Redmond_Final Paper (1)

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Running head: THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1 The Struggles of Intercultural Communication Nancy S. Redmond Park University, CA 500 The struggles of intercultural communications exist and for numerous reasons. Language barrier, communication style, behavior, interpretation, and cultural differences (just to name a few) all play a role in the existing struggles. During my research of scholarly written journals and articles, many different definitions of intercultural communication were discovered. The most relevant definition to this paper was defined by Collier and Thomas’ (1998), “contact between persons who identify themselves as distinct from one another in cultural terms” (as cited in Root, 2013, p. 64). It is a broad but pertinent definition for this analysis. This definition covers comparing and contrasting cultures in different countries. For example, cultures within the United States vs. Asian countries. It also identifies a way to compare and contrast cultures within the same country. For example, the different cultures that live with the United States. How these cultures communicate with each other is an ongoing struggle. This analysis will highlight a few motives for intercultural communication struggle. Language Barrier and Communication Style

THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 2 The most obvious and self explanatory cause for the struggle of intercultural communication is the language barrier. From personal experience, not knowing or minimal knowledge of a language makes it difficult to communicate. I have traveled to many countries with knowing little or none of the language. This makes it not only difficult to communicate but difficult to appreciate each other’s culture. Asante and Miike (2013) claim that, “when it comes to language and communication, we must all bring our gifts to the same table” (p. 4). While this is a statement that most can agree on, it’s easier said than done. Purely basing the struggle on language itself can promote difficulties between finding a common ground and brining ‘gifts to the same table.’ As Du-Babcock and Tanaka (2013) point out, when communicating via a second language an automatic barrier is present (p. 268). Take English for example. English is my mother’s third language learned. She has said that it is also the most difficult language due to all of its rules and slang terms. While others may not feel the same, it can be agreed that any second or third language will cause barriers due to language rules, slang terms, and communication styles. Cardon (2008) conducted an analysis of high-context and low-context communication styles and the relationship with intercultural communication, which is defined by Hall (1976): A high-context (HC) communication or message is one in which most of the information is either in the physical context or internalized in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, transmitted part of the message. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code (as cited in Cardon, 2008, p. 401). Different cultures use the different level of context. How the context is delivered can affect how

THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 3 the message is absorbed. “In HC cultures providing too much information is considered talking down to others whereas in LC cultures, doing so is considered being thorough,” (Cardon, 2008, p. 401). The problem lies in knowing which culture will not get offended by which communications style. This would require knowledge and understanding of the culture in which a person is trying to communicate with. Interpretation and Behavior In which communication is interpreted or misinterpreted can encourage struggle between cultures. Root (2013) describes three different identity characteristics that can lead to misinterpretation, scope, salience, and intensity, “scope is the breadth and generalizability of the identity. Salience refers to the importance or relevance of an identity in a particular context. Intensity refers to the strength or conviction with which the identity is felt or communicated,” (p. 64). When refereeing to salience and misinterpretation, if individuals assume that an identity characteristic of a culture is irrelevant when indeed to that culture it is relevant, salience could indicate a lack of sensitivity. The intensity of the culture characteristic could be misinterpreted as overbearing or arrogant. Interpreting the scope or the general identity of a culture can lead one of the most sensitive subjects, stereotypes and prejudices. A well-known stereotype in the United States is persons of Muslim and Islam decent are terrorists. This stereotype became prevalent, “following recent terrorist attacks ranging from 9/11 in the US, 7/7 in London to the bombings in Madrid, the Philippines and Mumbai, all in the space of seven years,” (Shaw, 2012, 509). When a mass traumatic event occurs that results in lives lost and devastation, human nature wants to find someone to blame. In the cases of the events listed above, the blame was put on all Muslims, which led to the stereotype that all

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THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 4 Muslims are terrorists. “Stereotypes and clichés are the staples routinely deployed by the news media in an attempt to make sense of issues and events they report or comment on,” (Shaw, 2012, p. 514). Due to how the media interpreted the events, it placed a staple on Muslims. Another example of cultural stereotypes is the man and woman’s role in society. Urios-Aparisi (2013) compares and contrasts two films and describes some of these stereotypes in a Japanese culture. When speaking of two characters in one of the films taken place in Japan Urios-Aparisi described their feelings as, “for Ryu it is a male-centered society and for David, it is a world of foreigners,” (p. 91). Media and movies help contribute the everlasting stereotypes on cultures. It is important for cultures to not misinterpret messages or take what they see or hear on television as fact. Misinterpretation can equal negative behavior. How a person interprets a culture results in their behavior. Baraldi (2006) describes one of the intercultural interpretation struggles, “Ethnocentrism means the interpretation and evaluation of another’s behavior using one’s own standard, i.e. distinguishing between a positive Us and a negative Them,” (p. 57). Ethnocentrism by this definition is not an appropriate way to handle an unfamiliar culture. If the only thing a person knows about a culture is negative then their interpretation of each individual in that culture is negative, in ethnocentrism. Negative interpretation about a culture leads to negative behavior and miscommunication. Du-Babcock and Tanaka (2013) discuss individual-collectivism (IC) theory which they define as, “a theoretical dimension of a cultural construct that has been used to predict a variety of behavioral styles of communication” (p. 266). How individuals perceive themselves and how that perception impacts their communication behavior (Du-Babcock & Tanaka, 2013, 266). The communication struggle from this point of view is the individuals’ confidence and knowledge of the other culture which reflects in their behavior. In a research study of intercultural competence,

THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 5 Liu (2014) discovered that the ‘knowledge of other cultures’ was the primary reason for the lack of intercultural interactions (p. 12). A shortage of familiarity with cultures affects the behaviors of individuals when attempting to increase a relationship. An example of an entity that would suffer from this behavior is businesses. “Research examining the impact of language use on communication behaviors has focused on English intercultural communication in which Asians were speaking in their second language” (Du-Babcock & Tanaka, 2013, 267). The research focused on business professionals. It was discovered that when English is a second language, among Asians, their behavior is less active in a group setting (Du-Babcock & Tanaka, 2013, 268- 269). Businesses often suffer the greatest from negative behavior within intercultural communication. Take Disney for example. Casmir and Packman (1999) discussed the result of Euro Disney, “lack of cultural sensitivity and the negative infiltration strategy used by the Disney Corporation resulted in a great loss of time, money and reputation for which the corporation has only recently begun to compensate,” (p. 473). A failure to be sensitive to another culture led to hurting the Disney Corporation overall. An even greater bruise on businesses when this happens is the perception that is given. “Several American periodicals and newspapers suggested that the initial failure of Euro Disney was related to cultural misunderstandings,” (Casmir & Packman, 1999, p. 476). When businesses face intercultural struggle it can affect relationships with countries, jobs, and the business or corporation as a whole. Cultural Difference It could be simply stated that intercultural struggles are caused by cultural differences. The traditions, language, and behavior all wrapped into one word, culture. Each culture has

THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 6 different traditions, languages (including slang), and behaviors. For example, schooling in Japan as oppose to the United States. “In Japan, all students were required to learn English when entered junior high school” (Asante & Miike, 2013, p. 2). My mother, who was born and raised in South Korea, said this was true for her as well. A person who went to school in the United States could claim the same. The difference is English was taught in Japan and South Korea as a class much like history or math in the United States. In the United States a second language is taught as a foreign language and is usually only a few semesters in high school. The cultures of schooling in other countries are even extremely different. How could the example of Japan learning English be an intercultural communication struggle? Looking at the big picture, it’s a positive strive towards a better intercultural communication relationship. The issue is the reciprocation. Not necessarily every American student should learn fluent Japanese, but learning a fluent second language should be required and taught starting from grade school, or at least junior high. Globalization has also been a topic of discussion with scholars regarding intercultural communication. “Globalization is a process creating interdependence among societies and cultures that were previously separated…Globalization means openness to cultural change and creates new opportunities for dialogue, but it also threatens the survival of cultural traditions,” (Baraldi, 2006, p. 54). While globalization allows cultures to come together on common ground, it does not force those cultures to learn and understand other cultures. Therefore the concern is that cultural traditions, not only in terms of communication but traditions as a whole, could be eventually lost. Oliha (2012) described a commonality between cultures and communicating, whether it is within cultures or with other cultures:

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THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 7 The human subject need not communicate with other human subjects except for the purpose of sharing space and time in community . Indeed intercultural communication has such implications for increasing levels of communication competence in a conflict-torn world simply because it advocates the importance of acknowledging and understanding self in relation to the other in complex and dynamic social and cultural contexts (p. 592). Cultural similarities could be the very thing affecting intercultural communication. Some cultures may not want or feel that there is a need for knowledge or understanding of other cultures. They feel that the only time communication is required is when there is a specific need, therefore learning the culture and cultural communication styles in unnecessary. Conclusion The struggle of intercultural communications is not a thing of the past. It currently exists and will continue to exist for many reasons. Language barrier, communication style, behavior, interpretation, and cultural differences were discussed in this analysis as only a small number of reasons for the struggle. A universal agreement between cultures is what could cause the struggle to be mitigated, of course in a perfect world. Liu (2014) states that “effective intercultural communication involves one’s ability to understand cultural norms, nonverbal behavior, intentions of the counterpart, and the ability to see relationships between people in the same way as they are seen in the host community, in addition to linguistic proficiency,” (p. 13). When cultures are effectively communicating with each other, struggle and conflict is minimized. To effectively accomplish intercultural communication it is apparent that knowledge and understanding are key factors in its success.

THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 8 References Asante, M. K., & Yoshitaka, M. (2013). Paradigmatic issues in intercultural communication studies: An Afrocentric-Asiancentric dialogue. China Media Research, 9 (3), 1-19. Baraldi, C. (2006). New forms of intercultural communication in a globalized world. International Communication Gazette, 68 (1), 53-69. Cardon, P. W. (2008). A critique of Hall's contexting model: A meta-analysis of literature on intercultural business and technical communication. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 22 (4), 399-428. Casmir, F. L., & Packman, H. M. (1999). Learning from the Euro Disney experience: A case study in international/intercultural communication. International Communication Gazette, 61 (6), 473-489. Du-Babcock, B., & Tanaka, H. (2013). A comparison of the communication behaviors of Hong Kong Chinese and Japanese business professionals in intracultural and intercultural decision-making meetings. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 27 (3), 263-287. Liu, S. (2014). Becoming Intercultural: Exposure to foreign cultures and intercultural competence. China Media Research, 10 (3), 7-14. Oliha, H. (2012). Critical questions: The impact and import of the contradictions and epistemic denials in the field of intercultural communication research, theorizing, teaching, and practice. International Communication Gazette, 74 (6), 586-600.

THE STRUGGLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 9 Root, E. (2013). Insights into the differences-similarities dialectic in intercultural communication from university students' narratives. Intercultural Communication Studies, 22 (3), 61-79. Shaw, I. S. (2012). Stereotypical representations of Muslims and Islams following the 7/7 London terror attacks: Implications for intercultural communication and terrorism prevention. International Communication Gazette, 74 (6), 509-524. Urios-Aparisi, E. (2013). Dramatizing intercultural communication: Metaphors of city and identity in film. Intercultural Communication Studies, 22 (3), 80-94.

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