1. Schedule for Today Cross-cultural communication Cross-cultural communication Presentation - Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory (including Uncertainty Reduction Theory) Presentation - Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory (including Uncertainty Reduction Theory) Discussion Discussion Genderflect Theory Genderflect Theory Analysis Analysis

2. Question? What is culture? Define it, What is culture? Define it,

3. Culture Culture is a socially constructed and historically transmitted pattern of symbols, meanings, premises and rules. Culture is a socially constructed and historically transmitted pattern of symbols, meanings, premises and rules. It does not It does not necessarily necessarily involve race. involve race.

4. Comparing Cultures 1. Power distance 1. Power distance 2. Masculinity (defined sex roles) 2. Masculinity (defined sex roles) 3. Uncertainty Avoidance 3. Uncertainty Avoidance 4. Individualism 4. Individualism

5. Power Distance 1. Accept that power distribution is unequal. 1. Accept that power distribution is unequal.

6. Masculinity 2. Clearly defined sex roles and male values of success and $ dominate. 2. Clearly defined sex roles and male values of success and $ dominate.

7. Uncertainty Avoidance 3. The extent to which people are threatened by ambiguity and create institutions or beliefs to avoid it. 3. The extent to which people are threatened by ambiguity and create institutions or beliefs to avoid it. US – lowJapan – Extremely high US – lowJapan – Extremely high

8. Individualism The extent to which a person values individualism over trading that for loyalty. The extent to which a person values individualism over trading that for loyalty.

9. Individualism vs. Collectivism Most important. Most important. Manifests in a different type of communication. Manifests in a different type of communication.

10. Individualistic Low context – high content. Low context – high content. Meaning is in the ‘code’ (language) Meaning is in the ‘code’ (language)

11. Collectivist High context – lower content. High context – lower content. Much of meaning is in physical context and within the person. Much of meaning is in physical context and within the person.

12. Issue When someone from a collectivist culture and someone from an individualistic culture try to communicate. When someone from a collectivist culture and someone from an individualistic culture try to communicate. Opportunities for misunderstanding increased significantly. Opportunities for misunderstanding increased significantly.

13. Presentation Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory (including Uncertainty Reduction Theory) Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory (including Uncertainty Reduction Theory)

14. Effective Communication If misunderstanding can be minimized. If misunderstanding can be minimized. If meaning attached by receiver is similar to that of sender. If meaning attached by receiver is similar to that of sender. Significant issue in cross-cultural communication. Significant issue in cross-cultural communication.

15. Differences in terms Uncertainty – cognitive – doubts about ability to predict outcome of a encounter with strangers. Uncertainty – cognitive – doubts about ability to predict outcome of a encounter with strangers.

16. Anxiety – affective (an emotion) Anxiety – affective (an emotion)

17. Relationship between terms They tend to vary as one – as one goes up, so does the other, for most people. They tend to vary as one – as one goes up, so does the other, for most people.

18. Relationship to cultural differences The bigger the gap, the higher the uncertainty and anxiety. The bigger the gap, the higher the uncertainty and anxiety. For two people from collectivist versus individualistic cultures respectively, high uncertainty and anxiety. For two people from collectivist versus individualistic cultures respectively, high uncertainty and anxiety.

19. Some is good You need to feel some uncertainty and anxiety to make you go to the effort of communicating effectively. You need to feel some uncertainty and anxiety to make you go to the effort of communicating effectively. If you feel too much, you will withdraw and feel as if it is impossible and therefore, not worthwhile. If you feel too much, you will withdraw and feel as if it is impossible and therefore, not worthwhile.

20. Unconscious incompetence. 1. We misinterpret other’s behavior and are not even aware of it. 1. We misinterpret other’s behavior and are not even aware of it. Typical naïve American. Typical naïve American.

21. Conscious Incompetence. 2. We know we are misinterpreting but we don’t care. 2. We know we are misinterpreting but we don’t care. The classic ‘ugly’ The classic ‘ugly’ American. American.

22. Conscious Competence 3. Mindfulness – We think about our communication and constantly try to improve it. 3. Mindfulness – We think about our communication and constantly try to improve it.

23. Unconscious Competence 4.We have developed our communication skills to the point we no longer have to think about it. 4.We have developed our communication skills to the point we no longer have to think about it.

24. Key to take away People from other cultures communicate differently. The more you can practice mindfulness, the better. People from other cultures communicate differently. The more you can practice mindfulness, the better.

25. Genderflect Theory This is intercultural communication because men and women communicate differently. This is intercultural communication because men and women communicate differently.

26. Gender versus Sex Sex is a biological fact. Sex is a biological fact. Gender is a societal role. Gender is a societal role.

27. Men and Communication Desire for Status and Power Desire for Status and Power Report rather than rapport Report rather than rapport Comfortable with confrontation Comfortable with confrontation

28. Women and Communication Interested in connection instead of power. Interested in connection instead of power. Rapport rather than report. Rapport rather than report. Not comfortable with confrontation. Not comfortable with confrontation.

29. What does that mean for us? Practice mindfulness – you are in essence dealing with another culture. Practice mindfulness – you are in essence dealing with another culture. Remember, culture is not based on race but rather on a set of symbols, meanings, premises and rules. Remember, culture is not based on race but rather on a set of symbols, meanings, premises and rules.