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Intercultural communication issue
Intercultural communication introduction
Intercultural communication introduction
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Johanna Abrams is a 21-year old senior Economics major at State University. At State, she has been on Orientation staff for 3 years, facilitates the freshman Leadership learning community, and is an active member in both the economics and accounting honors societies. She lives with three roommates in a house located in Hanover, Ohio. Johanna’s mother and father currently live in San Francisco, California, and her brother attends law school in Oregon. Johanna has never lived in the same location for more than 10 years. Her family must relocate due to her father’s job. Born on Toledo, Ohio, Johanna has lived in Germany, Ohio, California, and Texas. She attended boarding school for three years during high school in Pennsylvania. Growing up in various locations proved to be difficult for Johanna. She had to assimilate to many new cultures while attempting to create and maintain an identity. As a self-proclaimed “sojourner,” it was interesting to speak with Johanna about how she negotiates her identity through an intercultural communication lens.
Culture Shock
“Culture shock is the psychological and emotional reaction people experience when they encounter a culture that is very different from their own (Furnham & Bochner, 1986)” (Oetzel, 2009, p. 126). Although we all experience culture shock differently, researchers have compiled six different stages, which describe what sojourners should expect when experiencing a culture for the first time (Oetzel, 2009, p. 128): 1) honeymoon, 2) crisis, 3) recovery, 4) adjustment, 5) reentry culture shock, and 6) resocialization. The honeymoon stage is when sojourners are excited about being in a new location (Oetzel, 2009, p. 128). Crisis then starts after the enthusiasm wanes (Oetzel, 2009,...
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...g with people from other cultures is that learning and adapting to the culture should not be coupled with stereotyping. You also cannot generalize or stereotype a society based on a single interaction or observation. What may be acceptable and polite to one German person may be considered unacceptable and rude to another. For example, not all German families allow their children to drink beer or wine at dinner, but others do. Johanna maintains that observation is key to communicating amongst different cultures. Johanna has learned that it is important to learn from every different individual from every culture you interact with (Johanna Abrams, personal communication, February 1, 2011).
Works Cited
Oetzel, J. G. (2009). Intercultural communication: A layered approach. University of New Mexico. Vango Books.
Abrams, J. (2011, February 1). Personal Interview.
A sudden change in one’s surroundings can result in culture shock. Culture shock refers to the anxiety and surprise a person feels when he or she is discontented with an unfamiliar setting. The majority of practices or customs are different from what a person is used to. One may experience withdrawal, homesickness, or a desire for old friends. For example, when a person goes to live in a different place with unfamiliar surroundings, they may experience culture shock. Sometimes it is the result of losing their identity. In the article “The Phases of Culture Shock”, Pamela J. Brink and Judith Saunders describe four phases of culture shock. They are: Honeymoon Phase, Disenchantment Phase, Beginning Resolution Phase, and Effective Function Phase. These phases denote some of the stages that exemplify culture shock. The four phases are illustrated in the articles “New Immigrants: Portraits in Passage” by Thomas Bentz, “Immigrant America: A Portrait” by Alejandro Portes and Ruben G. Rumbaut, “When I Was Puerto Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago, “Today’s Immigrants, Their Stories” by Thomas Kessner and Betty Boyd Caroli, and lastly, “The New Americans: Immigrant Life in Southern California” by Ulli Steltzer, and are about the experiences of some immigrants. This essay will examine the four phases of culture shock and classify the experiences of these immigrants by the different phases of culture shock identified.
Samovar, Larry A., Richard E. Porter, and Edwin R. McDaniel. Communication between Cultures. 7th ed. Australia: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.
My experience with culture shock is far different than what one would expect from a freshman in college. My experience does not fit the mold of what someone would normally think of as culture shock. I have never struggled with the idea of adapting to a new environment, simply because moving place to place has been a constant factor in my life. My culture shock revolved around the idea of being subjected to a set of ideas that I had never been subjected to. My culture shock was experiencing the death of my father, and my mother being diagnosed with cancer in a span of two years. These events required me to grow up faster than I imagined I would ever have to.
The lasting impact of his work can still be seen today. To date, Hall ranks as the second most cited Intercultural Communication author, and three of his books are among the most cited books in the field (Rogers, Hart, & Miike, 2002). It is undisputed that Edward Hall, in collaboration with George Trager, established the original paradigm for intercultural communication and that the early beginnings of Hall’s work at the FSI in the 1950s continue to serve as an influence in the field today. Without the explorations and distinctions Hall made during his time of research/teaching, communication between cultures would be defined and likely studied in a vastly different
a.) What is the definition of each one according to the book? Define each concept.
To be more specific, the spectrum of emotions comprising culture shock can range from alienation and loneliness to confusion and stress. When analyzed more carefully though, culture shock can be viewed through a more fundamental standpoint. Essentially, it can be defined as an emotional stimulus one develops when experiencing a different behavioral response from an individual or group in a social situation that is familiar to both parties involved. How an anthropological researcher handles his or her emotional reactions to these behavioral responses of a native people will dictate the formation of the social relationship that is continuously being developed. From the subjective opinion of the researcher, culture shock can undoubtedly seem like an impediment to his or her progress in research at the time that an instance of it occurs; however in the long term, properly approaching any difficulties experienced from culture shock in an objective manner can reveal under...
I built upon my cross-cultural experiences as I befriended exchange students from Belgium, Japan, and Korea. Each time, the friendships enriched my appreciation and understanding of not only my own culture, but the very concept of culture. What falls under the cultural blanket can vary from person to person, and I found it to be very interesting that while one person could claim lan...
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
Communication is key to surviving in society. Because we have such variety and diverse cultures within our communities, communication can become very complex in the human interaction. Because mutual or common significance is essential for communication to take place effectively, people from diverse cultures need to establish some universal ground and develop an open, optimistic approach towards other diverse cultures. The significance of educating a compassion and sympathy towards dissimilar regulations and prospects of people from other cultural groups cannot be overstated. The culturally aware individual will profit not just from enhanced communication but also from connections created with individuals from a broad ranges of cultures. Sincerity to the divergence that subsists within each individual is an essential element for a flourishing intercultural communication. An understanding of diverse morals, manners and viewpoints, must be cultivated. Understanding by positioning oneself in the other person´s place allows a communicator to view the world from a further perception. Act...
Everyone reacts differently to new environments.While some are excited others are upset to have to leave important people behind. Culture shock comes in many different forms and sizes, some may find it harder to adjust than others. The difficulties to adjusting don’t always show up right away (TeensHealth). Culture shock is experienced in many different ways some common feelings are; sadness, loneliness, anxiety, trouble concentrating, feeling left out, negative feelings towards the new culture and frustration (TeensHealth). These feelings are temporary, eventually people get used to their surroundings. Although, many have been planning on the change for a long time, many still experience the impact of culture shock (International Students and Culture Shock). A huge majority of the cultures norms are based on language.
Adjusting to a new culture and environment is a normal process and can generate a wide variety of reactions and feelings. However it might be easy to everyone who has to encounter it. When you first experience a new culture everything seems exciting and new to you. This is because being in a new culture your curiosity and interest of the new surroundings, and possible the anticipation and appreciation of the new opportunities to be found in the new culture (Cultural Transition and Adaptation, 2007). One thing that someone for a different culture has happen to them when coming to a new place is culture shock. This happens when the person primary focus on the differences between one’s home culture and the new culture. Also, they focus on the problems that will arise due to those differences between cultures. One culture that was examined was the Jamaican culture.
When individuals or groups from different cultures communicate, this process is called intercultural communication. The transaction process of listening and responding to people from different cultural backgrounds can be challenging. The greater the difference in culture between two people, the greater the potential of misunderstanding and mistrust. Misunderstanding and miscommunication occur between people from different cultures because of different coding rules and cultural norms, which play a major role in shaping the patterns of interaction (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.).
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.
Kim’s (2001) integrative theory of communication and cross cultural adaptation is based on the premise that an individual moves in as a temporary resident in a new and culturally unfamiliar environment and a transformation process occurs. This theory is suggesting that individuals search for some sort of stability in a new environment. It is said that individuals look for stability so that they can reduce the uncertainty of the environment and the anxiety that they may have in the new culturally unfamiliar environment. Cross cultural adaptation can occur when interacting with members of a host country. Kim’s (2001) theory defines cross cultural adaptation as “the dynamic process in which individuals, upon relocating to a new, unfamiliar, or changed cultural environments, establish or re-establish and maintain relatively stable, reciprocal, and functional relationships with those environments” (p. 31).