Communication is an essential component of any culture. Every day people engage in interpersonal and group interactions either locally or internationally. Businesses are continually establishing strong relationships with new partners, students find common ground with their teachers and classmates, and individuals build global friendships. However, millions of contemporary world citizens indicate that, throughout life, they have experienced misunderstandings when communicating with people from foreign countries. This issue is primarily caused by the differences in nations’ values, preferences, characteristics, and traditions. For this reason, it is crucial to understand the topic of intercultural communication better and prevent the emergence of issues in the future. This paper will discuss the importance of culture in interactions and will describe its relationship with two other themes.
It is vital to be aware of culture when engaging in communication because its comprehension helps people build connections and avoid confusion. Bevan (2020) mentioned that humans depend on other people because they help them understand life and its meaning. Often there is a need to cooperate with other nations to gain more knowledge about the world. Therefore, when individuals have enough proficiency in intercultural communication, it is easier for them to be informed. Moreover, since culture influences many spheres of life, communities are distinct. Bevan (2020) stated that people are usually not aware of the differences, and this lack of education leads to bias and negative perceptions of others. Hence, it is critical to be aware of cultural norms during communication.
Two concepts that indicate the differences between communities are verbal and nonverbal communication. It should be noted that verbal language is a means of sustaining culture and transmitting its essential elements to others (Bevan, 2020). Traditions and customs are passed down from generation to generation with the use of stories and fairytales which are shaped according to the different histories of countries (Bevan, 2020). Therefore, every culture shapes its verbal communication individually and creates distinct meanings out of particular narratives and words. Similarly, nonverbal communication is defined by culture and serves as a vital tool in conversations. For instance, every nation has its perception of an appropriate physical appearance and body movements that are critical factors in creating first impressions (Bevan, 2020). It is vital to consider these differences and learn that what is acceptable for one group can be strange for another.
A specific feature that makes it easy to compare cultures is their context. Bevan (2020) indicated that low-context civilizations tend to be transparent in their expressions and derive meaning from words. Much significance is placed on written language, messages, and agendas that have to provide detailed information (Bevan, 2020). At the same time, high-context cultures value indirect and implicit meanings (Bevan, 2020). For them, words are not that important since they have an opportunity to share their emotions with the use of nonverbal techniques (Bevan, 2020). Therefore, when communicating with people from different countries, attention should be paid to their context.
Another basic way in which cultures differ is whether they are considered to be individualistic or collectivistic. Individualistic ones value the self, have a strong sense of identity, and encourage the promotion of personal goals, rights, decisions, and freedoms (Bevan, 2020). For instance, in the US, people are motivated to achieve individual objectives without being dependent on other humans or asking for support from their family members or friends (Bevan, 2020). However, collectivistic cultures value cooperation, relationships, and family. The representatives of these communities prioritize others and make choices while considering the opinions of close individuals (Bevan, 2020). Consequently, cultures not only have different ways of communication but also put significance on divergent concepts.
As it can be seen, culture determines the way people see the world, make meaning out of it, and interact with other people; thus, paying attention to various norms can help individuals become better communicators. Bevan (2020) claimed that the purpose of human interaction is to generate thoughts, experiences, and views and create collective meaning. For this reason, gaining more knowledge about cultures can help people prevent the appearance of misunderstandings, establish strong personal and professional relationships globally, and receive satisfaction from interactions.
Overall, culture plays a vital role in determining how people communicate with other individuals. While it can make the conversations more interesting, it can also bring specific complications. That is why it is crucial to gain more understanding about the relationship between communication and culture. The presented essay talked about the importance of paying close attention to various norms and values of nations and discussed two specific themes as examples.
Reference
Bevan, J. L. (2020). Making connections: Understanding interpersonal communication (3rd ed.). Zovio Inc.