For example, people in traditional high context cultures have been described as developing "shared identities." In direct contrast to low context behavior, in a negotiation, high context cultures communicate in In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high-context. Three samples were gathered from the US, China, and Korea, three different cultures. The American legal system, for example, relies on low context communication. High Context Countries 2023 - Worldpopulationreview 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. Guffey, M. E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). However, there are some other characteristics also. How Do Chinese and American Culture Compare - Medium However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. High-context cultures: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, and Saudi Arabia are some of the highest-context cultures in the world. Germany, Sweden, and the United States are generally classified as low-context cultures. A first step in achieving this goal is to identify one's own culture before delving into the rigors of another. 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. Amount of Detail Expected - High-context cultures such as Japan, China, and France provide little details in their writing. Ironically, contexting is most frequently discussed in terms of directness, yet empirical studies nearly all fail to support this relationship. Yolanda has taught college Psychology and Ethics, and has a doctorate of philosophy in counselor education and supervision. The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. Some recognized examples include: Higher-context culture: China, India, Korea, Japan, other Asian countries, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Oman, and Yemen, African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, Latin America, the Pacific islands, France, Greece, Finland, Ireland, Italy, and Russia. Carolyn Meyer (2017)[4]discusses the prototypes for communication in low-context and high-context cultures: Communicators in low-context cultures (such as those in Germany, Scandinavia, and North America) convey their meaning exclusive of the context of a situation. Examples of high-context cultures include Asian, African, Latin American, and some European countries. In high-context cultures, there are often many opportunities for social and cultural context to explain speech, which reduces the need for words in all instances. Published: 2020/12/03. High-context cultures: Much of the society's communication takes place through . Bernstein, B. Croucher's study examines the assertion that culture influences communication style (high/low-context) preference. High context cultures have a communication style based on body language, tone, and overall context; while low context cultures are more straightforward and explicit in communication. Routledge. [20][21], Cultural context can also shift and evolve. Wurtz studied McDonalds online advertising in various countries such as Japan, Germany, the United States, etc. [23] For example, Native Americans in the United States have higher-context cultures with a strong sense of tradition and history, compared to general American culture. Communication Research Reports. In contrast, low-context cultures rely on explicit verbal communication. 2. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Low context culture. 18 Examples of Low Culture. 2022-10-24 Your email address will not be published. Both often take many aspects of the other's cultural communication abilities and strengths into account. Note: Comparison of low- and high-context cultures reprinted from Business communication: Process & product (p. 64) by M.E. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. people generally use. High- and Low-Context Cultures and Responsibility for Miscommunication Also remember that although cultures are different from one another, no culture or cultural characteristic is better or worse than any other. High-Context vs. Low-Context Cultures. Mind the Gap. - Medium [35], The concepts of collectivism and individualism have been applied to high- and low-context cultures by Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede in his Cultural Dimensions Theory. By contrast, a low-context culture enjoys communications that take place most often through written or spoken (verbal) speech and rules are directly and explicitly stated. Depending on the amount of information conveyed, cultures are classified as being high-context and low-context. Low-context cultures tend to focus more on the individual than the group, which is why they value individualism and autonomy. High Context Culture: What Does It Mean and How to Adapt High context cultures tend to build relationships slowly, and they are generally stable for a long time and are based on trust and loyalty. The theory of High and Low Context Cultures puts how people communicate in a dimension. 4.3: Variations in Communication Styles - Social Sci LibreTexts High-context cultures promote the development of ingroups. It relies on the straightforward use of language, without depending much on nonverbal cues. Your email address will not be published. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. As a result of these years of interacting with one another, the members know what the rules are, how to think, and how to behave, so the rules do not have to be explicitly stated. It is important to note that no culture is low-context or high-context in absolute terms but a mix of both. Establishing relationships is an important part of communicating and interacting. Remember that culture is dynamic, and that every individual within a culture is unique and may not conform exactly to the general characteristics of that culture. A case study was done on 30 Romanian and 30 Russian employees, to compare high- and low-context cultures, and results strongly suggested that Russia and Romania are both high-context cultures. Pages: 3. Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement. The High Context / Low Context cultural dimension is a broad and far reaching theory which touches on many aspects of cultural communication including verbal and non-verbal messaging, internal and external locus of control, inward and outward reaction, cohesion of groups, people's bonds and commitments, as well . Moreover, their communication is often task-oriented and driven by rational decision-making, which can further add to their formality.. The results show significant differences between the American, Chinese, and Korean samples on 15 out of 16 items, with 11 items significant at the .01 level, one at the .05 level, and three at the .10 level. Conflict Styles and HighLow Context Cultures: A Cross-Cultural Extension. [32] Awareness of miscommunication between high- and low-context cultures within the workplace or intercultural communication settings advocates for collected unification within a group through the flexibility and ability to understand one another. High Context Culture vs Low Context Culture: Communication - TechTello High-Context and Low-Context Cultures - OUP Academic Cultural Context | Communication for Professionals - Lumen Learning Low context can describe situations, environments and cultures. They also are AT-CTI certified. They assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything. The difference between High and Low Context Culture is that Low Context Cultures (Individualistic Cultures) do not need a lot of additional (Contextual) information to engage in " communication ". Instead, many cultures tend to have a mixture or at least some concepts that are shared between them, overlapping the two context cultures.[26]. Table 2 shows a classification of countries in low and high context, their characteristics and the expected role . succeed. They rely less on the shared values/assumptions of the group and the context of the situation. Wurtz, Elizabeth (2005). Since they value collectivism and interdependence, it makes sense that their communication requires an understanding of the communitys shared values. Beyond Culture. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 It is important to note that while a nation or society may be widely considered a high-context or low-context culture, certain events occur in the opposite context regularly (such as family gatherings in the United States). Traditionally, Western cultures are known for being more individualistic or communicating with a low context style. Translation Issues Associated With High-context and Low-context Cultures Because low-context communication concerns more direct messages, the meaning of these messages is more dependent on the words being spoken rather than on the interpretation of more subtle or unspoken cues. A few predominantly high-context cultures include Japan, China, Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa. The study tested 16 items, covering various aspects of the high-versus-low context concept, including social orientation, responsibility, confrontation, communication, commitment, and dealing with new situations. Writing Topic Sentences and Body Paragraphs, 38. In high-context cultures, people are said to prefer symbolic, artful language that is implicit. In contrast, high-context cultures use facial expressions, body language, and gestures in a nuanced manner. 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. [37] Because individualistic cultures may value cultural diversity, a more explicit way of communicating is often required to avoid misunderstanding. The most prominent characteristics of high context culture is non-verbal communication, while for low context culture, it is obvious to have verbal and written communication. From each culture, 96 business managers were surveyed for the American and Chinese sample and 50 managers were surveyed from Korea. - Definition & Assessment, Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder, Atypical Antipsychotics: Effects & Mechanism of Action, What Is a Mood Stabilizer? 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 . Want to create or adapt books like this? This also means that low-context communication may fail due to the overload of information, which makes culture lose its screening[definition needed] function. [25], The categories of context cultures are not totally separate. In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. They are not simply complementary but are often used as the primary means of conveying a message and require the members to have greater cultural understanding. The scale of high- and low-context cultures helps explain much about how we experience communication across our cultural experiences. Eye contact, for example, which is encouraged in North America, may have ambiguous meaning or be considered disrespectful in certain high-context cultures. Because of this, many features of cultural behavior in high-context cultures, such as individual roles and expectations, do not need much detailed or thought-out explanation. 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. 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. High and Low Culture Report.docx - High and Low Culture Sage Publications. About The Helpful Professor As such, what is said is what is meant, and further analysis of the message is usually unnecessary. High-context cu. People are comfortable standing close to each other. Asia, Africa, Latin America, and central Europe are predominantly countries with a high context culture. An in-depth understanding of cultural norms is not required because the communication is explicit. 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. How Do I Format and Cite Long Direct Quotes? For example, resemblance is a significant trait in cultures with a high level of context. References Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). The following high-context culture examples are a few global cultures where these rules, as well as other characteristics of high-context cultures, apply predominantly: For additional context, a few examples of low-context cultures beyond the United States include Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, and Denmark. High Context Culture Definition & Examples | High Context vs Low 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. "[17] On the other hand, he identified countries such as Germany, the United States and Scandinavia as low-context cultures. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Primarily use non-verbal methods to relay meaningful information in conversations, such as facial expressions, eye movement, and tone of voice. The ways by which humans communicate are based heavily on the context of what is being spoken, the individuals involved, and the setting in which the communication takes place. For an outsider, it is easier to enter into low-context cultures because one does not need to be aware of the shared history/values of the group. The Self in a Social Context: Help and Review, Figure-Ground Perception: Definition & Examples, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, High Context vs. Low Context Characteristics, Introduction to Social Psychology: Help and Review, Research Methods and Ethics: Help and Review, Social Cognition & Perception: Help and Review, The Self: Executive and Organizational Functions & Gender and Cultural Differences, Introspection and Self-Awareness Theory in Psychology: Definition & Examples, Self-Perception Theory: Definition and Examples, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation in Education: Definition & Examples, Two-Factor Theory of Emotions: Definition and Relation to the Misattribution of Arousal, Social-Comparison Theory: Upward vs. Your message needs to be clear and precise. Getting the message across. High and Low Context Cultures - Intercultural Communication [30] The diversity within a main culture shows how the high and low scale differs depending on social settings such as school, work, home, and in other countries; variation is what allows the scale to fluctuate even if a large culture is categorized as primarily one or the other. High Context Marketing & Low Context Marketing on the Internet Create your account, 10 chapters | All the advice on this site is general in nature. If you want to appear polite, you need to be willing to greet strangers and thank . differentiate between high-context and low context culture examples In other words, high-context communicators attach great importance to everything that surrounds the explicit message, including interpersonal relationships, non-verbal cues, and physical and social settings. Having a firm grasp on what constitutes high- and low-context, particularly in a communication setting, will truly help you better understand each . They place a high value on interpersonal relationships and group members are a very close-knit community. What are some examples of low-context and high-context cultures? Generally, the situation, people, and non-verbal elements are more important than the actual words that are communicated in a high-context culture. 1. This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). For example, for someone who is older and more experienced within a society, the need for social cues may be higher or lower depending on the communication style. Discover high context culture examples, and identify the importance of high context vs. low context communication. Japan and other countries located in Asia, Brazil and other countries located in South America, African tribal groups and most countries located in Africa, A majority of the Middle East, including Iraq and Iran, Describe Edward T. Hall's characterization of high-context cultures, Distinguish between high-context and low-context cultures, Explain the characteristics of high-context cultures, Recall the importance of ingroups to high-context cultures. The USA and Australia are typically low-context, highly individualistic cultures, where transparency and competition in business are prized. High-context and low-context cultures - Wikipedia The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. This concept was introduced by Edward T. Hall, an anthropologist back in 1976. 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. But we can also use them to talk about smaller groups, such as corporate cultures or a specific setting like the airport. The GLOBE Project Overview & Behavior Styles | What is the GLOBE Project? These include specific forms of body language, the social or familial status of an individual, and the tone of voice employed during speech. There are strong distinctions made between individuals who are members of the ingroup and those who are not members in high-context cultures. Indeed, Vietnamese communication style has all the characteristics of highcontext cultures, such as indirect and digressive communication, use of few words, reliance on contextual cues, avoidance of the use of personal names, respect for long silences, and waiting politely until the other person has stopped speaking before taking turns. For instance, a study has argued that both Japan and Finland (high-context cultures) are becoming lower-context with the increased influence of Western European and United States culture.[22]. "[27] This implies that communication is quite direct and detailed because members of the culture are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories, past experience or background. Low-context cultures also want these communications to revolve around basic questions, like: What's happening? High vs Low Context Cultures Flashcards | Quizlet [5], These concepts were first introduced by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1959 book The Silent Language. Anchor Press/Doubleday. [4] The model of high-context and low-context cultures offers a popular framework in intercultural-communication studies, but has been criticized as lacking empirical validation. High and Low Context Culture - UKEssays Examples of low-context cultures include Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the United States. Language may be used to achieve goals or exchange information. Trust must be developed before business transactions can begin. The United States, on the other hand, is considered a low-context culture, relying largely on explicit verbal explanations to keep everyone on the same page. High-context cultures, on the other hand, depend on both the spoken words and the context of the situationincluding the shared values/assumptions of the groupto convey meaning. Since North American business practices tend to follow low-context norms, most of us are more familiar with this system than we are with high-context cultures. High-context cultures include close-knit groups of people, while low-context cultures are generally more diverse. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. Differences in high-context and low-context communication styles - LinkedIn Examples of low context cultures include: Scandinavia; Germany, and the US. I feel like its a lifeline. Low-context and high-context culture are anthropological concepts that describe the level of explicit information and the importance of context in a cultures communication. What is a high-context culture and how does this communication culture differ from a low-context culture? The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . The general terms "high context" and "low context" (popularized by Edward Hall) are used to describe broad-brush cultural differences between societies. In his model, context refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambiance surrounding an event. [42] In a case study conducted by the IT University of Copenhagen, it was found that websites catering to high-context cultures tended to have more detailed and advanced designs, including various images and animations. These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. The low-context websites had multiple images of individuals, while the high-context websites contained images and animations of groups and communities.[42]. As such, high-context cultures tend to cater to the development and promotion of ingroups, which are groups that we belong to and are loyal to, including families, cultures, and religious congregations.
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