London: Routledge. 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. Although the concept of high- and low-context cultures is usually applied in the field of analyzing national cultures, it can also be used to describe scientific or corporate cultures, or specific settings such as airports or law courts. Published: 2020/12/03. Answer (1 of 2): Examples of high context countries include: Japan, China, and the Arab countries. Nonetheless, the contexting model simply cannot be described as an empirically validated model. 1. Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). We cite peer reviewed academic articles wherever possible and reference our sources at the end of our articles. Guffey et al. All articles are edited by a PhD level academic. Teachers can illustrate the differences between high- and low- context cultures by providing examples of behaviors. Note: Comparison of low- and high-context cultures reprinted from Business communication: Process & product (p. 64) by M.E. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. Japan is a country with a high-context culture. Hall and Hall proposed a "spectrum" of national cultures from "High-Context cultures" to "Low-Context Cultures. However, there are some other characteristics also. Relationships are easy to build, can start very quickly but end just as soon. - Definition & Assessment, Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder, Atypical Antipsychotics: Effects & Mechanism of Action, What Is a Mood Stabilizer? All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. [33] Conversely, in cultural groups with low context, where people share less common knowledge or 'value individuality above group identification', elaborated codes are necessary to avoid misunderstanding. Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. As such, what is said is what is meant, and further analysis of the message is usually unnecessary. High-context cultures also value group harmony above individual achievement. Examples of a low context communication cultures include The United States, the UK, Switzerland, Canada and Germany. The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. Generally, high-context cultures prefer oral communications, while low-context cultures favor written communications. Routledge. Cultures where the group is valued over the individual promote. - Dosage & Side Effects, Anxiolytic: Definition, Medications & Dependence, What is Citalopram? For example, if you have ever been to a family gathering, then you have experience with a high-context culture. High-context cultures are built on a sense of shared experiences and history. (The pedestrians example) copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Beyond Culture. In high cultures, much of the communication is understood by the group either by non-verbal coding, which refers to common body language; distinct in-groups and out-group's, which refers to the cohesiveness of the group; and covert and implicit messages, which refers to what we refer . Besides cultural context, personal experiences and preferences also shape communication. On the other hand, low-context culture does not have any such shared background. 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. They also are AT-CTI certified. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many Western countries. Culture is a combination of our thoughts, roles, manners, values, etc. Not only is the page itself busier . Remember that culture is dynamic, and that every individual within a culture is unique and may not conform exactly to the general characteristics of that culture. [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. Negotiators basically say what they mean. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. Many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit because most members know what . For example, while the United States is a low-context culture, family gatherings (which are common in American culture) tend to be high-context. [41] One study on McDonald's online advertising compared Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the United States, and found that in high-context countries, the advertising used more colors, movements, and sounds to give context, while in low-context cultures the advertising focused more on verbal information and linear processes. High-context cultures are more likely to be intuitive, contemplative, and concerned with the collective. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. Croucher, S., Bruno, A, McGrath, P, Adams, C, McGahan, C, Suits, A & Huckins, A. High-context communications, as well as low-context interactions, are important to understand from many perspectives. Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. Family gatherings, religious congregations, and other social outings with a close-knit group of people are forms of high-context communications that take place regularly in most cultures. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Intercultural Communication on Websites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Websites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures. By contrast, a low-context culture enjoys communications that take place most often through written or spoken (verbal) speech and rules are directly and explicitly stated. The answer is simple. [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. 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. Traditionally, Western cultures are known for being more individualistic or communicating with a low context style. Examples of low-context cultures include Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the United States. In. Hall, E. T. (1976). Initially, high culture rejects these outsiders but eventually embraces them or appropriates . High-context cultures: Much of the society's communication takes place through . In low-context cultures, communication tends to be more direct and to the point. 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. A high-context culture is a culture in which the values, rules, and social norms are primarily communicated through the use of contextual elements (such as body language, a person's status, and tone of voice) and are not explicitly stated. Depending on the amount of information conveyed, cultures are classified as being high-context and low-context. In this context, we will discuss those topics also. Typically a high-context culture will be relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative. Identify your style Before implementing effective communication practices across cultures, identify your own style: In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". Three samples were gathered from the US, China, and Korea, three different cultures. Create your account, 10 chapters | Japan and China are some of the best examples of high-context cultures, in addition to Brazil, Argentina, Spain, and many nations throughout Africa and the Middle East. There are smaller communities and specific settings within national/linguistic cultures, and they may exhibit different communication patterns. [24] The table shows the major differences and similarities between individual queries. Individualism may lead to communicating to all people in a group in the same way, rather than offering hierarchical respect to certain members. High-context cultures: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, and Saudi Arabia are some of the highest-context cultures in the world. ", Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 23:13, http://db19.linccweb.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/rowmandasj/high_context/0, "Intercultural Communication on Web sites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Web sites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures", "The Influence of High- and Low-Context Communication Styles On the Design, Content, and Language of Business-To-Business Web Sites", "The Influence of High-/Low-Context Culture on Perceived Ad Complexity and Liking", "Communication Style and Cultural Features in High/Low Context Communication Cultures: A Case Study of Finland, Japan and India", 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6793(199809)15:6<507::AID-MAR2>3.0.CO;2-A, "Communicational Features in High/Low Context Organizational Culture: A Case Study of Romania and Russia", "low-context and high-context communication", https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/dictmedia/communication_intercultural_communication/0, "Communication: intercultural communication", "Managing conflict in global teams: 4 keys to leveraging cultural differences in diverse teams", "International communication 101: staying on the right side of culture", "Individualism, Collectivism, High And Low Context", "Discovering cultural differences (and similarities) in facial expressions of emotion", "The Human Face as a Dynamic Tool for Social Communication", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=High-context_and_low-context_cultures&oldid=1141991389, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 23:13. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . [2] Collectivist societies prioritize the group over the individual, and vice versa for individualist ones. [6] The Nine Competencies that Characterize an IEP, Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits and Obstacles, Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, Additional Resources to Help you Format your Paper in APA Style. A few relevant examples of differences in communication between low- and high-context cultures are found in Table 1. As we discuss culture, we are making generalizations to create cultural prototypes. Culture also affects how individuals interpret other people's facial expressions. Communicators in low-context cultures (such as those in North America, Scandinavia, and Germany) depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. "[29] A similarity that the two communication styles share is its influence on social characteristics such as age, gender, social class and ethnicity. 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). Disagreement is depersonalized. 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 only $11.00 $9.35/page. A number of unique characteristics exist to make a clear distinction between high-context vs. low-context cultures and methods of communication. For example Japan, which has a very high context culture, uses both polychronic and monochronic time. How Do I Format and Cite Long Direct Quotes? "High context". 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]. France is a high-context culture. People from low-context cultures value logic, facts, and directness. Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. High-context communications typically take place in a collectivist setting, or within a large group of people who share similar goals, values, or norms (ingroups). 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 most prominent characteristics of high context culture is non-verbal communication, while for low context culture, it is obvious to have verbal and written communication. 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. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. "[27] This implies that communication is quite direct and detailed because members of the culture are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories, past experience or background. The USA and Australia are typically low-context, highly individualistic cultures, where transparency and competition in business are prized. Cultural communications are highly important to understand for a number of reasons and the concept of high-context vs. low-context culture was first elaborated by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in 1976. Therefore, it is necessary for more explicit information to be included in the message so it is not misinterpreted. This means that the members' identity is heavily rooted in groups, i.e., families and work units. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Devon has tutored for almost two years. 3. Individualism and collectivism are related to low-context and high-context cultures, respectively. Low context is a communication environment that doesn't heavily rely on common understanding such as shared culture, experiences and norms.This can be contrasted with high context communication that relies on common background or understanding. - 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. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. Kim Dunghoon conducted a study to test the major aspects of high-context versus low-context culture concepts. What is an Interculturally Effective Person (IEP)? Meanwhile, in a high-context culture, nonverbal cues and unspoken background . Intercultural Business Communication by Confederation College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. 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. Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. Within high-context cultures, people rely on their networks of friends and family, viewing their relationships as part of one large community. people generally use. Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. 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. We know that the way in which we say things at these gatherings is more important than what we say. The Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice states that, "high context defines cultures that are relational and collectivist, and which most highlight interpersonal relationships. In this article, we will give you examples of high and low context mediation. High-Context and Low-Context Cultures: Understanding the Differences May 17, 2022 May 17, 2022 Reading Time: 5 minutes Read More High-Context and Low-Context Cultures: Understanding the Differences She found out that in high-context countries, the advertising campaigns used more colors, movements, and sounds to provide context. When a part of these groups, a low-context individual may be more drawn to interpersonal relationships with others than focusing on their own accomplishments and do not require information to be elaborated because they maintain an understanding of group behaviors. 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. Examples of high-context cultures include Asian, African, Latin American, and some European countries. Low-context cultures rely on explicit communication. 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. 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. Croucher's study examines the assertion that culture influences communication style (high/low-context) preference. 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. The cultural context. They rely less on the shared values/assumptions of the group and the context of the situation. [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. [5]:4223, Characteristics of high-context and low-context cultures, Examples of higher- and lower-context cultures, Overlap and contrast between context cultures, How higher context relates to other cultural metrics. Context is less important than words. Since a high-context culture is based on fewer, deeper relations with people, there are many unspoken social rules and understandings within the culture. Context 1. . 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.
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