Communications Question

Read the excerpt on Canvas labeled “Communication and Culture” and select one of the six fundamental patterns of cultural differences and answer the following questions.

1. Provide an example in the workplace or in a place of learning (high school, college, etc.) of how this difference in cultural beliefs or ways of doing may impact a particular relationship with a colleague or fellow student.

2. Describe in your own words how an employer (manager) or a professor (teacher if using high school as an example) might help resolve these differences with employees or students in the classroom. Give specific examples of ways to improve the relationship or resolve the conflict.

3. Describe a time when you may have experienced cultural differences with a friend, colleague or classmate. What did you do to resolve those differences? Please be specific in your recount of the actions you took to help improve your relationship with this person.

Communication and Culture
Six Fundamental Patterns of Cultural Differences
In a world as complex as ours, each of us is shaped by many factors, and culture is one of
the powerful forces that acts on us. Anthropologists Kevin Avruch and Peter Black
explain the importance of culture this way:
…One’s own culture provides the “lens” through which we view the world; the “logic”…
by which we order it; the “grammar” … by which it makes sense. 1Links to an external
site.
In other words, culture is central to what we see, how we make sense of what we see,
and how we express ourselves.
As people from different cultural groups take on the exciting challenge of working
together, cultural values sometimes conflict. We can misunderstand each other, and
react in ways that can hinder what are otherwise promising partnerships. Oftentimes, we
aren’t aware that culture is acting upon us. Sometimes, we are not even aware that we
have cultural values or assumptions that are different from others’.
Six fundamental patterns of cultural differences — ways in which cultures, as a whole,
tend to vary from one another — are described below. The descriptions point out some
of the recurring causes of cross-cultural communication difficulties.2Links to an external
site. As you enter into multicultural dialogue or collaboration, keep these generalized
differences in mind. Next time you find yourself in a confusing situation, and you suspect
that cross-cultural differences are at play, try reviewing this list. Ask yourself how culture
may be shaping your own reactions, and try to see the world from others’ points of view.
1. Different Communication Styles
The way people communicate varies widely between, and even within, cultures. One
aspect of communication style is language usage. Across cultures, some words and
phrases are used in different ways. For example, even in countries that share the English
language, the meaning of “yes” varies from “maybe, I’ll consider it” to “definitely so,” with
many shades in between.
Another major aspect of communication style is the degree of importance given to nonverbal communication. Non-verbal communication includes not only facial expressions
and gestures; it also involves seating arrangements, personal distance, and sense of time.
In addition, different norms regarding the appropriate degree of assertiveness in
communicating can add to cultural misunderstandings. For instance, some white
Americans typically consider raised voices to be a sign that a fight has begun, while some
black, Jewish and Italian Americans often feel that an increase in volume is a sign of an
exciting conversation among friends. Thus, some white Americans may react with
greater alarm to a loud discussion than would members of some American ethnic or nonwhite racial groups.
2. Different Attitudes Toward Conflict
Some cultures view conflict as a positive thing, while others view it as something to be
avoided. In the U.S., conflict is not usually desirable; but people often are encouraged to
deal directly with conflicts that do arise. In fact, face-to-face meetings customarily are
recommended as the way to work through whatever problems exist. In contrast, in many
Eastern countries, open conflict is experienced as embarrassing or demeaning; as a rule,
differences are best worked out quietly. A written exchange might be the favored means
to address the conflict.
3. Different Approaches to Completing Tasks
From culture to culture, there are different ways that people move toward completing
tasks. Some reasons include different access to resources, different judgments of the
rewards associated with task completion, different notions of time, and varied ideas
about how relationship-building and task-oriented work should go together.
When it comes to working together effectively on a task, cultures differ with respect to
the importance placed on establishing relationships early on in the collaboration. A case
in point, Asian and Hispanic cultures tend to attach more value to developing
relationships at the beginning of a shared project and more emphasis on task completion
toward the end as compared with European-Americans. European-Americans tend to
focus immediately on the task at hand, and let relationships develop as they work on the
task. This does not mean that people from any one of these cultural backgrounds are
more or less committed to accomplishing the task, or value relationships more or less; it
means they may pursue them differently.
4. Different Decision-Making Styles
The roles individuals play in decision-making vary widely from culture to culture. For
example, in the U.S., decisions are frequently delegated — that is, an official assigns
responsibility for a particular matter to a subordinate. In many Southern European and
Latin American countries, there is a strong value placed on holding decision-making
responsibilities oneself. When decisions are made by groups of people, majority rule is a
common approach in the U.S.; in Japan consensus is the preferred mode. Be aware that
individuals’ expectations about their own roles in shaping a decision may be influenced
by their cultural frame of reference.
5. Different Attitudes Toward Disclosure
In some cultures, it is not appropriate to be frank about emotions, about the reasons
behind a conflict or a misunderstanding, or about personal information. Keep this in mind
when you are in a dialogue or when you are working with others. When you are dealing
with a conflict, be mindful that people may differ in what they feel comfortable
revealing. Questions that may seem natural to you — What was the conflict about? What
was your role in the conflict? What was the sequence of events? — may seem intrusive
to others. The variation among cultures in attitudes toward disclosure is also something
to consider before you conclude that you have an accurate reading of the views,
experiences, and goals of the people with whom you are working.
6. Different Approaches to Knowing
Notable differences occur among cultural groups when it comes to epistemologies -that is, the ways people come to know things. European cultures tend to consider
information acquired through cognitive means, such as counting and measuring, more
valid than other ways of coming to know things. Compare that to African cultures’
preference for affective ways of knowing, including symbolic imagery and rhythm. Asian
cultures’ epistemologies tend to emphasize the validity of knowledge gained through
striving toward transcendence.3Links to an external site.
Recent popular works demonstrate that our own society is paying more attention to
previously overlooked ways of knowing.4Links to an external site. Indeed, these
different approaches to knowing could affect ways of analyzing a community problem or
finding ways to resolve it. Some members of your group may want to do library research
to understand a shared problem better and identify possible solutions. Others may
prefer to visit places and people who have experienced challenges like the ones you are
facing, and get a feeling for what has worked elsewhere.
Excerpt taken from Toward a More Perfect Union
in an Age of Diversity by Marcelle E. DuPraw and Marya
Axner