Intercultural

Lecture 2. Culture and Communication

by Lim Chan Ing

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Our Discussion Today:

1. 2. 3.

Defining Communication Defining Culture Conclusion

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1. Defining Communication



Communication—your ability to share your beliefs, values, ideas, and feelings—is at the heart of all human contact. Whether people live in a city in Canada, in a village in India, on a farm in Israel, or in the Amazon rain forests of Brazil, they all employ the same activity when they attempt to share their thoughts and feelings with others.

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While the results produced when sending messages might be different, the reasons people communicate tend to be the same. As a means of pointing out the importance of communication to human activity, let us look at some of those reasons.

A. B.

The Functions of Communication Principles of Communication

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A. The Functions of Communication

(page 15)

1. COMMUNICATION ALLOWS YOU TO

GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE

Personal experience will tell you that when you meet someone for the first time, you immediately begin to gather information about him or her. That information serves two purposes:

 

First, it enables you to learn about the other person. Second, it assists you in deciding how to present yourself.

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2.

COMMUNICATION HELPS FULFILL INTERPERSONAL NEEDS

People are social creatures, and therefore communicating with others satisfies a great many needs. Although cultures might express these feelings and emotions differently, all people, by both nature and nurture, have a need to communicate and interact with others. (Note 1)

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3.

COMMUNICATION ESTABLISHES PERSONAL IDENTITIES

Communication also plays a role in determining and defining your identity. Whether it be your individual, group, or cultural identity, your interaction with others offers you insight into who you are, where you belong, and where your loyalties rest.

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4.

COMMUNICATION INFLUENCES OTHERS

Communication allows...