The Role Of Culture And Self-Awareness In Interpersonal Communication

Many technological developments have been crucial in removing impediments to successful communication between people, such as distance and time zones. Despite these developments, social orientation and culture remain significant roadblocks (Tone et al., 2009). Culture greatly influences interpersonal connections, which can be problematic if not appropriately addressed. This is mostly because communication processes can be seen in many cultural contexts and are distinguished by distinctive presumptions as well as social norms. As a result, it affects the type and recipient of communication individuals engage in. Furthermore, it specifies the reasons for and methods for using a particular kind of communication (Leonard et al. 2009). People from different social classes who belong to cultural groupings all live differently, notably in how they interact with one another, and this trait is passed down from one generation to the next (DeVito, 2016). As a result, in order to show cultural sensitivity, one must investigate how people interact with one another because doing so will help to improve communication. Preparing oneself and paying close attention to culturally influenced actions is an effective method. Members of various ethnic groups should be aware of nonverbal communication. The usage of physical space and body language are two important things to watch out for. Also, it’s important to watch out for the use of physical touch and eye contact as forms of communication.

Before acting, it is necessary to seek advice from others in order to determine what is proper and what is not. Second, before acting, one should express their understanding of what has been spoken by others and take into account the needs of others. Being aware of the interactions between various groups of people is one approach to accomplish this. People from diverse cultures are certain to be encountered when one is in an unusual scenario, so it is important to be able to retain an open mind. Establish the contrasts between the two languages as well as the slang and the use of various words for various meanings. People from different cultures may also speak differently in terms of dialects and accents.

Respecting other people’s customs, attitudes, and moral convictions is a key component of cultural sensitivity. An illustration would be to take off your shoes while entering someone’s home, particularly in cultures where this is the custom. Also, one must exercise consideration by considering other people’s perspectives. Everyone should strive to be polite, but it also helps to ensure that one displays cultural awareness. One way to be nice is to address individuals by their preferred title, such as “Mrs.” or “Dr.,” etc. Moreover, one’s tone of voice can reveal civility. One must pay close attention to how others address one another in order to be polite and culturally sensitive since this will provide guidance on how to act.

A true interest in the people’s culture is also required because only through understanding their way of life can one truly comprehend them. It’s also critical to recognize the many gender roles that have been categorized and arranged in accordance with the borders of various ethnic groupings. So, without giving the erroneous roles to the other person, one will be able to provide and perform gender-specific roles and thus give roles accordingly. Moreover, consider your wardrobe so that you don’t wear anything that would not be socially or culturally acceptable. When providing human services, one must be respectful and make sure to respect the clients’ right to secrecy and privacy. A person working in a human services setting should also

Self-awareness is a broad notion that includes how much someone is conscious of their personality traits, feelings, and ideas, as well as their strengths and limitations (DeVito, 2016). The term “other orientation” describes the interpersonal effectiveness trait that enables a person to acquire the perspective that they have other people. It is characterized by the capacity for attention as well as the tendency to become intrigued by what others have to say. This is still a work in progress because I can’t fully focus on someone else when they are speaking, especially when I am distracted or thinking about something else in my own life. As a result, I rate myself a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10, which means that while I have many strong points, I also have certain communication-related flaws.

Whenever we need to discuss something, I have the ability to be considerate and respectful of others. As an illustration, I need to call them ahead of time when I need to discuss personal matters with them so that they have enough time for our conversation. Also, I strive to utilize open-ended inquiries anytime I need to speak with someone else because it engages them in a conversation rather than just waiting for a “yes” or “no.” Also, I’m better at communicating because of my ability to use facial expressions. These facial expressions include nodding, bending in their direction, and smiling.

I find it difficult to acknowledge other people’s sentiments as legitimate, which is one of my weaknesses when it comes to interpersonal communication. There are instances when I assume that someone is upset or furious over something I consider to be unimportant. I am unable to see things from their perspective as a result. The inability to acknowledge others is another flaw. As a result, I am unable to solicit advice, viewpoints, or clarifications, which stops me from comprehending the subject better. As a result, I frequently “tune out” when people are speaking and take a mental break.

A person is more likely to be culturally sensitive to the existing cultural differences in the setting if they have a strong other orientation, especially if they work in human services settings. Additionally, it helps one comprehend people more fully, which helps them avoid using stereotypes and, as a result, perceive situations more accurately (DeVito, 2016). Also, it aids in overcoming the difficulties associated with nonverbal communication between individuals from other cultures.

A vast variety of persons with varying characteristics, such as gender, age, sexual orientation, abilities, experience, religious background, and culture and ethnicity, are certain to be found in the human services field. As a result, it’s important to have someone who can communicate clearly while also taking the culture of the audience into account. Learning about other people’s cultures is a useful method that one can use for themselves. The objective is to make sure that everyone has a clear grasp of what is expected of them in terms of how to interact with others, gender-specific duties, and even verbal and non-verbal communication.

Knowing how crucial it is to comprehend the cultures of others, it would not be easy to comprehend others before oneself. This thereby highlights the necessity for self-awareness, which aids in understanding one’s true self. The Johari window, which divides human nature into four parts—the open self, the hidden self, the unknown self, and the blind self—is a useful tool for investigating self-awareness (DeVito, 2016).

Verbal tactics work well, especially when the message is delivered clearly. To ensure interaction between the two groups of individuals in a conversation can be achieved by using open-ended questions. This will be helpful in a human service setting since it will encourage interaction with individuals from various cultural groups and, as a result, improve communication. Using straightforward language is another effective strategy, especially when taking into account the various cultural connotations of words used by various groups of people.

Body language, facial expressions, and physical touch are all examples of nonverbal communication. The most prevalent type of communication is facial expression, which can convey a wide range of information. For example, a person can infer emotions like anger, happiness, and contentment from the expressions on another person’s face as well as suffering. Also, the expressions have a key role in emphasizing the message. Another example is body language, which can be detected when someone appears calm or uneasy. In comparison to an uneasy person, a calm individual is certain to communicate more effectively.

References

 DeVito, J. A. (2016). The interpersonal communication book. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Leonard, K. M., Van Scotter, J. R., & Pakdil, F. (2009). Culture and communication: Cultural variations and media effectiveness. Administration & Society, 41(7), 850-877.

Tone, K., Skitmore, M., & Wong, J. K. W. (2009). An investigation of the impact of cross-cultural communication on the management of construction projects in Samoa. Construction Management and Economics, 27(4), 343-361.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

---

Identify the communication problem (culture awareness).

Be very specific and detailed here.  What caused the problem?  What impact does this problem have on the computer organization (or other entity, e.g., a specific person)?

E identify one possible solution and list them all here.

^{"Place your order now for a similar assignment and have exceptional work written by our team of experts, guaranteeing you A results."}