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Assumption of similarities, language differences, nonverbal misinterpretations, preconceptions/stereotypes, tendency to evaluate, anxiety/tension, ambiguity, conflict (8)
● problems in intercultural communication:
○ Assumptions of similarities: people may naively assume that others are the same, or at least similar enough to make communication easy
○ language differences: when people are trying to communicate in a language in which they are not entirely fluent, people
often think that a word, phrase, or sentence has one and only one meaning -- the meaning they intend to convey. While ignoring all the other possible sources of signals and messages (i.e., nonverbal expressions, tone of voice, body orientation, etc.)
■ EX. when haoles say aloha and etc to us because we are in Hawaii
○ Nonverbal misinterpretations: misunderstandings in relation to the interpretation of nonverbal behaviors can easily lead to conflicts or confrontations that break down the
communication processes
■ EX. when the Starman gave the thumbs up to the guy, the guy had this problem with the intercultural communication and vice versa.
○ Preconceptions and stereotypes: overreliance on stereotypes can prevent us from viewing others and their communications objectively, from searching for cues that may helps us interpret their communications in the way they were intended
○ Tendency to evaluate: different cultural values may generate negative evaluations of others
■ EX. how we view haoles and their ways (i.e., not taking off their shoes when entering the house)
○ High anxiety or tension: intercultural communication episodes are often associated with greater anxiety and stress because it can be frustrating. This can lead to dysfunctional thought processes and behaviors and can exaggerate all of the other stumbling blocks, making it more likely that people will hold onto stereotypes and etc.
■ EX. How you get frustrated with Filipinos with strong
accents talk to you-- and you get mad and say it's because they're Filipino.
○ uncertainty and ambiguity: intercultural communication is likely to be marred by uncertainty and ambiguity because of cultural differences in the nonverbal behaviors associated with the verbal messages.
■ EX. inability to understand all or part of a message
○ conflict: intercultural communication is also marked by a greater potential for conflict. Behaviors will not conform to our expectations, which leads
to negative emotions and conflict. Not only with people, but also with other agents of the cultural system (such as public transportation, the post office, shops, and businesses)
■ Ambiguity and conflict can result from dissimilar lexicons, grammatical rules, or behavioral norms
■ Discomfort with ambiguity can lead to anxiety and potential hostility
■ EX. misunderstanding a message
● How to correct these problems:
○ Mindfulness: allows people to be conscious of their own habits,
mental scripts, and cultural expectations concerning communication
■ remaining open to new information and be aware of multiple perspective
■ three components of mindfulness affect intercultural effectiveness:
● motivational factors
○ specific needs of the interactants
○ attraction between the interactants
○ social bonds
○ self-conceptions
○ openness to new information
● knowledge factors
○ schemas
○ and factual knowledge
● skill factors
○ include the
ability to empathize, tolerate ambiguity, adapt communication, create new categories, accommodate behavior, and gather appropriate information
○ uncertainty reduction:
■ one of the major goals of initial intercultural encounters
■ if uncertainty is reduced, interactants can then focus on the content of the signals and messages that are being exchanged
■ similar to deciphering coded language:
● first step is to decipher the code (reduce uncertainty)
● second is to interpret and
respond to the content, once deciphered.
○ also,
■ create a communication baseline
■ be constantly willing to update schemas
■ read facial expressions
■ regulate our own emotional display