Type of paper: Research Paper. The ways by which humans communicate are based heavily on the context of what is being spoken, the individuals involved, and the setting in which the communication takes place. They rely less on the shared values/assumptions of the group and the context of the situation. Low-context cultures tend to focus more on the individual than the group, which is why they value individualism and autonomy. Traditionally, Western cultures are known for being more individualistic or communicating with a low context style. Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, 18. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . If you want to appear polite, you need to be willing to greet strangers and thank . The law is important! The theory of High and Low Context Cultures puts how people communicate in a dimension. Culture and Interpersonal Communication. Context is Everything - United States Department of State [36], Individualistic cultures promote the development of individual values and independent social groups. A few examples of high-context cultures include China, Japan, South Africa, Argentina, and Spain; While low-context cultures are found more dominantly in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. High-Context & Low-Context Cultures - Cascade Business News High-context cu. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you [25], The categories of context cultures are not totally separate. Intercultural Communication on Websites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Websites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures. What Is A Low Context Culture - Culture of the whole world Depending on the amount of information conveyed, cultures are classified as being high-context and low-context. The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. For example, resemblance is a significant trait in cultures with a high level of context. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. Family gatherings and interactions with people from high-context cultures are two examples of scenarios in which Americans participate in high-context communications, largely because they are with close-knit groups of people who share similar values, rules, and norms. For example, the head wobble (tilting the head from side to side) in India is a gesture that can convey a variety of meanings depending on the situation. These experiences inclu. In other words, high-context communicators attach great importance to everything that surrounds the explicit message, including interpersonal relationships, non-verbal cues, and physical and social settings. People are comfortable standing close to each other. In contrast, the use of restricted codes indicates that speakers and listeners do share a great deal of common background and perspectives, and hence much more can be taken for granted, and thus expressed implicitly or through nuance: restricted codes tend to be more context-dependent. References Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). Since North American business practices tend to follow low-context norms, most of us are more familiar with this system than we are with high-context cultures. High context culture and low context culture examples. High. 2022-10-25 Because a low-context setting cannot rely on shared understanding of potentially ambiguous messages, low-context cultures tend to give more information, or to be precise in their language. Russians employ a communication style that relies on environmental, non-verbal, traditional, and symbolic cues when communicating. A low-context culture is a culture in which people communicate explicitly. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Websites catering to high-context audiences had a lot of animation & images. 4.3: Variations in Communication Styles - Social Sci LibreTexts (2013)[2]explain the concept of cultural context: Cultural context is a concept developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall. High and Low Context Cultures - Intercultural Communication for only $11.00 $9.35/page. In high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, and Arab countries), the listener is already contexted and does not need to be given much background information[3]. Communication is seen as a way of exchanging information, ideas, and opinions. Most of the cultural behavior aspects are not open for the reason that many of the members are aware of what to do and what thoughts to engage in. Researchers today are using it greatly to study different cultures all over the world. Leaders in high-context cultures, such as Ethiopia, tend to communicate more implicitly, using more nonverbal communication and expressing more vague verbal messages (at least from the viewpoint of a low-context culture). Communicating With High- and Low-Context Cultures He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. Low-context and high-context cultures are the ends of a continuum portraying how cultures communicate. "Understanding cultural differences. ), Hall, E. T.; Hall, M. R. (1990). An experiment performed by the University of Glasgow shows that different cultures have different understanding of the facial expression signals of the six basic emotions, which are the so-called "universal language of emotion"happiness, surprise, fear, disgust, anger and sadness. What are the effects on the communication process? The results show significant differences between the American, Chinese, and Korean samples on 15 out of 16 items, with 11 items significant at the .01 level, one at the .05 level, and three at the .10 level. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. People within low-context cultures see their relationships much looser and the lines between networks of people are more flexibly drawn.[11]. These are some important high-context culture characteristics to look out for. [33] This significance follows into many situations such as the workplace, which can be prone to diversified cultures and opportunities for collaboration and working together. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. - Definition & Assessment, Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder, Atypical Antipsychotics: Effects & Mechanism of Action, What Is a Mood Stabilizer? Messages can be contextualized by assuming that the audience would think in the same manner and will follow the underlying meaning implied in someone's speech or writing as a result of these common experiences. High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. We know that the way in which we say things at these gatherings is more important than what we say. Members of the culture place emphasis on interpersonal relationships. Meaning depends on what is said- the literal content of the message- rather than how it is said. There are smaller communities and specific settings within national/linguistic cultures, and they may exhibit different communication patterns. Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. People from low-context cultures value logic, facts, and directness. Relationships: The components of these cultures tend to value long-term relationships. All the advice on this site is general in nature. You can find his work on The Print, Live Wire, and YouTube. Some common characteristics of high-context cultures include: Though the United States has a low-context culture, we have all been placed in situations that are considered high-context. This makes high-context cultures difficult to navigate for those who do not understand the culture's unwritten rules. The USA and Australia are typically low-context, highly individualistic cultures, where transparency and competition in business are prized. Bernstein, B. We have close, personal relationships with our relatives. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. [1] In low context, communication members' communication must be more explicit, direct, and elaborate because individuals are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories or background, and communication is not necessarily shaped by long-standing relationships between speakers. [7][8] Denotation tends to be attributed to low-context culture[9] People in low-context cultures communicate in a more direct way, with explicitly speaking what they want to communicate. High-context and low-context cultures These include specific forms of body language, the social or familial status of an individual, and the tone of voice employed during speech. The United States, on the other hand, is considered a low-context culture, relying largely on explicit verbal explanations to keep everyone on the same page. This study, done by Kim Dunghoon, was to test the major aspects the high versus low-context culture concepts. [14] However, understanding the broad tendencies of predominant cultures can help inform and educate individuals on how to better facilitate communication between individuals of differing cultural backgrounds. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. High-context cultures usually do not have rules that are explicitly written or stated. Information has to be explicit and detailed for the message to be conveyed without distortion. How to Live Happily Ever After in Japan's High-Context Culture High-context and low-context cultures | Detailed Pedia High and Low Context Culture in Business | Free Essay Example ", "Communication: intercultural communication. Unlike the linear communication style preferred in low-context cultures, high-context communicators may use spiral logic, circling around a topic indirectly and looking at it from many tangential or divergent viewpoints. Most notably, members of either culture must recognize and make an effort to understand the values and characteristics of other cultures so that miscommunications may be avoided. They place a high value on interpersonal relationships and group members are a very close-knit community. Words: 825. Since they value collectivism and interdependence, it makes sense that their communication requires an understanding of the communitys shared values. 1. High Context Culture: Advantages, Disadvantages And Its Examples Public speaking Flashcards | Quizlet In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. In contrast, take a look at the ads on the front page of Weibo, which is considered China's version of Facebook. In, Meyer, C. (2017). For example, families typically engage in high context communication whereby they can communicate much with subtleties such as a glace. They often use written contracts and agreements to clarify expectations (Gudykunst & Ting-Toomey, 1988). High-context cultures rely heavily on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc. The American legal system, for example, relies on low context communication. This is in direct contrast to low-context cultures, in which information is communicated primarily through language and rules are explicitly spelled out. Examples of low-context cultures include Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the United States. [30] Many singular cultures that are large have subcultures inside of them, making communication and defining them more complicated than the low-context and high-context culture scale. As such, what is said is what is meant, and further analysis of the message is usually unnecessary. In high context cultures like Native American tribes, Japan, China, and Arabic countries, communication is curvilinear, and often what is left unsaid is just as important than what is, and there is more flexibility with time and looser schedules. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 How Do Chinese and American Culture Compare - Medium [25] There were 225 Mexican participants from three different undergraduate universities in Mexico City and 447 participants from Kent State University in the U.S.[25] The case study looked into culture shock experienced by Mexicans studying in the U.S. High context culture is common wherever there is a relationship between people. With this regard, America culture is a low-context . Edward T. Hall describes low-context culture as one in which: most of the information is either in the explicit code or readily available elsewhere (Hall, 1976). The terms "high context culture" and "low context culture" are used to define how people in various cultures communicate messages to each other. Amount of Detail Expected - High-context cultures such as Japan, China, and France provide little details in their writing. Discover high context culture examples, and identify the importance of high context vs. low context communication. In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. Conclusion The dynamics of relationships within High and Low context cultures are very different. They also are AT-CTI certified. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. Cultural Context | Communication for Professionals - Lumen Learning The Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice states that, "high context defines cultures that are relational and collectivist, and which most highlight interpersonal relationships. High-context defines cultures that are usually relational and collectivist, and which most highlight interpersonal relationships. The following chart will compare the main differences between high-context vs. low-context cultures and a discussion of example cultures will follow: While nations such as the United States have many low-context situations, it is important to recall that all societies experience high-context events as well. High vs Low Context Cultures Flashcards | Quizlet Body language, tone of voice, and personal status are a few notable characteristics that are valued in a high-context culture. [42] In a case study conducted by the IT University of Copenhagen, it was found that websites catering to high-context cultures tended to have more detailed and advanced designs, including various images and animations. [23] For example, Native Americans in the United States have higher-context cultures with a strong sense of tradition and history, compared to general American culture. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many Western countries. In high cultures, much of the communication is understood by the group either by non-verbal coding, which refers to common body language; distinct in-groups and out-group's, which refers to the cohesiveness of the group; and covert and implicit messages, which refers to what we refer . However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. High-context cultures, on the other hand, depend on both the spoken words and the context of the situationincluding the shared values/assumptions of the groupto convey meaning. Wurtz studied McDonalds online advertising in various countries such as Japan, Germany, the United States, etc. Conclusions are explicitly stated. A high-context culture is a culture or society that communicates dominantly through the use of contextual elements, such as specific forms of body language, the status of an individual, and. Disagreement is depersonalized. Examples of low- and high-context cultures are those based in the following culture clusters: High-context cultures The Sub-Saharan Africa Cluster The Middle East Cluster The Latin Europe Cluster The Eastern Europe Cluster The Latin America Cluster The Southern Asia Cluster The Confucian Asia Cluster Low-context cultures The Anglo Cluster [15] In contrast, scientists working with living systems need to include more context because there can be significant variables which impact the research outcomes. Instead, they depend on the explicit code of the words and written rules to convey meaning. Communicating In High And Low Context Cultures Oxford University Press. Two Types of Reflective Writing Assignments, Additional Resources for Improving Writing, Consistency in comparatives and listed elements: Parallelism, Hofstede Insights country comparison tool, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oYfhTC9lIQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQvqDv4vbEg, https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/42958_2_The_Cultural_Context.pdf, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Tend to prefer indirect verbal interaction, Tend to understand meaning at one level only, Tend to understand meanings embedded at many sociocultural levels, Are generally less proficient in reading nonverbal cues, Are generally more proficient in reading nonverbal cues, Communication in highly structured messages, provide details, stress literal meaning, Communication is simple, sometimes ambiguous, messages; understand visual messages readily, Define cultural context (Guffey et al., 2013, p. 64), Contrast communicate styles for low-context and high-context cultures (Meyer, 2017, p. 59), Explain how cultural differences can affect workplace communication (Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau, 2014).