They have a Bachelor's in Air Traffic Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and minored in Aviation Safety and Homeland Security. Low context can describe situations, environments and cultures. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. People have many acquaintances they have fewer close friends. The verbal and nonverbal cues of low vs. high-context communication can be . For example, resemblance is a significant trait in cultures with a high level of context. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Hall, E. T. (1976). 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. Published: 2020/12/03. Teachers can share their own experiences and examples with their students. High vs. Low Power Distance Cultural Communications | What are High and Low Power Distance Cultural Communications? Communicating with high-context cultures can require you to focus on politeness strategies that demonstrate your respect for readers and listeners. High-context communications typically take place in a collectivist setting, or within a large group of people who share similar goals, values, or norms (ingroups). A case study was done on 30 Romanian and 30 Russian employees, to compare high- and low-context cultures, and results strongly suggested that Russia and Romania are both high-context cultures. Guffey, M. E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). Your email address will not be published. In a 2008 meta-analysis of 224 articles published between 1990 and 2006, Peter W. Cardon wrote: [T]he theory was never described by Hall with any empirical rigor, and no known research involving any instrument or measure of contexting validates it. The scale of high- and low-context cultures helps explain much about how we experience communication across our cultural experiences. Since they value collectivism and interdependence, it makes sense that their communication requires an understanding of the communitys shared values. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. In high-context cultures, people are said to prefer symbolic, artful language that is implicit. In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high-context. In Mexico's high context culture, communication is . Teachers can illustrate the differences between high- and low- context cultures by providing examples of behaviors. For example, the body language and methods of communication experienced by a group of close friends in a casual setting differs greatly from a group of peers presenting at a professional business meeting. Low-context and high-context cultures are the ends of a continuum portraying how cultures communicate. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language, verbal messages, or non-verbal messages. Mostly, western cultures are low context cultures like the UK, Australia, and the United States. What is the role of such non-verbal communication in business relationships? After completing this chapter, you will be able to: Now that we know, broadly, what culture is, lets discuss some ways to categorize aspects of different cultures. They are considered less direct, and they put a lot of weight on gestures and body language to draw significance from messages. 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]. 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. 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. [4] The model of high-context and low-context cultures offers a popular framework in intercultural-communication studies, but has been criticized as lacking empirical validation. "[28] In such cultures, people are highly perceptive of actions. After you have finished with this lesson, you should be able to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Low-context culture refers to a culture that communicates explicitly. Since a high-context culture is based on fewer, deeper relations with people, there are many unspoken social rules and understandings within the culture. This makes high-context cultures difficult to navigate for those who do not understand the culture's unwritten rules. Three samples were gathered from the US, China, and Korea, three different cultures. In contrast, take a look at the ads on the front page of Weibo, which is considered China's version of Facebook. High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. Researchers today are using it greatly to study different cultures all over the world. Whereas low-context cultures prefer more words (to a certain extent), high-context cultures prefer more images. 3. This is in direct contrast to low-context cultures, in which information is communicated primarily through language and rules are explicitly spelled out. 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. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Establishing relationships is an important part of communicating and interacting. High context cultures have a communication style based on body language, tone, and overall context; while low context cultures are more straightforward and explicit in communication. Culture is a combination of our thoughts, roles, manners, values, etc. High-context cultures rely heavily on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Trust High context cultures and situations may extend significant trust to members. An error occurred trying to load this video. On the other hand, low-context culture does not have any such shared background. In low-context countries, things need to be spelled out a bit more. People within high-context cultures tend to be more aware and observant of facial expressions, body language, changes in tone, and other aspects of communication that are not directly spoken. Your email address will not be published. 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. [36], High-context cultures tend to be more stable, as their communication is more economical, fast, efficient and satisfying; but these are gained at a price of devoting time into preprogramming cultural background, and their high stability might come with a price of a high barrier for development. Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. - Effects & Types, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Definition, effects & Types, Trepanning: Tools, Specialties & Definition, What is Pseudoephedrine? High Context vs. Low Context (Internet) Example of McDonalds Internet site: High: Families shown, lots of people on the website ads Low: You, your choices, easy to navigate High Context vs. Low Context (Law) High: Traditions are the laws Low: Rules and order are spelled out. High-context cu. An individual from Texas (a higher-context culture) may communicate with a few words or use of a prolonged silence characteristic of Texan English, where a New Yorker would be very explicit (as typical of New York City English), although both speak the same language (American English) and are part of a nation (the United States of America) which is lower-context relative to other nations. Also remember that although cultures are different from one another, no culture or cultural characteristic is better or worse than any other. Initially, high culture rejects these outsiders but eventually embraces them or appropriates . 18 Examples of Low Culture. Websites catering to high-context audiences had a lot of animation & images. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many Western countries. Intercultural communication. Sage Publications. Characteristics of Low Context People behave according to rules Preference is given to knowledge sharing and transfer Relationships do not last longer On purpose relationships Beyond Culture. 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. France is a high-context culture. [20][21], Cultural context can also shift and evolve. The author states that Japan is a high context culture because they have every decision based on their culture and France is both a high and low mixture finally low context example is America. Hall is also credited for developing the idea of chronemics, or the study of the use of time during nonverbal communications. 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). Pages: 3. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. [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. Many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit because most members know what . Individualism may lead to communicating to all people in a group in the same way, rather than offering hierarchical respect to certain members. [2], Website design among cross-cultural barriers include factoring in decisions about culture-sensitive color meanings, layout preferences, animation and sounds. For example, it could be argued that the Canadian French language is higher context than Canadian English, but lower context than Spanish or French French. Beyond Culture. [3] Low-context cultures do the opposite; direct verbal communication is needed to properly understand a message being communicated and relies heavily on explicit verbal skills. Conclusions are explicitly stated. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. All the advice on this site is general in nature. Low-context cultures can seem slightly more formal due to the explicit & precise nature of their messages. [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. Their communication is less-task oriented, and their decision-making is driven by relationships, shared experiences, and emotions. [19] This has been expanded to further countries by Sheposh & Shaista. (The pedestrians example) Devon has tutored for almost two years. In a high-context culture, emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships rather than personal achievement. Cultural Perceptions of Communication in Organizations: Low Context and High Context. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Individuals in such cultures must hear or read a direct order, point, etc for it to be taken as valid. Ramos, D. C. (2014). Indeed, Vietnamese communication style has all the characteristics of highcontext cultures, such as indirect and digressive communication, use of few words, reliance on contextual cues, avoidance of the use of personal names, respect for long silences, and waiting politely until the other person has stopped speaking before taking turns. Culture and Interpersonal Communication. High- context cultures are often collectivist in nature and largely defined by group communications, as well as the development or promotion of ingroups, or groups that individuals may become loyal to. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. The hypotheses tested indicated the high-context culture in Mexico would provide different motives for communication when compared with the low-context culture of the U.S. [5]:4223, Characteristics of high-context and low-context cultures, Examples of higher- and lower-context cultures, Overlap and contrast between context cultures, How higher context relates to other cultural metrics. Not only is the page itself busier . High-context cultures are those in which the rules of communication are primarily transmitted through the use of contextual elements (i.e., body language, a person's status, and tone of voice) and are not explicitly stated. 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). In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". Individualism and collectivism are related to low-context and high-context cultures, respectively. 231 lessons. [5]. High-context cultures are more likely to be intuitive, contemplative, and concerned with the collective. (1971). While in high context cultures, communication is done primarily through nonverbal mediums and gestures, in low context cultures, information is vested explicitly so that there is no risk of confusion. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. People within low-context cultures see their relationships much looser and the lines between networks of people are more flexibly drawn.[11]. It is important to note that while a nation or society may be widely considered a high-context or low-context culture, certain events occur in the opposite context regularly (such as family gatherings in the United States). They tend to use more slangs, idioms and are generally high pace speakers. Words: 825. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. Create your account, 10 chapters | The law is important! . Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. Yolanda has taught college Psychology and Ethics, and has a doctorate of philosophy in counselor education and supervision. Due to this shared understanding, high-context cultures are slightly more informal. Goodwill Messages and Recommendations. - Uses & Side Effects, What is Amitriptyline? High-context cultures usually do not have rules that are explicitly written or stated. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". Answer (1 of 2): Examples of high context countries include: Japan, China, and the Arab countries. For an outsider, it is easier to enter into low-context cultures because one does not need to be aware of the shared history/values of the group. However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. London: Routledge. India and Japan are typically high-context, highly collectivistic cultures, where business is done by building relationships and maintaining respectful communication. Traditionally, Western cultures are known for being more individualistic or communicating with a low context style. "High context". [1] "High-" and "low-" context cultures typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. Hall notes a similar difference between Navajo-speakers and English-speakers in a United States school.[18]. Communication Differences in Low-Context vs. High-Context Cultures, Comparing Communication Styles in Low- and High-Context Cultures, Additional Resources for Determining Cultural Contexts, Ethnocentrism and Cross-Cultural Competence, Additional Resources for Understanding Trompenaars Dimensions, Three Prototypes: Dignity, Face, and Honor Cultures, Ethnocentrism, Culture Shock, and Cultural Relativism. Emphasis on verbal vs. non-verbal communications, the existence of close personal space, emphasis on collectivism and ingroup learning and achievements, and the importance of interpersonal relationships are but a few of the most significant distinguishing factors. Many low context cultures are individualist so people openly express their views, and tend to make important information obvious to others. [10] In low-context cultures, relationships are not viewed as important figures to identity. It can imply understanding or agreement, but it can also mean their conversea lack of certainty. Effectively communicating within this culture, therefore, requires messaging that is perceived as objective, professional, and efficient. This study is a result of a cross-cultural examination between students from the United States, a low-context culture, and Mexico, a high-context culture, to study the reasons people communicate in each culture. [30], Hall links language to culture through the work of Sapir-Whorf on linguistic relativity. The cultural context. Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement. "[27] This implies that communication is quite direct and detailed because members of the culture are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories, past experience or background. Ramos suggests that "in low context culture, communication members' communication must be more explicit. In this article, we will give you examples of high and low context mediation. Type of paper: Research Paper. "Understanding cultural differences. [14] Groups that are able to rely on a common background may not need to use words as explicitly to understand each other. Meaning depends on what is said- the literal content of the message- rather than how it is said. High-context cultures are those that communicate in ways that are implicit and rely heavily on context. They are not simply complementary but are often used as the primary means of conveying a message and require the members to have greater cultural understanding. Language may be used to achieve goals or exchange information. Generally, the situation, people, and non-verbal elements are more important than the actual words that are communicated in a high-context culture. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. [37] Because individualistic cultures may value cultural diversity, a more explicit way of communicating is often required to avoid misunderstanding. Since understanding every culture has its level of complexity, it is hard for other country people to determine what is the state of culture of the country they visit as a traveller. (2014, May 9). Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. Low context cultures rely on the spoken word to communicate. By contrast, a low-context culture is characterized by information being communicated primarily through spoken language, as well as rules being explicitly and directly stated. 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Unlike low-context cultures, high-context cultures prioritize the group over the individual (Hofstede, 1984). [42] The images found on the websites used in the study promoted individualistic and collectivist characteristics within the low-context and high-context websites, respectively. If you want to appear polite, you need to be willing to greet strangers and thank . The high and low context cultures in this concept refers to how important contextual cues are in interpreting a message. Within high-context cultures, people rely on their networks of friends and family, viewing their relationships as part of one large community. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. Low-context cultures also want these communications to revolve around basic questions, like: What's happening? In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. The Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice states that, "high context defines cultures that are relational and collectivist, and which most highlight interpersonal relationships. For instance, a study has argued that both Japan and Finland (high-context cultures) are becoming lower-context with the increased influence of Western European and United States culture.[22]. 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. classifications are discussed below. [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. Because of this, many features of cultural behavior in high-context cultures, such as individual roles and expectations, do not need much detailed or thought-out explanation. (2013)[2]explain the concept of cultural context: Cultural context is a concept developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall. Contexts in source publication. "[29] A similarity that the two communication styles share is its influence on social characteristics such as age, gender, social class and ethnicity. 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.
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