Beyond Culture Edward T. Hall, 1976

The importance of culture “…denying culture and obscuring the effects that it can have” (p.7) can be very dangerous “Cultural powerlessness” leads to aggression (p.6)…a current, real problem We need to recognize that no culture is better than another.

The Paradox of Culture Monochronic time Polychronic time “the natural act of thinking is greatly modified by culture” (p.9) “monochronic and polychronic have to do with the way time and space are organized and how this organization affects the very core of existence” (p.24) Monochronic time Polychronic time Emphasizes schedules and promptness Northern Europeans, Americans “classification system that orders life…with the exception of birth and death, all important activities are scheduled” (p.19) Led to industrialization Stress involvement of people, completion of transactions Latin America, Middle East “in polychronic countries, one has to be an insider or else have a ‘friend’ who can make things happen” Constant interaction with others

Man as Extension “All of culture is a complex system of extensions” (p.40) Extensions “enhance a particular function of the organism.” (Example: knife better at cutting than the teeth) Schooling as an extension Individuals are taught that natural learning has no value—only learning taught in a formal environment has validity Language as an extension Black English (belittled in schools)

Consistency and Life Culture gives us identity. We must learn about other cultures because we interact with more people today than in the past. We have consistent predictable patterns in our lives. We need to be aware that these systems/patterns exist and of their nature. Unpredictable situations can help us to achieve greater awareness of our own systems.

Hidden Culture To really experience a culture, you must be more than a tourist. Tourists are protected from the realities. Examples from Japan: Regular unannounced room changes Okatas to help guests identify other guests Why: To have an identity in Japan, you must belong. As soon as you register at the desk, you are no longer an outsider. For the rest of your stay, you are a member of a large, mobile family.

Rhythm and Body Movement Through research using film clips, man has been found to be “in sync” with each other. Each culture has its own characteristic mannerisms. Syncing appears to be innate. Once we learn patterns specific to our culture, we don't use the patterns of other cultures. Synchrony can indicate how things are going (good or bad). Body languages are not universal. Nonverbal communications must be read in context and are closely tied to ethnicity.

Context and Meaning The subject or activity, the situation, one’s situation in a social system, one’s past experience, and culture all have a great deal to do with what one does or does not attend to (notice).

A high context (HC) communication is one in which most of the information is either already in the physical context or internalized in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, transmitted part of the message. Low context ( LC) is the opposite (i.e. communication between twins vs. between two lawyers).

LC and HC . Low context (LC) most Americans High context (HC) most Asians Need to be aware of the context for screening Changes made much more easily Rooted in the past, slow to change, and highly stable (old traditions) .

HC and LC examples Example from the LC American law system: “Answer the question, yes or no.” Example from HC Japan: Very rarely in Japan will someone correct you or explain things to you. You are supposed to know (and they get upset when you don’t).

Why context? Helps us correct, adjust, know what is going on We are able to detect patterns important for meaning Important for relating to other cultures Example: CONFLICT (LC “warning” communications, HC bending over backwards but then the explosion)

Discussion Questions Why is cultural literacy important? Can you share any additional hidden actions within a culture? Can you give an example of body language or gesturing that has different meanings in different cultures? Have you ever encountered a culture or subculture in which you were “supposed to know” more than you knew? What was it like and how did you cope?