MSU as an International University: Communicating Across Cultures

1. MSU as an International University: Communicating Across Cultures Peter Briggs, Director Office for International Students and Scholars

2. You will have daily encounters with cultural differences at MSU • How are your communication skills? • What takes place during any encounter across cultures? • Are you comfortable in all settings?

3. How can we be a healthy international university when we face so many cultural differences every day? • We love hearing your cross cultural encounters • What went well? • What caused any confusion?

4. The Concept of Culture • Big C ….objective culture is made by humans…..art, theater, legal systems, economics, cooking, fashion • Little c ….subjective culture is language, behavior, patterns of thinking and values • Little c is like the iceberg; much is hidden and only a little bit is on the surface

5. What happens when people from different cultures meet? • Contrasting nonverbal signaling • For example: greeting rituals -Kiss? Bow? Shake hands? • Contrasting values and beliefs • Attitudes, ethnocentrism and stereotypes

6. Non Verbal Communication • Culture is in our muscles • Space bubbles • Tone of voice • Touching and contact • Gestures

7. Beliefs and Assumptions • Culture is a learned way to see the world common to your group • We take our ways for granted as true and are often out of our awareness • What is obvious to you may not be obvious to others • People often perceive the same things differently

8. Perceptual Worlds • How do you perceive nature? • How do you perceive gender roles? • How do you perceive time? • How do you perceive friendship? • What do all these perceptions tell you about the lenses you use to see the world?

9. Perceptions: what do you see?

10. What do you see?

11. These are fun pictures, but culture can create a lens to shape your perceptions of what you see • We live in a world of perceptions

12. Understanding Ethnocentrism • Humans create cultures that determine “right” ways to do things • The “right” way to do things in one culture might be different in a different culture • There is no problem if one never leaves his or her own culture; everyone knows

13. Intercultural Encounters • Problems only come up when one encounters someone who is not from their own culture and there is no longer a shared assumption about the “right” way. • Intercultural communication is needed to judge others from a different point of view and not hold people from different cultures to the same expectation

14. Assumptions that are Often in Contrast between Cultures • Individualism contrasted with collectivism? • Direct communication contrasted with more indirect style • Change contrasted with tradition? • Materialism contrasted with spiritualism? • Informality contrasted with formality? • The concepts of face and harmony

15. More Cultural Contrasts • Cultures that are doing or being? • Proud contrasted with humble? • Egalitarianism or social hierarchy? • There are many more

16. Contrasting Communication Styles • Linear or circular • Direct or indirect • Attached or detached • Procedural or personal

17. How Does This Play Out Every Day? • Most people are unaware of their culture; can fish see water? • Do we really understand why we react to others and how others react to us? • We evaluate others based on our own perceptions of what is “right” • These can engage our emotions • When we tolerate ambiguity, we have less certitude on right and wrong

18. Stumbling Blocks to Communication Across Cultures • Assuming similarities • Not anticipating differences • Misinterpreting non verbal signals • Stereotyping • Judging and evaluating • Stress

19. Intercultural Competencies • Tolerance for ambiguity • Being flexible • Display empathy • Active listening • Turn taking • Withholding judgments

20. Open Discussion