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. "[29] A similarity that the two communication styles share is its influence on social characteristics such as age, gender, social class and ethnicity. All rights reserved. "[28] In such cultures, people are highly perceptive of actions. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. [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. Hall and Hall proposed a "spectrum" of national cultures from "High-Context cultures" to "Low-Context Cultures. High and Low Context Cultures, Essay Example | essays.io [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. Published: 2020/12/03. What is High Context Culture - Culture Matters Essay On High And Low Context Cultures | WOW Essays [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. High- and Low-Context Cultures and Responsibility for Miscommunication 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. High- context cultures are often collectivist in nature and largely defined by group communications, as well as the development or promotion of ingroups, or groups that individuals may become loyal to. For example, a low-context communicator can say, "I am unhappy with this outcome and . All the advice on this site is general in nature. Hall, E. T. (1976). Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. Messages can be contextualized by assuming that the audience would think in the same manner and will follow the underlying meaning implied in someone's speech or writing as a result of these common experiences. (The pedestrians example) [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. Websites catering to high-context audiences had a lot of animation & images. As such, what is said is what is meant, and further analysis of the message is usually unnecessary. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. 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. Pages: 3. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . Sourabh Yadav is a freelance writer & filmmaker. Both often take many aspects of the other's cultural communication abilities and strengths into account. Instead, a comparison between cultures may find communication differences to a greater or lesser degree. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. 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. PDF What teachers can do Moving from high-context communication to low Getting the message across. Intercultural Business Communication: High Context vs. Low - HubPages High-Context vs. Low-Context Cultures. Mind the Gap. - Medium A few relevant examples of differences in communication between low- and high-context cultures are found in Table 1. In a high-context culture, emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships rather than personal achievement. High-context and low-context cultures In high-context cultures, people are said to prefer symbolic, artful language that is implicit. High-Context and Low-Context Cultures - YouTube [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. They place a high value on interpersonal relationships and group members are a very close-knit community. This also means that low-context communication may fail due to the overload of information, which makes culture lose its screening[definition needed] function. 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. Your email address will not be published. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you High Context Culture: Advantages, Disadvantages And Its Examples France is a high-context culture. ), Hall, E. T.; Hall, M. R. (1990). High-context cultures are those that communicate in ways that are implicit and rely heavily on context. In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. 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. Guffey, M. E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). But the fact that contexting has not been empirically validated should not necessarily be construed as a failure of the theory. These experiences inclu. Both the speaker and listener act under the assumption that all relevant information has been explicitly stated. This is in direct contrast to low-context cultures, in which information is communicated primarily through language and rules are explicitly spelled out. High Context and Low Context - SlideShare Mostly, western cultures are low context cultures like the UK, Australia, and the United States. Low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, action-oriented, and concerned with the individual. Cultures and languages are defined as higher or lower context on a spectrum. [1] "High-" and "low-" context cultures typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. - 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. High and Low Culture Report.docx - High and Low Culture The terms low-context and high-context usually refer to language groups or nationalities. It is important to note that no culture is low-context or high-context in absolute terms but a mix of both. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. 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. In a 2008 meta-analysis of 224 articles published between 1990 and 2006, Peter W. Cardon wrote: [T]he theory was never described by Hall with any empirical rigor, and no known research involving any instrument or measure of contexting validates it. Give some examples of cultural differences in the interpretation of body language. Ironically, contexting is most frequently discussed in terms of directness, yet empirical studies nearly all fail to support this relationship. Context is Everything - United States Department of State We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. Public speaking Flashcards | Quizlet What is culture? 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 cultures usually do not have rules that are explicitly written or stated. In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high-context. It can imply understanding or agreement, but it can also mean their conversea lack of certainty. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. For the processing of complex messages, the perspective of context theory is very relevant. Recognizing High and Low Context Cultures - National Charrette Institute Hall notes a similar difference between Navajo-speakers and English-speakers in a United States school.[18]. [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. Wurtz found something similar while analyzing website design. 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. When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. How Do Chinese and American Culture Compare - Medium Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. The following are illustrative examples. 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. The high and low context cultures in this concept refers to how important contextual cues are in interpreting a message. 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. 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. [42] Low-context websites had less animation and more stagnant images, with more details on information. (2013)[2]explain the concept of cultural context: Cultural context is a concept developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall. In other words, the relationship between directness and contexting based on traditional classifications of [high-context] and [low-context] cultures is particularly tenuous. 231 lessons. [25] Pleasure, affection and inclusion were the highest motives for communication in both cultures, and control was the lowest for both cultures. 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). [36], Individualistic cultures promote the development of individual values and independent social groups. 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). High-context cultures are collectivist cultures. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. 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. Within high-context cultures, people rely on their networks of friends and family, viewing their relationships as part of one large community. High Context vs. Low Context High-context is that "most of the information is either in the physical context or initialized in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, transmitted part of the message." (Hall). We have close, personal relationships with our relatives. Topic: Culture, Context, Communication, Middle East, Business, Conflict, People, Relationships. Their communication is less-task oriented, and their decision-making is driven by relationships, shared experiences, and emotions. [5]. 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]. Communication is driven by cultural differences - MSU Extension This concept was introduced by Edward T. Hall, an anthropologist back in 1976. Verbal message is direct; one spells things out exactly. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. Contexts in source publication. 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. For example, Hall describes how Japanese culture has both low- and high-context situations. How Low & High-Context Cultures Influence Communication In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. In contrast, low-context websites had lesser animation and images, focusing instead on the information. 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. People are comfortable standing close to each other. Guffey et al. A 2005 study by Elizabeth Wurtz demonstrates how cultural differences shape marketing and advertising. High context cultures tend to build relationships slowly, and they are generally stable for a long time and are based on trust and loyalty. Bernstein, B. Unlike low-context cultures, high-context cultures prioritize the group over the individual (Hofstede, 1984). In, Meyer, C. (2017). [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. Anthropologist Edward T. Hall first discussed high-context culture in his 1976 book titled Beyond Culture. Create your account, 10 chapters | [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. Moreover, their communication is often task-oriented and driven by rational decision-making, which can further add to their formality.. 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. Kim Dunghoon conducted a study to test the major aspects of high-context versus low-context culture concepts. Due to this shared understanding, high-context cultures are slightly more informal. Listen to business speaker Erin Meyer explain how cultural differences can affect communication. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. 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. Members of the culture place emphasis on interpersonal relationships. High and Low Context Culture in Business | Free Essay Example 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. London: Routledge. High-context cultures are built on a sense of shared experiences and history. Meaning depends on what is said- the literal content of the message- rather than how it is said. 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. 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. [2], Website design among cross-cultural barriers include factoring in decisions about culture-sensitive color meanings, layout preferences, animation and sounds. Most of the contexting categories simply have not been researched enough to make firm conclusions. Low and High Context Culture. These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". High-context cultures are related to connotation. High-context cultures rely heavily on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Cultures where the group is valued over the individual promote. Edward Hall is a famous theorist and anthropologist who has contributed a renowned theory of high- and low-context cultures to facilitate students, researchers . She found out that in high-context countries, the advertising campaigns used more colors, movements, and sounds to provide context. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. 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. 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.