Culture As A Barrier To Communication

Everyone of us is exposed to people from other cultures on a regular basis in the workplace, in our social activities, school, or even within our families. Our culture hinders us from getting our message, and to receive the full message that others want to convey to us. This article is broken down into three aspects: the culture, the main cause of cross-cultural misunderstandings, and attitudes and skills they need to communicate cross-culturally

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When we think about culture, first think about the country, especially about its food, art, customs, and patterns of behavior. These are the external manifestations of a system of values​​, assumptions, and deeply rooted beliefs. Culture emerges as a group, and then face the challenges of responding to these challenges života.Odgovori who are successful are taught and shared among group members and passed on from older to younger members. Culture is then learned through experience.

can not think of culture as well as three levels:

the highest level of the outside events, objects:. Visible behavior, art, clothing and so on

on the high-level values​​. These are the invisible rules that cause artifacts

The most powerful dimension of culture implicit cultural assumptions. These assumptions lie so deep that they never questioned, said the defense or

culture also exists among Americans, but what are the implicit cultural assumptions of Americans? Some of the most distinctive features of American culture are. Individualism, equality, competition, protection of personal control, self-help concept, action orientation, informality, directness, practicality, materialism, and problem-solving orientation

These American values ​​and deeply rooted beliefs are very different from the other country's values ​​and cultural assumptions uvjerenja.Implicitnih Americans often unlike those in other cultures. When individuals from different cultures run into each other values ​​and beliefs, cross-cultural misunderstandings take place.

people constantly interact with people who have similar attitudes and to reinforce their beliefs. To be able to distinguish between the groups and outside groups is of paramount importance for the individual, because it allows them to find the identity of who they are and which are not.

people constantly interact with people who have similar attitudes and to reinforce their beliefs. To be able to distinguish between the groups and outside groups is of paramount importance for the individual, because it allows them to find the identity of who they are and which are not.

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in-group/out-group This difference gives us a basis for ethnocentrism, the tendency to interpret and to judge all other groups, their environment, and their communication to the categories and values ​​of our culture. We are guilty of ethnocentrism when we consider that our world view is the right one, correct, and the only one.

We are all familiar with the stereotypes, which is one of the most serious problems in intercultural communication. Our tendency to hold beliefs about groups of individuals based on previously formed attitudes, perceptions and attitudes is often a defense mechanism, a way of reducing anxiety.

There are many other causes of intercultural misunderstanding: lack of trust, lack of empathy, and abuse of power. We all know what they are about the discomfort that they cause. But how can we do a better job at communicating across cultures?

the same skills that we need to communicate is generally related to cross-cultural communication. Lets look at some of these skills:

be able to: Identify your attitudes, your opinions and prejudices that we all carry around. Identify your likes, your dislikes, your prejudices, and your degree of personal ethnocentrism.

Take your time: Listening to other people and allow or her to achieve its purpose. Do not jump to conclusions. Some times we end up thoughts and ideas of others before he or she has finished speaking. Some cultures of non-verbal styles call for a period of silence and long pauses.

to encourage feedback: Feedback allows communicators to correct and adjust the message. Without feedback we can not have a contract. First we must create an atmosphere in which others are encouraged to provide feedback. Again, do not be afraid of silence. It could be the right feedback from time to time.

Development of empathy: the larger the difference between us and the other, the harder it is to sympathize. We develop the empathy to put another person in place. By becoming more sensitive to the needs, values ​​and goals of another person, we can overcome our ethnocentric tendencies.

Looking for similarities between different cultures: Despite our cultural differences we are all alike in many ways. We need you to be common ground for the connection between us and the rest of humanity.

Looking for similarities between different cultures: Despite our cultural differences we are all alike in many ways. We need you to be common ground for the connection between us and the rest of humanity.

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