Fall 2005 Spring 2019 We have live, synchronous, real- - - PDF document

1

Some US American Cultural Values

• Dr. Chuck Braithwaite

Department of Communication Studies Center for Great Plains Studies

Communication Studies: The Global Classroom

Fall 2005 – Spring 2019 International Partners

University of Nebraska

Turkey

Yeditepe University Ataturk University Haran University

Oman

Oman Tourism College Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat

Pakistan Spain Costa Rica Japan Russia

University of Tyumen, Siberia V

• ronezh State Agricultural

University Fatima Jinnah Women University, Islamabad Universidad Castilla La-Mancha University of Costa Rica- San Ramon Shimane University, Matsue

US America

We have live, synchronous, real- time interaction Focus is on presentations about social life and culture

Six challenges international communicators may face in US America:

Friendliness vs. friendship Talk vs. silence Informal vs. formal Direct vs. indirect Private vs. public Assumptions about ethnicities/races (“equality”) (this is how some core values of US American culture are enacted in communication)

2

Friendliness vs. friendship

“How are you?” I’ll get back to you.” “text me!” “Gotta go!”

Talk vs. silence

 Most US American’s highly value talk  Silence indicates problems  May ask many questions  Even ask questions that have already been answered!  Professor will often require talk and sometimes punish silence

Informal vs. formal

 First names or shortened names  “small talk” vs. “big talk”  preference for impromptu speaking

Direct vs. indirect

 Little concern for Face  Use of critical questions  Point out errors in front of class  If you are not direct you may be misunderstood

Public life vs. private life

 Assumption they can be separate  Strong commitment to being

• pen AND being private

 Hard to know when to reveal and when to conceal  Students might ask personal questions  Or students might think some of your questions are too personal

Assumptions about ethnicities/races (“equality”)

 In public = egalitarianism and equality is spoken as a truism  But many clearly value status  We like stories where social class and culture did not get in the way  We like to assume that gender, culture, ethnicity will not get in the way of success  We prefer to ignore history

3

“Our” Class!

Thank you!