Note: Comparison of low- and high-context cultures reprinted from Business communication: Process & product (p. 64) by M.E.
1.4.6 - Context of Cultures: High and Low - University of the Pacific Japan is generally considered a high-context culture, meaning people communicate based on inherent understanding. However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. 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. Discover high context culture examples, and identify the importance of high context vs. low context communication. Once again we return to the differences between high-context and low-context cultures. Rules are not directly or explicitly written or stated. What is high and low context culture examples? 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. 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. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. Both often take many aspects of the other's cultural communication abilities and strengths into account. Wurtz, Elizabeth (2005). Generally, the situation, people, and non-verbal elements are more important than the actual words that are communicated in a high-context culture. Researchers today are using it greatly to study different cultures all over the world. All rights reserved. Edward T. Hall describes low-context culture as one in which: most of the information is either in the explicit code or readily available elsewhere (Hall, 1976). To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
High and Low Context Cultures - Intercultural Communication [42] The images found on the websites used in the study promoted individualistic and collectivist characteristics within the low-context and high-context websites, respectively. They often use written contracts and agreements to clarify expectations (Gudykunst & Ting-Toomey, 1988). A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". Cultural Perceptions of Communication in Organizations: Low Context and High Context. On the other hand, certain intercultural communication skills are unique for each culture and it is significant to note that these overlaps in communication techniques are represented subgroups within social interactions or family settings. Low-context communication is often seen in Western, more individualistic cultures (i.e., U.S., Australia, some European countries) where communication is direct, to the point, and one doesn't have to guess the meaning or intention behind what is being said. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . [10] In low-context cultures, relationships are not viewed as important figures to identity. Hofstede, G. (1984). [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. All the advice on this site is general in nature. Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. 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). A number of unique characteristics exist to make a clear distinction between high-context vs. low-context cultures and methods of communication. The USA and Australia are typically low-context, highly individualistic cultures, where transparency and competition in business are prized. people generally use. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. [25] Pleasure, affection and inclusion were the highest motives for communication in both cultures, and control was the lowest for both cultures. A low-context culture is a culture in which people communicate explicitly. 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 . The terms low-context and high-context usually refer to language groups or nationalities.
What is High Context Culture - Culture Matters Hall is also credited for developing the idea of chronemics, or the study of the use of time during nonverbal communications. Context 1. .
Translation Issues Associated With High-context and Low-context Cultures According to Hall, the high-context culture definition relates to a culture by which the rules of communication are primarily and dominantly transmitted through the use of contextual elements. Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, 18. High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Context is less important than words. The following chart will compare the main differences between high-context vs. low-context cultures and a discussion of example cultures will follow: While nations such as the United States have many low-context situations, it is important to recall that all societies experience high-context events as well. For the processing of complex messages, the perspective of context theory is very relevant. Websites catering to high-context audiences had a lot of animation & images.
Communication Culture: Hall's High and Low-Context Model of Culture This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. Examples of low-context cultures include Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the United States. High-context cultures promote the development of ingroups. This is in contrast to lower-context cultures in which the shared experiences upon which communication is built can change drastically from one generation to the next, creating communication gaps between parents and children, as in the United States.[18]. High context cultures tend to build relationships slowly, and they are generally stable for a long time and are based on trust and loyalty. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Watch this video from international business expert Erin Meyer [1]. It can imply understanding or agreement, but it can also mean their conversea lack of certainty. [2], Website design among cross-cultural barriers include factoring in decisions about culture-sensitive color meanings, layout preferences, animation and sounds. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. Words: 825. Low context cultures rely on the spoken word to communicate. 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. Because of this, communication can change drastically from one generation to the next, creating communication gaps between parents and children.
High-context and low-context cultures - Wikipedia Seekprofessional input on your specific circumstances. It further attempts to draw parallels between face-to-face communication and communication on the web by looking at communication rules and patterns in high-context cultures and comparing and contrasting them to the . It relies on the straightforward use of language, without depending much on nonverbal cues. (1971). Typically a high-context culture will be relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative. After completing this chapter, you will be able to: Now that we know, broadly, what culture is, lets discuss some ways to categorize aspects of different cultures. 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. Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. classifications are discussed below. [42] Low-context websites had less animation and more stagnant images, with more details on information. Negotiators basically say what they mean. 2. A 2005 study by Elizabeth Wurtz demonstrates how cultural differences shape marketing and advertising. 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. For a communicator to successfully interact with others from a different culture he must know whether his own culture is high or low context and which context is the culture in the interaction. Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. [18], Therefore, higher-context cultures tend to correlate with cultures that also have a strong sense of tradition and history, and change little over time. [14] However, understanding the broad tendencies of predominant cultures can help inform and educate individuals on how to better facilitate communication between individuals of differing cultural backgrounds. While in high context cultures, communication is done primarily through nonverbal mediums and gestures, in low context cultures, information is vested explicitly so that there is no risk of confusion. Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. France. Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement. 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. China, Japan, Turkey, and Mexico are some countries that lean towards high-context.
What are some examples of low-context and high-context cultures? Settings and cultures where people come together from a wider diversity of backgrounds such as international airports, large cities, or multi-national firms, tend to use lower-context communication forms. ; it is the way we communicate, do business and see the world. - Definition & Assessment, Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder, Atypical Antipsychotics: Effects & Mechanism of Action, What Is a Mood Stabilizer? They are considered less direct, and they put a lot of weight on gestures and body language to draw significance from messages.
High and low context cultures relationships in each - SlideShare Members of high-context cultures are relatively comfortable interacting with others because a close-knit community has been formed, such as that of a family or religious congregation. The cultural context. 3. Examples of high-context cultures include Asian, African, Latin American, and some European countries. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. The use of an elaborated code indicates that speaker and listener do not share significant amounts of common knowledge, and hence they may need to "spell out" their ideas more fully: elaborated codes tend to be more context-independent. Intercultural communication. [6] Message is carried more by words than by nonverbal means. We also make strong distinctions between those who are a part of our family and those who are not. Therefore, it is necessary for more explicit information to be included in the message so it is not misinterpreted. 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.
High-Context vs. Low-Context Cultures. Mind the Gap. - Medium The reverse holds true for High (Collectivistic) Context Cultures. The GLOBE Project Overview & Behavior Styles | What is the GLOBE Project? The verbal and nonverbal cues of low vs. high-context communication can be .
Communicating in High Context vs. Low Context Cultures Instead, a comparison between cultures may find communication differences to a greater or lesser degree. Individuals in such cultures must hear or read a direct order, point, etc for it to be taken as valid. Anchor Press/Doubleday. Anthropologist Edward T. Hall first discussed high-context culture in his 1976 book titled Beyond Culture.
Communicating With High- and Low-Context Cultures When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. France is a high-context culture. [26] The terms high- and low-context cultures are not classified with strict individual characteristics or boundaries. This study is a result of a cross-cultural examination between students from the United States, a low-context culture, and Mexico, a high-context culture, to study the reasons people communicate in each culture. [34], Restricted codes are commonly used in high-context culture groups, where group members share the same cultural background and can easily understand the implicit meanings "between the lines" without further elaboration.