What Is Intercultural Communication

unit 1 what is intercultural communication? culture: an iceberg metaphor culture is like an iceberg surface-level culture: 

popular culture (cultural artifacts or systems that have mass appeal and that infiltrate our daily life)

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intermediate-level culture: symbols, meanings, and norms

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deep-level culture: traditions, beliefs, and values

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universal human needs: security, inclusion, love, respect, control, and creating meaning.

intermediate-level culture: symbols, meanings, and norms *a symbol is a sign, artifact, word(s), or nonverbal behavior that stands for or reflects something meaningful. *the meanings or interpretations that we attach to a symbol (e.g., a national flag or a nonverbal gesture), for example, can cue both objective and subjective reactions. *cultural norms refer to the collective expectations of what constitutes proper or improper behaviors in a given interaction scene. deep-level culture: traditions, beliefs, and values *cultural shared traditions can include myths, legends, ceremonies, and rituals (e.g., celebrating hanukkah or thanksgiving) that are passed on from one generation to the next via an oral or written medium. *cultural shared beliefs refer to a set of fundamental assumptions or worldviews that people hold dearly to their hearts without question. *cultural values refer to a set of priorities that guide “good” or “bad” behaviors, “desirable” or “undesirable” practices, and “fair” or “unfair” actions universial human needs *even though people diverse cultures are dissimilar in many ways, they are also alike in

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many aspects-especially in the deep levels of the needs for human respect, and security. a. facial expressions a. religious rituals a. paintings b. values a. holiday customs a. gestures a. foods b. concept of beauty a. eating habits a. music b. concept of fairness b. childraising beliefs b. understanding of the natural world b. religious beliefs

b. importance of time b. concept of self b. concept of leadership a. literature b. nature of friendship b. general world view b. work ethic b. rules of social etiquette b. concept of personal space a. styles of dress b. notions of modesty intercultural communication competence: a staircase model

0100090000037400000002001c00000000000400000003010800050000000b0200000000 050000000c0236013e02040000002e0118001c000000fb02f0ff000000000000900100000 0000440001254696d6573204e657720526f6d616e0000000000000000000000000000000 000040000002d0100000400000002010100050000000902000000020d000000320a0e000 00001000400000000003d023501206207001c000000fb021000070000000000bc0200000 0000102022253797374656d00000000000000000000180000000100000050683802e4040 000040000002d010100030000000000 quiz you spend hours determining the appropriate gifts for your visit to japan and purchase them from all the best stores. you will present them... a) still in the shopping bag to capitalize on the prestige from where you purchased them. b) quickly wrap in brown paper for the trip over. c) spend 10 minutes wrapping each one of them very carefully and elegantly once you are in japan d) no wrapping so everyone sees how much you spent and assumes your company is very rich. when giving flowers as gifts in western europe, be careful not to give: a) tulips and jonquils

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b) daisies and lilacs c) chrysanthemums and calla lilies d) lilacs and apple blossoms if you want to give a necktie or a scarf to a latin american it is best to avoid the colour:: a) red b) purple c) green d) black the doors in german offices and homes are generally kept: a) wide open to symbolize an acceptance and welcome of strangers and friends b) slightly ajar to suggest that some people should knock before entering c) half-opened suggesting that some people are welcome and others are not d) tightly shut to preserve privacy and personal space in some south american countries, it is considered normal and acceptable to show up for a social appointment: a) ten to fifteen minutes early b) ten to fifteen minutes late c) fifteen minutes to an hour late d) one to two hours late in france, when friends talk to one another: a) they generally stand about three feet apart b) it is typical to shout c) they stand closer to one another than americans do d) it is always with a third party present

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