high and low context cultures examples high and low context cultures examples

Focusing on tradition creates opportunities for higher-context messages between individuals of each new generation, and the high-context culture feeds back to the stability hence allows the tradition to be maintained. Negotiators basically say what they mean. Seekprofessional input on your specific circumstances. Ramos suggests that "in low context culture, communication members' communication must be more explicit. While some cultures are low or high . Cultures and languages are defined as higher or lower context on a spectrum. [36], High-context cultures tend to be more stable, as their communication is more economical, fast, efficient and satisfying; but these are gained at a price of devoting time into preprogramming cultural background, and their high stability might come with a price of a high barrier for development. It is important to note that no culture is completely high-context or low-context, since all societies contain at least some parts that are both high and low. 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. Create your account. Trust must be developed before business transactions can begin. 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 . Words: 825. Russians employ a communication style that relies on environmental, non-verbal, traditional, and symbolic cues when communicating. In contrast, low-context cultures rely on explicit verbal communication. They rely less on the shared values/assumptions of the group and the context of the situation. Low-context and high-context cultures are the ends of a continuum portraying how cultures communicate. [33] This significance follows into many situations such as the workplace, which can be prone to diversified cultures and opportunities for collaboration and working together. Examples of high and low context cultures It can be helpful to consider a few examples of high and low context cultures. High vs. Low Power Distance Cultural Communications | What are High and Low Power Distance Cultural Communications? 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. In a low-context culture, communication occurs through explicitly spelled out and defined words, and listeners just have to interpret spoken or written words as they are. Language may be used to achieve goals or exchange information. Cultures and communication in which context is of great importance to structuring actions is referred to as high context. The aim of this report is to evaluate the concept of different communication cultures through the application of Hall's high and low-context model of culture. In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. India and Japan are typically high-context, highly collectivistic cultures, where business is done by building relationships and maintaining respectful communication. This also means that low-context communication may fail due to the overload of information, which makes culture lose its screening[definition needed] function. In contrast, low-context websites had lesser animation and images, focusing instead on the information. Cultures where the group is valued over the individual promote. 3. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. 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. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). Low context cultures emphasize individuality and tasks. Sage Publications. Relationships are easy to build, can start very quickly but end just as soon. These experiences inclu. About The Helpful Professor Communicators in high-context cultures pay attention to more than the words spoken they also pay attention to interpersonal relationships, nonverbal expressions, physical settings, and social settings. [25], The categories of context cultures are not totally separate. "High context". Instead, many cultures tend to have a mixture or at least some concepts that are shared between them, overlapping the two context cultures.[26]. Low-context cultures also want these communications to revolve around basic questions, like: What's happening? It describes the level of explicit information and the importance of context in a given culture, indicating the range of communicative abilities (verbal messages, gestures, etc.) The high and low context cultures in this concept refers to how important contextual cues are in interpreting a message. Unlike the linear communication style preferred in low-context cultures, high-context communicators may use spiral logic, circling around a topic indirectly and looking at it from many tangential or divergent viewpoints. According to Hall's theory, Chinese and Korean samples represented higher-context cultures while the American sample represents lower context. Japan is generally considered a high-context culture, meaning people communicate based on inherent understanding. The results found that U.S. participants used communication for pleasure more often than Mexican participants. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. We know that the way in which we say things at these gatherings is more important than what we say. 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. Examples of high-context cultures include Asian, African, Latin American, and some European countries. This is in contrast to lower-context cultures in which the shared experiences upon which communication is built can change drastically from one generation to the next, creating communication gaps between parents and children, as in the United States.[18]. In a low-context culture, the onus for communication lies with the speaker. The preferred way of solving problems and learning is in groups. Strategies to work effectively with people from high context and low context cultures Follow these 4 key strategies to communicate effectively across cultures: 1. Germany, Sweden, and the United States are generally classified as low-context cultures. [42] The images found on the websites used in the study promoted individualistic and collectivist characteristics within the low-context and high-context websites, respectively. Oxford University Press. Members of high-context cultures are relatively comfortable interacting with others because a close-knit community has been formed, such as that of a family or religious congregation. Information has to be explicit and detailed for the message to be conveyed without distortion. 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. Low-context cultures can seem slightly more formal due to the explicit & precise nature of their messages. Cultural differences in advertising and marketing may also be explained through high- and low-context cultures. The terms "high context culture" and "low context culture" are used to define how people in various cultures communicate messages to each other. In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. [6] How does her experience in Japan demonstrate what youve learned so far about the different dimensions of culture? Two Types of Reflective Writing Assignments, Additional Resources for Improving Writing, Consistency in comparatives and listed elements: Parallelism, Hofstede Insights country comparison tool, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oYfhTC9lIQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQvqDv4vbEg, https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/42958_2_The_Cultural_Context.pdf, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Tend to prefer indirect verbal interaction, Tend to understand meaning at one level only, Tend to understand meanings embedded at many sociocultural levels, Are generally less proficient in reading nonverbal cues, Are generally more proficient in reading nonverbal cues, Communication in highly structured messages, provide details, stress literal meaning, Communication is simple, sometimes ambiguous, messages; understand visual messages readily, Define cultural context (Guffey et al., 2013, p. 64), Contrast communicate styles for low-context and high-context cultures (Meyer, 2017, p. 59), Explain how cultural differences can affect workplace communication (Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau, 2014). [13] Not all individuals in a culture can be defined by cultural stereotypes, and there will be variations within a national culture in different settings. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. In, Meyer, C. (2017). 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. High-context cultures are those in which the rules of communication are primarily transmitted through the use of contextual elements (i.e., body language, a person's status, and tone of voice) and are not explicitly stated. Sage Publications. Hall and Hall proposed a "spectrum" of national cultures from "High-Context cultures" to "Low-Context Cultures. Depending on the amount of information conveyed, cultures are classified as being high-context and low-context. Hall, E. T. (1976). Instead, a comparison between cultures may find communication differences to a greater or lesser degree. For example, resemblance is a significant trait in cultures with a high level of context. The reverse holds true for High (Collectivistic) Context Cultures. These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. Examples of high-context cultures include China, India, and many non-Western societies. ", "Communication: intercultural communication. In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". So the poor cow's life depends on the country, where it was born: whether it is going to be worshipped or to end up on someone's . lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. [2], Website design among cross-cultural barriers include factoring in decisions about culture-sensitive color meanings, layout preferences, animation and sounds. Answer (1 of 2): Examples of high context countries include: Japan, China, and the Arab countries. [26] The terms high- and low-context cultures are not classified with strict individual characteristics or boundaries. 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Identify your style Before implementing effective communication practices across cultures, identify your own style: The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. Since they value collectivism and interdependence, it makes sense that their communication requires an understanding of the communitys shared values. The GLOBE Project Overview & Behavior Styles | What is the GLOBE Project? High-context cu. Anchor Press/Doubleday. All the advice on this site is general in nature. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". Japan is a country with a high-context culture. An understanding of external cultures also leads to a better acceptance of diversity, a reduction in confusion and anxiety from misinterpreted communications, and a more effective means of intercultural collaboration. High-context cultures are those that communicate in ways that are implicit and rely heavily on context. Many low context cultures are individualist so people openly express their views, and tend to make important information obvious to others. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. As such, what is said is what is meant, and further analysis of the message is usually unnecessary. 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. High-context cultures are related to connotation. 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. Contexts in source publication. What are the effects on the communication process? The general terms "high context" and "low context" (popularized by Edward Hall) are used to describe broad-brush cultural differences between societies. Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): A graph which shows the level of context in various world cultures. 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. Guffey, D. Lowey, K. Rhodes, K., & P. Rogin. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. In low-context cultures, communication tends to be more direct and to the point. This makes high-context cultures difficult to navigate for those who do not understand the culture's unwritten rules. Eye contact, for example, which is encouraged in North America, may have ambiguous meaning or be considered disrespectful in certain high-context cultures. References Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). Topic: Culture, Context, Communication, Middle East, Business, Conflict, People, Relationships. Published: 2020/12/03. In high-context cultures, people are said to prefer symbolic, artful language that is implicit. Establishing relationships is an important part of communicating and interacting. Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). London: Routledge. These are some important high-context culture characteristics to look out for. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. This concept was introduced by Edward T. Hall, an anthropologist back in 1976. Cite this Article in your Essay (APA Style), Privacy PolicyTerms and ConditionsDisclaimerAccessibility StatementVideo Transcripts. Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. Effectively communicating within this culture, therefore, requires messaging that is perceived as objective, professional, and efficient. Whereas low-context cultures prefer more words (to a certain extent), high-context cultures prefer more images. In high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, Korea, and Arab countries), communication relies heavily on non-verbal, contextual, and shared cultural meanings. However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. By comparison, low-context cultures refer to cultures whereby most communications take place through verbal language and rules are directly written out or stated for all to view. Therefore, it is necessary for more explicit information to be included in the message so it is not misinterpreted. The law is important! In these cultures, people may rely on body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions to convey meaning, and may not always say exactly what they mean directly. When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. Beyond Culture. What is low context cultural communication? Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. 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. The answer is simple. Pages: 3. Your email address will not be published. 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. Generally, high-context cultures prefer oral communications, while low-context cultures favor written communications. - 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. [2] Collectivist societies prioritize the group over the individual, and vice versa for individualist ones. 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For high-context cultures, language is a kind of social lubricant, easing and harmonizing relations that are defined according to a group or collectivist orientation where we rather than I is the key to identity. 231 lessons. ), Hall, E. T.; Hall, M. R. (1990). On the other hand, certain intercultural communication skills are unique for each culture and it is significant to note that these overlaps in communication techniques are represented subgroups within social interactions or family settings. If you want to appear polite, you need to be willing to greet strangers and thank . 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. In contrast, the use of restricted codes indicates that speakers and listeners do share a great deal of common background and perspectives, and hence much more can be taken for granted, and thus expressed implicitly or through nuance: restricted codes tend to be more context-dependent. 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). Context is less important than words. Conclusions are explicitly stated. Beyond Culture. However, this type of segregation is not rigid, but takes the form of a gradient since the contextual base of a culture is not a quantifiable but relative concept. It is important to note that no culture is low-context or high-context in absolute terms but a mix of both. 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