned ability to accurately understand the experiences of people from diverse cultures
and to convey that understanding responsively is known as: (p. 106)
A. cultural sympathy.
B. cultural tolerance.
C. cultural ambiguity.
D. cultural empathy.
10. Cultural relativity means that an observer can never condemn: (p. 107)
A. any practice in which any culture engages.
B. any practice that is dangerous.
C. a relative’s need for enculturation.
D. another culture for practicing closely-related customs.
11. How a culture perceives and distributes power is referred to as: (p. 94)
A. power issues.
B. power plays.
C. power distance.
D. power relativeness.
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12. The largest ancestral group in the United States is: (p. 88)
A. Irish.
B. Italian.
C. Mexican.
D. German.
13. When you call an 800 number to get help with your computer you may be talking to someone
who is actually in India. This is an example of: (p. 91)
A. a global village
B. a technology glitch
C. intercultural cooperation
D. outsourcing
14. If cultures understood each other better: (p. 92)
A. it would help to understand conflicting points of view.
B. it would end cultural warfare.
C. cultural warfare would increase.
D. civil wars would increase.
15. An ethical imperative means: (p. 92)
A. We must acknowledge our ethnicity.
B. We should appreciate cultural variations in dating, marriage, and intimacy.
C. It’s important to accept ethical obligations.
D. We should accept that people have different ethics.
Essay Questions
1. Explain what is meant by “culture creates community”. Include an example of a co-culture to
which you belong and how it fosters a culture within a culture.
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2. Offer at least three ways that your book suggests as ways to improve your communication
with people from different cultures and explain how you might practice them
3. List and briefly discuss, using examples, the four dimensions of culture.
4.
Define culture according to the book and explain whether you agree or disagree with this
definition. Is there anything you would change? Why or why not?
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5.
Write a brief essay discussing how you think culture in the United States has been
changed by technology in the past ten years. How do you think it will change in the next ten
years?
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Answers to Quiz
True or False
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. True
6. True
7. True
8. True
9. True
10. False
11. False
12. True
Multiple Choice Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
B
C
D
D
A
B
A
C
D
A
C
D
D
A
B