1. Intercultural Communication
Chapter 3
Intercultural Communication Competence

2. The United States is Intercultural
Metaphors that describe the United States:
Melting Pot
Tributaries
Tapestry
Garden Salad

3. Metaphors of US Diversity
Melting Pot
Implies a fusing of cultural elements
Cultural elements lose their distinction
Cultures lose their individual identity

4. Metaphors of US Diversity
Tributary
Identities are maintained in the short-term
Assumes all will blend into one
Tributaries are less important than the mainstream

5. Metaphors of US Diversity
Tapestry
Each thread can be different
Weaving patterns vary by location
But, tapestries are static while cultures are not

6. Metaphors of US Diversity
Garden Salad
Each culture is distinct
The cultures are mixed and contribute to make a unique whole
But, implies a lack of stability
Cultures don’t always mix easily

7. What to Call us? American? North American?
United Statians? United Staters?
U. S. Americans?

8. Negative Terms to Describe us
Dominant culture
Majority culture/minority culture
White/caucasian

9. Terms for Cultural Groups
African-American
Hispanic, Chicano, Mexican-American, Latino
Native-American, Asian-American, Pacific Islander

10. African-American Recognizes African cultural influences
Acknowledges differences in African-American and European-American culture

11. Hispanic, Chicano, Mexican-American, Latino

12. Native-American, Asian-American, Pacific Islander

13. Competence and Intercultural Communication
Intercultural communication competence
Components of intercultural competence

14. Intercultural Communication Competence
Competent communication is an interaction that is perceived as effective in fulfilling certain rewarding objectives in a way that is also appropriate to the context in which the interaction occurs.

15. Intercultural Communication Competence
Competence must be:
Perceived
Appropriate
Effective

16. Components of Intercultural Competence
Context
Appropriate and effective behaviors
Knowledge, motivations, and actions

17. Context Not an individual attribute Based on cultural expectations
Setting helps define acceptable behavior
Acceptable behavior in one culture may not be in others

18. Appropriate Behaviors
Behaviors regarded as:
proper and suitable given-
the expectations generated in a given culture,
the constraints of the specific situations,
and the nature of the relationship between interactants.

19. Effective Behaviors
Behaviors that lead to the achievement of desired outcomes

20. Sufficient Knowledge Culture-generated information
Culture-specific information
Knowledge of your own culture

21. Suitable Motivations Feelings and intentions
Feelings refer to emotional or affective states
Feelings are not thoughts
Feelings are reactions to thoughts and experiences
Feelings involve sensitivity and attitudes
Intentions are what guides our choices
Goals, plans, objectives, desires, used to focus
Can be affected by stereotypes

22. Skilled Actions
The actual performance of appropriate and effective behaviors
Must be able to do what is needed
Can have right info, feelings, and intentions but lack behavioral skills

23. BASIC
Behavioral Assessment Scale for Intercultural Competence

24. 8 BASIC Behaviors Displays of Respect Orientation to Knowledge Empathy
Interaction Management
Task Role Behavior
Relational Role Behavior
Tolerance for Ambiguity
Interaction Posture

25. Displays of Respect
What is respectful in one culture may be different in others
Verbal and nonverbal components

26. Orientation to Knowledge
When our language and actions show a focus on individuality rather than universal group traits
Must move beyond the perspective of our own personal cultural framework

27. Empathy
Verbal and nonverbal behaviors that are complimentary to the thoughts, feelings and experiences of others
Behaving as if we understand the world as someone else does

28. Interaction Management
How to talk to others appropriately and effectively
Initiation, turn taking, etc.

29. Task Role Behavior Group problem solving skills
Understanding that other cultures accomplish tasks differently
Entwined with cultural expectations
Different cultures can call the same thing a social activity or a task

30. Relational Role Behavior
Efforts to build and maintain personal relationships that support others and solidify feelings of participation

31. Tolerance for Ambiguity
If we do not tolerate ambiguity well we can respond with hostility and anger
Competent communication requires a higher tolerance level

32. Interaction Posture Responding in a nonjudgmental way
Avoid behaviors that state or imply right/wrong
Use description rather than interpretation or evaluation

33. Description, Interpretation, and evaluation (D-I-E)
Tool used to control the meaning attributed to verbal and nonverbal symbols that others use
Most people are not aware when they interpret or evaluate the symbols of others

34. Description
Identify the sensory information that will form the basis for interpretation
Descriptive statement allow us to consider alternative interpretations

35. Interpretation
Our interpretations are linked to our evaluation of our perceptions
Descriptions can have multiple interpretations
Don’t choose your first interpretation
Test alternative interpretations

36. Evaluation Emotional or affective judgment
We make judgments without being aware
Be cognizant of descriptors and interpretations to avoid inaccurate conclusions