Everyone in our class, in my opinion, did an excellent job explaining the material in the chapter we were given. Although some chapters were better than others, we still have the ability to finish the project despite this disparity. Even though I was apprehensive to speak, I was able to deliver a presentation. It's up to each of us to step up our game in the next group effort. In order to be successful as a team, it is essential to constantly improve and work together. Every group has my full confidence, and we can accomplish anything together if we communicate effectively.
Intercultural communication is the focus of Chapter 3. If you want to talk to someone from a different culture, you're engaging in "intercultural communication." In this process, people from various cultural backgrounds come together to create new, mutually understood symbols, meanings, and transactions. An identifiable group of people's culture is defined by its system of shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and norms.
To put it another way, values are the accepted norms of what is morally acceptable. Ideal values are those that people in a culture profess to believe in, while real values are those that guide their actions. When confronted with a new cultural environment, culture shock can result in psychological discomfort. Dominant culture refers to the learned system of norms held by the majority of society's most powerful individuals. Associating with and appreciating aspects of two distinct cultures is called biculturalism. People who share a set of values, beliefs, attitudes, and customs that are different from those of the dominant culture are part of a co-culture. Changes in linguistic and nonverbal patterns to fit in with the dominant or co-culture can cause a code switch.
When it comes to our sense of self, a large part of it is shaped by our connections to other cultures, both within and outside of our own. Cultural identity is passed down from generation to generation. When a person is born, he or she is expected to speak the language of his or her family's ethnicity. Biochemical and anatomical differences distinguish men and women. Gender refers to the socially prescribed roles and ways of communicating that have been established for men and women, respectively, within a society. Belief systems and ethical standards are part of the religious belief system set of rituals and beliefs.
In a society, socioeconomic status is a person's or family's position in the power hierarchy based on their income level, education, and occupation. Physical, emotional, mental, or cognitive impairment that has an effect on a person's ability to function in society is considered to be disability.
An individualistic culture is one that values individual rights and responsibilities, including the right to express one's thoughts and ideas, as well as one's right to privacy. Collectivist cultures place a high value on belonging to a group, working together to achieve a common goal, maintaining social harmony, and avoiding personal or public embarrassment. Words are the primary means of conveying meaning in low-context cultures, which are defined as those in which speakers rely primarily on verbal communication. High-context cultures are those in which the context provides a significant portion of the meaning conveyed by a speaker.
Chronemics is the study of cultural differences in the way time is perceived. In monochronic cultures, time is viewed as a series of discrete events that take place one after the other. Polychronic cultures are those that see time as a flowing river. When it comes to a person's desire to avoid uncertainty, this is called "uncertainty avoidance." Cultures that are more accepting of uncertainty and less obsessed with controlling people, relationships, or events are known as low uncertainty-avoidance cultures. Cultural tendencies toward high levels of uncertainty-avoidance are characterized by an extreme desire to maintain control over potentially unpredictable individuals, relationships, or events.
The degree to which people in a culture expect and accept that power will be shared equally or unequally is known as power distance. High power-distance cultures are those that see unequal power distribution as normal. People in cultures with a low power-distance prefer a more equitable distribution of power. In cultures where men and women are expected to conform to traditional gender roles, this is called a "masculine culture." People in feminine cultures, regardless of gender, play a variety of roles and are respected for doing so. Short-term oriented cultures are those that place a high value on immediate gratification and focus on short-term outcomes. Long-term oriented cultures are those that place a high value on future rewards that can only be realized through long-term effort and patience.
People who believe that they are superior because of their culture are known as ethnocentrism. One way to avoid ethnocentrism is to learn about other cultures and respect their traditions and customs. Watching members of a culture or co-culture interact is a form of non-participant observation. Living or working with people whose cultural assumptions differ from yours allows you to engage in participant observation, which is a method of learning about a culture or co-culture. It is a display of genuine and unselfish concern for the well-being of others that is called altruism. A person who is egocentric prioritizes his or her own interests above all else.
To practice intercultural empathy, you must put yourself in the shoes of another person and try to feel what they feel. As a communicator, it is important to be able to adapt your message to fit your audience and the situation. When interacting with people from other cultures, those who are empathic and make a sincere effort to listen and respond with a focus on the other are the most likely to succeed.
Basically, this is how I interpret Chapter 3: Intercultural Communication. Each of us comes from a unique cultural background. You just have to learn how to do it and put it into practice in order to improve your intercultural communication skills.
Excellent post!
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