1: Communication

"The feelings, associations, connotations, and nuances of language both influence and are influenced by the culture" (Matsumoto &Juang, 2008, p. 227). Cultural differences exist in how people communicate with each other.

You may be familiar with lexicons (what people call themselves and others), pragmatics (how language is used and understood), verbal and non-verbal communication styles; encoding; and decoding. Understanding how cultures communicate is important to effectively communicate within a multicultural environment. For example, imagine if you moved to a state or territory of the Middle East.

You knew the language, but you were not aware of the cultural influence on nonverbal behaviors, such as hand gestures and interpersonal space. Would you be able to fit in?

For this Discussion, review this week's Learning Resources. Consider cross-cultural communication.

With these thoughts in mind:

A brief explanation of the influence of culture on communication. Then explain two ways misunderstandings might occur among cultures with different communication styles. Finally, propose two solutions to enhance cross-cultural communication. Provide specific examples and justify your responses with references to the Learning Resources and current literature.

Reference:

Matsumoto, D., &Juang, L. (2008). Culture and psychology (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

2: Interpersonal Relations

Consider your present working environment or your most recent workplace. Would you consider it a multicultural environment, and if so, were you able to work effectively with your coworkers? In a multicultural environment, one must learn to work in a group whose members are from both collectivistic and individualistic cultures.

The meaning and value placed on conformity and cooperation differs between these cultures, which impact how individuals respond to situations and function within a group setting. In addition, differences may exist in the number and type of groups preferred by an individual.

For this Discussion, review this week's Learning Resources. Consider the group dynamics in individualistic and collectivistic cultures.
With these thoughts in mind:

A brief description of a problem-solving group situation. Then, explain how group dynamics might differ between an individualistic culture and a collectivistic culture. Include in your description how conformity, cooperation, or group relationships might manifest themselves in different cultures. Justify your response with the Learning Resources and current literature.