[2], Website design among cross-cultural barriers include factoring in decisions about culture-sensitive color meanings, layout preferences, animation and sounds. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on January 24, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. A high-context culture is one in which communication may be more unspoken rather than explicit - for example, much attention is paid to body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues in order to discern a speaker's meaning. 1. Wurtz studied McDonalds online advertising in various countries such as Japan, Germany, the United States, etc. In the 1970's, anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the phrases "high-context culture" and "low- context culture.". 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]. [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. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. ", "Communication: intercultural communication. Moving from high-context communication to low-context communication or vice versa is challenging for students. [5]. These problems can be separated into differences concerning "direction", "quantity" and "quality." However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. Establishing relationships is an important part of communicating and interacting. (1971). 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. Beyond Culture. Individualism may lead to communicating to all people in a group in the same way, rather than offering hierarchical respect to certain members. They have a Bachelor's in Air Traffic Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and minored in Aviation Safety and Homeland Security. I feel like its a lifeline. High-context communications, as well as low-context interactions, are important to understand from many perspectives. Therefore, it is necessary for more explicit information to be included in the message so it is not misinterpreted. Whereas low-context cultures prefer more words (to a certain extent), high-context cultures prefer more images. Members of the culture place emphasis on interpersonal relationships. The composite score also indicates a significant difference among the three samples at the .01 level. Pages: 3. Hall and Hall proposed a "spectrum" of national cultures from "High-Context cultures" to "Low-Context Cultures. ; it is the way we communicate, do business and see the world. [30][32], Families, subcultures and in-groups typically favour higher-context communication. We cite peer reviewed academic articles wherever possible and reference our sources at the end of our articles. [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. Type of paper: Research Paper. In, Meyer, C. (2017). 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. High context cultures tend to build relationships slowly, and they are generally stable for a long time and are based on trust and loyalty. [36], Individualistic cultures promote the development of individual values and independent social groups. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many Western countries. Low-context cultures can seem slightly more formal due to the explicit & precise nature of their messages. High-context cultures are built on a sense of shared experiences and history. Cultures and communication in which the context of the message is of great importance to structuring actions are referred to as high context. High-context cultures are more likely to be intuitive, contemplative, and concerned with the collective. In. succeed. 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. Instead, a comparison between cultures may find communication differences to a greater or lesser degree. As such, high-context cultures tend to cater to the development and promotion of ingroups, which are groups that we belong to and are loyal to, including families, cultures, and religious congregations. When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. In a low-context culture, communication occurs through explicitly spelled out and defined words, and listeners just have to interpret spoken or written words as they are. [26] The terms high- and low-context cultures are not classified with strict individual characteristics or boundaries. In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high-context. Meaning is determined not by what is said but by how it is said and by how social implications such as the communicators status and position come into play. But we can also use them to talk about smaller groups, such as corporate cultures or a specific setting like the airport. Conclusion The dynamics of relationships within High and Low context cultures are very different. 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. Having a firm grasp on what constitutes high- and low-context, particularly in a communication setting, will truly help you better understand each . Low-context communicators dont need to be provided with much background information, but they do expect messages to be professional, efficient, and linear in their logic. 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. 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. However, no country is low-context or high-context in absolute terms; instead, there is a mix of explicit & implicit communication everywhere. Leaders in high-context cultures, such as Ethiopia, tend to communicate more implicitly, using more nonverbal communication and expressing more vague verbal messages (at least from the viewpoint of a low-context culture). Besides cultural context, personal experiences and preferences also shape communication. Germany, Sweden, and the United States are generally classified as low-context cultures. 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). 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. 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. How Do I Format and Cite Long Direct Quotes? Discover high context culture examples, and identify the importance of high context vs. low context communication. Examples of low context cultures include: Scandinavia; Germany, and the US. There are strong distinctions made between individuals who are members of the ingroup and those who are not members in high-context cultures. The designation "high and low context culture" broadly refers to the way people communicate in cultures. For instance, a study has argued that both Japan and Finland (high-context cultures) are becoming lower-context with the increased influence of Western European and United States culture.[22]. The GLOBE Project Overview & Behavior Styles | What is the GLOBE Project? Examples of high context cultures include many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, as well as some European cultures such as Spain and Italy. Ramos, D. C. (2014). While in high context cultures, communication is done primarily through nonverbal mediums and gestures, in low context cultures, information is vested explicitly so that there is no risk of confusion. It further attempts to draw parallels between face-to-face communication and communication on the web by looking at communication rules and patterns in high-context cultures and comparing and contrasting them to the . https://helpfulprofessor.com/low-context-culture-examples/. People from low-context cultures value logic, facts, and directness. 2. [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. High-context cu. Neuliup, J. W. (2011). "[29] A similarity that the two communication styles share is its influence on social characteristics such as age, gender, social class and ethnicity. Relationships are easy to build, can start very quickly but end just as soon. Ramos suggests that "in low context culture, communication members' communication must be more explicit. In low-context cultures, communication tends to be more direct and to the point. 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. Same as low context communication high context do have its own peculiarities like they talk in hidden meanings and often double meanings or coded information. What is culture? 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. Asia, Africa, Latin America, and central Europe are predominantly countries with a high context culture. For high-context cultures, language is a kind of social lubricant, easing and harmonizing relations that are defined according to a group or collectivist orientation where we rather than I is the key to identity. Low-context cultures (including North America and much of Western Europe) are logical, linear, individualistic, and action-oriented. Both the speaker and listener act under the assumption that all relevant information has been explicitly stated. For example, for someone who is older and more experienced within a society, the need for social cues may be higher or lower depending on the communication style. Low-context countries, on the other hand, relied more on linear processes and verbal communication. [42] The images found on the websites used in the study promoted individualistic and collectivist characteristics within the low-context and high-context websites, respectively. According to Hall's theory, Chinese and Korean samples represented higher-context cultures while the American sample represents lower context. [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 high and low context cultures in this concept refers to how important contextual cues are in interpreting a message. They also displayed pictures of individuals, while high-context websites foregrounded group pictures. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language . Masculine vs. Feminine Cultures: Distinctions & Communication Styles. Examples of low-context cultures include the United States, Australia, and many European countries. The cultural context. Guffey, M. E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). It is important to note that no culture is low-context or high-context in absolute terms but a mix of both. Flowery language, humility, and elaborate apologies are typical. Cultural differences in advertising and marketing may also be explained through high- and low-context cultures. Hofstede, G. (1984). To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. High Context vs. Low Context. Your email address will not be published. They tend to use more slangs, idioms and are generally high pace speakers. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 for only $11.00 $9.35/page. Lower-context culture: United States, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada and other European nations. [22], The concept of elaborated and restricted codes was introduced by sociologist Basil Bernstein in his book Class, Codes and Control. Hall is also credited for developing the idea of chronemics, or the study of the use of time during nonverbal communications. "[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. Unlike the linear communication style preferred in low-context cultures, high-context communicators may use spiral logic, circling around a topic indirectly and looking at it from many tangential or divergent viewpoints. Topic: Culture, Context, Communication, Middle East, Business, Conflict, People, Relationships. The law is important! According to Watson, "the influence of cultural variables interplays with other key factors for example, social identities, those of age, gender, social class and ethnicity; this may include a stronger or weaker influence. Context is less important than words. (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. A conclusion may be implied but not argued directly. The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. 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 Negotiators basically say what they mean. [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. 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. "Understanding cultural differences. France. This means that the members' identity is heavily rooted in groups, i.e., families and work units. Culture is a combination of our thoughts, roles, manners, values, etc. The aim of this report is to evaluate the concept of different communication cultures through the application of Hall's high and low-context model of culture. (2014, May 9). [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. The study identifies whether and how variables that characterize high- and low-context cultures are reflected on Web sites. 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]. (The pedestrians example) Anthropologist Edward T. Hall first discussed high-context culture in his 1976 book titled Beyond Culture. For example, families typically engage in high context communication whereby they can communicate much with subtleties such as a glace. 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. [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. The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau. 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. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. 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. Interaction. [33] Conversely, in cultural groups with low context, where people share less common knowledge or 'value individuality above group identification', elaborated codes are necessary to avoid misunderstanding. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Examples of a low context communication cultures include The United States, the UK, Switzerland, Canada and Germany. 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. Members of high-context cultures are relatively comfortable interacting with others because a close-knit community has been formed, such as that of a family or religious congregation. Explain the differences between high- and low-context cultures, giving examples of each. They rely less on context & non-verbal cues and instead convey meaning more directly. This is in direct contrast to low-context cultures, in which information is communicated primarily through language and rules are explicitly spelled out. Yolanda has taught college Psychology and Ethics, and has a doctorate of philosophy in counselor education and supervision. Cultures where the group is valued over the individual promote. An in-depth understanding of cultural norms is not required because the communication is explicit. [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. 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.