Language may be used to achieve goals or exchange information. A high-context culture is a culture in which the values, rules, and social norms are primarily communicated through the use of contextual elements (such as body language, a person's status, and tone of voice) and are not explicitly stated. Resistance in Turkey and India Between World Wars, The Role of Culture & Gender in Listening, The Role of Perception & Bias in Intercultural Communication, Introduction to Educational Psychology: Certificate Program, Educational Psychology: Tutoring Solution, Research Methods in Psychology: Help and Review, Introduction to Psychology: Homework Help Resource, Abnormal Psychology: Homework Help Resource, Social Psychology: Homework Help Resource, Introduction to Psychology: Tutoring Solution, Educational Psychology: Homework Help Resource, UExcel Research Methods in Psychology: Study Guide & Test Prep, Research Methods in Psychology: Certificate Program, Research Methods in Psychology: Homework Help Resource, Create an account to start this course today. low-context communication is "the mass of information is vested in the explicit code". On one side of the dimension, we have high context cultures, which depend on greater context when communicating. 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. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. 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 [6] [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. Low context cultures rely on the spoken word to communicate. Typically a high-context culture will be relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative. What is low context cultural communication? Conflict Styles and HighLow Context Cultures: A Cross-Cultural Extension. [1] "High-" and "low-" context cultures typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. You can find his work on The Print, Live Wire, and YouTube. Researchers today are using it greatly to study different cultures all over the world. They tend to use more slangs, idioms and are generally high pace speakers. Create your account, 10 chapters | The reverse holds true for High (Collectivistic) Context Cultures. 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. The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. Conclusions are explicitly stated. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. 18 Examples of Low Culture. High context cultures include Japanese, Arabs and French. In low-context cultures, gestures and facial expressions are never the primary means of communication; they only serve to clarify or complement a point. People within high-context cultures tend to be more aware and observant of facial expressions, body language, changes in tone, and other aspects of communication that are not directly spoken. All articles are edited by a PhD level academic. This makes high-context cultures difficult to navigate for those who do not understand the culture's unwritten rules. Examples of High Context Small religious gatherings, party with close friends, family functions, dining out with family or friends, and sleep over at friend's place, etc. Anchor Press/Doubleday. Individualism may lead to communicating to all people in a group in the same way, rather than offering hierarchical respect to certain members. The author states that Japan is a high context culture because they have every decision based on their culture and France is both a high and low mixture finally low context example is America. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. Verbal message is direct; one spells things out exactly. Wurtz, Elizabeth (2005). This can be quite confusing to an outsider, especially someone from a low-context culture who is used to communicating via explicit messages. [1] In low context, communication members' communication must be more explicit, direct, and elaborate because individuals are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories or background, and communication is not necessarily shaped by long-standing relationships between speakers. Members of high-context cultures usually have close relationships that last for an extended period of time. Low context cultures emphasize individuality and tasks. In contrast, low-context websites had lesser animation and images, focusing instead on the information. Create your account. 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. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. In his model, context refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambiance surrounding an event. [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. Trust High context cultures and situations may extend significant trust to members. References Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). People within low-context cultures see their relationships much looser and the lines between networks of people are more flexibly drawn.[11]. In these cultures, people may rely on body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions to convey meaning, and may not always say exactly what they mean directly. High-context cultures rely heavily on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc. [20][21], Cultural context can also shift and evolve. - Uses & Side Effects, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community, Japan, China, Korea, and many other countries in Asia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, and some other countries in South America, Tribal groups and most nations in Africa, such as Kenya, Iraq, Iran, and other countries located in the Middle East. Negotiators basically say what they mean. From each culture, 96 business managers were surveyed for the American and Chinese sample and 50 managers were surveyed from Korea. [25] There were 225 Mexican participants from three different undergraduate universities in Mexico City and 447 participants from Kent State University in the U.S.[25] The case study looked into culture shock experienced by Mexicans studying in the U.S. 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 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 Hall, E. T. (1976). Information has to be explicit and detailed for the message to be conveyed without distortion. Power Distance Index & Examples | What is Power Distance? With this regard, America culture is a low-context . People have many acquaintances they have fewer close friends. High-context cu. 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. Overall, this study provides further evidence to support the high versus low-context culture concepts with Chinese, Korean, and American participants. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. So the poor cow's life depends on the country, where it was born: whether it is going to be worshipped or to end up on someone's . Cultural contexts are not absolutely "high" or "low". [32] Since all sets of cultures differ, especially from a global standpoint where language also creates a barrier for communication, social interactions specific to a culture normally require a range of appropriate communication abilities that an opposing culture may not understand or know about. - Dosage & Side Effects, Anxiolytic: Definition, Medications & Dependence, What is Citalopram? Answer (1 of 2): Examples of high context countries include: Japan, China, and the Arab countries. 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. Many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit because most members know what . A high-context culture is one in which communication may be more unspoken rather than explicit - for example, much attention is paid to body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues in order to discern a speaker's meaning. As we discuss culture, we are making generalizations to create cultural prototypes. 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. Low-context cultures tend to focus more on the individual than the group, which is why they value individualism and autonomy. [2] Collectivist societies prioritize the group over the individual, and vice versa for individualist ones. In. [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. Contents show Low Context Culture Definition Edward T. Hall describes low-context culture as one in which: High-context defines cultures that are usually relational and collectivist, and which most highlight interpersonal relationships. Guffey, M. E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). Low-context cultures can seem slightly more formal due to the explicit & precise nature of their messages. Information is transmitted not through words alone but also through non-verbal cues such as gestures, voice inflection, and facial expression, which can have different meanings in different cultures. Edward Hall is a famous theorist and anthropologist who has contributed a renowned theory of high- and low-context cultures to facilitate students, researchers . "Understanding cultural differences. High-context cultures: Much of the society's communication takes place through . 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. 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. Hall notes a similar difference between Navajo-speakers and English-speakers in a United States school.[18]. Meyer defines low-context cultures as cultures where people communicate and receive messages at face value. 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. Amount of Detail Expected - High-context cultures such as Japan, China, and France provide little details in their writing. Teachers can illustrate the differences between high- and low- context cultures by providing examples of behaviors. 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. Seekprofessional input on your specific circumstances. [3] Low-context cultures do the opposite; direct verbal communication is needed to properly understand a message being communicated and relies heavily on explicit verbal skills. Class, Codes and Control. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. Communication is seen as a way of exchanging information, ideas, and opinions. [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. It relies on the straightforward use of language, without depending much on nonverbal cues. Asia, Africa, Latin America, and central Europe are predominantly countries with a high context culture. 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. Therefore, it is necessary for more explicit information to be included in the message so it is not misinterpreted. Within high-context cultures, people rely on their networks of friends and family, viewing their relationships as part of one large community. They assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything. Websites catering to high-context audiences had a lot of animation & images. classifications are discussed below. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. About The Helpful Professor Due to this shared understanding, high-context cultures are slightly more informal. [41] One study on McDonald's online advertising compared Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the United States, and found that in high-context countries, the advertising used more colors, movements, and sounds to give context, while in low-context cultures the advertising focused more on verbal information and linear processes. The differences between high-context and low-context cultures is one of the most challenging things to navigate and one of the most important and distinct differences that exists across cultures. Oxford University Press. 3. In a low-context culture, the onus for communication lies with the speaker. Low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, action-oriented, and concerned with the individual. Flowery language, humility, and elaborate apologies are typical. For the processing of complex messages, the perspective of context theory is very relevant. ", "Communication: intercultural communication. [39][40] In high-context cultures, facial expressions and gestures take on greater importance in conveying and understanding a message, and the receiver may require more cultural context to understand "basic" displays of emotions. 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. Communicators in low-context cultures (such as those in North America, Scandinavia, and Germany) depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. ; it is the way we communicate, do business and see the world. Initially, high culture rejects these outsiders but eventually embraces them or appropriates . Words: 825. High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. 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. Type of paper: Research Paper. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. Verbal message is explicit. By contrast, a low-context culture is characterized by information being communicated primarily through spoken language, as well as rules being explicitly and directly stated. High-context communications, as well as low-context interactions, are important to understand from many perspectives. High vs. Low Power Distance Cultural Communications | What are High and Low Power Distance Cultural Communications? [30] Many singular cultures that are large have subcultures inside of them, making communication and defining them more complicated than the low-context and high-context culture scale. 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].