What barrier to inter cultural communication is described when a person has a negative general belief about a person belonging to a specific group?

Even within the same culture, communication isn't always easy. Spouses get divorced, friends fall out and workers change jobs -- often because of misunderstandings. Add cultural differences to the mix, and the sources of potential problems multiply. Whether you're a student, businessperson or traveler, knowing the barriers to intercultural communication is the first step to overcoming problems.

Language Differences

Language differences are an obvious barrier to intercultural communication. If you speak only English and a shopkeeper speaks only Japanese, you won't be able to communicate verbally. Even if you've studied the language or an interpreter is available, dialects, different accents and slang can cause problems. In addition, words don't necessarily translate from one language to another in a clean one-to-one correspondence. The same English word may have different meanings to people from different cultures.

Body Language

People sometimes take offense because of differences in body language across cultures. For example, a businessperson from Latin America might stand closer to a client than someone from North America would. This may make the North American feel crowded and want to back away. People from southern Europe typically use more eye contact than Britons and Americans, which may make the English-speakers uncomfortable. Because the French typically smile less than Americans, sometimes Americans think they aren't friendly.

Level of Context

Most English-speaking cultures are low-context, meaning they put a message into explicit words. In these cultures, saying "no" when you mean "no" is just considered straightforward or honest. High-context cultures, such as Japan, expect the listener to pick up more meaning from the general situation. For example, Asians sometimes say "yes" or "maybe" when they actually mean "no," according to the Diversity Council. Asians often consider an outright refusal blunt rather than honest.

Value of Time

Not all cultures think about time in the North American linear fashion. In the U.S., punctuality is important, but Latin and Middle Eastern cultures put a higher value on relationships. For example, you'd finish your conversation with someone even if it makes you late to a meeting. A culture's view of time also influences how it sees deadlines. For example, North Americans consider making a deadline crucial -- whether on the job or in college. People from Asia or South America are more likely to view deadlines as less important than results over the long haul.

Negative Stereotypes and Prejudices

Stereotypes and prejudices about people from other cultures can cause communication problems and give offense. Ethnocentrism, or a belief that your own culture is better than that of others, can lead to acting superior toward other groups and not treating them well. For example, a teacher in an American college may think that students from a certain culture lack strong English skills or are incapable of good work. This prejudice can lead the teacher to treat the students unfairly.

Feelings and Emotions

Individuals from the United Kingdom and Japan typically keep a tight control of their emotions, while Italians and French are more comfortable showing their feelings. Loud talking might embarrass an Englishman, for example, but an Italian may just be expressing excitement. Differences in culture and communication styles can even cause fear. As a result of this anxiety, people from different cultures may pull back and avoid trying to communicate at all, reports Kathy McKeiver, Coordinator of International Student Academic Advising at Northern Arizona University and chair of the Global Engagement Commission of the National Academic Advising Association.

There are four barriers to intercultural communication (Hybels & Weaver, 2009). These barriers, namely, ethnocentrism, stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination, involve the formation of beliefs or judgments about another culture even before communication occurs. The following attitudes and behaviors towards culture poses difficulties in communicating effectively between cultures.

Ethnocentrism

This refers to the belief that one’s own culture is better than others. Ethnocentric attitude is illustrated when people evaluate others based on their own cultural beliefs and practices. There are three levels of ethnocentrism. The positive level is when you prefer your culture over other people’s cultures. The negative level involves the belief that one’s own culture is superior and that the behavior of others must be evaluated through one’s cultural standards. The extremely negative level, involves imposing your cultural beliefs on other people. Ethnocentrism is encouraged when the educational system only teaches a particular country’s culture and ignores the others. In the same way, religion also promotes ethnocentrism by promoting a particular set of beliefs.

Stereotyping

This is the mental categorization or general, often inaccurate, representation of a particular group of people depending on one’s observations and experiences in interacting with its members. Negative stereotypes are common and are often taught (e.g., when a parent tells a child that all beggars are lazy, that boys should not play with dolls, or when someone says all Muslims are terrorists). Stereotypes may also be positive, such as when one thinks of all Asians as intelligent, all teachers as patient, or all mothers as caring. Stereotypes are perpetuated by institutions such as the family or a religious organization and by mass media through advertisements, movies, news, and music. Stereotypes determine how you interact or behave among a certain group of people, no matter how inaccurate or unfair the representation or generalization may be.

Prejudice

This is a positive or negative feeling held towards individuals belonging to a particular race, social class, religion, and sexual identity, among others. For instance, prejudice may cause one to feel fearful or resentful towards someone belonging to a particular group. Gordon W. Allport (1954) identified ways to express prejudice. It may be exemplified by speaking ill of someone from a target group: “You cannot trust people of color” or avoiding interactions with a certain group: “Stay away from people who are not of Chinese blood.” Prejudice is also illustrated by depriving a member of a particular group their rights to education, employment, and others. A prejudiced person may also resort to physical attacks, such as burning or destroying a group’s possessions. Finally, prejudice is demonstrated through extermination or the use of physical violence in attempts to destroy a particular culture (e.g., Jewish Holocaust).

Discrimination

This refers to negative behaviors that are caused by prejudice or stereotyping. It may be interpersonal, such as when one refuses to speak to people belonging to a certain race, or collective, such as denying a group of people certain rights in society (e.g., the right to vote, etc.). Other forms of discrimination include verbal insults, avoidance, physical violence, and genocide.

What are the barriers to inter cultural communication?

What is the barrier to intercultural communication that is negatively judging aspects of another culture by the standards of one's own culture?

What are the negative effects of intercultural communication?

What are the 4 forms of intercultural communication?