Words: 825. In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. 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. [30] The diversity within a main culture shows how the high and low scale differs depending on social settings such as school, work, home, and in other countries; variation is what allows the scale to fluctuate even if a large culture is categorized as primarily one or the other. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. Body language, tone of voice, and personal status are a few notable characteristics that are valued in a high-context culture. 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. Members of high-context cultures usually have close relationships that last for an extended period of time. 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. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 [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. 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. low-context communication is "the mass of information is vested in the explicit code". 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. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Instead, a comparison between cultures may find communication differences to a greater or lesser degree. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. 9. Devon has tutored for almost two years. 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). We know that the way in which we say things at these gatherings is more important than what we say. Guffey et al. For example, people in traditional high context cultures have been described as developing "shared identities." In direct contrast to low context behavior, in a negotiation, high context cultures communicate in Culture and Interpersonal Communication. Rules are not directly or explicitly written or stated. 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 High Context Culture And Its Importance Because a low-context setting cannot rely on shared understanding of potentially ambiguous messages, low-context cultures tend to give more information, or to be precise in their language. A few relevant examples of differences in communication between low- and high-context cultures are found in Table 1. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. This is in direct contrast to low-context cultures, in which information is communicated primarily through language and rules are explicitly spelled out. These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. A low-context culture is a culture in which people communicate explicitly. [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. [1] "High-" and "low-" context cultures typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. 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. 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 following are illustrative examples. Trust must be developed before business transactions can begin. Context 1. . On the other hand, low-context culture does not have any such shared background. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. [22], The concept of elaborated and restricted codes was introduced by sociologist Basil Bernstein in his book Class, Codes and Control. A number of unique characteristics exist to make a clear distinction between high-context vs. low-context cultures and methods of communication. 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. They have a Bachelor's in Air Traffic Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and minored in Aviation Safety and Homeland Security. Guffey, D. Lowey, K. Rhodes, K., & P. Rogin. For an outsider, it is easier to enter into low-context cultures because one does not need to be aware of the shared history/values of the group. Want to create or adapt books like this? The general terms "high context" and "low context" (popularized by Edward Hall) are used to describe broad-brush cultural differences between societies. - Dosage & Side Effects, Anxiolytic: Definition, Medications & Dependence, What is Citalopram? 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]. Croucher's study examines the assertion that culture influences communication style (high/low-context) preference. They are considered less direct, and they put a lot of weight on gestures and body language to draw significance from messages. High-context cultures usually do not have rules that are explicitly written or stated. Hofstede, G. (1984). In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". This study, done by Kim Dunghoon, was to test the major aspects the high versus low-context culture concepts. Wurtz, Elizabeth (2005). Contexts in source publication. Edward T. Hall describes low-context culture as one in which: most of the information is either in the explicit code or readily available elsewhere (Hall, 1976). High-context cultures: Much of the society's communication takes place through . classifications are discussed below. In high-context cultures, people are said to prefer symbolic, artful language that is implicit. The results show significant differences between the American, Chinese, and Korean samples on 15 out of 16 items, with 11 items significant at the .01 level, one at the .05 level, and three at the .10 level. But the fact that contexting has not been empirically validated should not necessarily be construed as a failure of the theory. [2], Website design among cross-cultural barriers include factoring in decisions about culture-sensitive color meanings, layout preferences, animation and sounds. High context is where the groups of people or societies in which individuals have had close links in the course of a long period. Contents show Low Context Culture Definition Edward T. Hall describes low-context culture as one in which: [42] Low-context websites had less animation and more stagnant images, with more details on information. 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. Seekprofessional input on your specific circumstances. For example, if you have ever been to a family gathering, then you have experience with a high-context culture. Sage Publications. 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). In other words, high-context communicators attach great importance to everything that surrounds the explicit message, including interpersonal relationships, non-verbal cues, and physical and social settings. It relies on the straightforward use of language, without depending much on nonverbal cues. Overall, this study provides further evidence to support the high versus low-context culture concepts with Chinese, Korean, and American participants. They often use written contracts and agreements to clarify expectations (Gudykunst & Ting-Toomey, 1988). 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. Low use of nonverbal elements. Cultures and languages are defined as higher or lower context on a spectrum. 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. 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. Low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, action-oriented, and concerned with the individual. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. [6] 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). They tend to use more slangs, idioms and are generally high pace speakers. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Hall is also credited for developing the idea of chronemics, or the study of the use of time during nonverbal communications. In his work, "Beyond Culture", Hall described these two different types of cultural relationships as they applied to information. Language may be used to achieve goals or exchange information. Identify your style Before implementing effective communication practices across cultures, identify your own style: [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. They also are AT-CTI certified. In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. The preferred way of solving problems and learning is in groups. Order now. 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. An understanding of external cultures also leads to a better acceptance of diversity, a reduction in confusion and anxiety from misinterpreted communications, and a more effective means of intercultural collaboration. ", 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. Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. This also means that low-context communication may fail due to the overload of information, which makes culture lose its screening[definition needed] function. All the advice on this site is general in nature. Eye contact, for example, which is encouraged in North America, may have ambiguous meaning or be considered disrespectful in certain high-context cultures. Neuliup, J. W. (2011). Cultural communications are highly important to understand for a number of reasons and the concept of high-context vs. low-context culture was first elaborated by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in 1976. Hall, E. T. (1976). Examples of high-context cultures include Asian, African, Latin American, and some European countries. 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. The study collected three samples from different cultures - the US, China, and Korea - with 96 business managers surveyed in the American and Chinese sample and 50 managers in the Korean sample. For example, families typically engage in high context communication whereby they can communicate much with subtleties such as a glace. Conflict Styles and HighLow Context Cultures: A Cross-Cultural Extension. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. Because of this, many features of cultural behavior in high-context cultures, such as individual roles and expectations, do not need much detailed or thought-out explanation. [14] Groups that are able to rely on a common background may not need to use words as explicitly to understand each other. An individual from Texas (a higher-context culture) may communicate with a few words or use of a prolonged silence characteristic of Texan English, where a New Yorker would be very explicit (as typical of New York City English), although both speak the same language (American English) and are part of a nation (the United States of America) which is lower-context relative to other nations. Traditionally, Western cultures are known for being more individualistic or communicating with a low context style. 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. Studentsshould always cross-check any information on this site with their course teacher. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Cite this Article in your Essay (APA Style), Privacy PolicyTerms and ConditionsDisclaimerAccessibility StatementVideo Transcripts. Primarily use non-verbal methods to relay meaningful information in conversations, such as facial expressions, eye movement, and tone of voice. "Understanding cultural differences. 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. All rights reserved. Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. High-context cultures include close-knit groups of people, while low-context cultures are generally more diverse. India and Japan are typically high-context, highly collectivistic cultures, where business is done by building relationships and maintaining respectful communication. 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. Monochronic vs. Polychronic Communication Styles | What Are Chronemics? 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. 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. Also remember that although cultures are different from one another, no culture or cultural characteristic is better or worse than any other. Information is transmitted not through words alone but also through non-verbal cues such as gestures, voice inflection, and facial expression, which can have different meanings in different cultures. An experiment performed by the University of Glasgow shows that different cultures have different understanding of the facial expression signals of the six basic emotions, which are the so-called "universal language of emotion"happiness, surprise, fear, disgust, anger and sadness. Examples of low context cultures include: Scandinavia; Germany, and the US. Croucher, S., Bruno, A, McGrath, P, Adams, C, McGahan, C, Suits, A & Huckins, A. [12] Typically a low-context culture will be less close-knit, and so individuals communicating will have fewer relational cues when interpreting messages. Low context cultures emphasize individuality and tasks. Because of this, communication can change drastically from one generation to the next, creating communication gaps between parents and children. Verbal message is explicit. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". [32] Since all sets of cultures differ, especially from a global standpoint where language also creates a barrier for communication, social interactions specific to a culture normally require a range of appropriate communication abilities that an opposing culture may not understand or know about. 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. 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. 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. For the processing of complex messages, the perspective of context theory is very relevant. 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 The scale of high- and low-context cultures helps explain much about how we experience communication across our cultural experiences. Negotiators basically say what they mean. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. In low-context countries, things need to be spelled out a bit more. Because directness may be thought of as disrespectful, discussions in high-context cultures can be circuitous, circling key issues rather than addressing them head-on.