Purposive Communication: Module 2
MODULE 2: CULTURE AND GLOBAL ISSUES IN COMMUNICATION
1. Cultural Differences
Cultural differences in values, beliefs, and behaviors represent the most common intensity
factors. The stress of adaptation is greater as the cultural distance between home and
host culture increases. Moreover, the more negatively the individual evaluates particular
cultural differences, the more stressful the intercultural experience will be.
2. Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is the attitude that one’s own group, ethnicity, or nationality is superior to
others. It is an intensity factor that expresses itself in two ways. First, ethnocentric
persons, particularly those in denial and defense on Bennett’s intercultural continuum
(1993), find intercultural experiences more threatening. Second, some cultural
communities themselves are less accepting of outsiders.
3. Cultural Immersion
Cultural Immersion means integrating yourself into another culture, interacting with locals
and understanding the way others live. The more immersed the person is in another
culture—interacting with host culture counterparts and/or using the host country language
on a regular basis—the greater the amount of stress. Culture and language fatigue can be
the result of extensive immersion. The stress of cultural immersion can be reduced by
spending time with persons from the home culture. This allows for cultural reaffirmation
and renewal.
4. Cultural Isolation
Cultural isolation refers to the state where minority communities operate independently
from the majority culture, either imposed by external forces or self-imposed, leading to
limited interaction with the dominant culture. It is deep immersion combined with limited
opportunities to interact with home culture peers. This can result, for example, from being
isolated by geography. The greater the isolation, the greater the stress.
5. Language
Persons unable to speak the language of the host culture will often find the experience
more stressful. Further, the more essential language ability is to functioning in the target
culture, the greater will be the stress if one’s language skills are lacking. The ability to
speak the target language is not always essential, nor does it assure effective
communication or intercultural adjustment. Lack of language skills, however, can lead to
social isolation and frustration.
6. Prior Intercultural Experience
Stress is affected by the amount and nature of one's prior intercultural experience. In
general, people with a limited intercultural background will experience more stress in a
cross-cultural situation. Those with a great deal of previous intercultural experience will
generally adapt more effectively because they have already developed effective learning
and coping strategies, have realistic expectations, and possess strong intercultural
communication skills.
7. Expectations
There are two major expectation issues in intercultural work. First, persons who have
positive but unrealistic expectations about the new culture will feel a psychological
letdown after a time. Second, persons who have high expectations of themselves in terms
of their ability to work effectively in the new culture will experience stress when they do
not feel they are meeting their own standards of effective performance.
8. Visibility and Invisibility
Persons who are physically different from members of the host (or dominant) culture are
highly visible and may become the object of curiosity, unwanted attention, or
discrimination. This can lead to considerable stress. Stress can also occur when an
important aspect of one's identity is invisible to members of the host culture (e.g., one's
religion or political philosophy) or is concealed because it is not accepted in the host
culture (e.g., sexual orientation). Concealing something about oneself for whatever
reasons can cause considerable psychological stress.
9. Status
The markers of status vary considerably across cultures. Persons who feel they are not
getting the respect they deserve or, conversely, feel they are receiving unearned
recognition will find the experience more psychologically intense. Qualities that are valued
in the home culture may not be important in the new one and can result in a loss of status.
Alternatively, one might gain status on the basis of characteristics such as age, ethnicity,
gender, nationality, or family background that might not be important in the home culture.
