CHAPTER 11CHAPTER 11Episodes, Contexts, and Intercultural Episodes, Contexts, and Intercultural

InteractionsInteractions

CHAPTER OBJECTIVESCHAPTER OBJECTIVES (1) To describe and explain how communication experiences are (1) To describe and explain how communication experiences are

structured by people’sstructured by people’s participation in events that are quite predictable and routine.participation in events that are quite predictable and routine. (2) To introduce students to the five components of social (2) To introduce students to the five components of social

episodes, each of which influencesepisodes, each of which influences intercultural communication.intercultural communication. (3) To explain that all social interactions are influenced by culture.(3) To explain that all social interactions are influenced by culture. (4) To examine three specific social settings in which cultural (4) To examine three specific social settings in which cultural

variations play an important role:variations play an important role: health care, education, and business.health care, education, and business. (5) To encourage an awareness that intercultural competence is (5) To encourage an awareness that intercultural competence is

critical for everydaycritical for everyday experiences and contexts.experiences and contexts.

I. Social Episodes in Intercultural I. Social Episodes in Intercultural RelationshipsRelationships

A. The nature of social episodesA. The nature of social episodes1. People’s interactions are structured by their 1. People’s interactions are structured by their

participation in events or social episodes that are participation in events or social episodes that are quite predictable and routine.quite predictable and routine.

2. The nature of social episodes varies from culture 2. The nature of social episodes varies from culture to culture; however, there are some common to culture; however, there are some common characteristics:characteristics:

a. Social episodes are interaction sequences that a. Social episodes are interaction sequences that are repeated over and over again.are repeated over and over again.

b. The structure of the social episodes themselves b. The structure of the social episodes themselves are very predictable.are very predictable.

c. The individuals who participate in these episodes c. The individuals who participate in these episodes generally know what to expect from others and generally know what to expect from others and vice versa.vice versa.

B. Components of social episodesB. Components of social episodes1. 1. Cultural patterns Cultural patterns are the shared judgments about are the shared judgments about

what the world is, what it should be, and the widely what the world is, what it should be, and the widely held expectations about how people should behave.held expectations about how people should behave.

2. 2. Social roles Social roles are sets of expected behaviors that are are sets of expected behaviors that are associated with people in a particular position.associated with people in a particular position.

3. 3. Rules of interaction Rules of interaction are not written down, nor are are not written down, nor are they typically shared verbally; instead, they they typically shared verbally; instead, they operate at the level of unwritten, unspoken operate at the level of unwritten, unspoken expectations.expectations.

4. 4. Interaction scenes Interaction scenes are made up of the recurring, are made up of the recurring, repetitive topics that people talk about in social repetitive topics that people talk about in social conversations.conversations.

5. 5. Interaction contexts Interaction contexts are the settings or situations are the settings or situations within which social episodes occur.within which social episodes occur.

II. Contexts for Intercultural II. Contexts for Intercultural CommunicationCommunication

A. The Health Care ContextA. The Health Care Context1. Culture’s influence on the health care context1. Culture’s influence on the health care contexta. Cultural patterns affect how people understand the health care context.a. Cultural patterns affect how people understand the health care context.b. Three general approaches people take to issues about health, illness, and b. Three general approaches people take to issues about health, illness, and

wellness.wellness.2. The 2. The magico-religious or personalistic magico-religious or personalistic approach refers to a belief that health approach refers to a belief that health

andandillness are closely linked to uncontrollable supernatural forces.illness are closely linked to uncontrollable supernatural forces.3. The 3. The holistic holistic approach refers to a belief in an essential harmonious balanceapproach refers to a belief in an essential harmonious balancebetween a person and nature (defined as the larger social, political, andbetween a person and nature (defined as the larger social, political, andenvironmental circumstances).environmental circumstances).4. The 4. The biomedical biomedical approach refers to beliefs that a person’s health is approach refers to beliefs that a person’s health is

controlled bycontrolled bybiochemical forces.biochemical forces.5. Family and gender roles in the health-care context5. Family and gender roles in the health-care contexta. Cultural patterns influence the definition of the patient, family a. Cultural patterns influence the definition of the patient, family

responsibilities, ideasresponsibilities, ideasregarding medical treatment, and medical interviews.regarding medical treatment, and medical interviews.b. Cultural patterns also influence expectations about appropriate gender-b. Cultural patterns also influence expectations about appropriate gender-

relatedrelatedbehaviors.behaviors.

B. Conversational structures and languageB. Conversational structures and languagea. Cultural differences in interaction rules affect the a. Cultural differences in interaction rules affect the

medical interview between caregiver and patient.medical interview between caregiver and patient.b. Potential difficulties include the perceived authority b. Potential difficulties include the perceived authority

of health-care professionals and the expected of health-care professionals and the expected degree of ambiguity in the use of language.degree of ambiguity in the use of language.

C. Intercultural competence in the health care contextC. Intercultural competence in the health care contexta. Health-care professionals must assume the a. Health-care professionals must assume the

responsibility of assuring intercultural competenceresponsibility of assuring intercultural competence—which requires an understanding of cultural —which requires an understanding of cultural patterns—in order to treat people effectively.patterns—in order to treat people effectively.

b. However, an individual may not share the b. However, an individual may not share the preferences of his or her cultural group.preferences of his or her cultural group.

D. The Educational ContextD. The Educational Context1. Culture’s influence on the educational context1. Culture’s influence on the educational contexta. Participants in educational settings bring with a. Participants in educational settings bring with

them their cultural backgrounds and patterns.them their cultural backgrounds and patterns.b. Culture influences people’s expectations about b. Culture influences people’s expectations about

teacher-student relationships, learning styles, teacher-student relationships, learning styles, valuation of education, classroom behavior, and valuation of education, classroom behavior, and communication styles.communication styles.

E. Classroom interactionE. Classroom interactiona. Culture affects expectations about teacher-a. Culture affects expectations about teacher-

student interactions.student interactions.b. Culture affects preferences about classroom b. Culture affects preferences about classroom

behaviors of students.behaviors of students.c. Culture affects preferred learning styles of c. Culture affects preferred learning styles of

studentsstudents

3. Families and the educational system3. Families and the educational systema. Intercultural communication competence a. Intercultural communication competence

affects the relationship of family members affects the relationship of family members with the educational system.with the educational system.

b. There are differing cultural expectations b. There are differing cultural expectations about the interrelationships among about the interrelationships among parents, teachers, and studentsparents, teachers, and students

4. Intercultural competence in the 4. Intercultural competence in the educational contexteducational context

a. The starting point for developing a. The starting point for developing intercultural competence in the intercultural competence in the educational context is to understand one’s educational context is to understand one’s own cultural background.own cultural background.

b. The educational context has the potential b. The educational context has the potential to help or harm students and their to help or harm students and their families.families.

F. The Business ContextF. The Business Context1. Culture’s influence on the business context1. Culture’s influence on the business contexta. Specific areas of intercultural business are associated with four variations ina. Specific areas of intercultural business are associated with four variations inindividualistic or collectivistic cultures: who speaks for the organization, whoindividualistic or collectivistic cultures: who speaks for the organization, whomakes decisions for the organization, what motivates employees, and what ismakes decisions for the organization, what motivates employees, and what is the basis for the business relationship.the basis for the business relationship.b. The cultural dimension of b. The cultural dimension of universalism-particularism universalism-particularism explains how businessexplains how businesspractices vary between cultures.practices vary between cultures.

2. Doing business interculturally2. Doing business interculturallya. Cultures vary in their interpretations about what constitutes appropriate a. Cultures vary in their interpretations about what constitutes appropriate

andandeffective business communication and the manner in which to practiceeffective business communication and the manner in which to practicebusiness.business.b. Business negotiations, social exchanges, decision making styles, reward b. Business negotiations, social exchanges, decision making styles, reward

systems, and gender expectations are all influenced by the cultural systems, and gender expectations are all influenced by the cultural backgrounds of the business participants involved.backgrounds of the business participants involved.

3. Intercultural competence in the business context3. Intercultural competence in the business contexta. Intercultural competence in the workforce involves educating managers and a. Intercultural competence in the workforce involves educating managers and

their employees on the skills necessary to work in an intercultural their employees on the skills necessary to work in an intercultural environment.environment.

b. Training includes opportunities to improve knowledge, motivation, and skillsb. Training includes opportunities to improve knowledge, motivation, and skillsconcerning intercultural issues and ongoing training about diversity issues.concerning intercultural issues and ongoing training about diversity issues.

III. Episodes, Contexts, and III. Episodes, Contexts, and Intercultural CompetenceIntercultural Competence

A. Intercultural competence requires A. Intercultural competence requires an understanding of the episodes an understanding of the episodes and contexts within which interaction and contexts within which interaction occurs.occurs.

B. Cultural differences related to B. Cultural differences related to episodes and contexts can be a episodes and contexts can be a cause of misunderstanding in cause of misunderstanding in intercultural interactions.intercultural interactions.