In high-context cultures, language may be used to assist and maintain relationship-building and to focus on process. In high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, Korea, and Arab countries), communication relies heavily on non-verbal, contextual, and shared cultural meanings. For example, if you have ever been to a family gathering, then you have experience with a high-context culture. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". Low context cultures rely on the spoken word to communicate. Conclusions are explicitly stated. 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. Communicating with high-context cultures can require you to focus on politeness strategies that demonstrate your respect for readers and listeners. For the processing of complex messages, the perspective of context theory is very relevant. Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. "[27] This implies that communication is quite direct and detailed because members of the culture are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories, past experience or background. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. The aim of this report is to evaluate the concept of different communication cultures through the application of Hall's high and low-context model of culture. 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. Members of high-context cultures usually have close relationships that last for an extended period of time. This is in direct contrast to low-context cultures, in which information is communicated primarily through language and rules are explicitly spelled out. Negotiators basically say what they mean. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. There are strong distinctions made between individuals who are members of the ingroup and those who are not members in high-context cultures. ", "Communication: intercultural communication. 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. 2. High-context cultures usually do not have rules that are explicitly written or stated. However, there are some other characteristics also. High-context cultures are those that communicate in ways that are implicit and rely heavily on context. This means that the members' identity is heavily rooted in groups, i.e., families and work units. 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. [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. - Definition & Assessment, Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder, Atypical Antipsychotics: Effects & Mechanism of Action, What Is a Mood Stabilizer? Routledge. 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 Within high-context cultures, people rely on their networks of friends and family, viewing their relationships as part of one large community. These are some important high-context culture characteristics to look out for. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. ", Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 23:13, http://db19.linccweb.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/rowmandasj/high_context/0, "Intercultural Communication on Web sites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Web sites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures", "The Influence of High- and Low-Context Communication Styles On the Design, Content, and Language of Business-To-Business Web Sites", "The Influence of High-/Low-Context Culture on Perceived Ad Complexity and Liking", "Communication Style and Cultural Features in High/Low Context Communication Cultures: A Case Study of Finland, Japan and India", 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6793(199809)15:6<507::AID-MAR2>3.0.CO;2-A, "Communicational Features in High/Low Context Organizational Culture: A Case Study of Romania and Russia", "low-context and high-context communication", https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/dictmedia/communication_intercultural_communication/0, "Communication: intercultural communication", "Managing conflict in global teams: 4 keys to leveraging cultural differences in diverse teams", "International communication 101: staying on the right side of culture", "Individualism, Collectivism, High And Low Context", "Discovering cultural differences (and similarities) in facial expressions of emotion", "The Human Face as a Dynamic Tool for Social Communication", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=High-context_and_low-context_cultures&oldid=1141991389, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 23:13. [25], The categories of context cultures are not totally separate. Give some examples of cultural differences in the interpretation of body language. Getting the message across. Teachers can share their own experiences and examples with their students. In contrast, low-context websites had lesser animation and images, focusing instead on the information. High-context cultures rely heavily on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc. Cultural contexts are not absolutely "high" or "low". 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. Russia is a high context country with a culture that revolves around collectivism and interdependence on group relationships. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Low context can describe situations, environments and cultures. Information has to be explicit and detailed for the message to be conveyed without distortion. A person's identity in a high context society tends to be based on one's roles and experiences within the group. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. [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. 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. (PDF) COMMUNICATING IN HIGH & LOW CONTEXT CULTURES COMMUNICATING IN HIGH & LOW CONTEXT CULTURES March 2016 Affiliation: Arizona State University State: In Progress Authors: Jay Klagge. An error occurred trying to load this video. Low-context cultures tend to focus more on the individual than the group, which is why they value individualism and autonomy. Watch this video from international business expert Erin Meyer [1]. 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. Hofstede, G. (1984). Instead, many cultures tend to have a mixture or at least some concepts that are shared between them, overlapping the two context cultures.[26]. [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 also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. [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. 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. Context 1. . 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. 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.) Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. Studentsshould always cross-check any information on this site with their course teacher. We have close, personal relationships with our relatives. Masculine vs. Feminine Cultures: Distinctions & Communication Styles. The theory of High and Low Context Cultures puts how people communicate in a dimension. Answer (1 of 2): Examples of high context countries include: Japan, China, and the Arab countries. Sage Publications. This allows individuals of different generations to communicate through a shared set of values, which, in turn, provides stability to the culture. Indeed, Vietnamese communication style has all the characteristics of highcontext cultures, such as indirect and digressive communication, use of few words, reliance on contextual cues, avoidance of the use of personal names, respect for long silences, and waiting politely until the other person has stopped speaking before taking turns. Wurtz found something similar while analyzing website design. Developing Cultural Intelligence in Corporations, Cultural Perceptions of Time in Organizations: Monochronic and Polychronic Time, Using CRM to Improve Marketing & Customer Acquisition, Comparing Communication in Cultures with High & Low Tolerance for Ambiguity. Cite this Article in your Essay (APA Style), Privacy PolicyTerms and ConditionsDisclaimerAccessibility StatementVideo Transcripts. High context cultures tend to build relationships slowly, and they are generally stable for a long time and are based on trust and loyalty. Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, 18. 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]. High-Context and Low-Context Cultures: Understanding the Differences May 17, 2022 May 17, 2022 Reading Time: 5 minutes Read More High-Context and Low-Context Cultures: Understanding the Differences 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). This concept was introduced by Edward T. Hall, an anthropologist back in 1976. "Understanding cultural differences. [38] By contrast, low-context cultures tend to change more rapidly and drastically, allowing extension[definition needed] to happen at faster rates. [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. For example, it could be argued that the Canadian French language is higher context than Canadian English, but lower context than Spanish or French French. Examples of low context cultures include: Scandinavia; Germany, and the US. Wurtz studied McDonalds online advertising in various countries such as Japan, Germany, the United States, etc. 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. Meanwhile, in low-context cultures, more explicit speech is needed in order to allow the listener to fully understand the message. The terms "high context culture" and "low context culture" are used to define how people in various cultures communicate messages to each other. Due to this shared understanding, high-context cultures are slightly more informal. Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. Effectively communicating within this culture, therefore, requires messaging that is perceived as objective, professional, and efficient. 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