7.3. Developing Intercultural Communication

Week 7 Part 3 will help you:

• to get acquainted with the main principles of the development of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC),
• to understand how stereotypes and prejudices may affect our communication and understanding about others.

To reach these goals you are expected to:

• watch the video lecture about developing intercultural communication competence,
• read about the stereotypes, prejudices and intercultural sensitivity,
• watch a video about various stereotypes about Europeans and reflect on how such stereotypes develop and what effects they have on you.

 Video

Developing Intercultural Competence (video lecture)

 Reading

Stereotypes

Approaches advocating plurilingualism and multiculturalism always promote openness towards the foreign culture and the relativization of one’s own point of view as well as the willingness to change perspectives. Therefore, overcoming stereotypes and prejudices towards other cultures is often seen as one of the central goals in foreign language teaching because stereotypes tend to overgeneralize and distort facts and may, in fact, even exclude people.

With respect to stereotypes we may distinguish between hetero-stereotypes and auto-stereotypes. Hetero-stereotypes simplify and generalize ideas of the target culture while auto-stereotypes are fixed distortions of one’s own culture. In addition to this, we may also distinguish between positive and negative stereotypes.

The development of stereotypes involves various steps, including the categorization, the evaluation and overgeneralization of a certain kind of behaviour. Negative stereotypes, for instance, may develop in the following way: Initially, people may just notice that individuals from another culture behave differently, for example, when they notice that some people tend to come late for appointments or meetings. If this behaviour is perceived as a problem (e.g. “he makes me wait”), it might be evaluated in a negative way (e.g. “he seems to be an unreliable person”). If this problematic behaviour is also observed in other people, eventually negative stereotypes might be developed (“all people in this culture seem to unreliable“).

Dismantling such prejudices, clichés or stereotypical distortions is often mentioned as one of the main objectives of intercultural learning. However, the complete overcoming of stereotypes is often not a realistic option, perhaps not even a desirable goal since it may be too demanding for teachers and learners alike since stereotypes also perform an important cognitive function: They help to reduce the complexity of the world and to channel and structure the flood of information by filtering it through prefabricated patterns of perception (Lippmann 1922: 81). At the same time stereotypes may also contribute to the formation of group identity. Nevertheless, the aim of intercultural learning remains to recognise stereotypical perceptions and their functions and to subject them to a critical examination.

The confrontation with a new culture leads to a process of “acculturation” (Brown 1994), i.e. a gradual process of adapting to a new culture which may also involve new ways of thinking and a change of attitude. This acculturation process is also reflected in Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (Bennett 1993). This model outlines the gradual process of intercultural learning by describing the different ways in which people react to cultural differences. The model comprises six stages of increasing sensitivity to differences:

Bennett’s Model of Intercultural Sensitivity

1. Initially, there is a denial of difference, i.e. individuals deny the existence of other cultures other than their own. The other culture remains largely inaccessible.
2. The next stage is characterized by a defense against differences between cultures which are perceived by individuals. Typically, during this stage individuals view their own culture as “superior” to other cultures. This is also the stage where most stereotypes are developed leading – in extreme cases – to aggressive behavior.
3. This stage might be followed, however, by a gradual minimization of differences. In other words, people begin to realize that there many more similarities between cultures than differences. As a result, the negative judgements from the previous stage are relativized.
4. The acceptance of differences is another step in the development which is characterized by the willingness to learn about other cultures and – potentially – the acceptance of other worldviews which are seen as equally valid.  Thus, individuals are beginning to develop a critical cultural awareness which allows them to compare both cultures from a neutral perspective.
5. The adaptation stage even goes one step further. Individuals expand their culture-specific worldviews and become “intercultural speakers” who are capable of behaving in culturally appropriate ways. This may also allow them to act outside of their own culture and to mediate between speakers from both cultures.
6. The final stage – integration – is characterized by a smooth shift between cultures and a great deal of empathy and understanding towards the other culture. The foreign culture is no longer ‘foreign’.

What is somewhat problematic about this model is that it seems to suggest a starting point and a final destination. However, by no means all intercultural contacts begin uniformly with the first stage – there may be a great deal of openness towards the other culture right from the start. And in many contexts – particularly in the context of language learning – it is rather questionable whether learners can or should attempt to reach the final stage of integration. Nevertheless, intercultural learning should always aim to move up the scale.

References

Bennett, Milton J. (1993). “Towards Ethnorelativism: A Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (revised).” In: Paige, R.M. (ed.): Education for the Intercultural Experience. Yarmouth: Intercultural Press, 21-71.

Brown, H. Douglas (1994). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents.

Lippmann, W. (1922): Public Opinion. New York.

  Activity

Stereotypes of Europeans

Watch the following video (“Stereotypes on Europeans” – Length: 8:59) which includes a humorous overview of common stereotypes on all 28 member states of the European Union.

Before you watch it, however, read the following quotations from the video first and try to guess the country that the statements most probably refer to:

a)      “These people are passionate about everything, especially food. If they can, they do everything the easiest way possible, even if that means breaking a few rules.”

b)      “People are much more relaxed, to the point of laziness.”

c)      “These mountain-loving folks love their houses and making everything in them just right. They work hard, speak foreign languages, but it’s said they share some of that melancholy that people experience in Scandinavia.”

d)      “We do know that all women are tall, and all men are quite macho, but maybe the macho days are over because the stereotype now says that they are all computer geniuses.”

e)      “They are never, ever late and even take great pains in even organizing a breakfast. They are all born with an acumen for engineering, but unfortunately this hasn’t helped their ability to cook cuisine that isn’t bland.”

f)       “They love their food and drink their wine, and yes, they hate the English. They are a haughty bunch, critical of many things and not afraid to tell you.”

g)      “They are open-minded, but suffer from sadness, as everyone does in that part of the world.”

After watching the video reflect on the following questions:

• How do such stereotypes develop?
• What effect do such stereotypes have on you?
• Does it make a difference whether the stereotypes are positive or negative?
• Do you think it is possible or desirable to avoid such stereotypes?