Culture LearningBehavioral Aspects of Culture Contact

Culture Learning

A process whereby sojourners acquire culturally relevant social knowledge and skills in order to survive and thrive in their new society

Elements that regulate interpersonal behavior

• Vary between cultural groups and are ‘hidden’ in that people are not fully aware of them.

* non-verbal communication (proxemics, touch & gestures)

The social behavior of persons interacting with each other constitutes a mutually organized, skilled performance.

* includes expression of attitudes, ritual routines etc.

Relational Communication

Implicit messages that vary across cultures and define the tenor of the relationship by indirectly conveying feelings of liking, friendliness, dominance and trust

*communication style/competence

The socially inadequate individual may not have mastered the conventions of their society, ether because they are unaware of the rules of social behavior that regulate interpersonal conduct or, if aware of the rules, are unable or unwilling to abide by them.

Socially Unskilled Persons

• Behave like strangers in their own land, a similar position to socially inadequate indigenous individuals

• Tend to be highly skilled in the customs of their own society and find their sudden inadequacy in the new culture frustrating

Cross-Cultural differences in Communication

• Low Context Cultures: direct; rely on verbal communication

• High Context Cultures: indirect & ambiguous; convey limited information in coded messages, more influenced by situational cues

Differences in Cultural Communication

• Variability in self-disclosure, face negotiation and proxemics

• More difficulty with differing ‘codes,’ particularly when share the same linguistic form (“Would you like to…?” US vs. Australia)

Etiquette

• Direct/indirect

• Requests

• Turn distribution

• Voice volume

• Linguistic forms such as ‘Thank you’

Resolving Conflict

•Reprimands

•Affected by power-distance (status inequality) and the I-C dimension

Resolving Conflict • Managers in low power distance

cultures rely heavily on their own training and experience and involve subordinates and co-workers.

• In high power and collectivist countries formal rules and procedures are given precedence.

• Negotiating Styles

Non-Verbal Communication

• Communicate attitudes and express emotions (supports speech, provides feedback and synchronizes turn-taking)

• Elements studied include face, eyes, spatial behavior, bodily contact and gestures

Mutual Gaze

• Levels vary across cultures

• Low gaze participant may be seen as impolite while high gaze participant may be seen as disrespectful, threatening or insulting

• Spatial behavior

Bodily Contact & Gestures

• Contact cultures versus non-contact cultures

• Low-touch culture seen as aloof, cold and unfriendly to high-contact cultures

• Psychological closeness/immediacy

Rules and Conventions

• Approaches to lateness and success

• Differences in attitudes towards pace of life

Social rules operate beneath the level of consciousness and one becomes aware of a rule

only after it’s been broken

Forms of Address

• Titles are tied to variations in power-distance across cultures

• Rules for exchanging business cards

• Forms of address (surname/given name combinations)

Social Relations in Multicultural Societies

• Despite policies based on integration, minority groups are expected to assimilate to the dominant ethos

• ‘code switching’ linguistic styles

Social Situations Questionnaire

Culture learning approach suggests skills deficits be included in the study of intercultural contact.