high and low context cultures examples
Culture and Interpersonal Communication. ), Hall, E. T.; Hall, M. R. (1990). 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. Your email address will not be published. Initially, high culture rejects these outsiders but eventually embraces them or appropriates . 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. 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. In contrast, high-context cultures use facial expressions, body language, and gestures in a nuanced manner. Communication is seen as a way of exchanging information, ideas, and opinions. 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. Edward Hall is a famous theorist and anthropologist who has contributed a renowned theory of high- and low-context cultures to facilitate students, researchers . For example, in one country a cow is seen as leather, in another one - as a deity and in another one as dinner. 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. Their communication is less-task oriented, and their decision-making is driven by relationships, shared experiences, and emotions. [10] In low-context cultures, relationships are not viewed as important figures to identity. Hofstede, G. (1984). Routledge. A first step in achieving this goal is to identify one's own culture before delving into the rigors of another. He studied English literature at the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University. Members of the culture place emphasis on interpersonal relationships. "[17] On the other hand, he identified countries such as Germany, the United States and Scandinavia as low-context cultures. Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. (2012). He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. A high-context culture is one in which communication may be more unspoken rather than explicit - for example, much attention is paid to body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues in order to discern a speaker's meaning. [1] "High-" and "low-" context cultures typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. 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. 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. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. Your email address will not be published. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. Getting the message across. What is high and low context culture examples? Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. She found out that in high-context countries, the advertising campaigns used more colors, movements, and sounds to provide context. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. 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. Communicating with high-context cultures can require you to focus on politeness strategies that demonstrate your respect for readers and listeners. In this context, we will discuss those topics also. A few relevant examples of differences in communication between low- and high-context cultures are found in Table 1. Words: 825. 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. - Uses & Side Effects, What is Amitriptyline? https://helpfulprofessor.com/low-context-culture-examples/. "High context". This makes high-context cultures difficult to navigate for those who do not understand the culture's unwritten rules. 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 Hall, E. T. (1976). In Low Context Culture it is normal to be self reliant and yet have many relationships. [5], These concepts were first introduced by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1959 book The Silent Language. 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. 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. Published: 2020/12/03. Your message needs to be clear and precise. There are strong distinctions made between individuals who are members of the ingroup and those who are not members in high-context cultures. Context 1. . There are smaller communities and specific settings within national/linguistic cultures, and they may exhibit different communication patterns. Cite this Article in your Essay (APA Style), Privacy PolicyTerms and ConditionsDisclaimerAccessibility StatementVideo Transcripts. What is an Interculturally Effective Person (IEP)? After you have finished with this lesson, you should be able to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. High-context cultures are those that communicate in ways that are implicit and rely heavily on context. 3. China, Japan, Turkey, and Mexico are some countries that lean towards high-context. The law is important! 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. 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. Meyer defines low-context cultures as cultures where people communicate and receive messages at face value. Ramos, D. C. (2014). References Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). [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. Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement. Individuals in such cultures must hear or read a direct order, point, etc for it to be taken as valid. High-context cultures, on the other hand, depend on both the spoken words and the context of the situationincluding the shared values/assumptions of the groupto convey meaning. 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. An error occurred trying to load this video. Trust High context cultures and situations may extend significant trust to members. 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). A 2005 study by Elizabeth Wurtz demonstrates how cultural differences shape marketing and advertising. [42] Low-context websites had less animation and more stagnant images, with more details on information. 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. [15] In contrast, scientists working with living systems need to include more context because there can be significant variables which impact the research outcomes. On the other hand, low-context culture does not have any such shared background. Conclusions are explicitly stated. Cultural Perceptions of Communication in Organizations: Low Context and High Context. As such, high-context cultures tend to cater to the development and promotion of ingroups, which are groups that we belong to and are loyal to, including families, cultures, and religious congregations. Sage Publications. A low-context culture is a culture in which people communicate explicitly. In a high-context culture, emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships rather than personal achievement. Both often take many aspects of the other's cultural communication abilities and strengths into account. In, Meyer, C. (2017). Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Low use of nonverbal elements. What is low context cultural communication? Croucher's study examines the assertion that culture influences communication style (high/low-context) preference. Create your account, 10 chapters | Ramos suggests that "in low context culture, communication members' communication must be more explicit. 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. Listen to business speaker Erin Meyer explain how cultural differences can affect communication. Data was gathered in India, Ireland, Thailand, and the United States where the results confirm that "high-context nations (India and Thailand) prefer the avoiding and obliging conflict styles more than low-context nations (Ireland and the United States), whereas low-context nations prefer the uncompromising and dominating communication style more than high-context nations."[16]. The low-context websites had multiple images of individuals, while the high-context websites contained images and animations of groups and communities.[42]. Low context can describe situations, environments and cultures. A person's identity in a high context society tends to be based on one's roles and experiences within the group. Many low context cultures are individualist so people openly express their views, and tend to make important information obvious to others. The results show significant differences between the American, Chinese, and Korean samples on 15 out of 16 items, with 11 items significant at the .01 level, one at the .05 level, and three at the .10 level. 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. Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. Intercultural Communication on Websites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Websites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures. Russians employ a communication style that relies on environmental, non-verbal, traditional, and symbolic cues when communicating. Same as low context communication high context do have its own peculiarities like they talk in hidden meanings and often double meanings or coded information. Goodwill Messages and Recommendations. Meaning depends on what is said- the literal content of the message- rather than how it is said. Strategies to work effectively with people from high context and low context cultures Follow these 4 key strategies to communicate effectively across cultures: 1. People from low-context cultures value logic, facts, and directness. [6] 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. Low-context and high-context cultures are the ends of a continuum portraying how cultures communicate. Once again we return to the differences between high-context and low-context cultures. An in-depth understanding of cultural norms is not required because the communication is explicit. 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. As such, what is said is what is meant, and further analysis of the message is usually unnecessary. (PDF) COMMUNICATING IN HIGH & LOW CONTEXT CULTURES COMMUNICATING IN HIGH & LOW CONTEXT CULTURES March 2016 Affiliation: Arizona State University State: In Progress Authors: Jay Klagge. A high-context culture is one in which communication may be more unspoken rather than explicit - for example, much attention is paid to body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues in order to discern a speaker's meaning. 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. people generally use. Verbal message is explicit. The cultural context. High-context cultures: Much of the society's communication takes place through . Russia is a high context country with a culture that revolves around collectivism and interdependence on group relationships. Members of ingroups usually share many characteristics and experiences. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. In contrast, low-context cultures rely on explicit verbal communication. We also make strong distinctions between those who are a part of our family and those who are not. Low context cultures rely on the spoken word to communicate. [14] Groups that are able to rely on a common background may not need to use words as explicitly to understand each other. In. The Self in a Social Context: Help and Review, Figure-Ground Perception: Definition & Examples, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, High Context vs. Low Context Characteristics, Introduction to Social Psychology: Help and Review, Research Methods and Ethics: Help and Review, Social Cognition & Perception: Help and Review, The Self: Executive and Organizational Functions & Gender and Cultural Differences, Introspection and Self-Awareness Theory in Psychology: Definition & Examples, Self-Perception Theory: Definition and Examples, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation in Education: Definition & Examples, Two-Factor Theory of Emotions: Definition and Relation to the Misattribution of Arousal, Social-Comparison Theory: Upward vs. In other words, the relationship between directness and contexting based on traditional classifications of [high-context] and [low-context] cultures is particularly tenuous. It is important to note that no culture is low-context or high-context in absolute terms but a mix of both. Low-context cultures can seem slightly more formal due to the explicit & precise nature of their messages. 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. Culture also affects how individuals interpret other people's facial expressions. Amount of Detail Expected - High-context cultures such as Japan, China, and France provide little details in their writing. The terms "high context culture" and "low context culture" are used to define how people in various cultures communicate messages to each other. This study, done by Kim Dunghoon, was to test the major aspects the high versus low-context culture concepts. 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. 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]. [2], Website design among cross-cultural barriers include factoring in decisions about culture-sensitive color meanings, layout preferences, animation and sounds. The USA and Australia are typically low-context, highly individualistic cultures, where transparency and competition in business are prized. Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. 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]. [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. 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. In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high-context. High-context cultures are more likely to be intuitive, contemplative, and concerned with the collective. Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, 18. High context cultures include Japanese, Arabs and French. Order now. A 2008 meta-analysis concluded that the model was "unsubstantiated and underdeveloped".[5]. Cultures where the group is valued over the individual promote. 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. [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. Cultures and communication in which context is of great importance to structuring actions is referred to as high context. 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. Individualism and collectivism are related to low-context and high-context cultures, respectively. 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