KATETUTOR Communication: Culture and Context

In this assignment, you will consider the effect of culture and context on communication. There are many definitions of culture, but most include a reference to shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs, and effective understanding that are learned through a process of socialization. These shared patterns identify the members of a cultural group while also distinguishing those of another group. Culture is about symbols and language, and these elements are central to communication. The idea of something being “lost in translation” is readily apparent to most people who have studied another language and translated a passage into their own primary language. The rate of speech and importance of nonverbal aspects of communication are just a few ways culture can impact the message sent. The importance of context always varies by culture—for example, in some cultures, what is said is much more important than how it is said while in other cultures the “how” may carry much greater importance.