The second level of information is sociocultural. (Part II)
Lecture 2: A theoretical approach to intercultural
communication (Part 2)
The second level of information is sociocultural. This includes data about
the other’s group membership, or the groups to which they seek to belong.
This type of information is the predominate data used in intracultural
communication. Finally there is psychocultural data. This information is
about the individual’s characteristics, and is the sort of data most relevant
to communication with friends. We understand such data by the process of
social cognition. Social cognition is a dialectical process which involves
both grouping particulars into categories based on their similarities and of
distinguishing individuals from their categories based on their differences.
To improve communication with strangers we must pay attention to their
unique, individual features. Gudykunst and Kim argue that effective
communication with strangers requires an increased awareness of our
communication behaviours. First, we tend to categorise things
automatically, and so we are less aware of doing it. It takes more of our
conscious awareness to differentiate particular individuals from their
stereotypical categories.
Second, much of our daily communication follows familiar scripts,
and so we are not consciously aware of that communication behaviour. We
cannot rely on such familiar scripts and norms when communicating with
strangers. Our communication will be improved if we recognise that
familiar scripts do not apply, and seek to modify our communication
behaviours accordingly. In addition, we need to point out the importance of
personal and social communication which are best characterised by Young
Kim, in her model.
1. Personal communication refers to the individual’s host communication
competence;
that is the degree to which the stranger can encode and decode verbal and
nonverbal messages within the host environment.
2. Host communication competence also refers to the degree to which the
stranger understands the host’s language rules and norms, understands
effective and appropriate conflict resolution strategies, and is motivated to
initiate and develop host culture relationships.
3. Social communication refers to the actual interaction between stranger
and host persons. The actual participation in relationships, engaging in
conflict resolution, and exposing oneself to the mass communication of the
host culture can enhance and facilitate the acculturation process.