culture based comm

8/13/2019 Culture Based Comm

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Culture-Based Conversational

Constraints TheoryIndividual- and Culture- Level Analyses

Author: Min-Sun Kim A report by Mae Urtal Caralde


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Focus is on not what is said buthow what is said is

to be said

The manner in which a message is constructed

Major goalto understand why a particular

alternative is chosen cross-culturally;


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Outline

Goals approach to human intercultural communication

contrasted to rule- or norms-based approach.

Conversational constraints defined

Interdependent, relational self contrasted to separated,

independent self.

Advantages of applying both individual-level and cultural-level

approaches


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Problem of Norms-Based Explanations

not so helpful in explaining whyculture has an

effect.

Most research are descriptive in nature.

Main problems: UNDERSTANDING and PREDICTION

OF STRATEGY CHOICES.


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Problem of Norms-Based Explanations

ex: Americans use request and Koreans use hint for favorasking strategy.

Studies do not explain whya strategy is chosen. Rely on thenorms, rules and conventions

Appeal to certain norms and rules runs risks of not beingapplicable to other situations

Cannot capture a.) ways in which actors infer beyond theinformation given to achieve coherence; b.) ways in w/c actorsorganizes communication functionally.


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Goals Approach to Social Interaction

To achieve goals, people must have strategic competence---the

procedural knowledge necessary

Social theorists posit that social interaction and the perceptions

of competence can be analyzed in terms of goals, the plans and

strategies necessary to achieve it.


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3 Principal levels of interaction goals

1. Tactical or strategic goals

2. Primary communication goals (outcome of conversation)

3. Global constraints


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Tactical or strategic goals

STRATEGIES---action sequences that are used to attain goals

TACTICS---specific behavioral actions that a person manifest in

their goal-oriented interaction.

Ex: asking a question, breaking eye contact, turning away from

someone.


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Primary communication goals(outcome of conversation)

Numerous outcomes or primary goals that may be desired from

an entire interaction.

Situation-specific interaction outcomes (gaining compliance,

seeking information, correcting others and testing affinity)----

can have wide range of tactics


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Global constraints

Meta-goals, meta-plans, supergoals, life theme, supermaxims,

meta-strategies, cross-situational goals, ritual-constraints,

sociopragmatic interactional principles.

Tend to affect the general character of every conversation one

engages.

Usually responsible for generating the strategies and actionsthat guide an individuals conversational style.


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2 Global Constraint dimensions

1. CLARITY-conversational behavior is conceptualized as a concern

about achieving a primary goal in the most explicit and shortest

waypossible.

2. FACE-SUPPORT---concern about achieving a primary goal

without hurting the hearers desired social image and feelings.


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CULTURE-BASED

Conversational Constraints Speakers balance the need to be efficient or

indicate urgency and the need to maintain the

hearers face.

Task effectiveness is the primary or defining goal

and other concerns (like self-presentational and

relational) are secondary issues

Efficiency and appropriateness are/may also be

critical and conflicting---determine peoples choice

of conversation strategies.


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Contents of Conversational Constraints

1 Concern for Clarity

2 Concern for minimizing imposition

3 Concern for avoiding hurting the hearers feelings

4 Concern for avoiding negative evaluation by the hearer

5 Effectiveness


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CLARITY--the likelihood of an utterance making ones intention

clear and explicit

MINIMIZING IMPOSITION---the degree to which an utterance

avoids imposing on the hearers autonomy or interfering with the

hearers freedom of action.

--- negative politeness or deference politeness

--- means for face-saving


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Consideration for the others feelings---the speakers perceived

obligation to help the hearer claim and sustain positive self-

image

Risking disapproval for self---the desire to avoid negative

evaluation by the conversational partner. Speakers desire to

save his own face.

Effectivenessmay be a basis for judging communicative

competence; if goals are achieved.


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1. Concern for clarity It is important to make my point as clearly

and directly as possible

I want to come directly to the point while

conveying my message.

2. Concern for not hurting the others

feelings

I feel it is important to avoid hurting the

others feelings

Being considerate of the others feelings is a

major concern to me.

3. Concern for Nonimposition It is very important not to intrude upon theother person

It is very important to avoid inconveniencing

the other.

4. Concern for avoiding negative

evaluation by the hearer

It is very important that the other person

does notsee me in a negative light.It is very important that my message does not

cause the other person to dislike me.

5. Concern for Effectiveness It is very important to get the other person to

do what I want

Making the other person comply with myrequest is very important.


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Howto be appropriate and effective

Salience of effectiveness and social appropriateness would

be essentially the same regardless of cultural context

the MEANS of being effective or appropriate are different

Kim,Wilson,Bresnahansstudy: Resulting data did not support

the 2 hypotheses above relating to the importance of

Constraints 4 & 5


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Explanations:

a.) certain levels of concern for avoiding negative evaluation and

effectiveness are essential for successful interaction in any culture;

b.) while tactics perceived as effective differs in any culture, they

may be equally concerned about effectiveness in general.

c.) constraints 4 & 5 may be confounded by the other 3 constraints.


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Request tactic evaluation results:

a. both cultures perceived effectiveness functions as a mediating

variable between the 4 conversational constraints and the perceived

likelihood of use.

Koreans---concern for avoiding negative evaluation and avoiding hurting

feelings of hearer contribute substantially to prediction of effectiveness.

US---clarity is extremely strong predictor of perceived effectiveness oftactics.

Perceived effectivesequally importantin prediction of likelihood of use

in both cultures.


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Cultural Variability in the perceived

importance of conversational constraints

The dimensions of individualism-collectivism is systematicallyrelated to the perceived importance of clarity, avoiding hurtingthe hearers feelings and minimizing imposition.

Miyahara and Kims extension of the study:

a. Koreans are more collectivistic in conflict management styles.Focused more on social-relation constraints (avoiding

imposition or loss of face of hearer)

b. Japanese focused more on clarity constraints than Koreans(conveying message clearly and efficiently)


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Beyond Nationality

Self-concepts are mental representations of those personal

qualities used by individuals for the purpose of defining

themselves and regulating their behavior

1. Identity develop from social relationships. Relationships with

others actually constitute identity.

2.Identity develops as the individual separates from primaryrelationships and that features and experiences unique to him

or her constitute identity.


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Beyond Nationality

cultural and social groups are associated with characteristicpatterns of sociocultural participation (SELFWAYS)or morespecifically with characteristic ways of being a person in the

world.

Highly developed self-construal---see themselves as separatefrom others. To achieve independent and self-actualization.Express their unique strengths.

Highly developed interdependent construals---see themselvesas connected with others. To maintain connectedness andharmony. Suppress abilities, opinions, emotions


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Linking culture- and individual-level

analyses of conversational constraints

Culture-level

individualism

Independent

self-construal

clarity

effectiveness

Task-oriented


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Linking culture- and individual-level

analyses of conversational constraints

Culture-level

collectivism

Inter-

dependent

self-construal

Avoiding hurting

feelings of

hearer

Avoiding

negative eval

Avoiding Non-

imposition

Focus on Relational aspects


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Intracultural Variability

Within a given culture, individuals will vary in the extent to

which they are typical and construe the self in the typical

way.

Culture is NOT uniform within what we nominally designate as

one culture.

The ways in which individuals participate in culture reflect their

position and status in society.


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Kim, Sharkey and Singelis study results:

a) The higher the level of independent self-construal, the greater

concern for CLARITY;

b) the greater the individuals construal of self as interdependent,

the higher the perceived importance of not hurting hearers

feelings

c) And of having concern for negative evaluations in pursuit of

organizational goals.


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Multicultural identity

Individualism and collectivism at both culture- and individual

level has long been considered bipolar or at opposite positions.

However, some scholars argue that individuals can possess bithorientations.

Redefined individualism and collectivism so that persons can be

viewed as HIGH or LOW on either dimensions---Self construal

scale.


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Multicultural identity

4 types of culture orientations:

1. Bicultural---high assoc with independent and

low assoc with interdependent characteristics.

2. Independenthigh assoc with independent and

low assoc with interdependent

3. Interdependentlow assoc with independent

and high assoc with interdependentcharacteristic

4. Marginal---low association with both

characteristics

BICULTURAL

INTERDEPENDENT

INDEPENDENT

MARGINAL


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Conclusion

Interaction style is individually goal-driven yet socially structured.

Culture influences mediating processes (self-construals) that affectthe perceived importance of conversational constraints.

Cultural variability influences are indirect

Behaviors evidenced by members of different cultures are not simplysurface representations of their cultural background, but are deeplytied to the values and self-identity possessed by an individual

member.

Conversational constraints serves as pressures that shape and giverise to distinct social interaction.

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