A first step in achieving this goal is to identify one's own culture before delving into the rigors of another. Amount of Detail Expected - High-context cultures such as Japan, China, and France provide little details in their writing. 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. In S. Thompson (ed. [31], Between each type of culture context, there will be forms of miscommunication because of the difference in gestures, social cues, and intercultural adjustments; however, it is important to recognize these differences and learn how to avoid miscommunication to benefit certain situations. Information is transmitted not through words alone but also through non-verbal cues such as gestures, voice inflection, and facial expression, which can have different meanings in different cultures. What is high and low context culture examples? She found out that in high-context countries, the advertising campaigns used more colors, movements, and sounds to provide context. Cultural differences in advertising and marketing may also be explained through high- and low-context cultures. High-context cultures: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, and Saudi Arabia are some of the highest-context cultures in the world. Body language, tone of voice, and personal status are a few notable characteristics that are valued in a high-context culture. 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. Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. This makes high-context cultures difficult to navigate for those who do not understand the culture's unwritten rules. High Context Culture And Its Importance [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. The following are illustrative examples. Meanwhile, in low-context cultures, more explicit speech is needed in order to allow the listener to fully understand the message. 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. For example, people in traditional high context cultures have been described as developing "shared identities." In direct contrast to low context behavior, in a negotiation, high context cultures communicate in According to Watson, "the influence of cultural variables interplays with other key factors for example, social identities, those of age, gender, social class and ethnicity; this may include a stronger or weaker influence. France. The situation, people, and non-verbal elements are more important than the actual words that are communicated. ; it is the way we communicate, do business and see the world. The law is important! Communicating with high-context cultures can require you to focus on politeness strategies that demonstrate your respect for readers and listeners. 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). 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. Learn what high context culture is. Conclusions are explicitly stated. 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. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. [5]. The study identifies whether and how variables that characterize high- and low-context cultures are reflected on Web sites. Members of ingroups usually share many characteristics and experiences. This allows individuals of different generations to communicate through a shared set of values, which, in turn, provides stability to the culture. What are the effects on the communication process? Ramos suggests that "in low context culture, communication members' communication must be more explicit. For high-context cultures, language is a kind of social lubricant, easing and harmonizing relations that are defined according to a group or collectivist orientation where we rather than I is the key to identity. Routledge. Besides cultural context, personal experiences and preferences also shape communication. Guffey et al. Context is less important than words. What is the role of such non-verbal communication in business relationships? Some recognized examples include: Higher-context culture: China, India, Korea, Japan, other Asian countries, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Oman, and Yemen, African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, Latin America, the Pacific islands, France, Greece, Finland, Ireland, Italy, and Russia. People are comfortable standing close to each other. However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. Communication is seen as a way of exchanging information, ideas, and opinions. The study collected three samples from different cultures - the US, China, and Korea - with 96 business managers surveyed in the American and Chinese sample and 50 managers in the Korean sample. Members of high-context cultures usually have close relationships that last for an extended period of time. The aim of this report is to evaluate the concept of different communication cultures through the application of Hall's high and low-context model of culture. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. This means that the members' identity is heavily rooted in groups, i.e., families and work units. [2] Collectivist societies prioritize the group over the individual, and vice versa for individualist ones. [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. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you In anthropology, high-context culture and low-context culture are ends of a continuum of how explicit the messages exchanged in a culture are and how important the context is in communication. Your email address will not be published. Low-Context Culture Communication & Examples | What Is Low-Context Culture? [20][21], Cultural context can also shift and evolve. 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. Because of this, communication can change drastically from one generation to the next, creating communication gaps between parents and children. (2012). Low context implies that a lot of information is exchanged explicitly through the message itself and rarely is anything implicit or hidden.People in low context cultures such as the UK tend to have short-term relationships, follow rules and standards closely and are generally very task-oriented. Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. Instead, a comparison between cultures may find communication differences to a greater or lesser degree. - Uses & Side Effects, What is Amitriptyline? 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. [37] Because individualistic cultures may value cultural diversity, a more explicit way of communicating is often required to avoid misunderstanding. 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. However, this type of segregation is not rigid, but takes the form of a gradient since the contextual base of a culture is not a quantifiable but relative concept. 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. On one side of the dimension, we have high context cultures, which depend on greater context when communicating. Culture also affects how individuals interpret other people's facial expressions. [36], Individualistic cultures promote the development of individual values and independent social groups. Cultures and communication in which context is of great importance to structuring actions is referred to as high context. Their communication is often indirect and requires a nuanced understanding, so outsiders might find it more difficult to enter their culture. Contexts in source publication. [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. This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). Wurtz found something similar while analyzing website design. Published: 2020/12/03. The low-context websites had multiple images of individuals, while the high-context websites contained images and animations of groups and communities.[42]. An in-depth understanding of cultural norms is not required because the communication is explicit. Both often take many aspects of the other's cultural communication abilities and strengths into account. In these cultures, people may rely on body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions to convey meaning, and may not always say exactly what they mean directly. Carolyn Meyer (2017)[4]discusses the prototypes for communication in low-context and high-context cultures: Communicators in low-context cultures (such as those in Germany, Scandinavia, and North America) convey their meaning exclusive of the context of a situation. The study suggests that in high-context cultures, such as China and Korea, people tend to be more socially oriented, less confrontational, and more complacent with existing ways of living compared to people from low-context cultures like the US.[23]. Disagreement is depersonalized. High context cultures are more common in the eastern nations than in western and in countries with low racial diversity. Bernstein, B. [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. Low-context cultures also want these communications to revolve around basic questions, like: What's happening? 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. The verbal and nonverbal cues of low vs. high-context communication can be . Low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, action-oriented, and concerned with the individual. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Flowery language, humility, and elaborate apologies are typical. Individuals in such cultures must hear or read a direct order, point, etc for it to be taken as valid. Teachers can illustrate the differences between high- and low- context cultures by providing examples of behaviors. Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). For example, families typically engage in high context communication whereby they can communicate much with subtleties such as a glace. 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. High-context cultures are built on a sense of shared experiences and history. Russians employ a communication style that relies on environmental, non-verbal, traditional, and symbolic cues when communicating. The terms low-context and high-context usually refer to language groups or nationalities. 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. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. In high-context cultures, language may be used to assist and maintain relationship-building and to focus on process. Relationships: The components of these cultures tend to value long-term relationships. These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. 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. Intercultural Communication on Websites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Websites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures. An error occurred trying to load this video. 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 refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. Neuliup, J. W. (2011). 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. 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. Members of the culture place emphasis on interpersonal relationships. People within low-context cultures see their relationships much looser and the lines between networks of people are more flexibly drawn.[11]. Low-context cultures tend to focus more on the individual than the group, which is why they value individualism and autonomy. Anchor Press/Doubleday. Listen to business speaker Erin Meyer explain how cultural differences can affect communication. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. Also remember that although cultures are different from one another, no culture or cultural characteristic is better or worse than any other. As such, what is said is what is meant, and further analysis of the message is usually unnecessary. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. All the advice on this site is general in nature. people generally use. [32] Since all sets of cultures differ, especially from a global standpoint where language also creates a barrier for communication, social interactions specific to a culture normally require a range of appropriate communication abilities that an opposing culture may not understand or know about. In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. These experiences inclu. One approach to gaining such an insight is through the use of the high and low context culture framework, which was established by anthropologist Edward T. Examples of low context cultures are countries such as China, Brazil or Saudi Arabia. Teachers can share their own experiences and examples with their students. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. For example, for someone who is older and more experienced within a society, the need for social cues may be higher or lower depending on the communication style. We have close, personal relationships with our relatives. [35], The concepts of collectivism and individualism have been applied to high- and low-context cultures by Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede in his Cultural Dimensions Theory. High context communication cultures . 1. As a result of these years of interacting with one another, the members know what the rules are, how to think, and how to behave, so the rules do not have to be explicitly stated. There are strong distinctions made between individuals who are members of the ingroup and those who are not members in high-context cultures. In a low-context culture, the onus for communication lies with the speaker. Japan and other countries located in Asia, Brazil and other countries located in South America, African tribal groups and most countries located in Africa, A majority of the Middle East, including Iraq and Iran, Describe Edward T. Hall's characterization of high-context cultures, Distinguish between high-context and low-context cultures, Explain the characteristics of high-context cultures, Recall the importance of ingroups to high-context cultures. Russia is a high context country with a culture that revolves around collectivism and interdependence on group relationships. "[28] In such cultures, people are highly perceptive of actions. Hall and Hall proposed a "spectrum" of national cultures from "High-Context cultures" to "Low-Context Cultures. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Hofstede, G. (1984). Devon has tutored for almost two years. Ramos, D. C. (2014). Because directness may be thought of as disrespectful, discussions in high-context cultures can be circuitous, circling key issues rather than addressing them head-on. High-context cultures promote the development of ingroups. 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]. In his model, context refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambiance surrounding an event. Japan is a country with a high-context culture. 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. China, Japan, Turkey, and Mexico are some countries that lean towards high-context. 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 the tone of voice employed during speech. Class, Codes and Control. Low-context cultures (such as those in North America and Western Europe) depend less on the environment of a situation to convey meaning than do high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, and Arab countries). Sage Publications. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Focusing on tradition creates opportunities for higher-context messages between individuals of each new generation, and the high-context culture feeds back to the stability hence allows the tradition to be maintained. This study, done by Kim Dunghoon, was to test the major aspects the high versus low-context culture concepts. Create your account. In. High vs. Low Power Distance Cultural Communications | What are High and Low Power Distance Cultural Communications? For a communicator to successfully interact with others from a different culture he must know whether his own culture is high or low context and which context is the culture in the interaction. The High Context / Low Context cultural dimension is a broad and far reaching theory which touches on many aspects of cultural communication including verbal and non-verbal messaging, internal and external locus of control, inward and outward reaction, cohesion of groups, people's bonds and commitments, as well . Explain the differences between high- and low-context cultures, giving examples of each. 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. London: Routledge. All rights reserved. This is in direct contrast to low-context cultures, in which information is communicated primarily through language and rules are explicitly spelled out. For the processing of complex messages, the perspective of context theory is very relevant. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. Low-context communication is often seen in Western, more individualistic cultures (i.e., U.S., Australia, some European countries) where communication is direct, to the point, and one doesn't have to guess the meaning or intention behind what is being said. Germany, Sweden, and the United States are generally classified as low-context cultures. The reverse holds true for High (Collectivistic) Context Cultures. In a low-context culture, communication occurs through explicitly spelled out and defined words, and listeners just have to interpret spoken or written words as they are. Studentsshould always cross-check any information on this site with their course teacher. 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. (2013)[2]explain the concept of cultural context: Cultural context is a concept developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall. A low-context culture is a culture in which people communicate explicitly. Message is carried more by words than by nonverbal means. A few relevant examples of differences in communication between low- and high-context cultures are found in Table 1. The American legal system, for example, relies on low context communication. It is important to note that no culture is low-context or high-context in absolute terms but a mix of both. [2] High-context cultures often exhibit less-direct verbal and nonverbal communication, utilizing small communication gestures and reading more meaning into these less-direct messages. A person's identity in a high context society tends to be based on one's roles and experiences within the group. Discover high context culture examples, and identify the importance of high context vs. low context communication. Rules are not directly or explicitly written or stated. 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Words: 825. What is an Interculturally Effective Person (IEP)? Cultural contexts are not absolutely "high" or "low". Give some examples of cultural differences in the interpretation of body language. Getting the message across. These rules of communication are understood without being explicitly stated. 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. 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. An understanding of external cultures also leads to a better acceptance of diversity, a reduction in confusion and anxiety from misinterpreted communications, and a more effective means of intercultural collaboration. But the fact that contexting has not been empirically validated should not necessarily be construed as a failure of the theory. Watch this video from international business expert Erin Meyer [1]. The following high-context culture examples are a few global cultures where these rules, as well as other characteristics of high-context cultures, apply predominantly: For additional context, a few examples of low-context cultures beyond the United States include Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, and Denmark.
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