LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading chapter #5, you should be able to:

1. Understand the importance of intercultural
communication and its role in the communication
process.

2. Understand the need to study intercultural

communication.

3. Describe the development of the historical study of

intercultural communication.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–1

 L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S (cont’d)
After reading chapter #5, you should be able to:

4. Identify and describe eight characteristics of

intercultural communication.

5. Identify and describe three barrier to intercultural

communication.

6. Identify and describe six ways to improve

intercultural communication.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–2

 What’s in It for Me?
After reading chapter #5, you’ll be better
positioned to:

 Understand the history of the developing research

of intercultural communications studies.

 More effectively communicate with individuals from

other cultures.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–3

 What Is Intercultural Communication?
Definition:
Rogers and Steinfatt (1999) defined
intercultural communication as the
exchange of
information between individuals who are
“unalike culturally.”
Klopf (1991, p. 31) states culture is
“That part of the environment made by
humans.”
.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–4

 History of Intercultural
Communication Studies

Intercultural Communication is one of the

youngest fields within the discipline of
communication, but draws upon lessons
learned from centuries of travelers from a
wide cross-section of academic
disciplines.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–5

 1. The Burgeoning Period in the Study
of Intercultural Communication
In the Burgeoning Period, Hall came to
share many of his insights and earned a
distinct place in the field of intercultural
communication, often considered the
“father” of the field (Chen and Starosta,
2000, p. 8). He is generally credited with
eight important contributions to our
understanding of intercultural
communication (Chen and Starosta,
2000; Leeds-Hurwitz, 1990).
© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–6
 1 Comparing cultures Hall focused on how people interact
rather than studying the culture as a single, distinct way of
living.
2 Shift to local perspective Hall focused on the local level,
and how culture is a practical part of everyone’s lives,
rather than how a whole culture, from a larger perspective
interacts with other cultures.
3 You don’t have to know everything to know something
Hall focused on cultural aspects like time, space, gestures
and voice as part of culture, stating we could learn from
these individual aspects without having a complete
understanding of the entire culture.
4 There are rules we can learn Hall focused on the rules
people use to interact, making it possible to analyze and
predict behaviors and actions.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–7

 5 Experience counts Hall focused on how students can
learn from their own experience, and advocated
personal experience as an important part of
understanding intercultural communication.
6 Differences in perspective Hall focused on descriptive
linguistics as a model to understand intercultural
communication, one the Foreign Service still uses as a
base for training. The terms “etic,” or studying from a
general perspective and “emic,” or studying from the
culture’s own perspective, grew out of his model.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–8

 7 Application to international business Hall focused on
how Foreign Service training has applications to
international business, and as we continue to integrate
globally, training in intercultural communication is
increasingly the norm for business students.
8 Integration of disciplines Hall focused on the link
between culture and communication, bringing together
aspects of anthropology and communication as
academic disciplines.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–9

 2. Study of Intercultural Communication in the 1960’s
In the 1960’s, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961) examined
value orientations, or what each culture values in
comparison to other cultures, which led to a great deal of
investigation. Rokeach (1973, p. 5), from the field of
psychology, defines value as “an enduring belief that a
specific mode of conduct or end-state or existence is
personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse
mode of conduct or end-state of existence.”
3. Study of Intercultural Communication in the 1970’s
The 1970’s saw a rapid growth in the field with numerous
publications. It is interesting to note the first formal class on
intercultural communication was offered at the University of
Pittsburgh in 1966, and the first doctoral degree in the field
was awarded by Indiana University in 1973..

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–10

 4. Study of Intercultural Communication in the 1980’s
An increase in investigations and publications. William
Gudykunst and Young Yun Kim are two well-known
researchers in the field that made significant contributions
5. Study of Intercultural Communication in the 1990’s
The 1990’s, Gudykunst and Kim further expanded our
knowledge with revisions to their text Communicating with
Strangers: An approach to Intercultural Communication.
6. Study of Intercultural Communication, 2001 etc
The 2000 U.S. Census for the first time allowed people to
indicate their affiliation or identification with more than one
racial or ethnic category, leading to the increased
understanding that we do not exist as a member of a
single culture but rather a community of cultures.
© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–11
 Characteristics of Intercultural Communication
1. Cultures share a common experience of history
and tradition that we learn
2. Rites of initiation, for example, serve this purpose
of socialization into the community.
3. We share cultures
4. Cultures share common values and principles
5. Communities share a common purpose and a
sense of mission
6. Cultures have common symbols, boundaries,
status, language, rituals and symbols
7. Our cultures are always changing
8. Our cultures are complex

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–12

 Co-Cultures are groups whose beliefs,
customs or behaviors, while similar to
those of the larger culture, make it
distinct as its own culture. As we can
see, we are often members of more than
one culture

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–13

 Barriers to Intercultural Communication
1. Language Judy Pearson and Paul Nelson (2000) and Devito
(1986) describe four key areas of language which serve to bring us
together, but because they involve a specialized knowledge in some
unique to the group or community, can create barriers to outsiders.
These are often called co-languages, because they exist and
interact with dominant language but are nonetheless distinct from it.
Argot Argot is a secret or specialized language a group, usually
associated with criminals.
Cant Cant is a profession-specific language used by non-
professionals. Think of how people in the service industry describe
customers.
Jargon Jargon is a profession-specific language used by
professionals. Think of how lawyers speak.
Slang Slang is a word which takes the place of a standard or
traditional word; e.g., “cool”.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–14

 2. The Nature of Perception
Role identities
Goals
Self-concept
Individualistic Cultures:
Collectivistic Cultures:
Explicit-Rule Cultures:
Implict-Rule Cultures:.
Uncertainty-Accepting Cultures:
Uncertainty-Rejecting Cultures:
Prejudice
Assumptions Assume similarity
Assuming familiarity
Culture shock

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–15

 3. Ethnocentrism means you go beyond pride in
your own culture, heritage or background and
hold the “conviction that (you) know more and
are better than those of different cultures (Seiler
and Beall, 2000).”

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–16

 Improving Intercultural Communication
Seiler and Beall (2000) offer us six ways to improve our
perceptions, and therefore improve our communication,
particularly in intercultural communication.
Become an Active
Perceiver
We need to actively seek out as much information as
possible. Hall supports, placing yourself in the new
culture can often expand your understanding.
Recognize each person’s frame of reference is
unique
We all perceive the world differently, and recognizing that
even though you may interact with two people from the
same culture, recognize that they are individuals with
their own set of experiences, values, and interests.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–17

 Recognize that people, objects, and situations
change
Become aware of the role perceptions play in
communication
Keep an open mind The adage “A mind is like a
parachute – it works best when
open” holds true. Being open to differences can improve
intercultural communication.
Check your perceptions: By learning to observe, and
acknowledging our own perceptions, we can avoid
assumptions, expand our understanding, and improve our
ability to communicate across cultures.

© 2007 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 5–18