Intercultural

Communication
Content:

Culture and Communication

Gender and Age
Social Status and Religion
Culture
the system of knowledge that is shared by a particular group
composed of a relatively large number of individuals

Refers to the complex collection of knowledge, folklore,

language, rules, rituals, habits, lifestyle, attitudes, beliefs, and
customs that link and give a common identity to a particular
group of people at a specific point in time.
Through communication with others, culture is created,
learned, and shared.

HOW???
When you identify yourself as being part of a particular culture, you
should not only share certain characteristics with members of that
group, but you should also be able to observe yourself and others like
you who possess these features (enculturation) and distinguish others
who do not have them as members of a different culture (acculturation)

Culture is created, learned, and shared through the process of:

Enculturation – learning your own culture
Acculturation – learning other culture
To engage in an intercultural communication, participants
should essentially understand the concept of self-awareness.

A conscious knowledge of one’s understanding of one’s own

character, feelings, motives, desire and cultural identity. Without
understanding your own self and why you do the things you do,
say the things you say and believe the things you believe – you
can never really appreciate another’s point of view.
Gender and Age
● In general, men and women differ in terms of their
communication style.

● In men-only conversations, some tend to dominate the

conversation, and they seldom talk about their private lives.
On the other hand, in women-only conversations, they
usually allow everyone to participate, and they often talk
about their personal relationships.
Describe the differences in communication style of both
men and women.

Describe the behavior of both genders having

conversation together.
Age
People of different ages or generations may have difficulty
communicating with one another.

WHY???
Here’s why…
GENERATIONAL GAPS

generational gaps make discussions difficult, but not impossible. Sure,

over time, words evolve, meanings change, and communication style change.
In a society of quick snippet communication, preferred to read on a screen, it
maybe difficult for a younger generations to take the time to actually listen
for a few moments. The informal, fast speech of younger generations using
newer terms and lingo can be difficult to be interpreted and well-understood
by older people.
 How do you behave when you are talking to your
grandparents?

How do you behave when you are talking to a 2 year old

child?
 DRILL: Read the following scenarios carefully. Determine
whether the situation calls for gender or age
sensitivity.
1. Jeff is usually very loud and tactless, but in front of his friends’ parents
he speaks in a more modulated and respectful tone.

2. Tina’s dad asked her to teach him how to use their new smart TV, but the
controls are so complicated that he is getting frustrated.

3. Harvey overheard a few of his male classmates making fun of one of

their female classmates’ body. He interrupted them to point out that they
were being very mean.
Social Status and Religion
A level of social value a person is considered to possess. More
specifically, it refers to the relative level of respect, honour, and level
of prestige someone is perceived to have in a society.

Examples:
Your profession
Clothing
Affiliation in schools, groups, or organizations
Political Affiliation
Elements of Social Class
● Ascribed social class - determined at birth through
characteristics such as age, sex, race, and family background

● Achieved social class - acquired through a person’s ability, talent,

skill, and perseverance; can be seen in one’s educational
attainment or occupation
Social Status and Religion
Communication between persons belonging to different religions may
be a common source of intercultural conflict. One main communication
barrier stemming from religion is individuals’ lack of knowledge or
information about other religion and belief system. Being aware of
religious differences and being open to the religious views of others
foster understanding and mutual respect.
Ethnocentrism Language
barriers

WHAT ARE THE

COMMON BARRIERS
IN INTERCULTURAL
COMMUNICATION?

Conflicting
Stereotype
values
 STEREOTYPE EXAMPLES:

Asians
Cultural stereotyping is when (extremely intelligent)
someone has an opinion on
another person based on who Blacks
they are, where they are from,
or the language they speak (drug dealer/users, gang, abusive)
without getting to know the
individual. Whites
(rich, smart)
ETHNOCENTRISM
Ethnocentrism is judging other
cultures based on the
preconceptions originating in the
standards and customs of one’s own
culture. An ethnocentric individual
will believe that his culture is better,
‘correct’, and ‘normal’.
EXAMPLES
• Judging other culture’s food
and specialty dishes.
• Judging other people’s cultural
outfits
• Expecting others to speak your
language and criticizing them
if they cannot.
LANGUAGE BARRIER EXAMPLE

Chinese and Russian language

where different dialects are used in
Language is considered to be the
several parts of the country. If one
most crucial barrier in cross-cultural
communicator is not aware of the
communication. Since verbal
exact meaning, it will create
communication is important in every
misunderstanding and lead to a
context, the understandings of the
conflict of ideas.
meaning of the words are also
important.
CONFLICTING VALUES

The differences in values and beliefs in cultures also create barrier in

communication. The reasons behind these are influenced by religion,
political environment or epistemology.

Cultural clashes happen when other people’s behavior compromises our

own values. Often, when you don’t understand or don’t agree with the
behavior, it means that there are conflicting values under the water line.
There is no right or wrong way of doing things, it’s just a matter of
cultural norms.
 Functions of
Communication

Core 1 – Oral Communication

FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION

 Regulation or Control
 Motivation
 Information
 Social Interaction
 Emotional Expression
Regulation or control and social interaction are functions of
communication that are used by individuals based on different
situations they are in.
Regulation or Control
If the speakers purpose is to control others by managing their behavior,
then the speaker is using the function of Regulation and/or Control. This
function is also demonstrated by the simple act of telling someone to
continue discussing the topic.
Communication is used to regulate or control the pace and flow of
conversations or the speaking of a participant so that interruptions and
awkward silences between speakers are avoided.
 Verbal cues

● “That’s it” and “Thank you”

● “Yeah” and “Uh-huh”
● “Well . . .” and “Um . . .”
● “Is that clear?” and “Do you follow?”
 Nonverbal cues

● Eye contact
○ When a speaker looks at a listener, the speaker is signaling
that he or she is requesting feedback or wants the listener to
take the floor.
○ When a listener looks at and slightly up at the speaker, the
listener is signaling that he or she wants the floor.
● Raising the index finger
○ signals that the speaker is not finished speaking or that the
listener would like to say something

● Leaning back
○ signals that the speaker is done talking and is now yielding
the floor
SOCIAL INTERACTION
In social interaction, an exchange takes place between two or more
individuals for social fulfilment.

Any process that involves reciprocal stimulation or response between

two or more individuals. These can range from the first encounters
between parent and offspring to complex interaction with multiple
individuals in adult life.
EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL
INTERACTION

• Expressing gratitude
• Sending emails and
messages
• Playing
• Exchanging letters
How does social interaction online different from social
interaction in the real world?

Social interaction online has;

1. Fewer nonverbal cues

2. Greater anonymity
3. Wider dissemination of
information
Motivation
One of the functions of communication is motivation.
Communication may be used for the purpose of motivating oneself
and others in various situations.

Motivation is the act of persuading or trying to persuade another

person to change his/her opinion, attitude, or behavior towards a
situation, a person or an idea. This is different from Regulation or
Control, where speaker simply insists his/her own agenda. Here,
speaker is more soft and persuades with empathy and compassion.
Using communication for motivation
is important for various reasons,
which include the following:

a. It increases productivity.
b. It empowers individuals.
 Steps you can do to motivate others:

1. Walk the talk.

2. Actively listen.
3. Make a person feel that he or she makes a difference.
4. Communicate clearly and with compassion.
Types of Motivation EXAMPLES

• Participating in a sport
because you find the activity
Intrinsic Motivation enjoyable
• Cleaning your room because
• Motivation that comes from you like tiding up
within • Studying a subject you find
• Subjective fascinating
• Motivation driven by
curiosity and internal desire
Types of Motivation
Extrinsic Motivation
• Desire to perform a task
influenced by outside source
• External in nature
• To earn a reward and avoid
punishment
EXAMPLES
• Participating in a sport to
win awards
• Cleaning your room to avoid
being reprimanded by your
parents
• Studying because you want
to get good grade
How can motivation affect a person’s outlook in life?

Boosts confidence

Urges to take action

Develop sense of worth and competence

Open to changing behavior

Information
You provide information to others in various speech situations, such as
when delivering an informative speech, when someone asks for
directions, and when getting to know someone.

Communication provides the information individuals and groups need

to make decisions by transmitting the data needed to identify and
evaluate choices.
 What are tips in giving information?

What are the tips in receiving information?

 Tips in Giving Information

1. Maintain eye contact and speak clearly.

2. Use variations in speech.
3. Focus on the needed information.
 Tips in Receiving Information

1. Note down important information.

2. Ask questions.
3. Ask for clarification and verification.
Emotional Expression
Emotions help humans communicate their ideas and feelings
toward certain situations.

Emotional expression is part of the emotion regulation process and

functions as a way to communicate internal states to others.
Why do we need to acknowledge our emotions?

Emotional expressions are necessary to enhance messages, to convey

authenticity, and to develop trust.
Emotional awareness, or the ability to understand feelings, will help you
succeed when communicating with other people. If you are emotionally
aware, you will communicate better. You will notice the emotions of
other people, and how the way they are feeling influences the way they
communicate. You will also better understand what others are
communicating to you and why.
Sometimes, understanding how a person is communicating to you is
more important than what is actually being said.