![]() In general, when considering cultural context, consider the following factors as you create communications: Applying an Understanding of Culture to Communications ![]() ![]() The main idea in analyzing cultural context is to try to understand the lens through which your audience experiences the communication, to strengthen the focus on creating and receiving a message respectful to the audience. Pause the video at each multiple-choice question and choose your answer before viewing the explanation.Īs you can see, there are many aspects to cultural context to consider when planning professional communications. This short video offers a few simple scenarios that deal with cultural context. collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, “masculine” and “feminine” traits, and long-term orientation. The next video offers additional ways of considering cultural context, in terms of power distance, individualism vs. Low-context cultures also emphasize individual as opposed to group work, and members of low-context cultures usually maintain their physical space in face-to-face business situations.įor an interesting discussion of becoming aware of diverse cultures, which includes examples of high- and low-context cultures, view the following video. Low-context cultures rely on more on verbal communications as well as task-oriented protocol, as opposed to non-verbal communications, in order to move toward goals (e.g., minutes of last meeting, overview of agenda, discussion of agenda items in order, maintaining the time allotted to each item). In low-context cultures, you might expect quick focus on the task with relatively little context-setting the task itself provides the context. In contrast, low-context cultures, such as those in Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and North America, value directness and task-oriented business relationships. High-context cultures also emphasize group as opposed to individual work, and members of high-context cultures are often comfortable with physical closeness in face-to-face business situations. High-context cultures rely on non-verbal communications as well as verbal (e.g., there is a specific physical protocol for presenting business cards in Japan). In high-context cultures, you might expect discussion of family, health, and other common topics before entering into the topic of a professional discussion. High-context cultures, such as those in Asia, Greece, France, Africa, South America, or Southern India (which the narrator describes in the video above), value personal, trusting relationships. One major aspect to consider in your analysis of various national and social cultures is the concept of high-context vs. The video below offers tips intended to help you communicate with more cultural awareness. Īlthough it may seem that cultural variables are too plentiful to ever master, simply being aware of cultural contexts and trying to develop fuller cultural awareness, as well as fuller self-awareness of your own assumptions and cultural lens, can help you as you analyze communication situations. The greater the difference between cultures, the greater the chance for misunderstanding. However, members of your audience decode your message according to the assumptions of their culture. To a large degree, your culture influences the way you think, which naturally affects the way you communicate both as a sender and receiver….In particular, your instinct is to encode your message using the assumptions of your culture. The meaning of words, the significance of gestures, the importance of time and place, the rules of human relationships-these and many other aspects of communication are defined by culture. The way you communicate is deeply influenced by the culture in which you were raised. The interaction of culture and communication is so pervasive that separating the two is virtually impossible. And realize that your consideration occurs through your own cultural lens. Consider cultural contexts as you plan and draft your communications. We often think of culture in terms of nationality or geography, but there are cultures based on age, religion, education, ability, gender, ethnicity, income, and more. Culture refers to the values, beliefs, attitudes, accepted actions, and general characteristics of a group of people.
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