Communication and culture have a highly intricate and close interaction. First, cultures are produced through communication; that is, communication is the means of human connection through which cultural features are established and communicated, whether they be conventions, roles, norms, rituals, laws, or other patterns. Individuals do not seek out to establish a culture when they interact in relationships, groups, organizations, or societies; rather, cultures emerge as a natural byproduct of social interaction. Cultures are, in some ways, the “residue” of social communication. It would be difficult to conserve and transmit cultural features from one location and period to another without communication and communication mediums. As a result, culture is generated, molded, transferred, and learnt through communication. The opposite is also true; that is, culture creates, shapes, and transmits communication practices. In this regard, there are a number of factors that influence how humans see and think about the world, and hence how they live in it.
Culture refers to the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular group people or society. According to Bevan (2020), it is frequently defined as “how we do things.” Every community has a unique set of cultures and a distinct manner of doing things. Therefore, while living in a diverse society, it is critical to be conscious of culture while communicating. For instance, as at stated by Bevan (2020), if someone breaks the beliefs and practices of certain religious groups, then they may not be invited to a gathering with their friends. The American culture is characterized as an open system in the United States since it may readily impact other civilizations. To reduce the likelihood of prejudices forming, it is important for people to take it upon themselves to learn about the teachings of different cultures.
In a society, culture serves to offer structure and norms to follow. Culture is acquired, yet it appears natural since it is such an important part of daily life (Bevan, 2020). In this case, thinking of several life scenarios, such as you are required to be quiet throughout the service when people are in church. This is something your family instils in you and is not something you will notice the first time you go inside a church (Ting-Toomey & Dorjee, 2018). This is something that is ingrained in the society. Everything people do is influenced by culture, from the foods they consume to the way people speak and engage.
It is difficult to avoid discussing gender while discussing culture. When it comes to the disparities between men and women in the American society, for instance, there are several distinctions. Men may stroll about without their shirts on, which is one of the most visible contrasts (Giuliano, 2020). Even if you see a man going down the road without a shirt on, you could assume that maybe it is too hot or he has misplaced it. However, if you are a lady strolling down a road without a shirt, you will receive many strange stares. One of the things that others may be saying behind a woman’s back about you is that she lacks self-respect. High context versus low context culture is another aspect of culture. Low context culture, as per Bevan (2020), typically relates to verbal communication, whereas high context culture is similar to reading between the lines. Some of the characteristics of low context culture are that rules are clearly expressed, expectations are set out and directives are clearly stated (Broeder, 2021). High context culture on the other hand includes rules that are not often verbalized, expected behaviors are understood, directions are assumed to be understood, and behavior is conditioned by the relationship or by ritual.
You must pay attention to culture to develop your communication abilities. When speaking to anyone from the same culture, it is easy to believe that you have strong communication skills. When conversing with someone from a foreign culture, though, you must pay close attention to your communication abilities. For example, before traveling to another nation, you investigate their customs (Bonvillain, 2019). You would not go to a random nation without doing some study on their culture. If you do not take the effort to learn about their customs, you may be deemed impolite when visiting their nation. Spring, (2017) states that one advantage of knowing about their culture is that you may develop to appreciate and respect them. As Bevan (2020) illustrates, if you and a coworker are enjoying dinner and your coworker receives their meal before you and does not wait for you to acquire your food to eat, you may consider them impolite. That first impression of your coworker will influence the remainder of your impressions and ideas about him or her. If you consider it to be impolite, you could appreciate that coworker a lot.
In conclusion, culture and communication are two terms that go hand in hand. Living in a diverse world, it is crucial to be conscious about the culture of different societies while maintaining communications. Moreover, though acquired, culture appears natural since it is such an important part of daily life as it serves to offer structure and norms to follow including shaping of verbal and non-verbal communication. Therefore, as a communicator, it is important to pay attention to culture as one may develop to appreciate and learn them.
References
Bevan, J. L. (2020). Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication.
Broeder, P. (2021). Informed Communication in High Context and Low Context Cultures. Journal of Education, Innovation, and Communication, 3(1), 13-24. Web.
Bonvillain, N. (2019). Language, Culture, And Communication: The Meaning of Messages. Rowman & Littlefield.
Spring, J. (2017). The Intersection of Cultures: Multicultural Education in The United States and The Global Economy. Routledge. Web.
Ting-Toomey, S., & Dorjee, T. (2018). Communicating Across Cultures. Guilford Publications.
Giuliano, P. (2020). Gender and culture. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 36(4), 944-961. Web.