An Introduction to Intercultural Communication. Fred E. Jandt
“You’re really pretty for a dark-skinned girl,” and “How come you sound White?” Studies have now documented that seemingly minor slights negatively impact psychological well-being by increasing anxiety, diminishing self-esteem, and diminishing self-efficacy (G. Wong, Derthick, David, Saw, & Okazaki, 2016). Some critics of these concerns label this a part of Political correctness and a threat to free speech.
One research project demonstrated that hearing other people express strongly antiracist opinions influences both public and private expressions of racist opinions. In their study, Blanchard, Lilly, and Vaughn (1991) interviewed college students on the way to classes. In each interview, three people were involved: the White interviewer, a White confederate, and a naive White respondent. The interviewer asked the confederate and respondent questions about how their college should respond to anonymous racist notes. The confederate always answered first. The study compared how the respondents answered the questions when the confederate answered with the most antiracist statements to how they answered when the confederate answered with the least antiracist statements. The results showed that hearing the confederate express strongly antiracist opinions produced dramatically stronger antiracist opinions than hearing opinions more accepting of racism. In a second study, Blanchard and colleagues showed the same results when the respondents expressed their answers privately on paper. On the basis of this research, it can be argued that cultural norms can minimize the public expression of discriminatory or otherwise interracially insensitive behavior. Yum and Park (1990), however, argue that for well-established stereotypes to change, more frequent information and stronger content are needed. What each of us says about racial discrimination really does matter. Your vocal opinions affect what others think and say.
Focus on Skills 2.4 Racism in Media
You are on the town council for a small township. A local television station posted a photo of a young boy dressed in Ku Klux Klan regalia—floor-length white robe with a white hood—for Halloween trick-or-treating on its Facebook page. In an interview, the boy’s mother said that the costume was a family tradition—her brother had worn the costume when he was a young boy. Some Facebook users thought it was racism; one wrote that it is possible the boy thought it was a ghost costume. Later the boy’s mother defended the costume: “It’s supposed to be white with white, black with black, man with woman and all of that. That’s what the KKK stands for. The KKK every year raises money to donate to the St. Jude’s.” The story immediately went viral and was picked up by media across the United States. Most media reports included the mother’s statement without the last phrase about donations to St. Jude’s.
At a town council meeting, citizens demand the town council take a position against racism. Among those who speak are several who argue for free speech. One individual, who identifies himself as an Imperial Wizard of the United Klans of America, says that today the KKK is unfairly ostracized.
1 You have studied the literature on communication and racism. What position would you take?
2 How would you explain your position?
Source: Gayle (2013).
Summary
There have been many attempts to define the skills that make one an effective and competent intercultural communicator. The concept of intercultural communication competence is applied to individuals who have multiple cultural identities such as third cultures, multiculturalism, and postethnic cultures.
This chapter focuses on recognizing and avoiding breakdowns in intercultural communication. LaRay M. Barna developed a list of six such barriers: anxiety, assuming similarity instead of difference, ethnocentrism, stereotypes and prejudice, nonverbal misinterpretations, and language. The first four are discussed in this chapter. Anxiety refers to not being totally present in the communication transaction while focusing on one’s feelings when one doesn’t know what to do. Assuming similarity instead of difference refers to behaving as you would in your home culture. Ethnocentrism is negatively judging aspects of another culture by the standards of one’s own culture. The term stereotype is used to refer to negative or positive judgments made about individuals based on any observable or believed group membership, whereas prejudice refers to the irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
Finally, ethics of intercultural communication are presented as a guide for intercultural interactions and intercultural communication studies.
Discussion Questions
1 Identify nearby school and athletic team mascots. Would any be considered stereotypes? Why or why not?
2 What are possible consequences of using survey data, such as data on alcohol use, to conclude that a cultural group is superior to other groups?
3 Colleges and universities who have invited controversial speakers on campus have faced a challenge to free speech and hate speech policies. Should a speaker who is considered to be racist be banned from your campus?
4 What are the most critical elements of intercultural communication competence?
5 Several employers have introduced mandatory diversity and bias training to make employees aware of hidden biases. Programs that focus on what not to do have met with resistance by some. One author contends that such programs “strike fear in white audiences” who believe they have to answer for society’s inequalities (Pierson & Lien, 2017, citing Claremont McKenna College professor Frederick R. Lynch). Do you believe diversity training can change attitudes and behaviors?
6 Kale suggests that peace is a fundamental human value that could guide intercultural interactions. Evaluate this proposition.
Key Terms
Aboriginal39
Anxiety47
Authoritarian personality56
Cultural appropriation53
Cultural relativism50
Ethnocentrism49
Hate speech62
Intercultural communication competence38
Intercultural communication effectiveness38
Microaggression63
Multiculturalism45
Othering58
Political correctness63
Postethnicity46
Prejudice51
Profiling52
Racism51
Rhetorical sensitivity40
Roma57
Stereotype50
Third culture43
White privilege60
Descriptions of Images and Figures
Back to Figure
The Tweet by Keziah (@daumkeziah) seen here reads:
I don't see the big deal of me wearing a gorgeous dress I found for my last prom. If anything, I'm showing my appreciation to other cultures and I didn't intend to make anyone think that I'm trying to be racist. It's just a dress. [heart emoji].
This tweet was posted at 7:18 PM on 27 Apr 2018.
It was retweeted 74 times and receive 1,856 likes. A follow tab is seen on the top right corner.
Back to Figure
This region shows the following countries highlighted in different tones of a color, with a number showing the Roma population in each of these countries. These countries in the order of the tones they are