high and low context cultures examples

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Generally, the situation, people, and non-verbal elements are more important than the actual words that are communicated in a high-context culture. - Effects & Types, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Definition, effects & Types, Trepanning: Tools, Specialties & Definition, What is Pseudoephedrine? - Uses & Side Effects, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community, Japan, China, Korea, and many other countries in Asia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, and some other countries in South America, Tribal groups and most nations in Africa, such as Kenya, Iraq, Iran, and other countries located in the Middle East. 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. Verbal message is direct; one spells things out exactly. This study, done by Kim Dunghoon, was to test the major aspects the high versus low-context culture concepts. The study tested 16 items, covering various aspects of the high-versus-low context concept, including social orientation, responsibility, confrontation, communication, commitment, and dealing with new situations. [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. Low-Context Culture Communication & Examples | What Is Low-Context Culture? 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. In high-context cultures, language may be used to assist and maintain relationship-building and to focus on process. For example, Hall describes how Japanese culture has both low- and high-context situations. The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. Low context communication is more common in the English speaking world, whereas high context communication is more common in Eastern cultures such as Japan and China. 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). High-context cultures: Much of the society's communication takes place through . They have a Bachelor's in Air Traffic Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and minored in Aviation Safety and Homeland Security. [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. Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. Conclusions are explicitly stated. Rules are not directly or explicitly written or stated. A number of unique characteristics exist to make a clear distinction between high-context vs. low-context cultures and methods of communication. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Class, Codes and Control. [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. For example, the Native Americans in the United States rely heavily on their tradition. We will write a custom Report on Communication Culture: Hall's High and Low-Context Model of Culture specifically for you. 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. Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). Low-context communicators dont need to be provided with much background information, but they do expect messages to be professional, efficient, and linear in their logic. Note: Comparison of low- and high-context cultures reprinted from Business communication: Process & product (p. 64) by M.E. What is the role of such non-verbal communication in business relationships? Low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, action-oriented, and concerned with the individual. For example, families typically engage in high context communication whereby they can communicate much with subtleties such as a glace. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. Yolanda has taught college Psychology and Ethics, and has a doctorate of philosophy in counselor education and supervision. 2. A 2005 study by Elizabeth Wurtz demonstrates how cultural differences shape marketing and advertising. High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. Culture and Interpersonal Communication. [25] Pleasure, affection and inclusion were the highest motives for communication in both cultures, and control was the lowest for both cultures. 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. According to Hall, the high-context culture definition relates to a culture by which the rules of communication are primarily and dominantly transmitted through the use of contextual elements. Ironically, contexting is most frequently discussed in terms of directness, yet empirical studies nearly all fail to support this relationship. Edward Hall is a famous theorist and anthropologist who has contributed a renowned theory of high- and low-context cultures to facilitate students, researchers . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Order now. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. 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. Kim Dunghoon conducted a study to test the major aspects of high-context versus low-context culture concepts. Relationships are easy to build, can start very quickly but end just as soon. 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. Anchor Press/Doubleday. These experiences inclu. Therefore, it is necessary for more explicit information to be included in the message so it is not misinterpreted. After you have finished with this lesson, you should be able to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Meaning is determined not by what is said but by how it is said and by how social implications such as the communicators status and position come into play. 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. People within low-context cultures see their relationships much looser and the lines between networks of people are more flexibly drawn.[11]. The reverse holds true for High (Collectivistic) Context Cultures. [6] Language may be used to achieve goals or exchange information. [26] The terms high- and low-context cultures are not classified with strict individual characteristics or boundaries. Trust must be developed before business transactions can begin. Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. According to Hall's theory, Chinese and Korean samples represented higher-context cultures while the American sample represents lower context. 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. 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. Since a high-context culture is based on fewer, deeper relations with people, there are many unspoken social rules and understandings within the culture. [20][21], Cultural context can also shift and evolve. 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. Contents show Low Context Culture Definition Edward T. Hall describes low-context culture as one in which: Within high-context cultures, people rely on their networks of friends and family, viewing their relationships as part of one large community. Examples of a low context communication cultures include The United States, the UK, Switzerland, Canada and Germany. In contrast, take a look at the ads on the front page of Weibo, which is considered China's version of Facebook. Also remember that although cultures are different from one another, no culture or cultural characteristic is better or worse than any other. The situation, people, and non-verbal elements are more important than the actual words that are communicated. Discover high context culture examples, and identify the importance of high context vs. low context communication. 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. . Low context cultures emphasize individuality and tasks. Establishing relationships is an important part of communicating and interacting. Devon has tutored for almost two years. Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. 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]. 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). High-context cultures are related to connotation. An error occurred trying to load this video. [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. Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, 18. Strategies to work effectively with people from high context and low context cultures Follow these 4 key strategies to communicate effectively across cultures: 1. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. 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. Intercultural Communication on Websites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Websites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures. [2], Website design among cross-cultural barriers include factoring in decisions about culture-sensitive color meanings, layout preferences, animation and sounds. Low-context cultures rely on explicit communication. Eye contact, for example, which is encouraged in North America, may have ambiguous meaning or be considered disrespectful in certain high-context cultures. [42] Low-context websites had less animation and more stagnant images, with more details on information. These are some important high-context culture characteristics to look out for. In this context, we will discuss those topics also. Primarily use non-verbal methods to relay meaningful information in conversations, such as facial expressions, eye movement, and tone of voice. [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. This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). Asia, Africa, Latin America, and central Europe are predominantly countries with a high context culture. 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. However, there are some other characteristics also. Because low-context communication concerns more direct messages, the meaning of these messages is more dependent on the words being spoken rather than on the interpretation of more subtle or unspoken cues. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. [30][32], Families, subcultures and in-groups typically favour higher-context communication. [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. Communicators in high-context cultures pay attention to more than the words spoken they also pay attention to interpersonal relationships, nonverbal expressions, physical settings, and social settings. [14] Groups that are able to rely on a common background may not need to use words as explicitly to understand each other. [24] The table shows the major differences and similarities between individual queries. https://helpfulprofessor.com/low-context-culture-examples/. [1] "High-" and "low-" context cultures typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. 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. In. Cultural contexts are not absolutely "high" or "low". 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]. (2012). Neuliup, J. W. (2011). Copyright 2023 Helpful Professor. Individuals in such cultures must hear or read a direct order, point, etc for it to be taken as valid. In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. [39][40] In high-context cultures, facial expressions and gestures take on greater importance in conveying and understanding a message, and the receiver may require more cultural context to understand "basic" displays of emotions. Give some examples of cultural differences in the interpretation of body language. 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 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. 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). What are the effects on the communication process? Many low context cultures are individualist so people openly express their views, and tend to make important information obvious to others. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. [30] The diversity within a main culture shows how the high and low scale differs depending on social settings such as school, work, home, and in other countries; variation is what allows the scale to fluctuate even if a large culture is categorized as primarily one or the other. Create your account. A simplified example mentioned by Hall is that scientists working in "hard science" fields (like chemistry and physics) tend to have lower-context cultures: because their knowledge and models have fewer variables, they will typically include less context for each event they describe. Culture also affects how individuals interpret other people's facial expressions. These include specific forms of body language, the social or familial status of an individual, and the tone of voice employed during speech. High-context cultures: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, and Saudi Arabia are some of the highest-context cultures in the world. Watch this video from international business expert Erin Meyer [1]. In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. Meaning depends on what is said- the literal content of the message- rather than how it is said. Answer (1 of 2): Examples of high context countries include: Japan, China, and the Arab countries. In contrast, a high-context language like Japanese or Chinese can use a high number of homophones but still be understood by a listener who knows the context. [37] Because individualistic cultures may value cultural diversity, a more explicit way of communicating is often required to avoid misunderstanding. Once again we return to the differences between high-context and low-context cultures. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. This is in contrast to lower-context cultures in which the shared experiences upon which communication is built can change drastically from one generation to the next, creating communication gaps between parents and children, as in the United States.[18]. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. 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. It describes the level of explicit information and the importance of context in a given culture, indicating the range of communicative abilities (verbal messages, gestures, etc.) When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . High-context cultures include close-knit groups of people, while low-context cultures are generally more diverse. 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. Croucher, S., Bruno, A, McGrath, P, Adams, C, McGahan, C, Suits, A & Huckins, A. Individualism and collectivism are related to low-context and high-context cultures, respectively. Low context cultures rely on the spoken word to communicate. A low-context culture is a culture in which people communicate explicitly. 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. Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. The low-context websites had multiple images of individuals, while the high-context websites contained images and animations of groups and communities.[42]. Hall, E. T. (1976). In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. The use of an elaborated code indicates that speaker and listener do not share significant amounts of common knowledge, and hence they may need to "spell out" their ideas more fully: elaborated codes tend to be more context-independent. Studentsshould always cross-check any information on this site with their course teacher. - Definition & Assessment, Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder, Atypical Antipsychotics: Effects & Mechanism of Action, What Is a Mood Stabilizer? Oxford University Press. Examples of High Context Small religious gatherings, party with close friends, family functions, dining out with family or friends, and sleep over at friend's place, etc. 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]. Russians employ a communication style that relies on environmental, non-verbal, traditional, and symbolic cues when communicating. In a low-context culture, you would not expect to give or receive gifts . 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. Many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit because most members know what . People are comfortable standing close to each other. [2] Collectivist societies prioritize the group over the individual, and vice versa for individualist ones. Conclusion The dynamics of relationships within High and Low context cultures are very different. Learn what high context culture is. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. Topic: Culture, Context, Communication, Middle East, Business, Conflict, People, Relationships. 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).

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