231 lessons. Some recognized examples include: Higher-context culture: China, India, Korea, Japan, other Asian countries, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Oman, and Yemen, African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, Latin America, the Pacific islands, France, Greece, Finland, Ireland, Italy, and Russia. We know that the way in which we say things at these gatherings is more important than what we say. A number of unique characteristics exist to make a clear distinction between high-context vs. low-context cultures and methods of communication. In addition, Hall identified countries such as Japan, Arabic countries and some Latin American Countries to practice high-context culture; "High context communication carries most of its information within physical acts and features such as avoiding eye contact or even the shrug of a shoulder. These are some important high-context culture characteristics to look out for. Masculine vs. Feminine Cultures: Distinctions & Communication Styles. In a 2008 meta-analysis of 224 articles published between 1990 and 2006, Peter W. Cardon wrote: [T]he theory was never described by Hall with any empirical rigor, and no known research involving any instrument or measure of contexting validates it. The verbal and nonverbal cues of low vs. high-context communication can be . People within low-context cultures see their relationships much looser and the lines between networks of people are more flexibly drawn.[11]. Researchers today are using it greatly to study different cultures all over the world. High Context Culture vs Low Context Culture: Communication - TechTello 15 Examples of High Context - Simplicable Depending on the amount of information conveyed, cultures are classified as being high-context and low-context. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. The tools are used to establish context by adding additional information as personal and social cues are not as presentable as they are in face-to-face negotiations. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . [18] A trade language will typically need to explicitly explain more of the context than a dialect which can assume a high level of shared context. People have many acquaintances they have fewer close friends. Context 1. . A 2008 meta-analysis concluded that the model was "unsubstantiated and underdeveloped".[5]. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Sourabh Yadav (MA) and Peer Reviewed by Chris Drew (PhD), Bureaucratization (Sociology): Definition, Features, Origins, Stereotype Content Model: Examples and Definition. France is a high-context culture. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. [23] For example, Native Americans in the United States have higher-context cultures with a strong sense of tradition and history, compared to general American culture. In this context, we will discuss those topics also. By contrast, a low-context culture enjoys communications that take place most often through written or spoken (verbal) speech and rules are directly and explicitly stated. A high-context culture is a culture in which the values, rules, and social norms are primarily communicated through the use of contextual elements (such as body language, a person's status, and tone of voice) and are not explicitly stated. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Low-context cultures tend to focus more on the individual than the group, which is why they value individualism and autonomy. Getting the message across. High - low context communication: Vietnamese style 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. Low-context cultures are less stable than high-context cultures as they are not founded upon any shared background. High-Context Cultures - Avoid Misunderstandings And Build Stronger Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. Having a firm grasp on what constitutes high- and low-context, particularly in a communication setting, will truly help you better understand each . Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. 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. Wurtz found something similar while analyzing website design. After completing this chapter, you will be able to: Now that we know, broadly, what culture is, lets discuss some ways to categorize aspects of different cultures. A few predominantly high-context cultures include Japan, China, Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa. They assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything. Solved 1. Explain the differences between high- and | Chegg.com Hall and Hall proposed a "spectrum" of national cultures from "High-Context cultures" to "Low-Context Cultures. Examples of a low context communication cultures include The United States, the UK, Switzerland, Canada and Germany. The use of an elaborated code indicates that speaker and listener do not share significant amounts of common knowledge, and hence they may need to "spell out" their ideas more fully: elaborated codes tend to be more context-independent. The law is important! High Context Countries 2023 - Worldpopulationreview The terms low-context and high-context usually refer to language groups or nationalities. In contrast, low-context websites had lesser animation and images, focusing instead on the information. Writing Topic Sentences and Body Paragraphs, 38. Low context is a communication environment that doesn't heavily rely on common understanding such as shared culture, experiences and norms.This can be contrasted with high context communication that relies on common background or understanding. High and Low Context Cultures, Essay Example | essays.io Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. Intercultural Communication on Websites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Websites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures. [42] In a case study conducted by the IT University of Copenhagen, it was found that websites catering to high-context cultures tended to have more detailed and advanced designs, including various images and animations. Asia, Africa, Latin America, and central Europe are predominantly countries with a high context culture. Low context can describe situations, environments and cultures. Amount of Detail Expected - High-context cultures such as Japan, China, and France provide little details in their writing. In other words, people communicate explicitly in low-context cultures. Examples of low- and high-context cultures are those based in the following culture clusters: High-context cultures The Sub-Saharan Africa Cluster The Middle East Cluster The Latin Europe Cluster The Eastern Europe Cluster The Latin America Cluster The Southern Asia Cluster The Confucian Asia Cluster Low-context cultures The Anglo Cluster Low and High context countries and their characteristics High context cultures tend to build relationships slowly, and they are generally stable for a long time and are based on trust and loyalty. High-context cultures are related to connotation. There are strong distinctions made between individuals who are members of the ingroup and those who are not members in high-context cultures. Ramos, D. C. (2014). This means that the members' identity is heavily rooted in groups, i.e., families and work units. Communicating With High- and Low-Context Cultures [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. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. What is a high-context culture and how does this communication culture differ from a low-context culture? [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. You can find his work on The Print, Live Wire, and YouTube. [35], The concepts of collectivism and individualism have been applied to high- and low-context cultures by Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede in his Cultural Dimensions Theory. 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. Initially, high culture rejects these outsiders but eventually embraces them or appropriates . 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. Many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit because most members know what . 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. - Uses & Side Effects, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community, Japan, China, Korea, and many other countries in Asia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, and some other countries in South America, Tribal groups and most nations in Africa, such as Kenya, Iraq, Iran, and other countries located in the Middle East. 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. High Context and Low Context - SlideShare 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. It relies on the straightforward use of language, without depending much on nonverbal cues. 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. [19] This has been expanded to further countries by Sheposh & Shaista. High-Context Culture: Examples, Definition & Countries [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. Croucher's study examines the assertion that culture influences communication style (high/low-context) preference. High-Context & Low-Context Cultures - Cascade Business News Watch this video from international business expert Erin Meyer [1]. High-context cultures, on the other hand, depend on both the spoken words and the context of the situationincluding the shared values/assumptions of the groupto convey meaning.