Schedule for TodaySchedule for Today

Cross-cultural communicationCross-cultural communication Presentation - Anxiety/Uncertainty Presentation - Anxiety/Uncertainty

Management Theory (including Uncertainty Management Theory (including Uncertainty Reduction Theory) Reduction Theory)

DiscussionDiscussion Genderflect Theory Genderflect Theory AnalysisAnalysis

Question?Question?

What is culture? Define it,What is culture? Define it,

CultureCulture

Culture is a socially constructed and Culture is a socially constructed and historically transmitted pattern of symbols, historically transmitted pattern of symbols, meanings, premises and rules. meanings, premises and rules.

It does not It does not necessarily necessarily involve race.involve race.

Comparing CulturesComparing Cultures

1. Power distance1. Power distance

2. Masculinity (defined sex roles)2. Masculinity (defined sex roles)

3. Uncertainty Avoidance3. Uncertainty Avoidance

4. Individualism4. Individualism

Power DistancePower Distance

1. Accept that power 1. Accept that power distribution is distribution is unequal.unequal.

MasculinityMasculinity

2. Clearly defined sex roles and male values of 2. Clearly defined sex roles and male values of success and $ dominate.success and $ dominate.

Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty Avoidance

3. The extent to which people are threatened by 3. The extent to which people are threatened by ambiguity and create institutions or beliefs to ambiguity and create institutions or beliefs to avoid it. avoid it.

US – lowUS – low Japan – Extremely highJapan – Extremely high

IndividualismIndividualism

The extent to which a person values The extent to which a person values individualism over trading that for loyalty.individualism over trading that for loyalty.

Individualism vs. CollectivismIndividualism vs. Collectivism

Most important.Most important.

Manifests in a different type of Manifests in a different type of communication.communication.

IndividualisticIndividualistic

Low context – high content.Low context – high content. Meaning is in the ‘code’ (language)Meaning is in the ‘code’ (language)

CollectivistCollectivist

High context – lower content.High context – lower content. Much of meaning is in physical context and Much of meaning is in physical context and

within the person.within the person.

IssueIssue

When someone from a collectivist culture and When someone from a collectivist culture and someone from an individualistic culture try to someone from an individualistic culture try to communicate. communicate.

Opportunities for misunderstanding increased Opportunities for misunderstanding increased significantly.significantly.

PresentationPresentation

Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory (including Uncertainty Reduction Theory) (including Uncertainty Reduction Theory)

Effective CommunicationEffective Communication

If misunderstanding can be minimized.If misunderstanding can be minimized.

If meaning attached by receiver is similar to If meaning attached by receiver is similar to that of sender. that of sender.

Significant issue in cross-cultural Significant issue in cross-cultural communication.communication.

Differences in termsDifferences in terms

Uncertainty – cognitive – doubts about ability Uncertainty – cognitive – doubts about ability to predict outcome of a encounter with to predict outcome of a encounter with strangers.strangers.

Anxiety – affective (an emotion)Anxiety – affective (an emotion)

Relationship between termsRelationship between terms

They tend to vary as one – as one goes up, so They tend to vary as one – as one goes up, so does the other, for does the other, for most most people.people.

Relationship to cultural differencesRelationship to cultural differences

The bigger the gap, the higher the uncertainty The bigger the gap, the higher the uncertainty and anxiety.and anxiety.

For two people from collectivist versus For two people from collectivist versus individualistic cultures respectively, high individualistic cultures respectively, high uncertainty and anxiety.uncertainty and anxiety.

Some is goodSome is good

You need to feel some uncertainty and anxiety You need to feel some uncertainty and anxiety to make you go to the effort of communicating to make you go to the effort of communicating effectively.effectively.

If you feel too much, you will withdraw and If you feel too much, you will withdraw and feel as if it is impossible and therefore, not feel as if it is impossible and therefore, not worthwhile. worthwhile.

Unconscious incompetence. Unconscious incompetence.

1. We misinterpret other’s behavior and are 1. We misinterpret other’s behavior and are not even aware of it. not even aware of it.

Typical naïve American.Typical naïve American.

Conscious Incompetence.Conscious Incompetence.

2. We know we are misinterpreting but we 2. We know we are misinterpreting but we don’t care. don’t care.

The classic ‘ugly’ The classic ‘ugly’ American.American.

Conscious CompetenceConscious Competence

3. Mindfulness – We think about our 3. Mindfulness – We think about our communication and constantly try to improve communication and constantly try to improve it. it.

Unconscious CompetenceUnconscious Competence

4.We have developed our communication 4.We have developed our communication skills to the point we no longer have to think skills to the point we no longer have to think about it. about it.

Key to take awayKey to take away

People from other cultures communicate People from other cultures communicate differently. The more you can practice differently. The more you can practice mindfulness, the better.mindfulness, the better.

Genderflect TheoryGenderflect Theory

This is intercultural communication because This is intercultural communication because men and women communicate differently.men and women communicate differently.

Gender versus SexGender versus Sex

Sex is a biological fact.Sex is a biological fact.

Gender is a societal role.Gender is a societal role.

Men and Men and CommunicationCommunication

Desire for Status and PowerDesire for Status and Power Report rather than rapportReport rather than rapport Comfortable with confrontationComfortable with confrontation

Women and Women and CommunicationCommunication

Interested in connection instead of power.Interested in connection instead of power. Rapport rather than report.Rapport rather than report. Not comfortable with confrontation.Not comfortable with confrontation.

What does that mean for us?What does that mean for us?

Practice mindfulness – you are in essence Practice mindfulness – you are in essence dealing with another culture. dealing with another culture.

Remember, culture is not based on race but Remember, culture is not based on race but rather on a set of symbols, meanings, premises rather on a set of symbols, meanings, premises and rules. and rules.