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Mohammad R. Rawashdeh

Communication SkillsELE205

Chapter TwoCommunication Diversity

Mohammad R. [email protected]


Outline

1. Diversity definition.

2. Acknowledge intercultural interdependence.

3. Principles of intercultural Communication

4. Intercultural Communication styles

5. Barriers to intercultural Communication

6. Tools of diversity


Diversity definition

• Diversity is defined as: the condition of being different.

• In other words, it means: dissimilarity and variance between things. The differences could be in size, weight, age, texture, and so on.

• In communication, diversity could be in: cultural values, race, national origin, religion, habits, gender, origin, accents, stereotypes and so on.


Acknowledge intercultural interdependence

Sources (elements) of diversity :

a) Movement toward a global economy• When OPEC raised the

Price of oil in the 1970, people

in the whole world had to sit in

waiting lines at gas station ;

• Many of our jobs directly or indirectly independent on foreign trade.



Sources of diversity:

a) Movement toward a global economy• Many of our jobs are directly

or indirectly dependent on

foreign trade.

• We are not just interacting with people

different from us, we rely on them in ( health, education, food)




b) Increase in ethnic/ language minoritiesThe 2000 U.S genus's Data characterized 12.5% of U.S population is Latino, 12.3% are African, 10% others (Indian, Asian,…)in addition to Bi-racian.

In short: 1 from 3 American can beclassified as ethnic minority




b) Increase in ethnic/ language minoritiesActually they are not numbers. They are

people we know, care about, and depend

upon.

They enrich our lives, because of their

differences and they help us to imagine

new ways of thinking and behaving




c) Variation in communication styles

Differences in communication styles can make the sender of the message appear to be pushy, rude, aggressive, passive, etc. Factors involved in this are volume and rapidity of speech, tone of voice, and emphasis on key words




c) Variation in communication stylesFor example, much has been

written a bout differences in

gender.

Best seller book in 1993 is

“Men are from Mars and women

Are from Venus”


Cross-Cultural Communication (Picture Intercultural Communication)

• Is a field of study that looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate, in similar and different waysamong themselves, and how they endeavor to communicate across cultures.

• Understanding these different perspectives about how communication works is a necessary first step in communicating cross-culturally.

Picture Intercultural Communication


• Not all cultures view communications at the same way. For example the American way is different than Asian one .

• Enryo-Sasshi Communication: is certain to the image to the image of Japan as a passive society, where people wok to avoid conflict.

1- Sender’s potential experiences.2- Sender’s chosen ideas (enryo filtering)3- Sender’s encoding (filtering)4- Narrow, limited sending (filtering)5- Channel6- Wide, open receiving7- Receiver's decoding8 Receiver's expanded ideas (sasshi)9- Receiver’s experience

Sender, Enryo1…2…3…4

Receiver, Sasshi6…7…8…9

5

Feedback (traditions, cultures)

Enryo:reservation,restraint, coyness, regard, deference,

hesitation,deference,diffidence

Sasshi: conjecture,summarize, guess,

understanding,consideration.

sympathy,


principles of intercultural Communication

1. The greater the cultural/linguistic difference, the greater the likelihood of communication breakdown.

• For example communicating with customer from France is more difficult than communication with Arabs.

• Differences in world-view, values, and communication styles leads to misunderstanding



2. Communication breakdowns are most often attributed to cultural differences

• Also think about personal differences or any of the breakdowns described in chapter 1 (gaps, gossips,…)



3. Cross-cultural communication makes us more conscious of our own communication. Choose our words carefullyClarify our questionsRefrain from discussing some topics.Fear from misinterpretation of nonverbal.

This increased awareness can make us uncomfortable when communicating with people from other culture.


4.Cultures vary with their “do’s and taboos”• The effective cross-cultural communicators is learns what they are and

respectful them. Example: dietary, which is forbidden or not fordifferent culture.

• A strong social prohibition (or ban) relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is forbidden based on moral judgment and sometimes even religious beliefs.

Example: giving small gift toJapanese visitor.Any other examples??



5. Learning about cultural norms and variation in communication styles helps ensure understanding.

Cultural norms are behavior patterns that are typical of specific groups. Such behaviors are learned from parents, teachers, peers, and many others whose values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors take place in the context of their own organizational culture.




6. Barriers are more easily overcome if people see each other as friendly, cooperative and trustworthy.


Outline

1. diversity definition.2. Acknowledge intercultural interdependence.3. principles of intercultural Communication4. intercultural Communication styles5. Barriers to intercultural Communication

6. Tools of diversity


Recognize intercultural Communication styles

1. Variation in spoken language: begin with the value cultures place in language it self

2. Variation in nonverbal communication:Nonverbal communication is the sum total of our body's

communication. It is how our body communicates or sends a message.

intercultural Communication styles

1. Variation (differences) in spoken language:• values placed in language:American generally value the power of the spoken word, other

cultures are skeptical of language.Some cultures (American) use the power of spoken words to

communicate with people, for example: the live talk shows just like: Oprah Winfrey can communication with millions.

Other cultures (Japan): use the power of silence and believe that language can never revel the truth, more comfortable with silence.




1. Variation (differences) in spoken language:• Purpose of language- American are concerned with language that accomplish

tasks to get the point quickly. In Mexico, talk about family, friends, .. Before considering the task.

- In USA, even a professor or president, he says to you: please call me “ Peter”.

- Here in Arab world: Please call me: Excellency : 36oftk..- Accomplish tasks, get to the point quickly.- Strengthening relations.


1. Variation in spoken language:• Purpose of language:

- Pay attention to the language variation help us to learn how

people regards relations.

- For example in English we use the word “you” for friend

and boss, while in Spanish they use “Su” for Boss and use

“tu” for informal relations.




1. Variation in spoken language:• Structure of language: format used for

communicating in English. In Spanish order of words doesn’t matter.

• Subject- verb –object↔ She hit the ballClasses of words (parts of speech), meanings of words

(semantics).

- How words are organized in relation to each other (syntax)


1. Variation in spoken language:• Structure of language:

- How words are formed (morphology)

- The study of sounds of words (phonology) :

- There are overall 800 sound in human languages, in

English the is 45 sound and in Hawaiian there is 18

soundMohammad R. Rawashdeh



- In English : she hit the ball

- In Spanish; she the ball hit, the order of words dose

not matter





- In English : we don’t know how to pronounce word

start with “ng” or “ts” but can read them at the end

of word “for example: cats, meaning”.

- In Spanish; words don’t begin with “sp” but begin

with “es”. Spanish speaker will read “speech as

espeech”



1. Variation in spoken language:• Word meanings: - Denotative : in English chair means the object you sit in &

the head of a department, but in Korean different words would be used.

- Connotative: differences refer to emotional meaning come with words. In English we describe a woman supervisor as “aggressive” but a man supervisor as “assertive” . Both words used to convey same behavior.

- Example: Propaganda: negative meaning in English and not in Spanish.



1. Variation in spoken language:• Word meanings: - Figurative speech: Whenever you describe something by

comparing it with something by comparing it with something else.

- Snake, time flying.

- Green hands

- Fish sleeping

- You are just like palm tree… Tall person


1. Variation in spoken language:• How to use language (pragmatics):- Where and with whom we are communicating

- Person talks while you are talking

- Respond to a question by telling a story that

irrelevant to the topic

- Remember that use of language is culture- specific



1. Variation in spoken language:• How to use language (pragmatics):

An individual with pragmatic problems may:Telling a story that is completely irrelevant to the topic & in a disorganized way.Ignore the ‘turn-taking’.Say inappropriate or unrelated things during a conservation.



intercultural Communication styles1. Variation in spoken language:Where & with whom we are communicate with??• As a result;- We tend to make modification to our communication

depending on where we are and with whom. In class or in coffee shop.

- We change depending on informal or formal relationship- How we think people will respond to our use of slang or

regional variation in dialect. - Talking louder and slower when talking with children or

non-English speakers.



2. Variation in nonverbal communication: is the hidden dimension of our communication

• Use of time: chronemics How we regard time

• Use of personal space: proxemics

• Use of eye contact: oculesics

• Use of gestures (kinesics), touch (haptics) and

voice (vocalics)

Nonverbal communication (NVC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonverbal


• Is usually understood as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless messages. i.e., language is not the only source of communication, there are other means also. NVC can be communicated through gestures and touch (Hapticcommunication), by body language or posture, by facial expression and eye contact. NVC can be communicated through object communication such as clothing hairstyles, or even architecture symbols infographics, and . Speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice emotion speakingquality, and style, as well as prosodic rhythm intonationfeatures such as , and stress Dance. is also regarded as a nonverbal communication. Likewise, written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the use of emoticons.

intercultural Communication styles2. Variation in nonverbal communication:

• Use of time: chronemics• Is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication. The way we

perceive time, structure our time and react to time is a powerful

communication tool, and helps set the stage for the communication process.

Across cultures, time perception plays a large role in the nonverbal

communication process. Time perceptions include punctuality


, willingness

to wait, and interactions. The use of time can affect lifestyles, daily agendas,

speed of speech, movements and how long people are willing to listen. • \

Intercultural Communication Styles

2. Variation in nonverbal communication:

• Use of time: chronemics

- Time is important for Americans “ losing time,

killing time, saving time, time is money,..etc”

- In contrast to time orientation is relationship

orientation where the quality of the interaction

indicates how much time will be spent.Mohammad R. Rawashdeh


2. Variation in nonverbal communication:

• Use of personal space (physical ): (proxemics): Refers to the distance we stands when we talk to another one.

The term proxemics was introduced by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in 1966. Proxemics

is the study of set measurable distances between people as they interact. The

term proxemics was introduced by anthropologist Edward T. Hall


in 1966.

Proxemics is the study of set measurable distances between people as they interact.

- People in middle east have shorter distance and people

from England have large distance.



2. Variation in nonverbal communication: • Use of eye contact: oculesics• Refers to non verbal communication through eye contact, for example indicators

of emotions from the eyes filling with tears or widening in shock. Eye movements are often interpreted as revealing our thoughts,for example people that are lying may not maintain eye contact.

- American: like soft eye contact where people look at them, from time to time, look

away. Intense stars makes most Americans feel very nervous.

- Other cultures is very little eye contact

- Others like intense eye contact with short distance

- For middle Easters the eye is the window of the soul, they can read eyes.


2. Variation in nonverbal communication: • Use of gestures (kinesics: the interpretation ofbody language facial expressionssuch asand gestures


or, more formally, non-verbal behavior related tomovement, either of any part

of the body or the body as a whole. )


2. Variation in nonverbal communication: Use of touch (haptics: the means by which people communicate via touching. Touch is an extremely important sensefor humans; as well as providing Information about surfaces and textures it is a component ofnonverbal communicationin interpersonal relationships,

& vital in conveying physical intimacy. )Mohammad R. Rawashdeh



2. Variation in nonverbal communication: • Use of gestures (kinesics), touch (haptics),

body language and voice (vocalics)

- Some cultures talk too loud in conservation, and

others tend to vocal volume.

- Hand gestures are by no mean universal

- Hug is a typical greeting even among strangers

in Latin America.


Examples of hand gestures


Examples of Gestures made with other body parts


Outline

1. diversity definition.2. Acknowledge intercultural interdependence.3. principles of intercultural Communication4. intercultural Communication styles5. Barriers to intercultural Communication6. Tools of diversity


Barriers to intercultural Communication

We will identify four barriers to Effectiveness in intercultural Communication:

1.Walking on eggs2.Hot buttons3.Container myth4.Language, vernacular and accent bias


1. Walking on eggs:When someone says they feel like they are walking on egg, what is

that telling you? It's telling you :

- that they can no longer be themselves in your presence.

- that they fear your reaction whenever they speak.

- that they are stuck, that they cannot move in either direction, for

fear of upsetting you.

- It is also telling you that they need to stop this feeling that is

tearing them apart.Mohammad R. Rawashdeh


1. Walking on eggs:

If you are walking on eggs, you are being

very careful not to offend someone or do

anything wrong


Barriers to intercultural Communication1. Walking on eggs:

- Certain topics create tension for ethnic minorities

- This tension can make those communication with

ethnic minorities hesitant to approach these topics.

- It is difficult to know exactly what these topics are?

- Example is ethnic jokes ( you have to avoid them)Mohammad R. Rawashdeh

Barriers to intercultural Communication1. Walking on eggs:Several things can help with this barrier:

- Remember that these topics are profoundly personal.

- Have implication for how people feel and think about

themselves.

- Learn to handle defensiveness and to support for ethnic

minority people.


Barriers to intercultural Communication1. Walking on eggs:Several things can help with this barrier :

- May be its work to invite these ethnic minority people to discussion and to share their perception of the topic at hand .

- Remember that listening is vital link in any constructive communication interaction.

- Finally, and the best is to avoid these topics, until stronger relationship (trust) is established.



Barriers to intercultural Communication2. Hot buttons:

- Hot buttons are words that invoke an emotional response in other person.


Barriers to intercultural Communication2. Hot buttons:- Sometimes words simply is misunderstood

- Swearing can become hot button

- Derogatory words used for people from specific groups.


Barriers to intercultural Communication2. Hot buttons:To avoid:

- Identify the hot button for you and for others then try to avoid them

- If they are used then try to control your emotional reaction

- When tension is minimized talk about why and how these words

bother you.

- When tension is minimized talk about why and how these buttons

produce that reaction ,the other will cease from using these hot

buttons next time.


Barriers to intercultural Communication3. Container myth

Is assumption that words mean the same thing across all cultures

Barriers to intercultural Communication3. Container myth:

- Sometimes words is misunderstood, for example, as

when our students told that “foul” language is not

allowed, a concerned student from Turkey came to

office to ask why they could not talk about chickens

and birds “fowl” in class.- Stay away from jargon.


Barriers to intercultural Communication3. Container myth:- Also as we talk before about denotative and

connotative meaning of words.- A relationship built on trust will create a climate

where people share their understanding.- It would be helpful to be curious about language use

across culture.- To assist, when using language that might be

understood, consider phrases like: “we describe it as…”….


Barriers to intercultural Communication4. Language, vernacular and accent bias:- Every group have particular affinity for their

language.- There are certain biases that come with a particular

accent.- You must identify your biases about languages,

vernaculars or accents and actively work to overcome them.

- All languages are capable of communicating every possible thought.


Barriers to intercultural Communication4. Language, vernacular and accent bias:- Related to language bias is bias related to vernacular (the

specific language used in particular communities, such spoken by Black or Latin peoples in USA).

- There are certain biases that come with a particular accent- Learn the new and powerful languages.- Advantages of multiple languages.



Outline

1. diversity definition.2. Acknowledge intercultural interdependence.3. principles of intercultural Communication4. intercultural Communication styles5. Barriers to intercultural Communication6. Tools of diversity


Tools of diversity:The specific tools for effective cross- culture communication are easy to list but difficult to employ, we will discuses four tools:

1.Overcome personal biases2.Relate culture to communication3.Empathize with non-English ( non- Arabic) speakers.4. Develop cross- cultural competence.


Eliminating Personal Bias

• Getting to the correct answer is not always as easy as it seems. One of the leading roadblocks ispersonal bias, which are a culmination of our experiences, beliefs, misconceptions, desires, motivations, pride and many other elements that make up our day-to-day thought patterns. Unfortunately, personal bias can be destructive when it comes to solving problems. “Yes, I know that's a bold statement“.“ I wont get into the justification here”; “let’s just assume that I am right“.


To overcome personal bias, one must:

• Accept ones own fallibility – when we assume that our way is the only way, we miss out on opportunities to grow and enrich the things that are important to us.

• Cultivate intellectual empathy – this can only be achieved by gaining experience and constructing points of view towards another’s negative feelings. Opening yourself up to find your blind spots is especially useful when you are hearing complaintsabout something you believe to be in good working order.

• Develop intellectual humility – identify the extent of your own ignorance and become "ego-sensitive."

• Identify the extent of your own ignorance – perhaps some of your biases are not as concrete as you think. Recall previous beliefs that you once held but now reject.

Tools of diversity:Overcome personal Biases• Racism, stereotypes and discrimination negatively

impact our communication with others.

• These are the source of hurt feeling and result in

miscommunication, damaged relationships and loss

in productivity.



Definitions that should be understood.

Prejudice: A set of rigid & unfavorable attitudes toward a particular group that is formed in disregard of facts. An unsupported judgment usually accompanied by disapproval.

It is an assumption made about someone or something before having adequate knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy.The word prejudice is most commonly used to refer to a preconceived judgment toward a people or a person because of race, social class, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, political beliefs, religion, or other personal characteristics. It also means a priori beliefs (without knowledge of the facts) and may include "any unreasonable attitude that is unusually resistant to rational influence." Both positive and negative prejudice exist; when used negatively "prejudice" implies fear and antipathy toward its subject, whilst when used positively can be used to describe intrinsic orsubconscious preferences (such as tastes).



Stereotype: negative beliefs about a particular group, it does not consider people as individuals, but rather categorizes them as members of a group who all think and behave in the same way. We may pick up these stereotypes from what other people say, from T.V or from what we read.

Is a commonly held public belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings. Stereotypes are standardized and simplified conceptions of groups based on some prior assumptions.



Discrimination: the differential treatment based on unfair

categorization. It is denial of justice prompted by prejudice.

When we act on our prejudices we engage in discrimination. It

involves keeping people out of activities or places because of the

group to which they belong.Is a sociological term referring to the treatment taken toward or against a person of a

certain group in consideration based solely on class or category. It is the actual behavior towards another group. It involves excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to other groups. The United Nations explains: "Discriminatory behaviors take many forms, but they all involve some form of exclusion or rejection." Discriminatory laws such as redlining have existed in many countries. In some countries, controversial attempts such as racial quotas have been used to redress negative effects of discrimination.



• Racism: The coupling of the false assumption that race determines psychological –scientific study of human or animal mental functions & behavior - & cultural traits with the belief that one race is superior to another.

• Over racism: is communicated when people make some statement that would by most people be identified as racist.

• Symbolic racism: is attacking some symbol of importance to a particular group.

• Arms-length racism: when you don’t mind ethnic minority people to work with or to socialize with, but that you would oppose any closed relation (marrying).


• Racism: is the belief that the genetic factors which constitute race are a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Racism's effects are called "racial discrimination." In the case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or receive preferential treatment. Racial discrimination typically points out taxonomic differences between different groups of people, although anyone may be discriminated against on an ethnic or cultural basis, independently of their somatic differences. According to the UN conventions, there is no distinction between the term racial discrimination & ethnicity discrimination.

• There is some evidence that the meaning of the term has changed over time, and that earlier definitions of racism involved the simple belief that human populations are divided into separate races. Many biologists, anthropologists, and sociologists reject this taxonomy in favor of more specific and/or empirically verifiable criteria, such as geography, ethnicity,..



Scapegoating: The policy of blaming an individual or group

when the fault actually lies elsewhere. Those who we

scapegoat become objects of our aggression. Scapegoating

can lead to verbal and physical violence, including death.

Insteitutional Racism: Ideologies and structures that are used

to systematically legitimize unequal division of power and

resources between groups on the basis of race.


Tools of diversity:Overcome personal Biases• Relations become strained when many Euro-

Americans assert that these historical practices are

over (and thus ethnic minority people should “just

get over it”) or when feeling of guilt keep them from

creating meaningful relationships with ethnic

minorities.


Overcome personal Biases

To overcome:

• Develop an understanding about what is

biases?

• Recognize that racism and discrimination are

still have powerfully impact


Tools of diversity:Overcome personal Biases

To overcome:

• Not only be sensitive to your own racisms but

also develop strategies to resist the racism

that may occur in your workspace.

• Be attuned to how we communicate our

prejudices



Forms of racism:

• Overt racism, such as “all are lazy” or “they should

go back where they came from”.

• Symbolic racism, is attacking some symbol of

importance to a particular group of people.



Forms of racism:

• Symbolic racism, such as saying “ affirmative action

required companies to hire people who were not

qualified is a distortion of the actual policy”. The

response is emotional and not based on fact.



Forms of racism:

• Arms – length racism: is suggesting that you don’t mind

to work or know minority people, but you oppose any

closer relationship.

• Tokenism: is communicated by people who say ”I can’t

be racist one of my best friends is….”believing that

knowing one person from (different race….) is enough

to prove that he is not racist.


Tools of diversity:Relate culture to communication

• Recognize the connection between culture and

communication

• Its hard to learn language without its culture.

• Nonverbal communication is impacted by culture

specific meanings.

• We learn more values and world- view if we

communicate with others.


Tools of diversity:Relate culture to communication

• Seek to understand these cultural differences

• Recognize the interdependence nature of

groups.

• Seek culture specific knowledge which

includes history, current social issue,….

• Learn a second language your self


Tools of diversity:Empathize non-English speakers

• Develop empathy for second language learners, and learn second language yourself.

• Appreciate others attempts to learn your language

• Support those attempts by minimizing stress and making your messages understandable


Tools of diversity:Develop intercultural (cross cultural) competence

The kind of competence meant here is an ability to

accomplish goals while also reducing misunderstanding

and building strong interpersonal relationships, these

competencies will enhance your overall quality of your

life


Tools of diversity:Develop Intercultural Competence

Cross Cultural skills includes:• Acknowledge and work on overcoming prejudices and

biases• Work toward equal-status relationships• Challenge personal assumption• Learn how your culture is different from others• Communicate with those from other cultures• Learn how others want to be treated and try to

accommodate them


End of chapter 2Any Question?

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