This document communicates about intercultural communications

1. Intercultural communication (Page 1)
ETHNOCENTRISM, PREJUDICE & STEREOTYPES
ETHNOCENTRISM
This is the belief in the inherent superiority of one's ethnic group or culture.
This is having news and opinions based on the idea that your own culture is better or more
important than the others.
Types of ethnocentrism
1. Consumer ethnocentrism.
2. Cross-cultural ethnocentrism.
3. Cultural bias.
4. Cultural racism.
PREJUDICE
This is an assumption or opinion about someone based on the person's membership to a particular
group, culture etc.
This is any preconceived feeling that one culture is better than other people's culture.
Types of prejudice
1. Racism.
2. Sexism.
3. Ageism.
4. Class Ism.
5. Homophobia.
6. Nationalism.
7. Xenophobia.
STEREOTYPES
This is an oversimplified or distorted view of another race, ethnic group or culture.
This is a preconceived and oversimplified idea of characteristics that a person, race or community
identify with which may lead to other people mistreating them.
Is a set of biased generalizations about a group or individual which is unfavorable, exergerated or
oversimplified.
CULTURE SHOCK
This is a feeling of confusion, doubt or nervousness caused by being in a place like a foreign
country that is different from what we are used to.
This is a state of distress and wonder experienced by an individual who is suddenly exposed to a
new strange or foreign social and cultural environment.
Stages of culture shock
1. Honeymoon - at this stage, the difference between your old and the new culture are not obvious.
At this stage,one is full of excitement and wonder about the new culture.
2. Negotiation - the differences between your culture and the new culture start becoming clear.
Excitement is reduced as anxiety starts developing. In addition, one experiences unpleasant
feelings for example frustration, anger, doubt and you may even start viewing the new culture as
strange and offensive to your own culture.
3. Adjustments - one draws accustomed and becomes routined however one may experience
depression and home sickness.
4. Adaption - the individual is able to fit into the new culture and is comfortable. At this stage one

2. has accepted the new culture.
5. Acceptance - at this stage one has accepted the differences between the new culture and their
own culture. In addition you have adjusted your views of the new culture and even adopted some
characteristics of the new culture.
Steps you can take to overcome culture shock
1. Realize that adjusting takes time.
2. Accept that you may get home sick .
3. Learn as much as you can about the new culture.
4. Talk to people who have travelled or have interacted with people of the new culture so that they
can give you tips on what to expect.
5. Conduct research to get as much information about the new culture as much as possible.
6. Don't compare yourself with others.
7. Learn the rules of your new culture.
8. Find ways to relief stress of frustrations that comes with the new culture.
9. Find similarities between your own culture and the new culture.
10. Keep an open mind.
11. Find a balance between your culture and the new culture.
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE
8. POWER DISTANCE - refers to the extent to which less powerful members of the society or
organizations accept and expect unequal power distribution. In a large power distance society,
parents teach children to be obedient while in a small power distance society, parents treat children
as equals. Similarly in organizations, large power distance can be seen whereby junior staff are
expected to do as they are told while in a small power distance organizations, junior staff can
consult when making decisions.
9. TIME ORIENTATION - most cultures recognize that the past influences the present therefore,
most cultures try to maintain traditions from the past and avoid changing those traditions as much
as possible. The element of time shows that when it comes to changing cultural values and norms,
high context cultures tend to be more rigid while low context cultures are more flexible in
adjusting