High Context vs. Low Context (Internet) Example of McDonalds Internet site: High: Families shown, lots of people on the website ads Low: You, your choices, easy to navigate High Context vs. Low Context (Law) High: Traditions are the laws Low: Rules and order are spelled out. Class, Codes and Control. Many low context cultures are individualist so people openly express their views, and tend to make important information obvious to others. Anthropologist Edward T. Hall first discussed high-context culture in his 1976 book titled Beyond Culture. Wurtz found something similar while analyzing website design. [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. Verbal message is direct; one spells things out exactly. High-context cultures also value group harmony above individual achievement. We also make strong distinctions between those who are a part of our family and those who are not. Culture and Interpersonal Communication. Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. Language may be used to achieve goals or exchange information. For example, in one country a cow is seen as leather, in another one - as a deity and in another one as dinner. Guffey, M. E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). 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. Create your account. Sage Publications. 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. [42] Low-context websites had less animation and more stagnant images, with more details on information. [10] In low-context cultures, relationships are not viewed as important figures to identity. For example, the head wobble (tilting the head from side to side) in India is a gesture that can convey a variety of meanings depending on the situation. [30][32], Families, subcultures and in-groups typically favour higher-context communication. Beyond Culture. The study suggests that in high-context cultures, such as China and Korea, people tend to be more socially oriented, less confrontational, and more complacent with existing ways of living compared to people from low-context cultures like the US.[23]. Establishing relationships is an important part of communicating and interacting. Masculine vs. Feminine Cultures: Distinctions & Communication Styles. - Effects & Types, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Definition, effects & Types, Trepanning: Tools, Specialties & Definition, What is Pseudoephedrine? (2014, May 9). 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]. I feel like its a lifeline. 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. (1971). [22], The concept of elaborated and restricted codes was introduced by sociologist Basil Bernstein in his book Class, Codes and Control. 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. What is high and low context culture examples? Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement. [42] In a case study conducted by the IT University of Copenhagen, it was found that websites catering to high-context cultures tended to have more detailed and advanced designs, including various images and animations. Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. [37] Because individualistic cultures may value cultural diversity, a more explicit way of communicating is often required to avoid misunderstanding. High-context cultures are related to connotation. [24] The table shows the major differences and similarities between individual queries. This allows individuals of different generations to communicate through a shared set of values, which, in turn, provides stability to the culture. Disagreement is depersonalized. Russians employ a communication style that relies on environmental, non-verbal, traditional, and symbolic cues when communicating. 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. - Dosage & Side Effects, Anxiolytic: Definition, Medications & Dependence, What is Citalopram? 3. 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). Hofstede, G. (1984). Not only is the page itself busier . [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. 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. A low-context culture is a culture in which people communicate explicitly. For example Japan, which has a very high context culture, uses both polychronic and monochronic time. The hypotheses tested indicated the high-context culture in Mexico would provide different motives for communication when compared with the low-context culture of the U.S. High Context Culture And Its Importance 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. In high-context cultures, there are often many opportunities for social and cultural context to explain speech, which reduces the need for words in all instances. Most of the contexting categories simply have not been researched enough to make firm conclusions. 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. https://helpfulprofessor.com/low-context-culture-examples/. Whereas low-context cultures prefer more words (to a certain extent), high-context cultures prefer more images. Verbal message is explicit. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. The theory of High and Low Context Cultures puts how people communicate in a dimension. Low-Context Culture Communication & Examples | What Is Low-Context Culture? [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. However, there are some other characteristics also. 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. [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. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. 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]. They tend to use more slangs, idioms and are generally high pace speakers. Pages: 3. In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. (2013)[2]explain the concept of cultural context: Cultural context is a concept developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. [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. All rights reserved. In. 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]. Besides cultural context, personal experiences and preferences also shape communication. Once again we return to the differences between high-context and low-context cultures. Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. 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. The preferred way of solving problems and learning is in groups. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. When a part of these groups, a low-context individual may be more drawn to interpersonal relationships with others than focusing on their own accomplishments and do not require information to be elaborated because they maintain an understanding of group behaviors. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. 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. Wurtz, Elizabeth (2005). High-context cultures: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, and Saudi Arabia are some of the highest-context cultures in the world. 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. We cite peer reviewed academic articles wherever possible and reference our sources at the end of our articles. Anchor Press/Doubleday. 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. 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. Meanwhile, in low-context cultures, more explicit speech is needed in order to allow the listener to fully understand the message. 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. In, Meyer, C. (2017). Negotiators basically say what they mean. 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. Context is less important than words. High-context cultures rely heavily on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc. High context cultures are more common in the eastern nations than in western and in countries with low racial diversity. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. By contrast, a low-context culture enjoys communications that take place most often through written or spoken (verbal) speech and rules are directly and explicitly stated. Meaning depends on what is said- the literal content of the message- rather than how it is said. 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. Initially, high culture rejects these outsiders but eventually embraces them or appropriates . Teachers can share their own experiences and examples with their students. Low-context culture refers to a culture that communicates explicitly. 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. Message is carried more by words than by nonverbal means. Hall, E. T. (1976). All the advice on this site is general in nature. 1. Three samples were gathered from the US, China, and Korea, three different cultures. Researchers today are using it greatly to study different cultures all over the world. The GLOBE Project Overview & Behavior Styles | What is the GLOBE Project? People are comfortable standing close to each other. In high-context cultures, language may be used to assist and maintain relationship-building and to focus on process. This makes high-context cultures difficult to navigate for those who do not understand the culture's unwritten rules. A simplified example mentioned by Hall is that scientists working in "hard science" fields (like chemistry and physics) tend to have lower-context cultures: because their knowledge and models have fewer variables, they will typically include less context for each event they describe. The verbal and nonverbal cues of low vs. high-context communication can be . [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. However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. classifications are discussed below. Want to create or adapt books like this? This is in direct contrast to low-context cultures, in which information is communicated primarily through language and rules are explicitly spelled out. Wurtz studied McDonalds online advertising in various countries such as Japan, Germany, the United States, etc. In high cultures, much of the communication is understood by the group either by non-verbal coding, which refers to common body language; distinct in-groups and out-group's, which refers to the cohesiveness of the group; and covert and implicit messages, which refers to what we refer . High context culture is common wherever there is a relationship between people. High context cultures tend to build relationships slowly, and they are generally stable for a long time and are based on trust and loyalty. Therefore, it is necessary for more explicit information to be included in the message so it is not misinterpreted. - Uses & Side Effects, What is Amitriptyline? [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. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. 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 . Goodwill Messages and Recommendations. We have close, personal relationships with our relatives. The high and low context cultures in this concept refers to how important contextual cues are in interpreting a message. 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 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. We know that the way in which we say things at these gatherings is more important than what we say. Bernstein, B. High context communication cultures . Croucher, S., Bruno, A, McGrath, P, Adams, C, McGahan, C, Suits, A & Huckins, A. By comparison, low-context cultures refer to cultures whereby most communications take place through verbal language and rules are directly written out or stated for all to view. 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]. These rules of communication are understood without being explicitly stated. High-context cultures usually do not have rules that are explicitly written or stated. Yolanda has taught college Psychology and Ethics, and has a doctorate of philosophy in counselor education and supervision. For example, while the United States is a low-context culture, family gatherings (which are common in American culture) tend to be high-context. This means that the members' identity is heavily rooted in groups, i.e., families and work units. Japan is generally considered a high-context culture, meaning people communicate based on inherent understanding. (2014, December 10). In high context cultures like Native American tribes, Japan, China, and Arabic countries, communication is curvilinear, and often what is left unsaid is just as important than what is, and there is more flexibility with time and looser schedules. Listen to business speaker Erin Meyer explain how cultural differences can affect communication. The study identifies whether and how variables that characterize high- and low-context cultures are reflected on Web sites. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . Your message needs to be clear and precise. 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. How Do I Format and Cite Long Direct Quotes? [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. Anchor Press/Doubleday. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. 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. These experiences inclu. (2012). Emphasis on verbal vs. non-verbal communications, the existence of close personal space, emphasis on collectivism and ingroup learning and achievements, and the importance of interpersonal relationships are but a few of the most significant distinguishing factors. Routledge. What is a high-context culture and how does this communication culture differ from a low-context culture? [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. Leaders in high-context cultures, such as Ethiopia, tend to communicate more implicitly, using more nonverbal communication and expressing more vague verbal messages (at least from the viewpoint of a low-context culture). [25] Pleasure, affection and inclusion were the highest motives for communication in both cultures, and control was the lowest for both cultures. In other words, the relationship between directness and contexting based on traditional classifications of [high-context] and [low-context] cultures is particularly tenuous. [12] Typically a low-context culture will be less close-knit, and so individuals communicating will have fewer relational cues when interpreting messages. What are the effects on the communication process? Table 2 shows a classification of countries in low and high context, their characteristics and the expected role . While some cultures are low or high . Although the concept of high- and low-context cultures is usually applied in the field of analyzing national cultures, it can also be used to describe scientific or corporate cultures, or specific settings such as airports or law courts. References Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). Moreover, their communication is often task-oriented and driven by rational decision-making, which can further add to their formality.. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams.

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