Hall's High-context and Low-context Culture Pattern

Page 1 of 4 High Context vs. Low Context Communication By: mqjeffrey on HubPages /hub/High-Context-vs-Low-Context-Communication, Retrieved 02/09/2010 In today's business relations, it's a small world after all. As more companies turn towards global markets, professionals are finding themselves in foreign locales, wheeling and dealing like never before. However, the key to effective communication between countries is an understanding of each other's culture, especially a working knowledge of how each society conveys meaning. First used by author Edward Hall, the expressions "high context" and "low context" are labels denoting inherent cultural differences between societies. High-context and low-context communication refers to how much speakers rely on things other than words to convey meaning. Hall states that in communication, individuals face many more sensory cues than they are able to fully process. In each culture, members have been supplied with specific "filters" that allow them to focus only on what society has deemed important. In general, cultures that favor low-context communication will pay more attention to the literal meanings of words than to the context surrounding them. It is important to remember that every individual uses both high-context and low context communication; it is not simply a matter of choosing one over the other. Often, the types of relationships we have with others and our circumstances will dictate the extent to which we rely more on literal or implied meanings. To better understand high-context and low-context communication, ask the following: Do I recognize implied messages from others, and am I aware of the verbal and nonverbal cues that let me understand the speaker's meaning? (High-Context) Do I "let my words speak for themselves?" Do I prefer to be more direct, relying on what is explicitly stated in my speech? (Low-Context) Novelist Amy Tan describes the differences in cultural communication this way: "An American business executive may say, 'Let's make a deal,' and the Chinese manager may reply, 'Is your son interested in learning about your widget business?' Each to his or her own purpose, each with his or her own linguistic path." When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. These problems can be separated into differences concerning "direction", "quantity" and "quality." For example, employees from high-context cultures like China and France share very specific and extensive information with their "in-group members" (good friends, families, close coworkers, etc). In comparison, low-context Page 2 of 4 cultures like the United States and Germany prefer to limit communication to smaller, more select groups of people, sharing only that information which is necessary. High-Context Communication Hall: "Most of the information is either in the physical context or initialized in the person." Knowledge is situational, relational Less is verbally explicit or written or formally expressed More internalized understandings of what is communicated (ex: "in-jokes") Often used in long term, well-established relationships Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face communication, often around a central, authoritative figure Strong awareness of who is accepted/belongs vs. "outsiders" Association Relationships depend on trust, build up slowly, and are stable. How things get done depends on relationships with people and attention to group process. One's identity is rooted in groups (family, culture, work). Interaction High use of nonverbal elements; voice tone, facial expression, gestures, and eye movement carry significant parts of conversation. Verbal message is indirect; one talks around the point and embellishes it. Communication is seen as an art form-a way of engaging someone. Disagreement is personalized. One is sensitive to conflict expressed in another's nonverbal communication. Conflict either must be solved before work can progress or must be avoided. Learning Multiple sources of information are used. Thinking is deductive, proceeds from general to specific. Learning occurs by first observing others as they model or demonstrate and then practicing. Groups are preferred for learning and problem solving. Accuracy is valued. How well something is learned is important. High context cultures are more common in the eastern nations than in western, and in countries with low racial diversity. Cultures where the group is valued over the individual promote group Page 3 of 4 reliance. High context cultures have a strong sense of tradition and history, and change little over time, such as tribal and native societies. For instance, the French assume that the listener knows everything. Therefore, they may think that Americans think they are stupid because Americans will habitually explain everything to their counterparts. Former president Jimmy Carter understood the importance of high-context communication with his colleagues from Israel and Egypt during the peace talks at Camp David. When Prime Minister Begin was about to leave the unsatisfactory negotiations, Carter presented him with pictures of the three heads of state, with the names of each of Begin's grandchildren written on the photographs. The prime minister repeated the names of his grandchildren out loud as he looked at the pictures, reflecting on the importance of the peace negotiations to his grandchildren's futures. Carter recognized that a high-context reference to future generations would induce the prime minister to return to the negotiations. Low Context Communication Hall: "The mass of information is vested in the explicit code [message]." Rule oriented More knowledge is public, external, and accessible. Shorter duration of communications Knowledge is transferable Task-centered. Decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done and the division of responsibilities. Association Relationships begin and end quickly. Many people can be inside one's circle; circle's boundary is not clear. Things get done by following procedures and paying attention to the goal. One's identity is rooted in oneself and one's accomplishments. Social structure is decentralized; responsibility goes further down (is not concentrated at the top). Interaction Message is carried more by words than by nonverbal means. Verbal message is direct; one spells things out exactly. Communication is seen as a way of exchanging information, ideas, and opinions. Disagreement is depersonalized. One withdraws from conflict with another and gets on with the task. Focus is on rational solutions, not personal ones.

1 High conWORD culture 高语境文化 ：

Cultures in which less has to be said or written because more of the meaning is in the physical

environment or already shared by people are labeled high conWORD. 在高语境文化中,在人们交际时,有较多的信息量或者蕴涵在社会文化环境和情景中,或者内化于交际者的心中；相对地讲,明显的语码则负载较少的信息量。这也意味着,在强交际环境文化的人们对微妙的环境提示较为敏感。

2 Low conWORD culture 低语境文化 ：

Cultures in which little of the meaning is determined by the conWORD because the message is encoded

in the explicit code are labeled low conWORD. 在低语境文化中,交际过程中所产生的信息量的大部分由显性的语码负载,相对地讲,只有少量的信息蕴涵在隐性的环境和情景中。这也意味着,在低语境文化中的人们习惯用语言本身的力量来进行交际。

3General Introduction to High-conWORD and Low-conWORD Cultures Anthropologist Edward T. Hall’s

theory of high- and low-conWORD culture helps us better understand the powerful effect culture

has on munication. A key factor in his theory is conWORD. This relates to the framework, background,

1 / 4word. 1 High context culture（高语境文化）：

Cultures in which less has to be said or written because more of the meaning is in the

physical environment or already shared by people are labeled high context.（在高语境文化中，在人们交际时，有较多的信息量或者蕴涵在社会文化环境和情景中，或者内化于交际者的心中；相对地讲，明显的语码则负载较少的信息量。这也意味着，在强交际环境文化的人们对微妙的环境提示较为敏感。）

2 Low context culture（低语境文化）：

Cultures in which little of the meaning is determined by the context because the message

is encoded in the explicit code are labeled low context. （在低语境文化中，交际过程中所产生的信息量的大部分由显性的语码负载，相对地讲，只有少量的信息蕴涵在隐性的环境和情景中。这也意味着，在低语境文化中的人们习惯用语言本身的力量来进行交际。）

3General Introduction to High-context and Low-context Cultures Anthropologist Edward

T. Hall’s theory of high- and low-context culture helps us better understand the powerful

effect culture has on communication. A key factor in his theory is context. This relates to

传媒学概念。美国学者霍尔曾提出了高语境传播与低语境传播。高语境传播（HC）的指的是，在传播是绝大部分信息或存于物质语境中，或内化在个人身上，极少存在于编码清晰的被传递的讯息中；低语境（LC）正好相反。东方社会很多都是“高语境”社会，例如：日本。

具体来说，高语境传播的特征是：在沟通过程中，只有很少的信息是

经过编码后被清晰传递出来的，人们在交往过程中重视“语境”而非“内

容”，注重建立社会信任，高度评价关系和友谊，关系的维持比较长久。

沟通是含蓄的，人们对含蓄的信息非常敏感，个体从早期就学会了准确解

释这些含蓄的信息。具有权力的人对下属行为负有个人责任。信任是人们

履行协议的基础，协议常以书面形式确定。“圈外人”较为容易辩识，但

很难进入“圈内人”的群体，在商务谈判过程中人们不太重视时间，却拘

泥于形式。

他指出，有着伟大而复杂文化的中国就处于的高语境顶端，是东方文

化的代表。而美国、奥地利以及大部分北欧文化倾向于低语境。他认为，

美国人与中国人在传播行为方面的差异，集中体现在对直爽和委婉的偏好。

研究认为：美国人偏好直言不讳；中国人强调社会和谐不直接表露自己情

感，蔑视言语上的咄咄逼人。由于重视间接交流，接受者的敏感性与领会

话外音的能力以及理解隐含意义的能力变得尤为关链。在西方人们通过诸

如辩论和公共演讲等正式的训练，尽力提高传者的效率；而东亚人则尽力

提高受者的敏感度。当人们排除了脑中所有的先入之见，使自己的头脑像

镜子一般清晰时，就达到了最高的敏感阶段。当心心相印时，理想的根本

不需要使用语言的交流就随之而来了。 霍尔的高低语境文化概念说明人们

在初次交往中消减不确定性的方式会有不同。他指出在高语境文化中，言

语交流的数量并不重要，重要的是言语交流种类。具体而言，高语境文化

的人们会寻求背景信息(如父亲的职业、宗教信仰)来消减不确定性。此种

信息的收集，使高语境文化的人们对陌生人未来的行为上的预测有较大的

把握。 东方的高语境文化常被称为“不接触”文化，这种文化的成员与低