Context Communication Context

1. High Context and Low Context

a. List and Definitions: (20)
Types of contexts:
1. The situation
2. The relationships
3. The timing
4. Cultural context
5. Current political beliefs which
High context communication: communication that relies heavily on context mostly through indirectness.
Low context communication: communication that relies on verbal words mostly through directness

b. HC story (10)
To show politeness when accepting a gift, in Taiwanese culture, people reject couple times before accepting it to show that the receiver is not greedy. However, American culture is opposite from Taiwanese culture. In American culture, the rejecting a gift is considered as rude.
The described behavior illustrates the concept of high context

State your primary acculturation(s)
My primary culture is Korean. Korean perspective is similar as those countries in East Asia, centered in Chinese Confucian tradition and family centered culture. Koreans value high context communication, indirectness, low profile, relationship first, and interdependence.

d. HC Behavior You Would NOT Demonstrate (20)
I would never offer something only once when the guest refused. I would assume that the guest was just being polite, and even if they did not want the drink or other things, I would mention about the drink saying that “It would have been better if you had the drink” or ask them several times. As a host, I want to care about my guests and make sure that they stay comfortable and get what they need. Also, as a guest, I would never decline an offer 3 times. I would decline politely just once and I would gladly accept the offer on the second time.

e) Do you sometimes use HC communication? Do you sometimes communicate in a HC way, as the people in the stories listed above did? If “no,” choose a different DQ. If yes, answer the following questions. If no, pick a different question to answer. e-a) Give a specific example (tell a story).

Korean adult: No problem. See you next time.

When I was young, my father’s friends sometimes give me money to use as an allowance. I always reject more than several times that they do not have to give me money, but in the end, they force me to accept the money. As a child, I feel happy about getting allowance, but I do not want to show that I am greedy person. Also, Korean adult think that when they meet a friend’s child, they should give money so child can use it as allowance. However, in the end the child’s parents should pay back the same amount to their friend’s child as give and take. e-b) What context clue(s) did you expect the other person to consider so that they could accurately interpret what you said and did? (10)
I would expect the other person understand that in Korean culture, many people use “no” as “yes.” Also, they should understand that the Korean adult and I met several times before and that the Korean adult and my parents know each other very well. Also, the timing of giving the allowance is when I about to leave after meeting my parent’s friend. e-c) What response to your clue(s) did you expect in this situation (assuming your listener had good HC skills and understood your cultural perspective)?