COMMUNICATION 10

CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

A. Objectives: This activity aims to:

• Expand your understanding of culture and explore the personal implications of these
definitions.
• Explain how our culture is related to our communication patterns / tendencies.
• Provide a study material that can be shared among a group’s members.

B. Instructions
1. Work in your designated small groups in doing the tasks below. There will be a peer
evaluation for this activity to be recorded under “Quizzes”.
2. Definitions may be copied but must be properly cited and quoted.
3. Submit your output (printed, hard copy, use of scratch paper = ok) on 23 April 2019
during class.
4. This activity is a substitute for our our class meeting on 16 April.
5. Don’t forget to share your final output with other members of your group.

C. Reading materials:
1. Pages 1-15 of “Chapter 1. Opening the conversation” from Intercultural communication
globalization and social justice by Kathryn Sorrells (available at our VLE site, under
“Module 6”)
2. “Verbal communication styles and culture” by Meina Liu

D. Tasks for “Chapter 1…” by Sorrells

1. Discuss two other views of culture introduced here: culture as contested meaning and
culture as resource: (a) How are these views different from the view of culture as shared
meaning? (b) What aspects of communication is highlighted for each view? (c) Provide
Philippine examples to show each view. (Please do not use the examples that I gave in
class.)

2. According to the text, our cultural identity is influenced by positionality, ethnocentrism,

and standpoint. Study the definitions of these terms. Then apply it to yourself by
presenting a graphic organizer that shows your cultural identity.

Answer this item individually. Put the individual outputs together with the other
answers to the questions.

E. Tasks for “Verbal communication…” by Liu

1. Cultural Frameworks
Present the author’s explanation of cultural difference using a graphic organizer. Provide
a short summary to explain this.
2. Dimensions of Cultural Values
There are five dimensions of cultural values discussed in the article: (a) individualism-
collectivism, (b) power-distance, (c) uncertainty avoidance, (d) masculinity femininity,
and (e) dynamic Confucianism.

Tabulate the following information:

a. The definition of each dimension
b. Examples from the text of countries and their views and practices for each
dimension
c. Your answer to this: What value is more dominant in Philippine culture? (Answer
this for each dimension.)
d. Evidence: Provide proof for your answer by describing your observations and
learnings from other subjects. (Explain in complete sentences.)

3. Geography of Thought
This section presents an interesting dichotomy between the cultures of ancient Greece
and ancient China. According to Nisbett (as cited in Liu, 2016), this may explain the
difference between the ways of thinking—and hence, the culture—between people from
Western and Eastern cultures.

a. Create a graphic organizer that summarizes the contrast in thinking patterns and
traces these patterns to their origins.
b. Which pattern of thinking is more dominant in the Philippines? Prove your answer
by citing your observations and knowledge of Philippine history and geography.
(Explain in complete sentences.)

4. Verbal Communication Styles

There are four communication styles discussed in the article: (a) high- vs. low-context,
(b) direct vs indirect, (c) self-enhancement vs self-effacement, and (d) elaborate vs
understated.

Tabulate the following information:

a. The definition / characteristics per style
b. Examples from the text of countries where the styles are evident
c. Your answer to this: What style is more dominant in the Philippines?
d. Evidence: Provide proof for your answer by citing your observations and
learnings from other subjects. (Explain in complete sentences.)

Enjoy the break! 😊