Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. In anthropology, high-context culture and low-context culture are ends of a continuum of how explicit the messages exchanged in a culture are and how important the context is in communication. Sage Publications. Copyright 2023 Helpful Professor. Low context implies that a lot of information is exchanged explicitly through the message itself and rarely is anything implicit or hidden.People in low context cultures such as the UK tend to have short-term relationships, follow rules and standards closely and are generally very task-oriented. High-context cultures include close-knit groups of people, while low-context cultures are generally more diverse. [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. Meaning depends on what is said- the literal content of the message- rather than how it is said. . The verbal and nonverbal cues of low vs. high-context communication can be . In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". They place a high value on interpersonal relationships and group members are a very close-knit community. Hall, E. T. (1976). [5], These concepts were first introduced by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1959 book The Silent Language. The aim of this report is to evaluate the concept of different communication cultures through the application of Hall's high and low-context model of culture. A high-context culture is a culture or society that communicates dominantly through the use of contextual elements, such as specific forms of body language, the status of an individual, and. There are strong distinctions made between individuals who are members of the ingroup and those who are not members in high-context cultures. 3. A 2008 meta-analysis concluded that the model was "unsubstantiated and underdeveloped".[5]. High Context Culture And Its Importance In contrast, high-context cultures use facial expressions, body language, and gestures in a nuanced manner. A first step in achieving this goal is to identify one's own culture before delving into the rigors of another. ), Hall, E. T.; Hall, M. R. (1990). Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement. Sage Publications. I feel like its a lifeline. 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 are related to connotation. The general terms "high context" and "low context" (popularized by Edward Hall) are used to describe broad-brush cultural differences between societies. Instead, many cultures tend to have a mixture or at least some concepts that are shared between them, overlapping the two context cultures.[26]. Most of the cultural behavior aspects are not open for the reason that many of the members are aware of what to do and what thoughts to engage in. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. "[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. Unlike the linear communication style preferred in low-context cultures, high-context communicators may use spiral logic, circling around a topic indirectly and looking at it from many tangential or divergent viewpoints. People from low-context cultures value logic, facts, and directness. Whereas low-context cultures prefer more words (to a certain extent), high-context cultures prefer more images. Your email address will not be published. It can imply understanding or agreement, but it can also mean their conversea lack of certainty. Besides cultural context, personal experiences and preferences also shape communication. In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". The tools are used to establish context by adding additional information as personal and social cues are not as presentable as they are in face-to-face negotiations. The American sample scored the lowest compared to the two "Oriental samples," which aligns with Hall's concept. The Nine Competencies that Characterize an IEP, Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits and Obstacles, Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, Additional Resources to Help you Format your Paper in APA Style. Low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, action-oriented, and concerned with the individual. The terms low-context and high-context usually refer to language groups or nationalities. What is the role of such non-verbal communication in business relationships? Due to this shared understanding, high-context cultures are slightly more informal. Three samples were gathered from the US, China, and Korea, three different cultures. 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 cultures are built on a sense of shared experiences and history. 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. [6] Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. [38] By contrast, low-context cultures tend to change more rapidly and drastically, allowing extension[definition needed] to happen at faster rates. Unlike low-context cultures, high-context cultures prioritize the group over the individual (Hofstede, 1984). When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. Meaning is determined not by what is said but by how it is said and by how social implications such as the communicators status and position come into play. 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. On one side of the dimension, we have high context cultures, which depend on greater context when communicating. (2012). These include specific forms of body language, the social or familial status of an individual, and the tone of voice employed during speech. Meyer defines low-context cultures as cultures where people communicate and receive messages at face value. 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. Edward Hall is a famous theorist and anthropologist who has contributed a renowned theory of high- and low-context cultures to facilitate students, researchers . When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. "[17] On the other hand, he identified countries such as Germany, the United States and Scandinavia as low-context cultures. In other words, the relationship between directness and contexting based on traditional classifications of [high-context] and [low-context] cultures is particularly tenuous. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. Amount of Detail Expected - High-context cultures such as Japan, China, and France provide little details in their writing. China, Japan, Turkey, and Mexico are some countries that lean towards high-context. Examples of high-context cultures include Asian, African, Latin American, and some European countries. Wurtz found something similar while analyzing website design. Ironically, contexting is most frequently discussed in terms of directness, yet empirical studies nearly all fail to support this relationship. Neuliup, J. W. (2011). Low use of nonverbal elements. Communication Differences in Low-Context vs. High-Context Cultures, Comparing Communication Styles in Low- and High-Context Cultures, Additional Resources for Determining Cultural Contexts, Ethnocentrism and Cross-Cultural Competence, Additional Resources for Understanding Trompenaars Dimensions, Three Prototypes: Dignity, Face, and Honor Cultures, Ethnocentrism, Culture Shock, and Cultural Relativism. They assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything. In low-context cultures, gestures and facial expressions are never the primary means of communication; they only serve to clarify or complement a point. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. Low-context cultures also want these communications to revolve around basic questions, like: What's happening? These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. Identify your style Before implementing effective communication practices across cultures, identify your own style: The study identifies whether and how variables that characterize high- and low-context cultures are reflected on Web sites. Examples of low context cultures include: Scandinavia; Germany, and the US. High-context cultures are more likely to be intuitive, contemplative, and concerned with the collective. Ramos suggests that "in low context culture, communication members' communication must be more explicit. What are the effects on the communication process? [31], Between each type of culture context, there will be forms of miscommunication because of the difference in gestures, social cues, and intercultural adjustments; however, it is important to recognize these differences and learn how to avoid miscommunication to benefit certain situations. The answer is simple. Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. However, this type of segregation is not rigid, but takes the form of a gradient since the contextual base of a culture is not a quantifiable but relative concept. An individual from Texas (a higher-context culture) may communicate with a few words or use of a prolonged silence characteristic of Texan English, where a New Yorker would be very explicit (as typical of New York City English), although both speak the same language (American English) and are part of a nation (the United States of America) which is lower-context relative to other nations. Low-context communicators dont need to be provided with much background information, but they do expect messages to be professional, efficient, and linear in their logic. Examples of low- and high-context cultures are those based in the following culture clusters: High-context cultures The Sub-Saharan Africa Cluster The Middle East Cluster The Latin Europe Cluster The Eastern Europe Cluster The Latin America Cluster The Southern Asia Cluster The Confucian Asia Cluster Low-context cultures The Anglo Cluster Your message needs to be clear and precise. 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. Trompenaars' Cultural Dimensions Model & Examples | 7 Dimensions of Culture, Hofstede's Uncertainty Avoidance | Culture, Example & Index, Developing an Audience-Centered Presentation, Methods to Increase the Accuracy of Impressions, Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation | Hofstede, Culture & Concept, Cross-Cultural Interactions & Relationships in Agile Organizations.

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