Rizza Anne Kristel S.

Dela Rosa Purposive Communication

2 CE – D TTH 1:30 P.M – 2:30 P.M (1 st Sem)

MODULE 6
Intercultural Communication

Task 1

I. Thinking about Culture

A. Culture is either geographical or ethnic
1. Significant differences between societies
2. Communication creates communities and culture
B. Something that other people have
1. Ethnocentric bias
II. Culture as Geographic or Ethnicity
A. Communicative differences
1. Cross-cultural communication
2. Intercultural communication
B. Culture as identifiable
1. Search for identifying features important points to notice
a. Multiple culture exist in one society or national group
b. Multiple social communities coexist in a single society and talk
amongst themselves as part of their conduct of membership
III. Transacting Culture
A. Defining element to belong to a culture
B. Point of view
1. Structure and discipline of society
2. The nature of culture and connection to society
C. Major elements of culture
1. symbols
2. Language
3. Norms
4. Values
5. Artifact
IV. Characteristics of Culture
A. Culture is learned
B. Culture is shared
C. Culture is base on symbols
D. Culture is integrated
E. Culture is dynamic
V. Subculture and Super Culture
A. Level of Subculture
1. Class
2. Race
3. Ethnic group
4. Indigenous people
5. Gender
6. Age
VI. Communication as path to Cultural Understanding
A. Stages of Cultural Adjustment
1. Enthusiasm and Excitement Stage
2. Withdrawn and Loneliness Stage
3. Re-emergence and Adjustment Stage
4. Achievement and Enthusiasm
B. Concept of Culture Shock
1. Definition
2. Symptoms of Culture Shock
a. Homesickness
b. Lethargy
c. Withdrawal and Irritability
d. Hostility towards other people
e. Irrational anger
f. Excessive sleeping
 C. Stages of Culture Shock
1. Honeymoon period Stage
2. Frustration or Disintegration Stage
3. Doldrums Stage
4. Blaming the environment Stage
5. Autonomy Stage
6. Process of Adaptation Stage
D. Factors affecting Cultural Adjustment
1. Extent of social interactions with host nationals.
2. Attitudes of the individuals towards home and host cultures.
3. Home culture patterns.

Task 2
Definition of Terms
1. Benchmark
A reference at which things can be compared to.
2. Cross-cultural
A concept where different culture co-exist with one another that offers
comparison.
3. Customs
A way of behaving that is traditional or usual in a certain societal group or
area.
4. Norms
A standard that is normal in a society usually a social behavior.
5. Holism
An idea that deals with philosophy about treating a subject as a whole rather
than a collection of parts.
6. Arbitrary
A decision based on personal impulse or random choice.
 7. Egalitarian
An idea that all human are equal that should receive equal rights and
opportunities.
8. Doldrums
A state of stopping to move or stagnant , no growth.
9. Volatile
A constant change unpredictably .
10. Hostility
An attitude when someone is unfriendly.
11. Dissipates
An act of slowly disappearing.
12. Withdrawn
Not willing to talk or communicate.
13. Autonomy
The condition of freedom or self- governance.
14. Landscape
The visual features that everything a person see in a particular area.
15. Interaction
Engaging with an action involving two person or more.

Task 3

DISCUSSION
Communication is important to people's daily lives. Wherever a person take a
step on, he/she always communicate. As long as two people understand each other,
their is always a bridge for interaction. But then, the world are divided into several
societal groups. Having their own values, norms and beliefs. They possess verbal and
non-verbal way of communicating, that is way different from a person's perspective
which is not part of a specified group. How two different people from different part of the
world suppose to communicate?
 Intercultural communication deals with people with different societal or cultural
structures speak with one another overcoming the differences. Basically , intercultural
communication revolves around with communication and culture. Communication is a
two-way process of transmitting message. Information is a variable that is important to
successfully communicate. But information aren't just simple information that is needed
to be convey, there is more to it. It is evident for communication is interlinked with
listening. With listening , a person try to focus intently. Thats why types of listening
namely discriminative, informational, critical and emphatic listening. The intention to
listen always has its own motivation. Information signifies the bond that creates
meaning out of it. While culture is said to be the shared meanings and style of speaking,
system of beliefs and customs. Culture are different base from societal group a person
is in. Therefore there is countless of culture in the world, each have a distinct part that is
seems odd to other people. A person can view differences based from nationality, social
behavior, gender and others. Intercultural communication is then focuses on a mutual
perspective of culture through the means of transmitting a message. Accordingly, the
purpose of communication is to organize the meaning behind the information conveyed.
In order for a person to decipher the meaning, culture should be acknowledge to clear
misunderstanding. Hence the central idea of intercultural communication is the cultural
differences. By means of accepting the difference in each one of people a person
communicate with. He/she will better understand it. People should focus on the
experience distinct from a culture and use it as a key to connect the meaning and action
to mutual understanding. The cultural differences make the intercultural communication
a necessity for it is a way of people from different cultural backgrounds discern and
make sense the information.

Cultural differences is the sole motivation to pursue intercultural communication.

To know one's culture is also a recognition and respect towards them. Communication
is complicated , a more to its meaning. Meeting and interacting with person requires
more than ears to listen. It needs the knowledge and understanding the origin of a
person, the society that shaped the person of who he/she is now. Intercultural
communication can be said to be an constellation. Different stars of culture coordinating
with others forming a perceivable perspective, allowing person to person, person to
group , group to group to interact and overcome the cultural differences. Shining
towards a bright future of people understanding each other and use it to progress into
betterment.