Culture is a combination of our thoughts, roles, manners, values, etc. Typically a high-context culture will be relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative. [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. Meaning depends on what is said- the literal content of the message- rather than how it is said. Since understanding every culture has its level of complexity, it is hard for other country people to determine what is the state of culture of the country they visit as a traveller. Russia is a high context country with a culture that revolves around collectivism and interdependence on group relationships. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. The American sample scored the lowest compared to the two "Oriental samples," which aligns with Hall's concept. "Understanding cultural differences. - Definition & Assessment, Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder, Atypical Antipsychotics: Effects & Mechanism of Action, What Is a Mood Stabilizer? Beyond Culture. 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. Communication cultures differ societally between high-context and low-context cultures, a concept first described by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1976 publication Beyond Culture. "[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. People within high-context cultures tend to be more aware and observant of facial expressions, body language, changes in tone, and other aspects of communication that are not directly spoken. Verbal message is direct; one spells things out exactly. [36], High-context cultures tend to be more stable, as their communication is more economical, fast, efficient and satisfying; but these are gained at a price of devoting time into preprogramming cultural background, and their high stability might come with a price of a high barrier for development. 1. The USA and Australia are typically low-context, highly individualistic cultures, where transparency and competition in business are prized. In high-context cultures, communication cues are transmitted by posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression. (2014, May 9). 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). Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. (The pedestrians example) Hall, E. T. (1976). (2014, December 10). The low-context websites had multiple images of individuals, while the high-context websites contained images and animations of groups and communities.[42]. They also are AT-CTI certified. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. An in-depth understanding of cultural norms is not required because the communication is explicit. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. 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. Communication Research Reports. High-context cultures: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, and Saudi Arabia are some of the highest-context cultures in the world. [25] Pleasure, affection and inclusion were the highest motives for communication in both cultures, and control was the lowest for both cultures. Communicators in high-context cultures pay attention to more than the words spoken they also pay attention to interpersonal relationships, nonverbal expressions, physical settings, and social settings. High vs. Low Power Distance Cultural Communications | What are High and Low Power Distance Cultural Communications? 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. 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Primarily use non-verbal methods to relay meaningful information in conversations, such as facial expressions, eye movement, and tone of voice. This study, done by Kim Dunghoon, was to test the major aspects the high versus low-context culture concepts. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. Not only is the page itself busier . 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 contrast, take a look at the ads on the front page of Weibo, which is considered China's version of Facebook. Sage Publications. Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. Researchers today are using it greatly to study different cultures all over the world. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. For the processing of complex messages, the perspective of context theory is very relevant. Beyond Culture. 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. These experiences inclu. In Mexico's high context culture, communication is . (2012). References Gudykunst, W. B., & Ting-Toomey, S. (1988). Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. High-context cultures are collectivist cultures. There are strong distinctions made between individuals who are members of the ingroup and those who are not members in high-context cultures. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. High context is where the groups of people or societies in which individuals have had close links in the course of a long period. "[17] On the other hand, he identified countries such as Germany, the United States and Scandinavia as low-context cultures. All the advice on this site is general in nature. In. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code.". Note: Comparison of low- and high-context cultures reprinted from Business communication: Process & product (p. 64) by M.E. High-context cultures promote the development of ingroups. Depending on the amount of information conveyed, cultures are classified as being high-context and low-context. 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. A few predominantly high-context cultures include Japan, China, Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa. Individuals in such cultures must hear or read a direct order, point, etc for it to be taken as valid. 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. The answer is simple. Instead, they depend on the explicit code of the words and written rules to convey meaning. Croucher's study examines the assertion that culture influences communication style (high/low-context) preference. We also make strong distinctions between those who are a part of our family and those who are not. For example, if you have ever been to a family gathering, then you have experience with a high-context culture. Cultures and communication in which context is of great importance to structuring actions is referred to as high context. [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. 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. Routledge. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. [5], These concepts were first introduced by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1959 book The Silent Language. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. (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. However, there are some other characteristics also. Rules are not directly or explicitly written or stated. Some common characteristics of high-context cultures include: Though the United States has a low-context culture, we have all been placed in situations that are considered high-context. 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. Carolyn Meyer (2017)[4]discusses the prototypes for communication in low-context and high-context cultures: Communicators in low-context cultures (such as those in Germany, Scandinavia, and North America) convey their meaning exclusive of the context of a situation. 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 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. [7][8] Denotation tends to be attributed to low-context culture[9] People in low-context cultures communicate in a more direct way, with explicitly speaking what they want to communicate. Germany, Sweden, and the United States are generally classified as low-context cultures. classifications are discussed below. What is the role of such non-verbal communication in business relationships? 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]. [24] The table shows the major differences and similarities between individual queries. High-context cultures are related to connotation. Conclusions are explicitly stated. Japan and China are some of the best examples of high-context cultures, in addition to Brazil, Argentina, Spain, and many nations throughout Africa and the Middle East. Sourabh Yadav is a freelance writer & filmmaker. Words: 825. [20][21], Cultural context can also shift and evolve. Croucher, S., Bruno, A, McGrath, P, Adams, C, McGahan, C, Suits, A & Huckins, A. Table 2 shows a classification of countries in low and high context, their characteristics and the expected role . In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. Examples of high-context cultures include China, India, and many non-Western societies. Therefore, it is necessary for more explicit information to be included in the message so it is not misinterpreted. As we discuss culture, we are making generalizations to create cultural prototypes. Low-context cultures also want these communications to revolve around basic questions, like: What's happening? Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, 18. Conclusion The dynamics of relationships within High and Low context cultures are very different. The terms "high context culture" and "low context culture" are used to define how people in various cultures communicate messages to each other. 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 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 . [37] Because individualistic cultures may value cultural diversity, a more explicit way of communicating is often required to avoid misunderstanding. [2] Collectivist societies prioritize the group over the individual, and vice versa for individualist ones. 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. Your email address will not be published. [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. Ramos suggests that "in low context culture, communication members' communication must be more explicit. In his model, context refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambiance surrounding an event. According to Hall's theory, the Chinese and Korean samples represented higher-context cultures while the American sample represents a lower context culture. ", "Communication: intercultural communication. [14] Groups that are able to rely on a common background may not need to use words as explicitly to understand each other.