What Role Does Facework Play In Intercultural Communication Essay

1. Discuss the concept of face. What role does facework play in intercultural communication?

The concept of face is referring to the socially approved self-image. It is about honor and shame belief and value systems. Facework is the verbal and nonverbal interactions we use in regards to our own social self-image and the social image of others.

2. How are stereotypes formed? Why do we stereotype whole cultures? What role does popular culture play in this process?

Stereotypes are formed when a person sees a certain race, religious group or ethnic group behaving a certain way enough that they form an impression of that group as being that certain way. And it is considered a stereotype because they apply their impression to the group as a whole

instead of the individual and it becomes a stereotype which is negative. For an example seeing a couple grown black men attacking someone. Then later seeing a black man on the news in prison for murder and then seeing a black man break into a house down the street. Instead of viewing it as a person committed murder, a person broke in, two people attacked someone, and the person forming the stereotype in their mind would categorize them by their race since they are black and make the connection that they are violent. Now the stereotype is that all black men are violent when truly the person is forming their opinion off a few incidences or possibly the influence or opinion of someone else. We stereotype whole cultures I think because it is easier to justify the negative feelings if you lump people together. Popular culture plays a big role in stereotypes because they help influence the stereotype in things like music, movies and television. You can see in these things that big stereotypes are displayed and it helps to influence people to think the stereotype is true.

3. In what ways are culturally different views of nonverbal communication likely to cause communication difficulties? Use specific examples.

Some ways that culturally different views of nonverbal communication are likely to cause difficulty would be for example in some cultures nodding your head is a way of saying you are listening to what a person is saying oppose to agreeing to what a person is saying which may be assumed in another culture.

Things like hand signals are different culturally for example in the United States the sign for ok is exactly as described meaning something is ok. But in Brazil the sign for OK is looked as an equivalent to someone giving you the middle finger in the United States. One last example would be personal space is different in different cultures. Here in the United States most people have a personal space bubble that is about maybe two feet away and someone getting in your space to talk to you can be uncomfortable. In other cultures though the personal space bubble doesn’t exist so much. Some come could be a few inches from your face and it would be completely acceptable in their culture to have a conversation that way. The examples of nonverbal communication difficulties could be endless because there are so many diverse cultures and communicating may be acceptable one way in a certain culture but not acceptable in the

next.

4. From an intercultural perspective, analyze the following exchange between a Chinese and a North American. How do cultural value orientations and verbal styles contribute to this communication encounter? Chinese: “We’re going to Los Angeles this weekend.” American: “How fun! We wish we were going with you. How long are you going to be there?” Chinese: “Three days.” (I hope she’ll offer me a ride to the airport.) American: (If she wants a ride, she will ask me.) “Have a great time.” Chinese: (If she wanted to give me a ride, she would have offered. I’d better approach someone else.) “Thanks. I’ll see you when I get back.”

When looking at the conversation back and forth between a Chinese and American you can see how cultural value orientations are at play when the Chinese person really believes that if someone wanted to help them in this case being give them a ride to the Airport then it would be offered. And the American believes that if they needed a ride they would ask. That just shows that something commonly seen in American culture is when someone needs something usually it is asked for but in Chinese culture if someone is going to help they would offer their help instead of needing to be asked. So the Chinese person is waiting to be asked if she would like a ride and the American is waiting for the Chinese to ask for a ride instead of needing one and that shows how their communication back and forth is misinterpreted by both sides and ends in the Chinese woman deciding to find someone else for a ride.

5. Describe what you believe to be the characteristics of a competent intercultural communicator.

The characteristics of a competent intercultural communicator would be someone who is competent in the values, norms and expectations of other cultures that way they communicate effectively without offending or violating the other cultures beliefs. Someone who is a competent intercultural communicator would know the customs of the culture and follow what is appropriate when communicating with someone in another culture, showing that they are respectful and can express their own feelings while showing they have an understanding of the other culture.