Strengths Of Intercultural Communication

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I feel my ability to communicate with people across different cultural backgrounds is a strength that I have developed over time. Intercultural communication is the term given to communication that takes place between people whose cultural beliefs, values and behaviours differ from one another (Buchanan 2016, p. 44). Consequently, cultural knowledge that is developed through socialisation and transferred from one generation to the next, shapes the way people communicate. Culture influences an individual’s perception of the world which in turn impacts their approach and attitude towards intrapersonal communication and interpersonal communication (Buchanan 2016, p. 34; Kreunus et al. 2011, p. 48). When a person constructs meaning from a message, …show more content…

When I communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds, I practice patience and understanding of both language barriers and cultural …show more content…

People often confuse hearing with listening, believing that they share the same meaning. However, hearing is the spontaneous transmission of noise through the ear, while listening is described as a dynamic process that involves receiving a message, interpreting its meaning, and responding appropriately (Kreunus et al. 2011, p. 42; Thompson 2002, p. 89). The listening process is comprised of five stages involving a number of skills that can be developed with practice; receiving, understanding, remembering, evaluating and responding (Buchanan 2016, p. 84; Thompson 2002, p. 90; Tyler, Kossen & Charmaine 2005, p. 266). Further, key points associated with active listening include, focusing on the message to avoid distraction; expressing empathy using verbal and nonverbal cues; avoid interrupting the speaker; avoid making judgements based on personal beliefs and attitudes; and repeat the message to confirm what has been interpreted (Tyler, Kossen & Charmaine 2005, p.

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