[14] Groups that are able to rely on a common background may not need to use words as explicitly to understand each other. Words: 825. All the advice on this site is general in nature. The terms "high context culture" and "low context culture" are used to define how people in various cultures communicate messages to each other. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. Examples of low context cultures include: Scandinavia; Germany, and the US. 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. Individualism and collectivism are related to low-context and high-context cultures, respectively. Culture and Interpersonal Communication. 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. Communication cultures differ societally between high-context and low-context cultures, a concept first described by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1976 publication Beyond Culture. Watch this video from international business expert Erin Meyer [1]. For example Japan, which has a very high context culture, uses both polychronic and monochronic time. These are some important high-context culture characteristics to look out for. 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 have a communication style based on body language, tone, and overall context; while low context cultures are more straightforward and explicit in communication. Hall, E. T. (1976). Both often take many aspects of the other's cultural communication abilities and strengths into account. In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. Yolanda has taught college Psychology and Ethics, and has a doctorate of philosophy in counselor education and supervision. 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. - Uses & Side Effects, What is Amitriptyline? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. Eye contact, for example, which is encouraged in North America, may have ambiguous meaning or be considered disrespectful in certain high-context cultures. In high context cultures like Native American tribes, Japan, China, and Arabic countries, communication is curvilinear, and often what is left unsaid is just as important than what is, and there is more flexibility with time and looser schedules. 9. The following high-context culture examples are a few global cultures where these rules, as well as other characteristics of high-context cultures, apply predominantly: For additional context, a few examples of low-context cultures beyond the United States include Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, and Denmark. In high-context cultures, there are often many opportunities for social and cultural context to explain speech, which reduces the need for words in all instances. 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). Contexts in source publication. - Effects & Types, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Definition, effects & Types, Trepanning: Tools, Specialties & Definition, What is Pseudoephedrine? Moreover, their communication is often task-oriented and driven by rational decision-making, which can further add to their formality.. 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. Wurtz found something similar while analyzing website design. [23] For example, Native Americans in the United States have higher-context cultures with a strong sense of tradition and history, compared to general American culture. High-context defines cultures that are usually relational and collectivist, and which most highlight interpersonal relationships. An in-depth understanding of cultural norms is not required because the communication is explicit. 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. Listen to business speaker Erin Meyer explain how cultural differences can affect communication. Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). [26] The terms high- and low-context cultures are not classified with strict individual characteristics or boundaries. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many Western countries. In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. [5]. Low context can describe situations, environments and cultures. In S. Thompson (ed. In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high-context. Conclusion The dynamics of relationships within High and Low context cultures are very different. 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. Low-context cultures can seem slightly more formal due to the explicit & precise nature of their messages. 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). In this context, we will discuss those topics also. 3. As we discuss culture, we are making generalizations to create cultural prototypes. London: Routledge. The composite score also indicates a significant difference among the three samples at the .01 level. [10] In low-context cultures, relationships are not viewed as important figures to identity. China, Japan, Turkey, and Mexico are some countries that lean towards high-context. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. An error occurred trying to load this video. 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 By contrast, a low-context culture is characterized by information being communicated primarily through spoken language, as well as rules being explicitly and directly stated. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. Wurtz studied McDonalds online advertising in various countries such as Japan, Germany, the United States, etc. 1. Topic: Culture, Context, Communication, Middle East, Business, Conflict, People, Relationships. 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. 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. These experiences inclu. In high-context cultures, people are said to prefer symbolic, artful language that is implicit. low-context communication is "the mass of information is vested in the explicit code". A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". Bernstein, B. [24] The table shows the major differences and similarities between individual queries. The Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice states that, "high context defines cultures that are relational and collectivist, and which most highlight interpersonal relationships. They place a high value on interpersonal relationships and group members are a very close-knit community. A number of unique characteristics exist to make a clear distinction between high-context vs. low-context cultures and methods of communication. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Neuliup, J. W. (2011). 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. The United States, on the other hand, is considered a low-context culture, relying largely on explicit verbal explanations to keep everyone on the same page. Hall, E. T. (1976). They have a Bachelor's in Air Traffic Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and minored in Aviation Safety and Homeland Security. [6] How does her experience in Japan demonstrate what youve learned so far about the different dimensions of culture? Websites catering to high-context audiences had a lot of animation & images. 18 Examples of Low Culture. 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. While some cultures are low or high . Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. [2] High-context cultures often exhibit less-direct verbal and nonverbal communication, utilizing small communication gestures and reading more meaning into these less-direct messages. 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]. 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. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. [7][8] Denotation tends to be attributed to low-context culture[9] People in low-context cultures communicate in a more direct way, with explicitly speaking what they want to communicate. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. Anchor Press/Doubleday. [20][21], Cultural context can also shift and evolve. High-context cultures promote the development of ingroups. People are comfortable standing close to each other. The study identifies whether and how variables that characterize high- and low-context cultures are reflected on Web sites. In. Indeed, Vietnamese communication style has all the characteristics of highcontext cultures, such as indirect and digressive communication, use of few words, reliance on contextual cues, avoidance of the use of personal names, respect for long silences, and waiting politely until the other person has stopped speaking before taking turns. However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. 2. This means that the members' identity is heavily rooted in groups, i.e., families and work units. For example, Hall describes how Japanese culture has both low- and high-context situations. 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. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. 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. A first step in achieving this goal is to identify one's own culture before delving into the rigors of another. Their communication is less-task oriented, and their decision-making is driven by relationships, shared experiences, and emotions. 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 Published: 2020/12/03. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Sage Publications. 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. Table 2 shows a classification of countries in low and high context, their characteristics and the expected role . 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. 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). 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. For example, resemblance is a significant trait in cultures with a high level of context. Meanwhile, in a high-context culture, nonverbal cues and unspoken background . Conflict Styles and HighLow Context Cultures: A Cross-Cultural Extension. Many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit because most members know what . [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. You can find his work on The Print, Live Wire, and YouTube. 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]. 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. Low-context cultures rely on explicit communication. According to Hall's theory, Chinese and Korean samples represented higher-context cultures while the American sample represents lower context. 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. Unlike low-context cultures, high-context cultures prioritize the group over the individual (Hofstede, 1984). [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. Messages can be contextualized by assuming that the audience would think in the same manner and will follow the underlying meaning implied in someone's speech or writing as a result of these common experiences. [34], Restricted codes are commonly used in high-context culture groups, where group members share the same cultural background and can easily understand the implicit meanings "between the lines" without further elaboration. [18], Therefore, higher-context cultures tend to correlate with cultures that also have a strong sense of tradition and history, and change little over time. (1971). A 2008 meta-analysis concluded that the model was "unsubstantiated and underdeveloped".[5]. Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement. Cultural differences in advertising and marketing may also be explained through high- and low-context cultures. High-context cultures usually do not have rules that are explicitly written or stated. Examples of high-context cultures include Asian, African, Latin American, and some European countries. In, Meyer, C. (2017). These rules of communication are understood without being explicitly stated. [30], Punctuation marks and emojis are more often used by high-context users than low-context users. High-context cultures are collectivist cultures. While in high context cultures, communication is done primarily through nonverbal mediums and gestures, in low context cultures, information is vested explicitly so that there is no risk of confusion. [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. What is an Interculturally Effective Person (IEP)? She found out that in high-context countries, the advertising campaigns used more colors, movements, and sounds to provide context. The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. High Context vs. Low Context High-context is that "most of the information is either in the physical context or initialized in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, transmitted part of the message." (Hall). 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. 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. These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. On one side of the dimension, we have high context cultures, which depend on greater context when communicating. Anchor Press/Doubleday. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. 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.

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