High-context-versus-low-context

High-contextversusLow-contextGroup6Withthetechnologyrevolution,theworldhasbecomeasmallerplanet.Peoplefromallovertheworldcommunicatemuchmoreeasilyandfrequentlythroughtheinternet,cabletelevisionandsatellite-linkedphones.Telecommunicationsandtransportationsystemshaveweakenedthebarriersofgeographywhichseparatedifferentpeoples.Yetmanycommunicationdifficultiesstillpersist,becauseofculturedifferences.Hall,ananthropologist(1976),hasclassifiedculturesintohighcontextcultureandlowcontextcultureaccordingtothewaypeoplecommunicate.Highcontextreferstosocietiesorgroupswherepeoplehavecloseconnectionsoveralongperiodoftime.Manyaspectsofculturalbehaviorarenotmadeexplicitbecausemostmembersknowwhattodoandwhattothinkfromyearsofinteractionwitheachother.Yourfamilyisprobablyanexampleofahighcontextenvironment.Lowcontextreferstosocietieswherepeopletendtohavemanyconnectionsbutofshorterdurationorforsomespecificreason.Inthesesocieties,culturalbehaviorandbeliefsmayneedtobespelledoutexplicitlysothatthosecomingintotheculturalenvironmentknowhowtobehave.Highcontextculturereliesheavilyonsubtle（微妙的）,oftennonverbalcues（暗示）tomaintainsocialharmony.ItcanbefoundinAsia,mostofLatinAmerican,AfricaandMiddleEasterncountries.Lowcontextcultureuseslanguageprimarilytoexpressthoughts,feelingsandideasasdirectlyaspossible.ThelowestcontextculturesareGermany,Britain,theUnitedStates,SwitzerlandandScandinaviancountries.PointstorememberHigh-contextsocieties(everythingmatters):#whoyouarerelatedtomatters.#whoyouknowmatters.#It'sbettertooverdressthantounderdress.#watchtoseehowothersrespondinasituationinordertoapplyappropriatebehavior.#remembertohonorthepeopleyouaredealingwith;toocasualisinsulting.#askalocalpersonwhohaslivedoverseasforawhilewhatisimportanttoknow.#usemanners.(thanks,please,neat,fantastic,etc)#respecttherules.#giveattentiontoappropriategreetings.PointstorememberLow-contextsocieties(nothingmatters;anythinggoes-withinreason)#whoyouknowmatters,butnoasmuch.Whatyouknowismoreimportant.#Donotbeoffendedbythecasualatmosphere.#Lackofprotocol(礼节)doesnotmeanrejecting,norisdishonoring.#Theydonotknowwhatyourrulesare,soleaveyourrulesathome.#addresspeoplebytheirgivennameunlessothersusetitles.Example：classesWehearabouttheinformalityinanAmericanclassfromtimetotime.Forinstance,Americanprofessorsdonotdressupandtheygenerallycallstudentsbytheirfirstnames.Studentscanspeakoutinclass,wheretheydonotevenneedtoraisetheirhands.Inaddition,inmanyschools,studentscandrinkcoffee,teaorjuiceduringclasses.Americanstudentssometimesarguewiththeirteachersinclass,giveteacherssuggestionsonthingsthatneedchanging,orevencriticizetheirideas.Incontrast,therelationshipbetweenteachersandstudentsinChinacanbequiteformal.Itisnotpossibleforstudentstofirst-nametheirteachers.Rather,weaddressthemwithProf.orMr.orMs.,andinclassweseldomchallengetheteacher'sideas.We'retaughtsincethefirstdaywegotothekindergartenthatweshouldsitupstraightandobeyallthedisciplines.Inmostcases,wejustsitthereandarepassivelycrammed.Whilethesetermsaresometimesusefulindescribingsomeaspectsofaculture,onecanneversayacultureishighorlowbecausesocietiesallcontainbothmodes.Highandlowarethereforelessrelevantasadescriptionofawholepeople,andmoreusefultodescribeandunderstandparticularsituationsandenvironments.WaysthatHighandLowContextDifferTheStructureofRelationshipsHigh:Dense,intersectingnetworksandlongtermrelationships,strongboundaries,relationshipmoreimportantthantaskLow:Loose,widenetworks,shorterterm,compartmentalizedrelationships,taskmoreimportantthanrelationshipMainTypeofCulturalKnowledgeHigh:Moreknowledgeisbelowthewaterline--implicit,patternsthatarenotfullyconscious,hardtoexplainevenifyouareamemberofthatcultureLow:Moreknowledgeisabovethewaterline--explicit,consciouslyorganizedTheendTHANKS