The Role Of Culture And Self-Awareness In Interpersonal Communication

The impact of culture on communication

Various technological advancements have been vital in bridging the gap between people regarding time and distance as barriers to effective communication. However, despite these advancements, culture, and social orientation remain formidable obstacles (Tone et al., 2009). Culture is significant in interpersonal relationships and could be challenging if not adequately addressed. This is mainly because communication processes are visible in varying cultural contexts and are characterized by unique assumptions and the things considered the norm of society. Therefore, it impacts what communication people get involved in and with whom. Furthermore, it dictates why one would choose a certain communication media and how they go about it (Leonard et al. 2009).

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Cultural groups include a wide range of people in society who have a distinct ways of life and especially in how they relate to each other, and this aspect is passed on from one generation to another (DeVito, 2016). Therefore, to demonstrate cultural sensitivity, one has to explore how people relate with each other, as this would be significant in opening up the communication channels. An effective strategy is preparing oneself and listening carefully to culture-influenced behaviors. One should be keen on non-verbal communication among members of different cultural groups. Some critical things to look out for are body language and how they use physical space. In addition, there is a need to look out for using physical touch as a means of communication and eye contact, among others.

There is a need to consult others before doing something to establish what is appropriate and what is not. Secondly, one should acknowledge their understanding of what has been said by others and also consider the needs of others before taking action. One way to achieve this is to be alert to the way different groups of people interact. One should be able to keep and maintain an open mind when in unfamiliar situations as they are bound to come across people with a different culture. Also, establish the differences in their language, the use of different words for different meanings, and the use of slang. There may also be differences in dialects as well as in the accents of people from different cultures.

Showing cultural sensitivity involves respecting other people’s practices, someone’s and reasonable beliefs. An example would be to remove your shoes when entering someone’s house, especially in a culture where they are expected to do so. Also, a person will need to show consideration by looking at things from the point of view of the other person. Being polite is a virtue everyone should have, but it is also beneficial in ensuring cultural sensitivity. For instance, one can’ exh’bit ‘politeness by calling people their preferred titles, such as ‘Mrs.’ or ‘Dr.,’ etc. Also, politeness can be brought out from the tone of an individual. Being polite as a way of cultural sensitivity requires one to carefully listen to how people address each other, and it will give them direction on how to go about it.

There is also the need to show genuine interest in the culture of the people, as this is the only way one will be able to understand them and how they do their things. Also, it is essential to identify the different gender groups at have been organized and classified according to the different cultural groups’ cultural boundaries. Consequently, one will be able to offer and do the gender-specific role and therefore give roles respectively without assigning the wring wrong roles to the other person. Furthermore, clothing would be an excellent point to look at so as not to wear something that may not be culturally acceptable. Working with human services requires one to be respectful and ensure they allow the clients their right to privacy and confidentiality. In addition, an individual working in human services settings need to

Self-awareness encompasses a broad concept and includes how much an individual knows their strengths, weaknesses, personality tendencies, feelings, and thoughts (DeVito, 2016). The ‘other-orientation’ refers to the quality of interpersonal effectiveness that enables individuals to adopt the message that they have other people. It is characterized by the ability to be attentive as well as getting interested in the interest of what others say. This is still a work in progress as I cannot say that I can give attentioncanividual and es, especially are talked, especially when I am distracted by something else or thinking about something else in my life. Therefore, on a scale of 1-10, I would say that I am at 6, meaning that even thohavingnt strengths, I also have a communication challenge.

I can show consideration whenever we need to talk about something. Can show consideration and them; I see the need to call them in advance so that they have ample time to have us talk. Also, whenever I need to communicate with others, I try to make use of open-ended questions to involve them in an interaction which is be’ter’than’sim’ly waiting for them to either say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ also, the use of facial expressions is a strength that makes me better at communicating. These expressions include smiles, leaning towards them as well as nodding.

Regarding interpersonal communication, a weakness I have is the inability to recognize the feelings of others as legitimate. Sometimes I think someone is either angry or sad over something that I view as trivial. This prevents me from understanding them from their point of view. Another weakness is the inability to acknowledge other people. Consequently, I cannot ask for suggestions, opinions, and clarifications, which prevents me from better understanding the topic. As a result, I tend to ‘tune out’ when people speak, and I go on a mental vacation.

Having a solid other orientation is essential, especially in human services settings, because it increases the chances of an individual being culturally sensitive to the existing cultural differences within the setting. It also enables an individual to understand people better, avoid working with stereotypes, and perceive situations more accurately (DeVito, 2016). In addition, it helps a person counteract the challenges of non-verbal communication among people from different cultures.

In human services, one is bound to find a wide range of people who differ in various aspects such as gender, age, sexual orientation, capabilities, experience, religious background, and cultural ethnicity. Therefore there is a need for an individual to communicate effectively while considering all the andts of the people’s culture. An effective strategy is for an individual to educate themselves about other people’s cultures. The goal is to ensure a proper understanding of the expectations regarding how to address people, gender-specific roles, and even verbal and non-verbal communication.

Having seen the importance of other people’s cultureslture of others, it would be challenging to understand others before one can understand themselves. Therefore, this prompts the need for self-awareness, which helps one understand who one is. One effective way of exploring self-awareness is using the Johari window, which divides human nature into four parts: the open self and the hidden self, the unknown self, and the blind self (DeVito, 2016).

Verbal techniques are adequate, especially if the message is brought out efficiently. This can be done through open-ended questions to ensure interaction between the two groups of people in a conversation. This will be beneficial in a human service setting, as t will help one engage more with people from different cultural groups and improve communication. Another efficient method will be to utilize simple language, especially considering the different meanings of words from different groups of people in different cultures.

Non-verbal communication involves facial expressions, body language as well as physical touch. Facial expression is the most common, and it can be used to pass a wide range of information; for instance, a person can deduce emotions such as anger, happiness, and contentment as well as pain in the facial expressions another person expresses. Furthermore, the expressions are significant in emphasizing the message. Body language is another example, and it can be seen when one is composed or seems unsettled. A composed person will have a better communication effect than the uneasy one.

References

DeVito, J. A. (2016). The interpersonal communication book. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Leonard, K. M., Van Scotter, J. R., & Pakdil, F. (2009). Culture and communication: Cultural variations and media effectiveness. Administration & Society, 41(7), 850-877.

Tone, K., Skitmore, M., & Wong, J. K. W. (2009). An investigation of the impact of cross-cultural communication on managing construction projects in Samoa. Construction Management and Economics, 27(4), 343-361.

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Question

Identify the communication problem (culture awareness).

The Role Of Culture And Self-Awareness In Interpersonal Communication

Be very specific and detailed here. What caused the problem? How does this problem impact the company or organization (or other entity, e.g., a specific person)?
E identify one possible solution and list them all here.

The Role Of Culture And Self-Awareness In Interpersonal Communication