Chapter 6
Adapting to Others:
Bridging Culture and Gender
Differences
Communication Principles
Appropriately
adapt your
message to
others
Listen and
respond
thoughtfully to
others
Be aware of
your
communication
Effectively use
and
interpret
nonverbal
messages
Effectively use
and
interpret verbal
messages
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Adapting to Others

Culture and Communication

Gender and Communication

Barriers to Bridging Differences and
Adapting to Others

Adapting to Others Who Are Different
From You
Religion: Evolution of Man
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Culture and Communication

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Culture is a learned system of knowledge,
behavior, attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms
that is shared by a group of people.
Cultures are not static.
A Co-culture is a cultural group within a
larger culture.
– Amish
– gender
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Culture and Communication

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Intercultural communication occurs when
individuals or groups from different cultures
communicate.
Culture shock
Our culture and life experiences determine our world
view—the general perspective that determines how
we perceive what happens to us.
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Cultural Contexts


People from different cultures respond to their
surroundings or cultural context cues in
different ways.
High-Context Cultures
– nonverbal cues are extremely important
– communicators rely on the context

Low-Context Cultures rely more
explicitly on language
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Cultural Values

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Masculine and
Feminine
Perspectives
Avoidance or
Tolerance of
Uncertainty
Distribution of Power
Individualism or
Collectivism
Cultural Values:
Masculine/Feminine

Masculine
– emphasize getting things done and being
assertive
– tend to value traditional roles for men and
women
– not a reflection of biological sex

Feminine
– emphasize building relationships and seeking
peace and harmony with others
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Cultural Values:
Uncertainty and Certainty

Avoidance of Uncertainty

Tolerance for Ambiguity
Cultural Values:
Approaches to Power

Decentralized Approach
– leadership is not vested in one person,
power is decentralized
– decisions are likely to be made by consensus

Centralized Approach
– militaristic approach to power
– prefer strongly organized, centrally
controlled form of government
Cultural Values:
Individualism and Collectivism
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others

Collectivistic Cultures
– champion what people do together and
reward group achievement
– strive to accomplish goals for the benefit of
the group

Individualistic Cultures
– individual recognition
– self-realization
– tend to be loosely knit socially
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Gender and Communication

Sex-Based Expectations
– start at birth
– gender roles are transmitted via
communication

Why and How Women and Men Communicate
– instrumental and expressive orientations
– content and relational dimensions of messages
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Barriers to Bridging Differences

Assuming Superiority
– ethnocentrism

Assuming Similarity

Stereotyping and Prejudice
– stereotyping
– prejudice

Different Communication Codes
Chapter 6: Adapting to Others
Adapting to Others

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Seek Information
Listen and Ask Questions
Tolerate Ambiguity
Develop Mindfulness
– engage in self-talk
Become Other-Oriented
– other-oriented
communication
– social decentering
– empathy and sympathy
Adapt To Others