high and low context cultures examples

[26] The terms high- and low-context cultures are not classified with strict individual characteristics or boundaries. In high-context cultures, people are said to prefer symbolic, artful language that is implicit. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. 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. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you "[29] A similarity that the two communication styles share is its influence on social characteristics such as age, gender, social class and ethnicity. 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. High context is where the groups of people or societies in which individuals have had close links in the course of a long period. Hall is also credited for developing the idea of chronemics, or the study of the use of time during nonverbal communications. For example, Hall describes how Japanese culture has both low- and high-context situations. Wurtz, Elizabeth (2005). 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. Explain the differences between high- and low-context cultures, giving examples of each. In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". Some common characteristics of high-context cultures include: Though the United States has a low-context culture, we have all been placed in situations that are considered high-context. In contrast, high-context cultures use facial expressions, body language, and gestures in a nuanced manner. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language, verbal messages, or non-verbal messages. 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. The reverse holds true for High (Collectivistic) Context Cultures. As we discuss culture, we are making generalizations to create cultural prototypes. [42] Low-context websites had less animation and more stagnant images, with more details on information. They place a high value on interpersonal relationships and group members are a very close-knit community. 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. In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. Low-context cultures tend to focus more on the individual than the group, which is why they value individualism and autonomy. For example, in one country a cow is seen as leather, in another one - as a deity and in another one as dinner. Relationships are easy to build, can start very quickly but end just as soon. These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. In a low-context culture, you would not expect to give or receive gifts . [5], These concepts were first introduced by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1959 book The Silent Language. We cite peer reviewed academic articles wherever possible and reference our sources at the end of our articles. "High context". [30], Punctuation marks and emojis are more often used by high-context users than low-context users. 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[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. If you want to appear polite, you need to be willing to greet strangers and thank . He studied English literature at the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University. Communicating with high-context cultures can require you to focus on politeness strategies that demonstrate your respect for readers and listeners. In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high-context. Devon has tutored for almost two years. Beyond Culture. Many low context cultures are individualist so people openly express their views, and tend to make important information obvious to others. Create your account, 10 chapters | In contrast, take a look at the ads on the front page of Weibo, which is considered China's version of Facebook. [37] Because individualistic cultures may value cultural diversity, a more explicit way of communicating is often required to avoid misunderstanding. This study, done by Kim Dunghoon, was to test the major aspects the high versus low-context culture concepts. [30], Hall links language to culture through the work of Sapir-Whorf on linguistic relativity. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many Western countries. London: Routledge. Wurtz studied McDonalds online advertising in various countries such as Japan, Germany, the United States, etc. 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. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. She found out that in high-context countries, the advertising campaigns used more colors, movements, and sounds to provide context. 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. Germany, Sweden, and the United States are generally classified as low-context cultures. High-context communications typically take place in a collectivist setting, or within a large group of people who share similar goals, values, or norms (ingroups). [2] High-context cultures often exhibit less-direct verbal and nonverbal communication, utilizing small communication gestures and reading more meaning into these less-direct messages. The following are illustrative examples. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. In a low-context culture, the onus for communication lies with the speaker. Hall and Hall proposed a "spectrum" of national cultures from "High-Context cultures" to "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. They assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything. 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. While some cultures are low or high . 1. In contrast, low-context cultures rely on explicit verbal communication. According to Hall's theory, the Chinese and Korean samples represented higher-context cultures while the American sample represents a lower context culture. (The pedestrians example) Once again we return to the differences between high-context and low-context cultures. Examples of high-context cultures include China, India, and many non-Western societies. Getting the message across. Characteristics of Low Context People behave according to rules Preference is given to knowledge sharing and transfer Relationships do not last longer On purpose relationships 3. Having a firm grasp on what constitutes high- and low-context, particularly in a communication setting, will truly help you better understand each . I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. In. Typically a high-context culture will be relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative. The verbal and nonverbal cues of low vs. high-context communication can be . 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. The study identifies whether and how variables that characterize high- and low-context cultures are reflected on Web sites. References Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). Japan and China are some of the best examples of high-context cultures, in addition to Brazil, Argentina, Spain, and many nations throughout Africa and the Middle East. Members of high-context cultures usually have close relationships that last for an extended period of time. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". For example, resemblance is a significant trait in cultures with a high level of context. For high-context cultures, language is a kind of social lubricant, easing and harmonizing relations that are defined according to a group or collectivist orientation where we rather than I is the key to identity. Primarily use non-verbal methods to relay meaningful information in conversations, such as facial expressions, eye movement, and tone of voice. The terms low-context and high-context usually refer to language groups or nationalities. 2. Also remember that although cultures are different from one another, no culture or cultural characteristic is better or worse than any other. Information has to be explicit and detailed for the message to be conveyed without distortion. 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. [6] How does her experience in Japan demonstrate what youve learned so far about the different dimensions of culture? However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. 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. Oxford University Press. Individualism and collectivism are related to low-context and high-context cultures, respectively. For the processing of complex messages, the perspective of context theory is very relevant. Published: 2020/12/03. 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. High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. [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. [38] By contrast, low-context cultures tend to change more rapidly and drastically, allowing extension[definition needed] to happen at faster rates. Anthropologist Edward T. Hall first discussed high-context culture in his 1976 book titled Beyond Culture. In this context, we will discuss those topics also. 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. We have close, personal relationships with our relatives. Intercultural Communication on Websites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Websites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures. [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. Contexts in source publication. [10] In low-context cultures, relationships are not viewed as important figures to identity. Yolanda has taught college Psychology and Ethics, and has a doctorate of philosophy in counselor education and supervision. Verbal message is explicit. The general terms "high context" and "low context" (popularized by Edward Hall) are used to describe broad-brush cultural differences between societies. [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. Interaction. 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. Disagreement is depersonalized. What is low context cultural communication? [2] Collectivist societies prioritize the group over the individual, and vice versa for individualist ones. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. 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). The USA and Australia are typically low-context, highly individualistic cultures, where transparency and competition in business are prized. These rules of communication are understood without being explicitly stated. It describes the level of explicit information and the importance of context in a given culture, indicating the range of communicative abilities (verbal messages, gestures, etc.) Pages: 3. A 2008 meta-analysis concluded that the model was "unsubstantiated and underdeveloped".[5]. 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. High Context Culture And Its Importance 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. 9. people generally use. Low-context and high-context cultures are the ends of a continuum portraying how cultures communicate. Monochronic vs. Polychronic Communication Styles | What Are Chronemics? High context cultures are more common in the eastern nations than in western and in countries with low racial diversity. 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. Body language, tone of voice, and personal status are a few notable characteristics that are valued in a high-context culture. Establishing relationships is an important part of communicating and interacting. Edward Hall is a famous theorist and anthropologist who has contributed a renowned theory of high- and low-context cultures to facilitate students, researchers . The low-context websites had multiple images of individuals, while the high-context websites contained images and animations of groups and communities.[42]. In high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, and Arab countries), the listener is already contexted and does not need to be given much background information[3]. [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. Effectively communicating within this culture, therefore, requires messaging that is perceived as objective, professional, and efficient. 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. 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 Cultural Perceptions of Communication in Organizations: Low Context and High Context. For example Japan, which has a very high context culture, uses both polychronic and monochronic 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. 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. The preferred way of solving problems and learning is in groups. Individuals in such cultures must hear or read a direct order, point, etc for it to be taken as valid. Communication Research Reports. They often use written contracts and agreements to clarify expectations (Gudykunst & Ting-Toomey, 1988). Moreover, their communication is often task-oriented and driven by rational decision-making, which can further add to their formality.. This allows individuals of different generations to communicate through a shared set of values, which, in turn, provides stability to the culture. 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]. Due to this shared understanding, high-context cultures are slightly more informal. 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. Ironically, contexting is most frequently discussed in terms of directness, yet empirical studies nearly all fail to support this relationship. [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. Words: 825. Note: Comparison of low- and high-context cultures reprinted from Business communication: Process & product (p. 64) by M.E. Examples of low-context cultures include Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the United States. the study of body movement including gestures, hand, arm, and leg movements, facial expressions, eye contact, and stance or posture Low-context message a message where the message is encoded in the words used or in the verbal expression and not as much in the context Masculinity-Femininity [33] This significance follows into many situations such as the workplace, which can be prone to diversified cultures and opportunities for collaboration and working together. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. A first step in achieving this goal is to identify one's own culture before delving into the rigors of another. High Context vs. Low Context. 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 the tone of voice employed during speech. Their communication is less-task oriented, and their decision-making is driven by relationships, shared experiences, and emotions. There are smaller communities and specific settings within national/linguistic cultures, and they may exhibit different communication patterns. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. The results found that U.S. participants used communication for pleasure more often than Mexican participants. Depending on the amount of information conveyed, cultures are classified as being high-context and low-context. Low-context cultures can seem slightly more formal due to the explicit & precise nature of their messages. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. Low-context cultures (such as those in North America and Western Europe) depend less on the environment of a situation to convey meaning than do high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, and Arab countries). The law is important! 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. [19] This has been expanded to further countries by Sheposh & Shaista. They rely less on the shared values/assumptions of the group and the context of the situation. Sourabh Yadav is a freelance writer & filmmaker. The high and low context cultures in this concept refers to how important contextual cues are in interpreting a message. What are the effects on the communication process? Low context cultures rely on the spoken word to communicate. However, there are some other characteristics also. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. Give some examples of cultural differences in the interpretation of body language. 18 Examples of Low Culture. 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. Family gatherings, religious congregations, and other social outings with a close-knit group of people are forms of high-context communications that take place regularly in most cultures. [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. But the fact that contexting has not been empirically validated should not necessarily be construed as a failure of the theory. China, Japan, Turkey, and Mexico are some countries that lean towards high-context. Overall, this study provides further evidence to support the high versus low-context culture concepts with Chinese, Korean, and American participants. 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. France is a high-context culture. They are considered less direct, and they put a lot of weight on gestures and body language to draw significance from messages. A number of unique characteristics exist to make a clear distinction between high-context vs. low-context cultures and methods of communication. Data was gathered in India, Ireland, Thailand, and the United States where the results confirm that "high-context nations (India and Thailand) prefer the avoiding and obliging conflict styles more than low-context nations (Ireland and the United States), whereas low-context nations prefer the uncompromising and dominating communication style more than high-context nations."[16]. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. 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. Context 1. . ; it is the way we communicate, do business and see the world. Meanwhile, in low-context cultures, more explicit speech is needed in order to allow the listener to fully understand the message. This makes high-context cultures difficult to navigate for those who do not understand the culture's unwritten rules. Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. Identify your style Before implementing effective communication practices across cultures, identify your own style: An in-depth understanding of cultural norms is not required because the communication is explicit. 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. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. 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 . High context communication cultures . Traditionally, Western cultures are known for being more individualistic or communicating with a low context style. In high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, and Arab countries), the listener is already "contexted" and does not need to be given much background information [3]. 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. Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): A graph which shows the level of context in various world cultures. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. [13] Not all individuals in a culture can be defined by cultural stereotypes, and there will be variations within a national culture in different settings. 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. According to Watson, "the influence of cultural variables interplays with other key factors for example, social identities, those of age, gender, social class and ethnicity; this may include a stronger or weaker influence. [14] Groups that are able to rely on a common background may not need to use words as explicitly to understand each other. [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. Family gatherings and interactions with people from high-context cultures are two examples of scenarios in which Americans participate in high-context communications, largely because they are with close-knit groups of people who share similar values, rules, and norms. [25], The categories of context cultures are not totally separate. 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. [1] "High-" and "low-" context cultures typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. The GLOBE Project Overview & Behavior Styles | What is the GLOBE Project? https://helpfulprofessor.com/low-context-culture-examples/. Cultural differences in advertising and marketing may also be explained through high- and low-context cultures. 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.

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