COMMUNICATION ISSUES

ACROSS BOUNDARIES
Payal Mehra
DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION
Message: Information and meaning exchanged during
communication

Encoding: Process by which people select, imbed

messages in signals, and send signals to others

Signals: Specific verbal language and nonverbal

behaviors that are encoded when message sent

Channels: Sensory modalities by which signals sent and

messages retrieved

Decoding: Process by which people receives signal

from encoder and translates those signals to meaningful
messages
Cultural Influences on
Encoding
Cultures differ in how nonverbal
behavior is used in communication
Cultural Influences on
Decoding
Cultures influences decoding process
through ethnocentrism, cultural filters,
emotions, value judgments, stereotypes
and expectations
English phrases American phrases
To table an item: put for discussion by To put it away and close the
everyone discussion
Please use the lift Use the elevator
Put this in the boot Put this in the trunk
chemist drugstore
Solicitor lawyer
Passed graduated
petrol gas
bath shower
Bill check
post mail
pub bar
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Unlike intra-cultural
communication where message
senders and receivers share the
same ground rules,
intercultural communication is
associated with a host of
additional social and
psychological issues.
 UNCERTAINTY
To start, there is uncertainty or
ambiguity concerning the ground
rules by which the interaction should
occur.
And this uncertainty is inherent in
verbal as well as nonverbal
communication, in both encoding and
decoding modes.
Sense making is extremely difficult
and requires effort
 An Indian expatriate reporting to his
Argentinean Boss once received this
feedback from him: “the problem with
Indians is that they know too much
English…You speak too much, in a
roundabout way, using lots of jargon, that
makes listening and understanding so
difficult. Why don’t you just explain to me
using key words...?”
 (2003, 2008, 2013): The culture ministry has
announced a ban on "email”, “blog”, “fast
food” “supermodel”, “take-away”, “low-cost
airline”," shadow-boxing" and "detachable
motor caravan“ in all government ministries,
documents, publications or websites, in the
latest step to stem an incursion of English
words into the French lexicon.
NOW:
 France must drop 'ineffective' blockade against
English language France's culture minister
argues that attempts to protect
French language from foreign
invaders are counterproductive

UNCERTAINTY (CONT.)
 How can we package messages into precise words to
convey our thoughts as accurately as possible and
how can we interpret the sender’s messages exactly
as intended? Uncertainty can easily mount to the
point of utter miscommunication.

Hence, uncertainty
reduction is the initial major
goal of intercultural
communication.
 Unless uncertainty is reduced, it’s impossible for
senders and receivers to begin processing the
intended message content.
CONFLICT
 Once we engage in intercultural
communication, some conflict and
misunderstanding is inevitable.

 Conflict arises when people’s behavior

does not confirm to our expectations.

 We tend to interpret such behaviors as

transgressions against our values.
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

1.Assumptions of similarities
2.Language differences
3.Nonverbal misinterpretations
4.Preconceptions and
stereotypes
5.Tendency to evaluate
6.High anxiety or tension
BARRIERS (CONT.)

1. Assumptions of
similarities
 We need to keep in mind that
communication is a uniquely human
trait shaped by culture.
 In fact, communication itself is a
product of culture, and cultures vary in
their assumptions of similarities.
BARRIERS (CONT.)

2. Language differences
 The use of words which may be highly
effective at conveying meaning within a
particular culture often communicate
unintended meanings across cultures.
 Add to this the nonverbal channel of
communication and you have a recipe
for conflict and misunderstandings.
BARRIERS (CONT.)
3. Nonverbal
misinterpretations
 This is the single most frequent cause of
breakdowns in the communication process
across cultures.

4. Preconceptions and
stereotypes
 These are natural and inevitable psychological
processes that have a strong influence on our
perceptions and communications.
BARRIERS (CONT.)

5. Tendency to evaluate
 We make attributions about the behavior of
others based on our own cultural values.

6. High anxiety or tension

 While some degree of anxiety may be
conducive to optimal performance, too much
anxiety or stress can lead to dysfunctional
thought processes and behaviors.
IMPROVING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION: CONCLUDING
REMARKS
 Mindfulness and uncertainty reduction
 Mindfulness offsets uncertainty and anxiety
 Uncertainty reduction leads to focus on the
content of signals and messages

 Face
 Should be mindful of face (public appearance
of person) in collectivist culture

 Emotion Regulation
 Controlling negative emotions aroused from
conflict is important
ACTIVITY