Low and high context culture a cross cultural comparison of americans and vietnamese

BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUẢN LÝ VÀ CƠNG NGHỆ HẢI PHỊNG - KHÓA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP NGÀNH: NGOẠI NGỮ Sinh viên : Đỗ Thị Ánh Giảng viên hướng dẫn : Ths Bùi Thị Mai Anh HẢI PHÒNG – 2021 BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUẢN LÝ VÀ CƠNG NGHỆ HẢI PHỊNG - LOW AND HIGH CONTEXT CULTURE - A CROSS CULTURAL COMPARISON OF AMERICANS AND VIETNAMESE KHÓA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP ĐẠI HỌC HỆ CHÍNH QUY NGÀNH: NGOẠI NGỮ Sinh viên : Đỗ Thị Ánh Giảng viên hướng dẫn : Ths Bùi Thị Mai Anh HẢI PHÒNG – 2021 BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUẢN LÝ VÀ CƠNG NGHỆ HẢI PHỊNG NHIỆM VỤ ĐỀ TÀI TỐT NGHIỆP Sinh viên: Đỗ Thị Ánh Mã SV: 1612751011 Lớp: NA 2001 Ngành: Ngoại Ngữ Tên đề tài: Low and High Context Culture - A cross-cultural comparison of Americans and Vietnamese NHIỆM VỤ ĐỀ TÀI Nội dung yêu cầu cần giải nhiệm vụ đề tài tốt nghiệp ( lý luận, thực tiễn, số liệu cần tính tốn vẽ) …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… Các số liệu cần thiết để thiết kế, tính tốn …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… Địa điểm thực tập tốt nghiệp …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… CÁN BỘ HƯỚNG DẪN ĐỀ TÀI TỐT NGHIỆP Người hướng dẫn: Họ tên: Bùi Thị Mai Anh Học hàm, học vị: Thạc sĩ Cơ quan công tác: Đại học Quản lý Công nghệ Hải Phòng Nội dung hướng dẫn: Low and High Context Culture - A cross-cultural comparison of Americans and Vietnamese Đề tài tốt nghiệp giao ngày 24 tháng 04 năm 2021 Yêu cầu phải hoàn thành xong trước ngày 10 tháng 07 năm 2021 Đã nhận nhiệm vụ ĐTTN Sinh viên Đã giao nhiệm vụ ĐTTN Người hướng dẫn Hải Phòng, ngày tháng năm 2021 TRƯỞNG KHOA TS Trần Thị Ngọc Liên CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM Độc lập - Tự - Hạnh phúc PHIẾU NHẬN XÉT CỦA GIẢNG VIÊN HƯỚNG DẪN TỐT NGHIỆP Họ tên giảng viên: Ths Bùi Thị Mai Anh Đơn vị công tác: Đại học Quản lý Công nghệ Hải Phòng Họ tên sinh viên: Đỗ Thị Ánh Chuyên ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh Đề tài tốt nghiệp: Low and High Context Culture - A cross-cultural comparison of Americans and Vietnamese Nội dung hướng dẫn: Văn hóa bối cảnh thấp cao – Sự so sánh giao thoa văn hóa người Mỹ Việt Nam Tinh thần thái độ sinh viên trình làm đề tài tốt nghiệp Đánh giá chất lượng đồ án/khóa luận (so với nội dung yêu cầu đề nhiệm vụ Đ.T T.N mặt lý luận, thực tiễn, tính toán số liệu…) Ý kiến giảng viên hướng dẫn tốt nghiệp Được bảo vệ Không bảo vệ Điểm hướng dẫn Hải Phòng, ngày … tháng … năm Giảng viên hướng dẫn QC20-B18 CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM Độc lập - Tự - Hạnh phúc PHIẾU NHẬN XÉT CỦA GIẢNG VIÊN CHẤM PHẢN BIỆN Họ tên giảng viên: Đơn vị công tác: Họ tên sinh viên: Chuyên ngành: Đề tài tốt nghiệp: Phần nhận xét giáo viên chấm phản biện Những mặt hạn chế Ý kiến giảng viên chấm phản biện Được bảo vệ Không bảo vệ Điểm phản biện Hải Phòng, ngày … tháng … năm 2021 Giảng viên chấm phản biện (Ký ghi rõ họ tên) TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement List of tables and figures Table of contents PART I: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale for the study 2 Aim of the study Research questions Scope of the study Design of the study PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER : THEORETICAL BACKGROUND History of differing context cultures Culture and Cross- Cultural Communication 2.1 Culture 2.2 Cross Cultural Communication High-context and low-context 3.1 What is high/low-context? 3.2 What are the differences between high/ low-context in Vietnamese and Americans CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY Characteristics of high-context and low-context cultures 1.1.Denotation and connotation 1.2 Confrontation 1.3.Interpersonal relationships Overlap and contrast between context cultures 10 Communication styles in a high – low context 11 3.1 Definitions of high - low context communication 11 3.2 Commons between high – low context communication 12 Differences between high and low context culture 12 4.1 Overview 12 4.2 High context 12 4.2.1 Main types of knowledge 12 4.2.2 Association 13 i 4.2.3 Interaction 13 4.2.4 Territoriality 13 4.2.5 Temporality 13 4.2.6 Learning 14 4.2.7 Cultural issues 14 4.3 Low context 14 4.3.1 Main types of knowledge 14 4.3.2 Association 14 4.3.3 Interaction 14 4.3.4 Territoriality 15 4.3.5 Temporality 15 4.3.6 Learning 15 4.3.7 Cultural issues 15 High context culture requires reading between the lines 15 Low context culture requires stating as you mean it 16 Values in High-Context Culture and Low-Context Culture 17 Low-context cultures and High-context cultures in Day-to-Day Practice… 15 8.1 Business Agreement…………………………………………………… 15 8.2 Yes and No……………………………………………………………….16 8.3 Use of Silence…………………………………………………………….16 8.4 Writing-Style Differences Between Low-context cultures and High-context cultures……………………………………………………………………… 16 CHAPTER 3: CASE AND ANALYSIS 22 Cross-cultural communication from a low and high culture context 22 Examples of higher- and lower-context cultures 24 Cases analysis based on Halls views 26 Low and high context Languages 30 Tips for communication between high-context and low-context 30 Recommendation 31 CHAPTER 4: LOW AND HIGH CONTEXT CULTURE BETWEEN AMERICANS AND VIETNAMESE 32 I Vietnamese high-context culture 32 Cultural categories of communication 32 Communication styles of Vietnam 33 ii Cultural features of Vietnam 34 II Americans low-context culture 37 Visual language 38 Simple vocabulary 39 A flat pitch 39 III Core Elements…………………………………………………………….35 IV Key Characteristics……………………………………………………… 35 PART III : CONCLUSION 45 REFERENCE 47 APPENDIX Error! Bookmark not defined iii group communicates There are countless cultures present in America, however, the standard view is that Americas culture is low context As Americans are task-centred, the primary purpose of communication is to exchange information, facts and opinions In the United States, conflict is dealt with directly and openly and for this reason, Americans will not hesitate to say ‘no’ or criticise others in public This direct style of speech is often interpreted as rude by foreign visitors and may cause embarrassment to business people who are unaccustomed to such explicit communication However, it is important to remember that in a business context it bears no relation to personal feelings and should not be taken as such This doesnt mean that relationships arent important, even in business anyone doing business understands the value of networking but Americans tend to believe that an established relationship is not necessary for communicating and doing business together We believe that there is no problem getting across the necessary knowledge and that our interaction can just center around those activities that we are undertaking together One of the characteristics of American business speaking style is directness You have to get to the point quickly you dont need a big wind-up You need to provide facts, research, and background information, but its important to wait to this until after youve stated your conclusions, not before The relative directness of American speech is connected to anthropologist Edward Halls idea of “high-context” and “low-context” cultures Low-context cultures, among other characteristics, tend to be more straightforward and direct with their communication High-context cultures, on the other hand, tend to value more circularity and have much greater patience for details and background The United States (U.S) is generally a low-context cultures, while countries like Vietnam and Japan have high-context cultures In American business speaking, a good rule of thumb is to get straight to the facts Visual language You may think that that directness leaves little room for visual flourishes, but youd be wrong The American style of speech is often quite vivid American political speeches, especially, tend to be filled with visual imagery and colorful language Other cultures tend to be more straightforward and cerebral 38 When U.S President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in front of the U.N General Assembly last year, I analyzed their delivery styles They both began their speeches with similar content, but they were vastly different in approach Putin said, “In 1945, the countries that defeated Nazism joined their efforts to lay solid foundations for the postwar world order.” Obama, on the other hand, put it this way: “Out of the ashes of the Second World War, having witnessed the unthinkable power of the atomic age, the United States has worked with many nations in this Assembly to prevent a third world war.” Obamas use of dramatic visual language is one of the hallmarks of American political speech But that approach is permeating the business world, too As video conferencing, social media, and remote teams become more prevalent, visual language has become necessary to keep people engaged and inspired 2.Simple vocabulary Another one of the characteristics of American business speaking style is the use of simple vocabulary This aversion to overly formal language originally stemmed from colonists desire to separate themselves from the aristocracy In his book Democratic Eloquence, historian Kenneth Cmiel traces the history of American speaking style from 1775 to 1900 He explains how Abraham Lincoln continued the pre-Revolutionary tradition of using simple language to communicate in the civic sphere The American speaking style stretches out vowels horizontally In fact, the first draft of Lincolns first inaugural address included this line: “We are not, we must not be, aliens or enemies, but fellow countrymen and brethren.” But he ended up revising it this way: “We are not enemies, but friends We must not be enemies.” Simple diction and syntax was, and still is, seen by many Americans as more democratic And in todays business world, where inclusivity is becoming more widely valued, simple language is a requirement, not a choice 3.A flat pitch Finally, the American style tends to have a flat sound pattern While countries like the U.K., India, and China frequently change pitch vertically (from low to high or high to low), the American speaking style stretches out vowels 39 horizontally In American business speaking, changing pitch vertically is perceived as “sing-song”–distracting, artificial, and not projecting confidence While the U.S is certainly a diverse country, these business speaking conventions have remained surprisingly constant over time And as the world grows more interconnected, theyre becoming the prevailing global style, not just American Whats more, simply by getting more attuned to this type of speaking, youll become more sensitive to the complexities of how people in other cultures communicate Its not just about speaking the language; its much more about becoming sensitive to cultural style differences in verbal communication III Core Elements How would an individual approach a friend to get the friend’s help in moving house? The two conversations below demonstrate how people from low-context and high-context cultures communicate differently Low-Context Example: Klaus: Hey, I’m finally moving to my new apartment I need to start packing Bob: Wonderful! When are you moving? Klaus: This Sunday I have so many things to move Could you come and help? Bob: Sure! My church service ends around noon, so I would be happy to help afterward Klaus: Thanks! High-Context Example: Linh: Well, I am finally moving to my new apartment You will be invited to the housewarming party! Minh: How wonderful! When are you moving? Linh: This Sunday I need to start packing [I hope Minh can help me ] Minh: Do you need help? I would be happy to help! [ I know Linh needs help , but she will not ask me unless I offer Linh: Really? I hate to trouble you You have church on Sunday [ I am so glad Minh is offering to help ] Minh: No worries It ends at noon, so I can come afterward Linh: Oh are you sure? If you insist Thanks so much! Minh: My pleasure! 40 If Klaus and Bob’s direct and get-to-the point communication style is preferred, one would most likely feel more comfortable with low-context cultures In contrast, people who normally practice high-context cultures feel more comfortable with Linh and Minh’s indirect communication style In high-context cultures, people communicate meaning in a more circular manner so as not to sound overly demanding and expect the listener to understand the message that is being communicated so they don’t have to be specific If Linh (from the second example above) were communicating with Bob (from the first example), Bob might not necessarily catch the hidden request from Linh Instead, Bob would expect a straightforward request from her if she needed help In highcontext cultures, Linh’s preferred communication style, the request or refusal is implied through context If Bob did not recognize Linh’s intention and therefore did not offer help, Linh would likely ask someone else rather than overtly state her request Her intention would be to preserve a harmonious interaction and to save Bob’s face in case he is not available to help Patterns of direct verbal assertiveness, linear logic, straightforwardness, and transparent mes-sages are characteristic of low-context cultures Often generated from individualistic cultures, in which shared assumptions are not taken for granted, low-context cultures values saying what you mean and meaning what you say High-context cultures, more common in collectivistic cultures, relies on communication patterns of indirect non-verbal cues, spiral logic, a self-humbling tone, and silence High-context cultures emphasizes the cultural norm “Don’t say anything that may result in losing face or hurting the other’s feelings.” The speaker’s intentions, wants, and needs are expressed in a diplomatic and softer tone to maintain harmony in the relationship Very little is explicit in the transmitted part of the message; instead, the receiver is expected to read between the lines and infer meaning from the nonverbal subtleties accompanying the verbal message IV Key Characteristics Table illustrates the key characteristics of low-context culturres and highcontext cultures When discussing high-context and low-context cultures, it is important not to oversimplify and to keep the relative nature of cultural context in mind There are considerable variations within lowercontext and higher- context cultures 41 One could use a direct, low-context cultures style when discussing one matter (e.g., business) but prefer an indirect, high-context cultures style when discussing other matters (e.g., social relationships) Furthermore, individual differences and contextual situations should be considered For example, while Northern European cultures are usually considered lower context than Arab or Latin American cultures, it does not mean that every person in that culture adheres to that norm For instance, one cannot assume that a Swedish person will necessarily use a lower context communication style than a Mexican person Low-Context Communication High-Context Communication Most of the information is in the verbal Less information is in the verbal message (spoken words, written notes, message and more in the context; memos, legal documents, etc.) and less in nonverbal communication (eye the context contact, facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice, color of the envelope, etc.) matters more Direct message: “Get to the point” “I mean what I say, and I say what I mean” “Don’t beat around the bush” “Cut to the chase” “Give me the bottom line” Important to read between the lines and consider the rank, age, gender, and class of the communicator “Hear one and understand ten” “Silence is golden” What (content) is said is more important; How the message is delivered is more how is secondary important; what (content) is secondary “Yes” means “yes; “no” means “no” “Yes” could mean “yes”, maybe, or “no”; words can mean different things depending on the context 42 It is okay to say “No” Saying “No” is often avoided to preserve harmony and save face; instead, apologetic expressions or an indirect signal are given: “It will be difficult” (meaning “no”) “We will get back to you” “Let me think about it” Silence Linear writing style; topic sentence and Circular writing style; topic sentence key message often come at the beginning and key message often come at the end of the paragraph of the paragraph Task oriented Conflicts quickly can Building relationships is primary be resolved relatively Conflict avoidance; frequent use of third parties to resolve problems; therefore, conflict resolution takes more time Table 2: Low-Context/High-Context Communication 43 44 PART III : CONCLUSION The primary aim of this seminar paper was to show how a person’s cultural background affects communication What was found was that the process of communication involves the perception, interpretation and evaluation of a person’s behavior All three are dependent on a person’s cultural background, which determines the meanings attached to a specific behavoir In addition, the seminar paper intended to investigate the differences in perception of information across cultures Firstly, the differences of how people across cultures perceive information were described In low-context cultures people tend to rely heavily on the spoken word whereas in high-context cultures people focus strongly on context America and Vietnam were mentioned as model example for low-context and high-context cultures With regard to what people perceive, it was shown that perceptual patterns are selective, learned, consistent, inaccurate and, most importantly, culturally determined The information on communication styles across cultures lead to the conclusion that two people from different cultures will not only communicate in different ways but also experience a situation differently When low-context cultures interact with highcontext cultures, there could be a number of problems in many aspects including language, attitudes toward time and personal space, and interpersonal relationships These problems may not only cause misunderstanding and disappointment of both sides, but also may lead to failure of business, so effective solutions are necessarily needed The essential way is to understand and respect different cultures Language use needs to be paid much attention Despite the cultural differences, people should follow local cultures or make a compromise if they cannot accept another culture Multinational education cannot be neglected for its major role in companies and organizations Since the globalization has been an inevitable trend in many fields today, intercultural communications will be increasingly frequent and common It would be of great importance for people to master skills of intercultural communication Many people have realized this importance, but they have not found effective ways to overcome the difficulties in communications Therefore, for creating good crosscultural communications, there is still a long way to go 45 46 REFERENCE Books: Cardon, Peter W (October 2008) "A Critique of Halls Contexting Model" Journal of Business and Technical Communication 22 (4): 399– 428 Communication: intercultural communication." 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Bloomsbury Academic ISBN 978-1-8496-6528-5 Retrieved September 23, 2018 48.Wurtz, Elizabeth (November 2005) "Intercultural Communication on Web sites: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Web sites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures" Journal Communication 11 (1): 274–299 50 of Computer-Mediated APPENDIX I Read the description and then decide if its an example of low- or highcontext “Claudia will always let you know exactly what she means, regardless of where she is or who she is speaking to.” a Low-context b High-context “Amit speaks very casually with his friends, but when around his superiors, he tends to change his tone and seems to speak more seriously.” a Low-context b High-context “Jim seems to have trouble directly saying no He seems to talk around the subject when asked to something he cant with a desire to keep people happy.” a Low-context b High-context “Bahati needs to be more respectful of her superiors Shes pretty casual with not just her friends, but with everyone.” a Low-context b High-context II Now that youve seen low- and high-context communication in action and have some practice identifying the differences between those styles, lets take it a step further Here are some scenarios where youll have to think about how you would respond Keep in mind there are no right answers, but some responses might go better than others You are riding downtown on a bus from your neighborhood to meet some friends You are talking with a friend on your phone As you are talking, someone on the bus notices you are speaking English and begins to pay attention 51 to your conversation When you hang up the phone, he states that he is learning English and is eager to practice At this point he engages you in conversation and asks about your countrys election During this encounter, he is standing very close to you and holding your arm, making you feel uncomfortable How you respond? There are pros and cons to each option A You patiently hold your ground and pleasantly answer his questions B You silently stand up and deliberately move to another area on the bus so he cannot touch you C You say, “Im sorry, Im in a bit of a hurry” and get off the bus at the next stop D You turn to him and say, “Excuse me, that was a private conversation and I am not comfortable discussing politics.” As you have recently arrived in a new culture, you are keenly observing how people interact with each other One of the more puzzling behaviors is how people greet each other You try to determine what the protocols are for how women greet women, how men greet men, and how women and men greet each other Your spouses organization is hosting a gathering for the families, and you watch how people interact Some only nod their heads in the direction of the other person and some shake right hands Some shake right hands but then draw close for a hug as well Some will kiss each other, just touching cheeks and not kissing on the lips, but some touch right cheeks and some touch left cheeks This is all so confusing! You want to be friendly and appropriate, but you also dont want to offend anyone How you attempt to greet people? There are pros and cons to each option A Just offer your right hand, as this seems the safest for greeting both men and women B Find a “cultural informant,” a local person who can explain the local customs to you C Wait and see how people greet you, and then reciprocate in the same way D Use your observations at the party to start a conversation with someone, and ask for their explanation 52 ... Africa, India, Latin America, the Pacific islands, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, and Russia In the United States, Native Americans and Hawaiian islanders are also considered high- context Lowercontext... typical examples of High Context Culture and Low Context Culture in Table Low Context Culture Germany Switzerland Denmark United States Australia Canada France Italy Spain 22 High Context Culture. .. Shaista Some recognized examples include: Higher -context cultures: China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam other Asian countries, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Oman, and Yemen, Africa,