Stranger & Prediction Levels of Communication

8/2/2019 Stranger & Prediction Levels of Communication

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STRANGER & PREDICTION LEVELSOF COMMUNICATION
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Concept of Stranger & Prediction Levels OfCommunication

We communicate the way we do because we are raised in aparticular culture and learn its language, rules, andnorms.

Stranger" refers to those people at the most unfamiliarend of the continuum.

A stranger has limited knowledge of their newenvironment - of its norms and values. And in turn, thelocals have little knowledge of the stranger - of herbeliefs, interests and habits.

Strangeness Familiarity


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Concept of Stranger & Prediction Levels OfCommunication

Communication with another involves predicting oranticipating their responses.

When communicating with someone familiar we are usuallyconfident in our anticipation, and may not even notice that weare making such predictions.

In contrast, when we communicate with strangers we are moreaware of the range of their possible responses, and of theuncertainty of our predictions.


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Communicative predictions are based ondata from three levels.

Cultural level - This level involves information about the other'sculture, its dominant values and norms. This is often the onlylevel of information available when communicating with astranger. Even so, a better understanding of the stranger's

culture yields better predictions.

Socio-cultural - This includes data about the other's groupmembership, or the groups to which they seek to belong. Thistype of information is the predominate data used in intra-cultural communication.

Psycho-cultural - This is information about the individual'scharacteristics, and is the sort of data most relevant tocommunication with friends.


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Social cognition

Social cognition is a dialectical process which involves bothgrouping particulars into categories based on theirsimilarities, and of distinguishing individuals from theircategories based on their differences

Communication with strangers often relies too heavily oncategorization (stereotyping). Such stereotypes may beinaccurate, or may not apply to the present individual.

To improve communication with strangers we must payattention to their unique, individual features.

It takes more of our conscious awareness to differentiateparticular individuals from their stereotypical categories.

Second, much of our daily communication follows familiarscripts, and so we are not consciously aware of thatcommunication behavior. We cannot rely on such familiarscripts and normswhen communicating with a stranger.


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Uncertainty and Anxiety

In communication, we seek to reduce uncertainty. Communication with strangers involves relatively greater

degrees of uncertainty, due to the difficulty in predicting astranger's responses.

We experience uncertainty with regard to the stranger'sattitudes, feelings and beliefs. We are also uncertain of how toexplain the stranger's behavior.

The increased uncertainty in interactions with strangers is

accompanied by higher levels of anxiety, as we anticipate awider array of possible negative outcomes.


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Negative Outcomes Damaging our self-esteem from feeling confused and out of control

Fear the possibility of being incompetent, or being exploited.

Being negatively perceived by the stranger.

Interacting with a stranger will bring disapproval from members ofour own group.

Motivation to reduce this uncertainty is more acute when weexpect to have further interactions with the stranger, or whenthey are a potential source of benefit.


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We may reduce our uncertainty and increase the accuracyof our predictions by gaining more information aboutthe stranger.

Three basic strategies for gathering such information. Passively observing the stranger. Actively seeking out information from other friends of the

stranger, or from books.

Seeking information directly from the stranger by interacting

with them and asking questions. Also, offering informationabout one's self often prompts reciprocal offerings ofinformation from another.


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ORAL & NON- VERBAL

COMMUNICATION


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Oral & Non- Verbal Communication

Paralanguage

Chronemics

Proxemics

Oculesics

Olfactics

Haptics

Kinesics

Chromatics

Silence

Posture & Stance


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PARALANGUAGE

Refers to the rate, pitch & volume qualities of the voicethat affect the meaning of the message

Includes Vocal qualifiers: Intensity (Loud or Soft)

Pitch (High or Low)

Extent (Drawls & accent)

Conveys Emotion- Negative emotions of impatience,fear & anger are easier to convey

Increase rate of speech & volume anger / impatience

Decrease rate of speech Lack of interest

Low volume Non- threatening, sympathetic


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PARALANGUAGE

Arabs speak loudly to show strength, sincerity

Philippines speak softly Good breeding & education

Italians & Arabs speak faster than people from US

Us Americans living in northern states speak faster thanthose living in south.


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CHRONEMICS

Attitude towards time

Monochronic People Polychronic People

Do one thing at a time Do many things at a time

Concentrate on a task Are highly distractable

Are committed to task Are committed to people

Take time commitmentsseriously, value promptness

Consider time commitmentscasually, promptness based on

relationships

Accustomed to sort-termrelationships

Tend to build lifetimerelationship

Rarely borrow or lend Often borrow & lend


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CHRONEMICS

Monochronic Culture: US, England, Switzerland &Germany

Polychronic Culure: Latin America & Arabs

In US:

Being on time for work, appointments, meetings & socialengagements is very important

Punctuality Being Respectful

Tardiness Rudeness; lack of consideration far others

Time conscious cultures:Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong , Australia

& New Zealand etc.


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PROXEMICS

Communicating through the use of space

Halls & Halls (1990) identified 4 zones fromwhich US people interact

Public distance: over 12 feet most formal zoneSocial Zone: 4-16 feet business situation

Personal Zone: 18 inches 4 feet givinginstructions, working closely

Intimate Zone: Less than 18 inches very close friend;shaking hands


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PROXEMICS

People of US require more space than Greeks, LatinAmericans, Arabs etc

Standing too close pushy, overbearing, providesnegative non-verbal message

US people while conversing generally prefer face to facearrangements

Chinese prefer side by side arrangements (avoiding eyecontact)

In US office size, selection & arrangement of furnitureconvey Power & Authority


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PROXEMICS

In US & Germany top executives occupy offices at Topfloor

In France top officials occupy position in the middle ofthe office area

Japanese do not consider private offices appropriate


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OCULESICS

Refers to gaze and eye contact

Direct eye contact US, UK, Eastern Europe & Canada

Eye contact is considered to be a sign of attentiveness andrespect. At the same time prolonged eye contact is not taken in

the right spirit People avoiding eye contact are considered insecure,

untrustworthy, unfriendly and disrespectful

People in Japan, China, Indonesia and Latin America,

etc avoid direct eye contact In India, China & Indonesia lowering of eye contact is a sign of

respect


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OCULESICS

Intense direct eye contact Misinterpreted assign of hostility, aggressiveness or intrusiveness

Minimal eye contact Misinterpreted as lack ofinterest, dishonesty, fear or shyness


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HAPTICS

Refers to communicating through the use of the bodilycontact

Dont touch Middle ground Touch

Japan Australia Latin America

United States France Italy

Canada China Greece

England India Spain

Scandinavia Ireland Russian Federation

Northern EuropeanCountries

Middle East Countries Portugal


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HAPTICS

USA Appropriate touch includes shaking hands

Hugs or other expression of affection are considered

inappropriate in business situations


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KINESICS

Refers to communicating to various types of bodymovements including facial expressions, gestures,posture and stance

Facial expression

Most expressive type of body language

Chinese rarely show emotion whereas Japanese may smile tocover a range of emotions

Asians smile or laugh softly when they are embarrassed or to

conceal any discomfort Thailand Smile a great deal Land of smiles

Korea Man who smiles a lot is not a real man


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GESTURES

Interpretation of gestures

Interest is expressed by maintaining eye contact,smiling and nodding the head

Nervousness is shown by fidgeting, jingling of keys etc

Defensiveness is indicated by crossing your arms overyour chest, making fisted gestures

Lack of interest glancing repeatedly at watch, staringat ceiling or floor etc


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GESTURES

US Moderate gesturing

Italian, Greeks & Latin Americans Vigorous gesturing

Chinese & Japanese Tend to keep their hands andarms close to their bodies

Same gesture can have different connotations indifferent countries/cultures

Vertical horns gesture

Positive connotation Texas, Brazil & Venezuela

Insulting connotation Italy

US sub culture Signifies devils horn


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GESTURES

OK gesture

Positive connotation US

Obscene connotation Brazil

Connotes Money Japan

Connotes Zero Belgium

Connotes Ill kill you Tunisia

In most of the countries head nod is considered as YES,

whereas in Bulgaria the same gesture connotes NO


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POSTURES & STANCE

Posture The way one stands, sits or walks

Confident people generally have relaxed posture yet standerect and walk with assurance

Walking with stooped shoulders, hesitating gait projects lack

of confidence and assurance Walking rapidly and swinging the arms indicates goal oriented

behavior

Interest is demonstrated by leaning forward

Crossed leg sitting considered to be appropriate in US but

at the same time it is considered to be inappropriate in MiddleEast

Showing the bottom of your feet is considered insulting inTurkey, Egypt, India, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, etc


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CHROMATICS

Refers to color associations

Color of mourning

Black European countries & US Color of mourning

White Japan & India

Red Africa

Purple Seen as color of royalty in China, whereasconsidered as color of death in Latin America

Blue Considered as masculine in most of the

countries but in France & UK red and not blue isconsidered to be color of masculinity


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SILENCE

Interpretation of silence includes agreement ordisagreement, lack of interest or contempt

Prolonged silence following a question not knowingthe answer

Silence following an inappropriate statement disapproval

Silence

Considered inappropriate in US but appropriate in EastAsia and Finland

Japanese use it as a bargaining tool when negotiatingwith persons from US

Stranger & Prediction Levels of Communication

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