Upload
kenneth-robinson
View
256
Download
4
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Intercultural Intercultural Communications:Communications:
Intercultural CompetenceIntercultural Competence
Space, Touch, & TimeSpace, Touch, & Time
SpaceSpace
Personal space—an important Personal space—an important communication system in all culturescommunication system in all cultures
Proxemics—the study of how people Proxemics—the study of how people differ in their use of personal spacediffer in their use of personal space
Proxemic zonesProxemic zones• IntimateIntimate• PersonalPersonal• SocialSocial• publicpublic
U.S. U.S. proxemicproxemic zones zonesSpatialSpatialDistanceDistanceZoneZone
Spatial Spatial
DistanceDistance
(in meters)(in meters) UsageUsageOther Other
CharacteristicsCharacteristics
IntimateIntimate 0-0.50-0.5 Loving; Loving; comforting; comforting; protecting; protecting; fightingfighting
Minimal Minimal conversation; smell conversation; smell & feel of other; eye & feel of other; eye contact unlikelycontact unlikely
PersonalPersonal 0.5-1.20.5-1.2 Conversations Conversations withwith intimates, intimates, friends, & friends, & acquaintancesacquaintances
Touch possible; Touch possible; much visual detailmuch visual detail
SocialSocial 1.2-3.71.2-3.7 Impersonal & Impersonal & social eventssocial events
More formal tone; More formal tone; some visual detail some visual detail lost; eye contactlost; eye contact
PublicPublic 3.7-up3.7-up Lectures, Lectures, concerts, etc.concerts, etc.
Only obvious Only obvious attributes seenattributes seen
Personal spacePersonal space
Northern/colder climatesNorthern/colder climates Southern/warmer climatesSouthern/warmer climates ““Too close for comfort”Too close for comfort” ““too distant and aloof”too distant and aloof” ““Since most people don’t think about personal Since most people don’t think about personal
distance as something that is culturally distance as something that is culturally patterned, foreign spatial cues are almost patterned, foreign spatial cues are almost
inevitably misinterpreted.”inevitably misinterpreted.” (Hall & Hall)(Hall & Hall)
TerritorialityTerritoriality
Territoriality—The need to protect Territoriality—The need to protect and defend a particular spatial areaand defend a particular spatial area• To ownTo own• Have a right to defendHave a right to defend
Marking territoriesMarking territories• Formal (post signs)Formal (post signs)• Informal (nonverbal markers)Informal (nonverbal markers)
TerritorialityTerritoriality
Exhibiting territoriality in different Exhibiting territoriality in different culturescultures
The degree of exhibiting territorialityThe degree of exhibiting territoriality The places/spaces The places/spaces
• Touching my car = touching meTouching my car = touching me Response Response
• WithdrawalWithdrawal• Use of barriersUse of barriers• Defend Defend
TouchTouch
Touch is the most basic form of Touch is the most basic form of human communicationhuman communication
5 meanings of touch5 meanings of touch• AffectAffect• PlayfulnessPlayfulness• Control/Social dominance (status)Control/Social dominance (status)• RitualRitual• Task-related Task-related
Cultural differences in touchCultural differences in touch
High contact cultures:High contact cultures:• Middle EastMiddle East• Latin AmericaLatin America• Southern EuropeSouthern Europe
Non-contact culturesNon-contact cultures• AsiaAsia
Is China a non-contact culture?Is China a non-contact culture?
• Northern EuropeNorthern Europe Brushing against a sleeve elicits an apologyBrushing against a sleeve elicits an apology
Cultural differences in touchCultural differences in touch
Where you can touchWhere you can touch• Can you touch the head of a Thai child?Can you touch the head of a Thai child?
Who touches whomWho touches whom• Can strangers touch in Japan?Can strangers touch in Japan?• Ritual cleansing in Muslim countries if Ritual cleansing in Muslim countries if
opposite sex touching occursopposite sex touching occurs• Where can men hold hands?Where can men hold hands?• Where is same sex touching avoided?Where is same sex touching avoided?• Settings (home, the office, in public)Settings (home, the office, in public)
TimeTime
Chronemics—the study of time—how Chronemics—the study of time—how people use it, structure it, interpret people use it, structure it, interpret it, & understand its passage.it, & understand its passage.
Time orientations—the importance a Time orientations—the importance a culture places on the passage of timeculture places on the passage of time• Past orientedPast oriented• Present orientedPresent oriented• Future orientedFuture oriented
Past –oriented culturesPast –oriented cultures
Emphasize wisdom and tradition past Emphasize wisdom and tradition past down from older generationsdown from older generations
Respect for parents & older peopleRespect for parents & older people Events repeat themselves—patternsEvents repeat themselves—patterns Tried & true methods (tested and Tried & true methods (tested and
found effective) used to solve current found effective) used to solve current problemsproblems• Traditions, customsTraditions, customs
China, UK, Native AmericansChina, UK, Native Americans
Present-orientedPresent-oriented culturescultures
Current experiences most importantCurrent experiences most important Participate in an event for immediate Participate in an event for immediate
pleasure not future gainpleasure not future gain May believe in luck or fateMay believe in luck or fate They have little or no control of They have little or no control of
future eventsfuture events Rich appreciation for daily lifeRich appreciation for daily life Philippines, South & Central AmericaPhilippines, South & Central America
Future-oriented culturesFuture-oriented cultures
The future is the most importantThe future is the most important Current activities accomplished for a Current activities accomplished for a
future benefitfuture benefit• Going to school = future successGoing to school = future success
Fate is partially in their own handsFate is partially in their own hands Able to control the consequences of Able to control the consequences of
their actionstheir actions European AmericansEuropean Americans
Time systemsTime systems
Implicit cultural rules to arrange sets Implicit cultural rules to arrange sets of experiences in some meaningful of experiences in some meaningful way:way:
Types of time systemsTypes of time systems• Technical time systemsTechnical time systems• Formal time systemsFormal time systems• Informal time systems Informal time systems
Technical time systemsTechnical time systems
Scientific measurements (e.g., Scientific measurements (e.g., nanoseconds)nanoseconds)
Little relevance to cultural Little relevance to cultural experiencesexperiences
Formal time systemsFormal time systems
Formal time systems refer to the way Formal time systems refer to the way members of a culture describe and members of a culture describe and understand units of timeunderstand units of time• Native American (phases of the moon)Native American (phases of the moon)• Peru (position of the sun)Peru (position of the sun)• European Americans (seconds, minutes, European Americans (seconds, minutes,
years, etc.)years, etc.)
Formal time systemsFormal time systems
Time’s passageTime’s passage• Reference to events (e.g., B.C., A.D.)Reference to events (e.g., B.C., A.D.)
Time intervalsTime intervals• Event based (24 hours = 1 day)Event based (24 hours = 1 day)• Arbitrary (length of a football game)Arbitrary (length of a football game)
Sequences (days, months) are Sequences (days, months) are named and taught as part of the named and taught as part of the acculturation process acculturation process
Formal time systemsFormal time systems
Agreement regarding how time is Agreement regarding how time is valuedvalued
Time may be valued as a tangible Time may be valued as a tangible commoditycommodity• ““Time is money. Don’t waste either Time is money. Don’t waste either
one.”one.”
Informal time systemsInformal time systems
How time should be used or experiencedHow time should be used or experienced When is the right time to arrive at an 8:00 When is the right time to arrive at an 8:00
P.M. party? A 9:00 A.M. meeting? An 8:30 P.M. party? A 9:00 A.M. meeting? An 8:30 A.M. class?A.M. class?
Hall observes:Hall observes:• In U.S. you have 4 minutes to sell an ideaIn U.S. you have 4 minutes to sell an idea• In Japan, achieving consensus may take a long In Japan, achieving consensus may take a long
timetime Informal systems are widely held and Informal systems are widely held and
consistently imposed (like team norms)consistently imposed (like team norms)
Monochronic time systemsMonochronic time systems
Things should be done one at a timeThings should be done one at a time Time is segmented in precise unitsTime is segmented in precise units Time is a commodity (it has value)Time is a commodity (it has value) Time is scheduled, managed, Time is scheduled, managed,
arrangedarranged Events are discrete and should Events are discrete and should
receive exclusive focusreceive exclusive focus Events have boundaries: beginning & Events have boundaries: beginning &
end pointsend points
Polychronic time systemsPolychronic time systems
Several things are done at the same Several things are done at the same timetime
Relationships are more important so Relationships are more important so schedules can be broken if a friend schedules can be broken if a friend requires attentionrequires attention
Several events can be scheduled Several events can be scheduled simultaneously simultaneously
Keeping “on schedule” is not a goalKeeping “on schedule” is not a goal
Cultural misunderstandingsCultural misunderstandings
Which culture would say…Which culture would say…• Too tied to traditionToo tied to tradition• Passionless slaves to efficiencyPassionless slaves to efficiency• Self-centered, inefficient and foolishSelf-centered, inefficient and foolish
Natural tendency to view one’s own Natural tendency to view one’s own culture as superiorculture as superior
Differences in time “commitments” varies Differences in time “commitments” varies between mono- and polychronic cultures between mono- and polychronic cultures and may cause problemsand may cause problems