NUTR-2160 Study Guide - Fall 2019, Comprehensive Final Exam Notes - Mexico, Asian Cuisine, Intercultural Competence
30 Nov 2019
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NUTR-2160
Intercultural Communication
Introduction
● Intercultural communication skills are needed when:
○ Interacting with diverse cultural groups
○ Traveling to another country
● Intercultural communications encompasses language and context in which words are
interpreted, including:
○ Gestures; posture; spatial relationships; concepts of time; status of persons;
individual’s role within a group; and setting
The Intercultural Challenge
● Most people are comfortable conversing with those who are culturally similar to
themselves
○ Communication action chain
■ When response is not as expected, communication can break down;
relationship can deteriorate
● Interpersonal relationships are based on personal communication preferences
● Group interactions commonly depend on cultural or social norms
●
Communication Challenges
● Misinterpretations at the cultural or social levels of communication are more likely to
occur because they are more generalized
○ Stereotyping can be a self-fulfilling prophecy
● The challenge is to increase familiarity with cultural communication behaviors
○ Also, remain aware of personal cues and move quickly to an interpersonal
relationship
Verbal Communication
● The abstract nature of language means it can be correctly interpreted only within context
○ Issues common to cultural worldview such as individual’s role in the group;
perceptions of power and time
○ Other context factors include:
■ Significance of affective and physical expression (low or high context);
level of tolerance for uncertainty (uncertainty avoidance)
Verbal Communication: Low-Context and High-Context Cultures
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● Conversational context can be defined as the affective and physical cues a speaker uses to
indicate meaning
○ Examples: tone of voice, facial expression, posture, and gestures
● Communication style in which actual words are the message is low context
○ If the pronunciation of the wording is poor, then the message could be misleading.
● High context communication style relays the meaning of the message in the context.
○ Attitudes and feelings are more prominent than thoughts.
○ Reading between the lines
○ Nonverbal significance- small eye movements or sounds that are made when
agreeing or disagreeing.
● In low-context cultures, communication is usually explicit, straightforward, and to the
point.
● In high-context cultures, indirect communication is preferred
● Health care situations are often extremely low context
● Interactions may range from low- to high-context depending on the situation
Verbal Communication: Individuals and Groups
● Relationship of the individual to the group depends in part on whether a culture is low-or
high context
○ Low-context – individual is typically separate from the group; self-realization is
an important goal
○ High-context – individual is defined by group association; oneness with the group
desired
● An individual’s role within the group can impact health care delivery
Verbal Communication: Uncertainty Avoidance
● High uncertainty avoidance cultures – members exhibit great discomfort with what is
unknown and different
○ Countries include Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Greece Colombia, Costa Rica,
Egypt, France, Guatemala, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal,
Turkey, and Spain.
● Low or weaker uncertainty avoidance – members are curious about the unknown and
different
○ Countries include Canada, Denmark, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Netherlands,
Jamaica, the Philippines, Sweden, and the United States
Verbal Communication: Time Perception
● Valued concepts in the United States
find more resources at oneclass.com
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