By Seth Awuku Manteaw, PhD LECTURE TEN   PROBLEMS OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION By Seth Awuku Manteaw, PhD (Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Ghana)

Introduction Being an effective communicator means interacting with people from various racial, ethnic or cultural backgrounds The exchange of information between individuals who are culturally unalike is called Intercultural Communication As extension agents, we are increasingly exposed to people of minority and majority cultures or tribes in a community It is therefore important for extension agents to know the dynamics of intercultural communication i.e. how to relate to people of diverse tribes

What is Culture? Culture is defined as a system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviours and artifacts that the members of a society use to cope with one another It is transmitted from generation to generation through social learning It includes a wide variety of races, ethnic groups and nationalities In a given community, there is the majority, dominant culture and the minority marginalized culture usually called co-culture. A co-culture is a group that is similar to and part of the larger culture but is distinguished by beliefs and behaviours that differ from the larger culture.

Co-Cultural Communication Strategies When individuals from non-dominant groups have to contend with those from dominant groups, they seek one of these three outcomes: Assimilation Accommodation or Separation

Assimilation Assimilation means that the individuals from the non-dominant groups attempt to “fit in” the dominant group. In the process, individuals from the non-dominant groups may lose their cultural identity. They behave like individuals from the dominant group. Examples is someone from a Christian background who after living several years in a Muslim community dresses and behaves like them Another example is an Ashanti who after several years living in the Volta Region forgets his native Ashanti language and speaks the ewe language like a Voltarian

Accommodation Accommodation means individuals from the non- dominant group participate in the activities of the dominant group without losing their cultural identity. The marginalized individual tries to maintain positive relationships with the dominant group without denying his /her membership in the non- dominant group Example is a Muslim who attends a church service on invitation during a special occasion

Separation Separation means that the non-dominant individual resists interactions with the dominant groups. He /she rather relates more exclusively with his or her own group Example is an individual from a religious group that keeps to himself and avoids contact with outsiders.

Intercultural Communication Problems Intercultural communication is subject to all the problems that can hamper effective interpersonal communication Being aware of these problems can enhance effective communication The common intercultural problems are ethnocentrism and stereotyping

Ethnocentrism the biggest problem that occurs during intercultural communication is that people bring an ethnocentric perspective to the interaction ethnocentrism is the belief that your own group or culture is superior to all other groups or cultures you are ethnocentric if you see and judge the rest of the world only from your own culture’s perspective Common examples include the thinking that everyone should speak English or that people in the US should not have to learn languages other than English or that US culture is better than Mexico In ethnocentrism, you use your own culture as the measure that others are expected to meet Whereas in cultural relativism, you “judge another person’s culture by its own context e.g. saying that the Asian customs of bowing is odd” To communicate effectively with people from different cultures, you need to accept people whose values and norms may be different from your own

Stereotyping Stereotyping is a generalization about some group of people that oversimplifies their culture (Rogers and Steinfatt, 1999) In a way, stereotyping is unavoidable e.g. when you think of lawyer, physicians, gardeners and homeless people, generalized images come to mind. It becomes troublesome in communication when people make assumptions about an individual on the basis of simplified notion. When you meet an Asian, do not assume that he is good at maths When you meet a beautiful blonde, do not assume she is empty headed These assumptions get us in trouble when we apply to an individual what we guess to be true of a group Such stereotypes are injurious to individuals and groups

Strategies for Improving Intercultural Communication Effective intercultural communication often takes considerable time; energy and commitment. Strategies that can be employed to improve intercultural communication are as follows: Conduct a personal self assessment, do an honest assessment of your own communication style, beliefs and prejudices Practice supportive communication behaviours such as empathy Develop sensitivity towards diversity. You can learn something from all people. Take the time to learn about other cultures or co-cultures before a communication situation Avoid stereotypes Avoid ethnocentrism

Strategies for Improving Intercultural Communication(CONT’D) Develop code sensitivity. Learn to use the verbal and nonverbal language appropriate to the cultural or co- cultural norms of the individual with whom you are communicating The more you know about another’s culture, the better you will be at adapting Manage conflicting beliefs and practices Tolerate ambiguity, be open-minded about differences Use and encourage descriptive feedback. Feedback encourages adaptation and effective feedback is crucial in intercultural communication.

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