When communication with others with differing cultures, it is important that both parties are able to communicate effectively while keeping in mind differing culture. Developing and understanding of the concepts of cultural self-awareness and cultural intelligence are an integral part of effective cross-cultural communication (Quappe & Cantatore, 2003). The following essay will briefly explore these concepts, and examples of where they can be applied. Specifically looking at how cultural self-awareness is an important skill to obtain, as it is a crucial for the development of cultural intelligence. The importance of Cultural self-awareness and the development of cultural intelligence will be seen in the aspect of allowing individuals to avoid …show more content…
Doing this allows the individual to be aware of why and how culture affect their lives and the way they interact with others from differing cultures (Quappe & Cantatore, 2003). It is this awareness that enables individuals to develop cultural intelligence, which is the understanding of how individual culture may be construed by others and how to adapt behaviours in order to improve communication. An understanding of both these concepts allows individuals to develop strategies to implement to avoid miscommunication between themselves and people of differing cultures. The development of both cultural self-awareness and cultural intelligence is integral to efficient and acceptable cross-cultural communication (Brislin, Worthley & Macnab, …show more content…
Growing up in an extremely conservative church I was taught there was a very specific way of living and behaving. One example of this was that women were not allowed to wear pants; this behaviour was not unusual for anyone in my church, and it was not something that affected my, until I was placed in public school. I wore a long skirt the first day because I was raised to believe this was the most modest option for a girl. At school all the girls were wearing pants, and I immediately judged them and made assumptions that they were immodest due to this. Brislin et al (2006) highlights that many people engaging in school or business activities in a different environment find that if there is a lack of cultural intelligence, then these ventures may have negative outcomes. These judgements and misinterpretations often arise due to a lack of self-awareness of how and culture dictates values and beliefs (Quappe & Cantatore, 2005). Over the years, I have come to a better understanding of myself and I can see how my lack of self-awareness and intelligence dictating my behaviour when faced with those different to
Asuncion-Landé, N. C., & Pascasio, E. M. (1981). Building bridges across cultures: Perspectives on intercultural communication--theory and practice. Manila, Philippines: Solidaridad Pub. House.
Cultural intelligence is the capability that could give insights on how to cope with multi-cultural situations and how to engage properly in intercultural interactions. It is the individual’s ability to interact effectively in culturally diverse situations (Brislin, Worthley & Macnab, 2006). We could consider the cultural intelligence as constantly improving concept; something we can develop over time and it is not only changes through experience, but also through knowledge as well, which includes communication with other
In such a multicultural world, being knowledgeable and understanding of not only your cultural background, but that of others is essential. Building my awareness on cultures different from my own, and how it shapes an individual’s identity, will foster my personal and professional development. Subsequently, I conducted a cultural interview with an individual whose cultural background differed from my own. Several similarities and differences between our cultures were apparent in the interview, specifically in the areas of race, ethnicity, language, values, and worldview.
Author David Livermore defines cultural intelligence is as the “capability to function effectively in a variety of cultural contexts” (Livermore, 2011, p. 3). In order for achieving dimensional
Earley, P. C. & Ang, S. (2003), "Cultural intelligence: Individual interactions across cultures", Palo Alto, Calif: Stanford University Press.
Many people who go to visit or work in another country suffer some misunderstanding from the local people, because they have a different culture. Different culture will cause disparity points of view about almost everything. In the article, Intercultural Communication Stumbling Blocks by Laray M. Barna, there are five stumbling blocks mentioned that are seen in a cross-culture communication. These blocks are: language, nonverbal signs and symbols, preconceptions and stereotypes, the tendency to evaluate and high anxiety. Barna wants to use these stumbling blocks to show the common blockades between different cultures. I agree with what she thinks about the language, nonverbal signs and symbols, preconceptions and stereotypes, and the tendency
Concerning my cultural awareness, I scored a 43 out of 50. This score seems accurate to me, as I have been working towards becoming a more culturally competent person since becoming a social work student. Being culturally competent is an ongoing process, and I believe it would be incredibly difficult to be fully competent as there are so many different and ever changing cultures. Although a perfect score may be attainable, I believe my score shows my cultural awareness to be satisfactory with room for improvement.
When one encounters a culture that has little in common with own, one may experience culture shock. This is a sense of confusion, anxiety, stress and loss one may experience. One of the barriers in effective intercultural communication is ethnocentrism. It stems from a conviction that one’s own cultural traditions and assumptions are superior to those of others. It leads to a tendency to look the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture. It is one of the fastest ways to create a barrier that inhibits, rather than enhances communication (Jandt, 2012).
Effective communication with people of difference cultures can be especially challenging. The way people interpret the world can be strikingly different between cultures. Intercultural communication occurs when a member from one culture produces a message that is absorbed by a member of another culture. How that message is understood by the communicating party is a vital part in intercultural communication. For example, in Cambodia it would be considered rude to discuss business in a social setting (Language, culture, customs and etiquette, n.d.). However, in the United States this is a common practice and is almost an encouraged event. Another important factor and consideration in intercultural communication is the importance of understanding cultures, values, history and beliefs. For instance, in Cambodia, if you deliver a present that is wrapped in white paper, this is considered to represent mourning. This is one of the many reasons why it is important to assimilate into a culture and be mindful of communication between cultures (Language, culture, customs and etiquette, n.d.).
Cultural sensitivity occurs when people recognize and are aware that each country or various ethnic groups of people have their own set of experiences, beliefs, values, and language that affect their perceptions toward life. Addressing Cultural sensitivity permits people to comprehend that there are differences between cultures. Furthermore, having awareness in the differences between cultures permits a culturally competent person to communicate effectively with others that are outside of one’s realm. Some of the differences of Cultural sensitivity can be discovered while traveling outside of the country, such as through Cross-cultural sensitivity experiences. Likewise, a culture has its own norms and beliefs to how one should dress; how one should greet others, such as by referring to a significant individual by his or her first name or surname (comprehending which name should be stated first in foreign names); and/or what foods are permitted to eat or forbidden to eat or understanding what may offend a person (e.g. not accepting a home cooked meal). There are norms, taboos, cultural cues, and cultural etiquette standards that are significant to learning about one’s culture before exploring another country or while working with people who are from your country but who are part of another racial group. It takes time and patience to build a high level of Cultural sensitivity. Educating oneself with a culture’s psychology and its norms is significant toward achieving an increasing awareness toward Cultural sensitivity.
According to Hofstede’s (1980), ‘culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another… culture in the sense, includes systems of values: and values are among the building blocks of culture.’ It is necessary to determine how culture impacts our communication behavior as culture directly influences our perception and understanding of the message that is transmitted from one party to another. People from different cultures encode and decode messages differently; this therefore increases the chances of misunderstanding. Intercultural communication refers to interactions between people whose cultural assumptions are so different that the communication between them is altered. Verderber, Verderber, & Sellnow, (2010).
Communication is a necessary part of our lives. It helps us build good relationships and achieve much success in society. To become a good communicator, we need to be aware of characteristics such as empathy, patience and accountability for competent communication, especially when we interact with other cultures. However, when we communicate across cultures, because of the different co-cultures, conflicts tend to occur more frequently. Therefore, it requires a little more complexity in our communication skill, particularly for the out-group members of a co-culture. Being open-minded with people from other nationalities is one of the most effective interpersonal skills to have in order to avoid cultural conflict.
Humans have been communicating since four million years. On the other hand, the birth of culture is estimated to have taken place about 35,000 years ago. Today, both culture and communication have evolved considerably and have become interdependent of one another, to the point that communication is considered to be a product of culture. Thus, our own culture has a deep impact on our thoughts and behaviors. Since each culture has its distinct aspects, intercultural communication can be the cause of conflict and disorder. There are three main issues which are at the root of the problem of intercultural miscommunication : language as a barrier, cultural diversity and ethnocentrism. I will analyze these three notions in situations in which intercultural communication is frequent such as : the workplace, the classroom and vacation trips.
With the rapid growth in globalization there are a number of firms who have taken their businesses abroad. Their challenge, cross cultural management and communication. An effective communication strategy begins first with understanding who the sender of the message is and who the receiver of the message is. Many companies have realized this and offer training in the different cultures to help better facilitate communication between leaders (Cross-Cultural Communication, mindtools.com). Without this basic understand between sender and receiver it can be very difficult for companies of multicultural to even begin to communicate. The second important understanding is that leaders must demand a cultural tolerance of acceptable behavior between cultures to facilitate effective communication (Cross-Cultural Communication, mindtools.com).
To elaborate, by mentioning intercultural understanding, I meant that each cultural group has different ways to communicate. For example, Western culture encourages people to be up-front and straight-forward with their communication; contrastly, people who are influenced by Eastern culture might be less outspoken about their ideas and pay a lot of attention to nonverbal language of the people around them. Culture is something that if one have never encountered or exposed to it, he or she would never know. I hope that after this project, besides of the knowledge we gained from the research itselves, all four of us would improve even more on our intercultural and interpersonal communication skills. Because at the end of the day, the knowledge that one have learnt might be forgotten, but all of the skills that one have gained will stay for a very long time.