FULL SUMMARY INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 2025
Week 1
Week 1.1: Introduction and National Cultural Dimensions (02/06/2025)
Importance of ICC
1) Globalization - making it necessary to learn how to communicate with different
cultures
2) Effective communication - understanding culture and how it impacts
communication
3) Career relevance - essential for marketing, PR, global media etc.
4) Social cohesion and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - for
understanding, collaborations and achieving global goals
What is culture? → Not an easy task to define!!
- The collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group
or category (Hofstede)
- Culture is communication, and communication is culture (Hall)
- A system of shared beliefs, values, customs and behaviours that the members of
a society use to cope with their world and with one another (Bates & Plog)
Cultural cognition
Affects how people process information and choose policies; shapes communication
expectations and interpretations
Key characteristics of culture
1) Learned - acquired through socialization
2) Shared - connects members of a group
3) Dynamic - changes over time
4) Systemic - different aspects of culture are interrelated
5) Symbolic - expressed through language, signs, rituals etc.
6) Invisible - we may not be aware of our cultural lens until we encounter others
Key milestones of the field
1950-1970 - Edward Hall - started discussions about ICC
- Key concepts: high vs. low context cultures; proxemics (space); chronemics
(time)
1970 - Geert Hofstede - landmark IBM studies
- Key concepts: dimensions of national culture
,1990 - Fons Trompenaars & Charles Hampden-Turner - expanded on Hofstede’s work
1990 - Harry C. Triandis - deepened the understanding of individualism/collectivism
Barriers to intercultural communication
1) Language differences
2) Non-verbal misinterpretations
3) Preconceptions and stereotypes
4) Tendency to evaluate
5) High anxiety
Strategies for effective intercultural communication
1) Develop cultural awareness
2) Practice empathy
3) Be open-minded and tolerant
4) Learn and adapt communication styles
5) Encourage feedback and clarification
6) Use clear and simple language
Social constructionism: Framework
- People create social realities through interactions
- Realities are shaped by cultural and historical contexts
- Knowledge is not neutral → it is socially constructed
- Language = vehicle of culture
National culture
1) High-context cultures (read-between-the-lines cultures)
- The context carries meaning!! - not with precise words
- Example countries: Balkans, Arabian, Asian etc.
- Information often implicit
- Emphasis on non-verbal cues
- Messages often indirect
- Long-term relationships valued
2) Low-context cultures (detailed cultures!)
- If it hasn’t been said, it doesn’t matter!!
- Example countries: Switzerland, Germany, Sweden etc.
- Information explicitly stated in words
- Emphasis on direction, clarity and facts
- What is said is what is meant
,Practical implications of High/Low context
1) Marketing and advertising - adapting based on markets
2) Business negotiations - HC prioritize relationship-building before business
3) Teamwork - misunderstandings can arise from different communication cultures
4) Public relations - crafting press releases needs different approaches
5) Digital communication - are emojis important in online HC communication?
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
- A study of 76 countries
- Identified systematic differences in national cultures
- The Hofstede Model
- National cultures can be compared along several dimensions
- Dimensions - preferences for one state of affairs over another that
distinguish countries from each other
- The dimensions themselves:
1) Power Distance Index (PDI)
- The extent to which less powerful members of society accept and
expect that power is distributed unequally
2) Collectivism vs. individualism (IDV)
- Individualism - individuals look after themselves and immediate
family
- Collectivism - individuals expect relatives or members of a
particular in-group to look after them in exchange for loyalty
3) Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)
- The degree to which members of a society feel uncomfortable with
uncertainty and ambiguity
- Low UAI → more relaxed and open to change
4) Femininity vs. masculinity (MAS)
- Masculinity - preference for heroism, assertiveness, material
rewards for success
- Femininity - preference for cooperation, modesty, caring for the
weak
5) Long-term orientation vs. Short-term orientation (LTO)
- Long-term → preparing for future benefits
- Short-term → living in the moment
6) Restraining vs. indulgence (IVR)
- Indulgence - society allows free gratification of basic and natural
human drives related to enjoying life
- Restraint - society suppresses gratification and regulates it by strict
social norms
, The self, personality and branding implications
- Concepts of self → individualistic self and collectivistic self
- Individualistic self → autonomous, consistent across situations
- Collectivistic self → interdependent, context-dependent behaviour
- Personality → defined by traits which vary across cultures
- Collectivist cultures emphasize context over trait consistency
- Brand personality → consumers project culture-specific personalities onto brands
- Global brand are interpreted differently in each culture
- USA → rugged
- Japan/Spain → peace
- Korea → passive likeability
→ Attitude-Behaviour relationship
- Individualists → consistency between attitude and behaviour
- Collectivists → behaviour may precede attitude; social norms dominate
Motivation and emotion in advertising
- Emotions are culturally moderated
- Collectivist + high PDI → control of negative affect, muted emotions
- Individualistic → expressive, especially with happiness and surprise
Individualists vs. Collectivists
Individualists Collectivists
Abstract vs. concrete Abstract brand attributes Concrete attributes (quality
thinking (personality) and function)
Categorization Rule-based grouping Relational grouping
Information processing (Low PDI): active media (High PDI): word-of-mouth
searching and consumer and interpersonal trust
empowerment
Communication of Clear and direct messages Implicit and relational
messages communication
Advertising function Persuasion, argument, Emotional connection,
direct branding delayed branding, harmony
Advertising style and Independence, personal Group harmony,
appeals gain and direct messages celebrities, indirect
communication
Week 1
Week 1.1: Introduction and National Cultural Dimensions (02/06/2025)
Importance of ICC
1) Globalization - making it necessary to learn how to communicate with different
cultures
2) Effective communication - understanding culture and how it impacts
communication
3) Career relevance - essential for marketing, PR, global media etc.
4) Social cohesion and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - for
understanding, collaborations and achieving global goals
What is culture? → Not an easy task to define!!
- The collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group
or category (Hofstede)
- Culture is communication, and communication is culture (Hall)
- A system of shared beliefs, values, customs and behaviours that the members of
a society use to cope with their world and with one another (Bates & Plog)
Cultural cognition
Affects how people process information and choose policies; shapes communication
expectations and interpretations
Key characteristics of culture
1) Learned - acquired through socialization
2) Shared - connects members of a group
3) Dynamic - changes over time
4) Systemic - different aspects of culture are interrelated
5) Symbolic - expressed through language, signs, rituals etc.
6) Invisible - we may not be aware of our cultural lens until we encounter others
Key milestones of the field
1950-1970 - Edward Hall - started discussions about ICC
- Key concepts: high vs. low context cultures; proxemics (space); chronemics
(time)
1970 - Geert Hofstede - landmark IBM studies
- Key concepts: dimensions of national culture
,1990 - Fons Trompenaars & Charles Hampden-Turner - expanded on Hofstede’s work
1990 - Harry C. Triandis - deepened the understanding of individualism/collectivism
Barriers to intercultural communication
1) Language differences
2) Non-verbal misinterpretations
3) Preconceptions and stereotypes
4) Tendency to evaluate
5) High anxiety
Strategies for effective intercultural communication
1) Develop cultural awareness
2) Practice empathy
3) Be open-minded and tolerant
4) Learn and adapt communication styles
5) Encourage feedback and clarification
6) Use clear and simple language
Social constructionism: Framework
- People create social realities through interactions
- Realities are shaped by cultural and historical contexts
- Knowledge is not neutral → it is socially constructed
- Language = vehicle of culture
National culture
1) High-context cultures (read-between-the-lines cultures)
- The context carries meaning!! - not with precise words
- Example countries: Balkans, Arabian, Asian etc.
- Information often implicit
- Emphasis on non-verbal cues
- Messages often indirect
- Long-term relationships valued
2) Low-context cultures (detailed cultures!)
- If it hasn’t been said, it doesn’t matter!!
- Example countries: Switzerland, Germany, Sweden etc.
- Information explicitly stated in words
- Emphasis on direction, clarity and facts
- What is said is what is meant
,Practical implications of High/Low context
1) Marketing and advertising - adapting based on markets
2) Business negotiations - HC prioritize relationship-building before business
3) Teamwork - misunderstandings can arise from different communication cultures
4) Public relations - crafting press releases needs different approaches
5) Digital communication - are emojis important in online HC communication?
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
- A study of 76 countries
- Identified systematic differences in national cultures
- The Hofstede Model
- National cultures can be compared along several dimensions
- Dimensions - preferences for one state of affairs over another that
distinguish countries from each other
- The dimensions themselves:
1) Power Distance Index (PDI)
- The extent to which less powerful members of society accept and
expect that power is distributed unequally
2) Collectivism vs. individualism (IDV)
- Individualism - individuals look after themselves and immediate
family
- Collectivism - individuals expect relatives or members of a
particular in-group to look after them in exchange for loyalty
3) Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)
- The degree to which members of a society feel uncomfortable with
uncertainty and ambiguity
- Low UAI → more relaxed and open to change
4) Femininity vs. masculinity (MAS)
- Masculinity - preference for heroism, assertiveness, material
rewards for success
- Femininity - preference for cooperation, modesty, caring for the
weak
5) Long-term orientation vs. Short-term orientation (LTO)
- Long-term → preparing for future benefits
- Short-term → living in the moment
6) Restraining vs. indulgence (IVR)
- Indulgence - society allows free gratification of basic and natural
human drives related to enjoying life
- Restraint - society suppresses gratification and regulates it by strict
social norms
, The self, personality and branding implications
- Concepts of self → individualistic self and collectivistic self
- Individualistic self → autonomous, consistent across situations
- Collectivistic self → interdependent, context-dependent behaviour
- Personality → defined by traits which vary across cultures
- Collectivist cultures emphasize context over trait consistency
- Brand personality → consumers project culture-specific personalities onto brands
- Global brand are interpreted differently in each culture
- USA → rugged
- Japan/Spain → peace
- Korea → passive likeability
→ Attitude-Behaviour relationship
- Individualists → consistency between attitude and behaviour
- Collectivists → behaviour may precede attitude; social norms dominate
Motivation and emotion in advertising
- Emotions are culturally moderated
- Collectivist + high PDI → control of negative affect, muted emotions
- Individualistic → expressive, especially with happiness and surprise
Individualists vs. Collectivists
Individualists Collectivists
Abstract vs. concrete Abstract brand attributes Concrete attributes (quality
thinking (personality) and function)
Categorization Rule-based grouping Relational grouping
Information processing (Low PDI): active media (High PDI): word-of-mouth
searching and consumer and interpersonal trust
empowerment
Communication of Clear and direct messages Implicit and relational
messages communication
Advertising function Persuasion, argument, Emotional connection,
direct branding delayed branding, harmony
Advertising style and Independence, personal Group harmony,
appeals gain and direct messages celebrities, indirect
communication
