The terms "high context culture" and "low context culture" are used to define how people in various cultures communicate messages to each other. ", 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. However, this type of segregation is not rigid, but takes the form of a gradient since the contextual base of a culture is not a quantifiable but relative concept. We also make strong distinctions between those who are a part of our family and those who are not. In high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, and Arab countries), the listener is already contexted and does not need to be given much background information[3]. [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. What is an Interculturally Effective Person (IEP)? High Context vs. Low Context (Internet) Example of McDonalds Internet site: High: Families shown, lots of people on the website ads Low: You, your choices, easy to navigate High Context vs. Low Context (Law) High: Traditions are the laws Low: Rules and order are spelled out. Contents show Low Context Culture Definition Edward T. Hall describes low-context culture as one in which: Context is less important than words. In. Since a high-context culture is based on fewer, deeper relations with people, there are many unspoken social rules and understandings within the culture. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. Answer (1 of 2): Examples of high context countries include: Japan, China, and the Arab countries. In contrast, low-context websites had lesser animation and images, focusing instead on the information. Hall identifies high-context cultures as those in which harmony and the well-being of the group is preferred over individual achievement. Nonetheless, the contexting model simply cannot be described as an empirically validated model. 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. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. A first step in achieving this goal is to identify one's own culture before delving into the rigors of another. They often use written contracts and agreements to clarify expectations (Gudykunst & Ting-Toomey, 1988). Your email address will not be published. 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. For example, Hall describes how Japanese culture has both low- and high-context situations. For example, the head wobble (tilting the head from side to side) in India is a gesture that can convey a variety of meanings depending on the situation. Create your account. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Sage Publications. Communication Research Reports. [42] Low-context websites had less animation and more stagnant images, with more details on information. Guffey et al. A 2008 meta-analysis concluded that the model was "unsubstantiated and underdeveloped".[5]. The answer is simple. - Definition & Assessment, Bipolar vs. Borderline Personality Disorder, Atypical Antipsychotics: Effects & Mechanism of Action, What Is a Mood Stabilizer? One approach to gaining such an insight is through the use of the high and low context culture framework, which was established by anthropologist Edward T. Examples of low context cultures are countries such as China, Brazil or Saudi Arabia. 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. Create your account, 10 chapters | High-context cultures promote the development of ingroups. High-context communication tends to be more indirect and more formal. However, there are some other characteristics also. Cultural Perceptions of Communication in Organizations: Low Context and High Context. [5]:4223, Characteristics of high-context and low-context cultures, Examples of higher- and lower-context cultures, Overlap and contrast between context cultures, How higher context relates to other cultural metrics. [1] In low context, communication members' communication must be more explicit, direct, and elaborate because individuals are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories or background, and communication is not necessarily shaped by long-standing relationships between speakers. 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. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. low-context communication is "the mass of information is vested in the explicit code". It is important to note that no culture is completely high-context or low-context, since all societies contain at least some parts that are both high and low. This allows individuals of different generations to communicate through a shared set of values, which, in turn, provides stability to the culture. In his work, "Beyond Culture", Hall described these two different types of cultural relationships as they applied to information. Overall, this study provides further evidence to support the high versus low-context culture concepts with Chinese, Korean, and American participants. We'll also look at how they're different and what that means for your work in global business. High context cultures include Japanese, Arabs and French. Trust must be developed before business transactions can begin. Intercultural communication. Watch this video from international business expert Erin Meyer [1]. For example Japan, which has a very high context culture, uses both polychronic and monochronic time. They assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything. High-context cultures are built on a sense of shared experiences and history. In high-context cultures, language may be used to assist and maintain relationship-building and to focus on process. This means that the members' identity is heavily rooted in groups, i.e., families and work units. Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). Low context implies that a lot of information is exchanged explicitly through the message itself and rarely is anything implicit or hidden.People in low context cultures such as the UK tend to have short-term relationships, follow rules and standards closely and are generally very task-oriented. Masculine vs. Feminine Cultures: Distinctions & Communication Styles. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. All articles are edited by a PhD level academic. Many low context cultures are individualist so people openly express their views, and tend to make important information obvious to others. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. A number of unique characteristics exist to make a clear distinction between high-context vs. low-context cultures and methods of communication. You can find his work on The Print, Live Wire, and YouTube. Although the concept of high- and low-context cultures is usually applied in the field of analyzing national cultures, it can also be used to describe scientific or corporate cultures, or specific settings such as airports or law courts. On the other hand, low-context culture does not have any such shared background. 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. [22], The concept of elaborated and restricted codes was introduced by sociologist Basil Bernstein in his book Class, Codes and Control. Table 2 shows a classification of countries in low and high context, their characteristics and the expected role . 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. For example, in one country a cow is seen as leather, in another one - as a deity and in another one as dinner. In contrast, take a look at the ads on the front page of Weibo, which is considered China's version of Facebook. In comparison, the United States is perhaps the best example of a diverse and low-context culture. [25] There were 225 Mexican participants from three different undergraduate universities in Mexico City and 447 participants from Kent State University in the U.S.[25] The case study looked into culture shock experienced by Mexicans studying in the U.S. The Self in a Social Context: Help and Review, Figure-Ground Perception: Definition & Examples, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, High Context vs. Low Context Characteristics, Introduction to Social Psychology: Help and Review, Research Methods and Ethics: Help and Review, Social Cognition & Perception: Help and Review, The Self: Executive and Organizational Functions & Gender and Cultural Differences, Introspection and Self-Awareness Theory in Psychology: Definition & Examples, Self-Perception Theory: Definition and Examples, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation in Education: Definition & Examples, Two-Factor Theory of Emotions: Definition and Relation to the Misattribution of Arousal, Social-Comparison Theory: Upward vs. The ways by which humans communicate are based heavily on the context of what is being spoken, the individuals involved, and the setting in which the communication takes place. Researchers today are using it greatly to study different cultures all over the world. Cultures and languages are defined as higher or lower context on a spectrum. They rely less on the shared values/assumptions of the group and the context of the situation. 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 So the poor cow's life depends on the country, where it was born: whether it is going to be worshipped or to end up on someone's . [30], Punctuation marks and emojis are more often used by high-context users than low-context users. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. This can be quite confusing to an outsider, especially someone from a low-context culture who is used to communicating via explicit messages. Intercultural Business Communication by Confederation College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. 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. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. These are some important high-context culture characteristics to look out for. "[17] On the other hand, he identified countries such as Germany, the United States and Scandinavia as low-context cultures. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. Examples of a low context communication cultures include The United States, the UK, Switzerland, Canada and Germany. 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 According to Hall, the high-context culture definition relates to a culture by which the rules of communication are primarily and dominantly transmitted through the use of contextual elements. This also means that low-context communication may fail due to the overload of information, which makes culture lose its screening[definition needed] function. Developing Cultural Intelligence in Corporations, Cultural Perceptions of Time in Organizations: Monochronic and Polychronic Time, Using CRM to Improve Marketing & Customer Acquisition, Comparing Communication in Cultures with High & Low Tolerance for Ambiguity. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. Rules are not directly or explicitly written or stated. Your message needs to be clear and precise. 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). Examples of low context cultures include: Scandinavia; Germany, and the US. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Wurtz, Elizabeth (2005). In high-context cultures, people are said to prefer symbolic, artful language that is implicit. The low-context websites had multiple images of individuals, while the high-context websites contained images and animations of groups and communities.[42]. The high and low context cultures in this concept refers to how important contextual cues are in interpreting a message. But we can also use them to talk about smaller groups, such as corporate cultures or a specific setting like the airport. Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. 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 Low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, action-oriented, and concerned with the individual. India and Japan are typically high-context, highly collectivistic cultures, where business is done by building relationships and maintaining respectful communication. [1] "High-" and "low-" context cultures typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. High vs. Low Power Distance Cultural Communications | What are High and Low Power Distance Cultural Communications? However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. In contrast, low-context cultures rely on explicit verbal communication. Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. Low context communication is more common in the English speaking world, whereas high context communication is more common in Eastern cultures such as Japan and China. (2012). Low-context cultures (such as those in North America and Western Europe) depend less on the environment of a situation to convey meaning than do high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, and Arab countries). people generally use. [4] The model of high-context and low-context cultures offers a popular framework in intercultural-communication studies, but has been criticized as lacking empirical validation. The preferred way of solving problems and learning is in groups. 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. Having a firm grasp on what constitutes high- and low-context, particularly in a communication setting, will truly help you better understand each . As we discuss culture, we are making generalizations to create cultural prototypes. We cite peer reviewed academic articles wherever possible and reference our sources at the end of our articles. 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. The same applies for the other characteristics in varied countries. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. Conflict Styles and HighLow Context Cultures: A Cross-Cultural Extension. ; it is the way we communicate, do business and see the world. "Understanding cultural differences. Negotiators basically say what they mean. High-context communications, as well as low-context interactions, are important to understand from many perspectives. [37] Because individualistic cultures may value cultural diversity, a more explicit way of communicating is often required to avoid misunderstanding. Teachers can share their own experiences and examples with their students. [25], The categories of context cultures are not totally separate. [25] Pleasure, affection and inclusion were the highest motives for communication in both cultures, and control was the lowest for both cultures. High Context Culture And Its Importance 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. In high cultures, much of the communication is understood by the group either by non-verbal coding, which refers to common body language; distinct in-groups and out-group's, which refers to the cohesiveness of the group; and covert and implicit messages, which refers to what we refer . "[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. [2] Collectivist societies prioritize the group over the individual, and vice versa for individualist ones. 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. [30] Many singular cultures that are large have subcultures inside of them, making communication and defining them more complicated than the low-context and high-context culture scale. An error occurred trying to load this video. For example, resemblance is a significant trait in cultures with a high level of context. Furthermore, cultural aspects such as tradition, ceremony, and history are also highly valued. In a low-context culture, the onus for communication lies with the speaker. What is low context cultural communication? 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. Copyright 2023 Helpful Professor. The composite score also indicates a significant difference among the three samples at the .01 level. Generally, the situation, people, and non-verbal elements are more important than the actual words that are communicated in a high-context culture. [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. Routledge. What are the effects on the communication process? Communication Differences in Low-Context vs. High-Context Cultures, Comparing Communication Styles in Low- and High-Context Cultures, Additional Resources for Determining Cultural Contexts, Ethnocentrism and Cross-Cultural Competence, Additional Resources for Understanding Trompenaars Dimensions, Three Prototypes: Dignity, Face, and Honor Cultures, Ethnocentrism, Culture Shock, and Cultural Relativism. The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. Pages: 3. Guffey, M. E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). On one side of the dimension, we have high context cultures, which depend on greater context when communicating. Besides cultural context, personal experiences and preferences also shape communication. 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. High-context cultures are collectivist, value interpersonal relationships, and have members that form stable, close relationships. Examples of high-context cultures include China, India, and many non-Western societies. High-context cultures rely heavily on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language, verbal messages, or non-verbal messages. 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. Asia, Africa, Latin America, and central Europe are predominantly countries with a high context culture. Messages can be contextualized by assuming that the audience would think in the same manner and will follow the underlying meaning implied in someone's speech or writing as a result of these common experiences. What is the role of such non-verbal communication in business relationships? Published: 2020/12/03. We know that the way in which we say things at these gatherings is more important than what we say. They are considered less direct, and they put a lot of weight on gestures and body language to draw significance from messages. 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. Unlike low-context cultures, high-context cultures prioritize the group over the individual (Hofstede, 1984). High-context cultures are those that communicate in ways that are implicit and rely heavily on context. [30][32], Families, subcultures and in-groups typically favour higher-context communication. (2013)[2]explain the concept of cultural context: Cultural context is a concept developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall. 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. High-context cultures: Much of the society's communication takes place through . High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. 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 Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the United States. Low-context cultures (including North America and much of Western Europe) are logical, linear, individualistic, and action-oriented. When a part of these groups, a low-context individual may be more drawn to interpersonal relationships with others than focusing on their own accomplishments and do not require information to be elaborated because they maintain an understanding of group behaviors. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. Low context can describe situations, environments and cultures. 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. 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. [36], Individualistic cultures promote the development of individual values and independent social groups. The law is important! The Nine Competencies that Characterize an IEP, Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits and Obstacles, Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, Additional Resources to Help you Format your Paper in APA Style. 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. Power Distance Index & Examples | What is Power Distance? According to Hall's theory, the Chinese and Korean samples represented higher-context cultures while the American sample represents a lower context culture. Conclusions are explicitly stated. Hofstede, G. (1984). In high-context cultures (such as those in Japan, China, and Arab countries), the listener is already "contexted" and does not need to be given much background information [3]. 9. classifications are discussed below. Communication is seen as a way of exchanging information, ideas, and opinions. [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. The following chart will compare the main differences between high-context vs. low-context cultures and a discussion of example cultures will follow: While nations such as the United States have many low-context situations, it is important to recall that all societies experience high-context events as well.