Intercultural Intercultural Communications:Communications:

Intercultural CompetenceIntercultural Competence

Space, Touch, & TimeSpace, Touch, & Time

SpaceSpace

Personal space—an important Personal space—an important communication system in all culturescommunication system in all cultures

Proxemics—the study of how people Proxemics—the study of how people differ in their use of personal spacediffer in their use of personal space

Proxemic zonesProxemic zones• IntimateIntimate• PersonalPersonal• SocialSocial• publicpublic

U.S. U.S. proxemicproxemic zones zonesSpatialSpatialDistanceDistanceZoneZone

Spatial Spatial

DistanceDistance

(in meters)(in meters) UsageUsageOther Other

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

IntimateIntimate 0-0.50-0.5 Loving; Loving; comforting; comforting; protecting; protecting; fightingfighting

Minimal Minimal conversation; smell conversation; smell & feel of other; eye & feel of other; eye contact unlikelycontact unlikely

PersonalPersonal 0.5-1.20.5-1.2 Conversations Conversations withwith intimates, intimates, friends, & friends, & acquaintancesacquaintances

Touch possible; Touch possible; much visual detailmuch visual detail

SocialSocial 1.2-3.71.2-3.7 Impersonal & Impersonal & social eventssocial events

More formal tone; More formal tone; some visual detail some visual detail lost; eye contactlost; eye contact

PublicPublic 3.7-up3.7-up Lectures, Lectures, concerts, etc.concerts, etc.

Only obvious Only obvious attributes seenattributes seen

Personal spacePersonal space

Northern/colder climatesNorthern/colder climates Southern/warmer climatesSouthern/warmer climates ““Too close for comfort”Too close for comfort” ““too distant and aloof”too distant and aloof” ““Since most people don’t think about personal Since most people don’t think about personal

distance as something that is culturally distance as something that is culturally patterned, foreign spatial cues are almost patterned, foreign spatial cues are almost

inevitably misinterpreted.”inevitably misinterpreted.” (Hall & Hall)(Hall & Hall)

TerritorialityTerritoriality

Territoriality—The need to protect Territoriality—The need to protect and defend a particular spatial areaand defend a particular spatial area• To ownTo own• Have a right to defendHave a right to defend

Marking territoriesMarking territories• Formal (post signs)Formal (post signs)• Informal (nonverbal markers)Informal (nonverbal markers)

TerritorialityTerritoriality

Exhibiting territoriality in different Exhibiting territoriality in different culturescultures

The degree of exhibiting territorialityThe degree of exhibiting territoriality The places/spaces The places/spaces

• Touching my car = touching meTouching my car = touching me Response Response

• WithdrawalWithdrawal• Use of barriersUse of barriers• Defend Defend

TouchTouch

Touch is the most basic form of Touch is the most basic form of human communicationhuman communication

5 meanings of touch5 meanings of touch• AffectAffect• PlayfulnessPlayfulness• Control/Social dominance (status)Control/Social dominance (status)• RitualRitual• Task-related Task-related

Cultural differences in touchCultural differences in touch

High contact cultures:High contact cultures:• Middle EastMiddle East• Latin AmericaLatin America• Southern EuropeSouthern Europe

Non-contact culturesNon-contact cultures• AsiaAsia

Is China a non-contact culture?Is China a non-contact culture?

• Northern EuropeNorthern Europe Brushing against a sleeve elicits an apologyBrushing against a sleeve elicits an apology

Cultural differences in touchCultural differences in touch

Where you can touchWhere you can touch• Can you touch the head of a Thai child?Can you touch the head of a Thai child?

Who touches whomWho touches whom• Can strangers touch in Japan?Can strangers touch in Japan?• Ritual cleansing in Muslim countries if Ritual cleansing in Muslim countries if

opposite sex touching occursopposite sex touching occurs• Where can men hold hands?Where can men hold hands?• Where is same sex touching avoided?Where is same sex touching avoided?• Settings (home, the office, in public)Settings (home, the office, in public)

TimeTime

Chronemics—the study of time—how Chronemics—the study of time—how people use it, structure it, interpret people use it, structure it, interpret it, & understand its passage.it, & understand its passage.

Time orientations—the importance a Time orientations—the importance a culture places on the passage of timeculture places on the passage of time• Past orientedPast oriented• Present orientedPresent oriented• Future orientedFuture oriented

Past –oriented culturesPast –oriented cultures

Emphasize wisdom and tradition past Emphasize wisdom and tradition past down from older generationsdown from older generations

Respect for parents & older peopleRespect for parents & older people Events repeat themselves—patternsEvents repeat themselves—patterns Tried & true methods (tested and Tried & true methods (tested and

found effective) used to solve current found effective) used to solve current problemsproblems• Traditions, customsTraditions, customs

China, UK, Native AmericansChina, UK, Native Americans

Present-orientedPresent-oriented culturescultures

Current experiences most importantCurrent experiences most important Participate in an event for immediate Participate in an event for immediate

pleasure not future gainpleasure not future gain May believe in luck or fateMay believe in luck or fate They have little or no control of They have little or no control of

future eventsfuture events Rich appreciation for daily lifeRich appreciation for daily life Philippines, South & Central AmericaPhilippines, South & Central America

Future-oriented culturesFuture-oriented cultures

The future is the most importantThe future is the most important Current activities accomplished for a Current activities accomplished for a

future benefitfuture benefit• Going to school = future successGoing to school = future success

Fate is partially in their own handsFate is partially in their own hands Able to control the consequences of Able to control the consequences of

their actionstheir actions European AmericansEuropean Americans

Time systemsTime systems

Implicit cultural rules to arrange sets Implicit cultural rules to arrange sets of experiences in some meaningful of experiences in some meaningful way:way:

Types of time systemsTypes of time systems• Technical time systemsTechnical time systems• Formal time systemsFormal time systems• Informal time systems Informal time systems

Technical time systemsTechnical time systems

Scientific measurements (e.g., Scientific measurements (e.g., nanoseconds)nanoseconds)

Little relevance to cultural Little relevance to cultural experiencesexperiences

Formal time systemsFormal time systems

Formal time systems refer to the way Formal time systems refer to the way members of a culture describe and members of a culture describe and understand units of timeunderstand units of time• Native American (phases of the moon)Native American (phases of the moon)• Peru (position of the sun)Peru (position of the sun)• European Americans (seconds, minutes, European Americans (seconds, minutes,

years, etc.)years, etc.)

Formal time systemsFormal time systems

Time’s passageTime’s passage• Reference to events (e.g., B.C., A.D.)Reference to events (e.g., B.C., A.D.)

Time intervalsTime intervals• Event based (24 hours = 1 day)Event based (24 hours = 1 day)• Arbitrary (length of a football game)Arbitrary (length of a football game)

Sequences (days, months) are Sequences (days, months) are named and taught as part of the named and taught as part of the acculturation process acculturation process

Formal time systemsFormal time systems

Agreement regarding how time is Agreement regarding how time is valuedvalued

Time may be valued as a tangible Time may be valued as a tangible commoditycommodity• ““Time is money. Don’t waste either Time is money. Don’t waste either

one.”one.”

Informal time systemsInformal time systems

How time should be used or experiencedHow time should be used or experienced When is the right time to arrive at an 8:00 When is the right time to arrive at an 8:00

P.M. party? A 9:00 A.M. meeting? An 8:30 P.M. party? A 9:00 A.M. meeting? An 8:30 A.M. class?A.M. class?

Hall observes:Hall observes:• In U.S. you have 4 minutes to sell an ideaIn U.S. you have 4 minutes to sell an idea• In Japan, achieving consensus may take a long In Japan, achieving consensus may take a long

timetime Informal systems are widely held and Informal systems are widely held and

consistently imposed (like team norms)consistently imposed (like team norms)

Monochronic time systemsMonochronic time systems

Things should be done one at a timeThings should be done one at a time Time is segmented in precise unitsTime is segmented in precise units Time is a commodity (it has value)Time is a commodity (it has value) Time is scheduled, managed, Time is scheduled, managed,

arrangedarranged Events are discrete and should Events are discrete and should

receive exclusive focusreceive exclusive focus Events have boundaries: beginning & Events have boundaries: beginning &

end pointsend points

Polychronic time systemsPolychronic time systems

Several things are done at the same Several things are done at the same timetime

Relationships are more important so Relationships are more important so schedules can be broken if a friend schedules can be broken if a friend requires attentionrequires attention

Several events can be scheduled Several events can be scheduled simultaneously simultaneously

Keeping “on schedule” is not a goalKeeping “on schedule” is not a goal

Cultural misunderstandingsCultural misunderstandings

Which culture would say…Which culture would say…• Too tied to traditionToo tied to tradition• Passionless slaves to efficiencyPassionless slaves to efficiency• Self-centered, inefficient and foolishSelf-centered, inefficient and foolish

Natural tendency to view one’s own Natural tendency to view one’s own culture as superiorculture as superior

Differences in time “commitments” varies Differences in time “commitments” varies between mono- and polychronic cultures between mono- and polychronic cultures and may cause problemsand may cause problems