Communication 1A An introduction to interpersonal communication

WEEK 12

Intercultural communication

1What is culture?

“Cultures are templates for living that have certain basic characteristics. Cultures are learnt, shared, multi-

faceted, dynamic, and overlapping”.

Trenholm, J. (2005). Thinking through communication: An introduction to the study of human communication. (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson. p.322

2What is going on here?

3Possible interpretations

Hofstede and his colleagues showed this image to a range of people, across many cultures. Here are some of the interpretations:

• Prayer before a meal; two people don't want to pray• People thinking hard to solve some problem• Difficult conversation• A meeting about to begin• A family has just received a sad letter• A meeting. Two women on the left are talking on the side about a mobile phone• The person on the left just bought some bread and is offering a piece to everybody• People looking for a solution to come problem. The guy on the left is hiding the important evidence

and showing something unimportant to the others• The man in the middle presides over the debate. One guy is not involved• A religious ritual

List of interpretations directly cited from Hofstede, G., Pedersen, P., & Hofstede, G. (2002). Exploring culture: Exercises, stories and synthetic cultures. Maine: Intercultural Press. p. 10.

4What is going on here?

5Possible interpretations

Hofstede and his colleagues also showed this image to a range of people, across many cultures. Here are some of the interpretations:

• Two women are walking and a man threatens one of the women with a piece of wood• Two men are attacking a woman• A woman steps aside to let a blind man pass• A beggar and a woman• Gardening• A farm family working on their land• Two people helping each other do something• Poor people. The man is digging for something and the woman is waiting to take it• A man cleaning the floor• A man is digging a hole and a woman is dropping in seeds

List of interpretations directly cited from Hofstede, G., Pedersen, P., & Hofstede, G. (2002).Exploring culture: Exercises, stories and synthetic cultures. Maine: Intercultural Press. p. 8.

6Cross cultural barriers

Often we view different cultures through perceptual distortions.

“Unconsciously, you bring your own cultural frame of interpretation to any situation” (Hofstede, Pedersen, & Hofstede, 2002, p. 7).

7So…What is going on here?