Culturology, Interpersonal Communication Essay Examples

1. Define culture.
Culture is an anthropological concept in which people's lives, and the way they conduct and live them, are defined. Culture is often comprised of the artistic, economical, social and political lives of a group of people.
2. Define interpersonal communication.
Interpersonal communication is the sharing of ideas, feelings and expressions between two or more individuals. Interpersonal communication can take place in any aspect of communication, including spoken, written, body language, electronic communication, and more.
3. What are the characteristics of high-context and low-context cultures?
High-context cultures are cultures that will cater somewhat more to in-groups; their communication is much more exclusive than low-context cultures, which typically welcome diversity. Higher context cultures allow many things to be left unsaid, as many concepts are generally understood; low context cultures require greater explicit communication to convey an idea.
4. Define monochromic and polychromic cultural traits and dispositions.
Monochronic cultures are ones that value the singular devotion of a period of time to a specific task - America is like this with our organization of time. Polychronic cultures, on the other hand, have a much more fluid approach to time, where schedules and tasks are not as tightly organized.
5. What is power distance?
Power distance is defined as the level at which people of an organization or nation will accept th legitimacy of those who are in power.
6. How are individualistic and collectivistic cultures different.
Individualistic cultures value the liberty and freedom of an individual to achieve their distinct goals, while collectivistic cultures are much more focused on the common welfare of the society at large. Capitalist countries like America are individualistic in that they value the advancement of the self, while socialist and Communist policies in countries like China advance the people as a whole, making them collectivistic.
7. How does one develop intercultural communication competence?
Intercultural communication achieves competence when the person communication is able to be aware of their own reputation and appearance, and takes care to behave appropriately and accurately in conveying ideas across cultures.
8. Distinguish between egocentrism and ethnocentrism.
Egocentrism focuses primarily on the love of the self above all others; with ethnocentrism, however, one places their own culture above others in terms of value. Someone who is narcissistic is egocentric; a white man who subscribes to white supremacist beliefs is ethnocentric.
9. What is social media?
Social media is a series of software applications and other technologies that allow for the connection of a great many people depending on networks, organizations, etc.
10. What are the characteristics of social media?
Social media is characterized by the ability to instantly connect to other people, to create networks of 'friends' which you can constantly follow and communicate with; the ability to advertise one's current activities and feelings to the group at large via statuses and updates, etc.
11. How does one communicate competently with social media?
With social media, one can enact communicative competencies by exercising discretion in the information one gives out, and by keeping in mind appropriate tone and grammar when using social media to communicate.
12. Define synchronous communication.
Synchronous communication occurs when those who are communicating are talking to each other at the same time. In-person conversations and phone calls are synchronous; letters and email exchanges are asynchronous.