In low-context cultures, gestures and facial expressions are never the primary means of communication; they only serve to clarify or complement a point. An expert on metaphors in advertising checked the ads on the metaphors that were included, and another expert ensured the cross-cultural equivalence of the material in the Netherlands and Belgium. London: Routledge. First, it is expected that participants from a higher-context culture perceive the message as less complex than participants from a lower-context culture (H1). An example of Germans tentative disposition toward the unknown is the countrys mentality towards Internet privacy. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. More recent persuasion models, such as the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM; Petty & Cacioppo, Citation1986) and the Heuristic-Systematic Model (HSM; Chaiken, Citation1987), have nuanced the role of comprehension. All Rights Reserved. (The Netherlands in the referent category). This actually implies that context theory is a powerful explanation for differences in perceived complexity and liking of ads. In low-context cultures, people are used to messages that are direct and simple; for them, interpreting metaphors is relatively more demanding. Multi-cultural teams need . Class, Codes and Control. As a result, context theory predicts complex messages containing visual metaphors to be better understood and to be better appreciated in high- rather than in low-context cultures. Self-motivation and personal identity are important values to Germans. In total, 289 students participated in this comparative survey-based study. Meaning is determined not by what is said but by how it is said and by how social implications such as the communicators status and position come into play. (Citation2010) also investigated perceived complexity and liking of visual metaphors in advertising among participants from the same three countries. In doing so, we followed current methodological advice (see Hayes, Citation2009; Rucker, Preacher, Tormala, & Petty, Citation2011) to employ bootstrapping as a mediation technique because of its benefits compared to conventional methods, such as bootstrapping's higher power to detect potential indirect effects (e.g., Baron & Kenny, Citation1986). With its first empirical demonstration of the role of context culture on comprehension and persuasion, the current study suggests that using Hall's context theory may be a fruitful way of thinking about adapting messages to diverse cultural audiences. For the replacement metaphor, an example is the ad for Contrex water, which features a Contrex water bottle looking at itself in the mirror (replacing a human person looking at his or her body shape). That is, people from a low-context culture are expected to have more difficulties in comprehending complex messages and, consequently, to appreciate them less than people from a high-context culture. German directness is a particularly noticeable cultural standard. 5 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG. For an outsider, it is easier to enter into low-context cultures because one does not need to be aware of the shared history/values of the group. There are smaller communities and specific settings within national/linguistic cultures, and they may exhibit different communication patterns. All articles are edited by a PhD level academic. Future studies may examine other dependent variables, such as product attitude or behavioral intention. Note: Comparison of low- and high-context cultures reprinted from Business communication: Process & product (p. 64) by M.E. A Feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on March 15, 2023 by Chris Drew, PhD. Privacy Policy. The difference between High and Low Context Culture is that Low Context Cultures (Individualistic Cultures) do not need a lot of additional (Contextual) information to engage in " communication ". The Belgian participants had a higher context score (M = 3.07, SD = 0.49, n = 174) than the Dutch participants (M = 2.92, SD = 0.52, n =.115). Guffey, D. Lowey, K. Rhodes, K., & P. Rogin. She found out that in high-context countries, the advertising campaigns used more colors, movements, and sounds to provide context. Those in management are expected to have both, while also keeping an open mind to respectful critiques and challenges. From the same gender distributions in the two samples, it might be considered unlikely that, for instance, one sample contained predominantly arts students (which are mostly female students) and the other predominantly engineering students (which are mostly male students). Blunt, pragmatic communication styles will be effective in Germany. For high-context cultures, language is a kind of social lubricant, easing and harmonizing relations that are defined according to a group or collectivist orientation where we rather than I is the key to identity. Which of the following statements best describes a larger power distance. Democratic ideal; large middle class; long tradition of Mitbestimmung (employee co-determination), but respect for organizational hierarchy. Moreover, their communication is often task-oriented and driven by rational decision-making, which can further add to their formality.. We used 2-item scales for perceived ad complexity and ad liking because participants had to assess these constructs for 12 different ads. No decisions are made until all parties involved are heard; negotiations are fact and subject matter based. The terms low-context and high-context usually refer to language groups or nationalities. Development of long-term relationships; trust is created based on high-quality and reliability of services and products; quality may override price considerations. Renewable, clean energy has become a key talking point for every nation, and Germanys push puts itself at the forefront of a new economic boom. If empirical support for the role of context-cultures scores is to be found, it would considerably strengthen the notion of context culture as a perspective to study cultural differences and similarities in advertising and communication. A polite nod accompanied by a firm handshake is a common greeting, both in a business as well as social context; eye contact is made and held during a face-to-face conversation. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In particular he is known for his high and low context cultural factors. Studentsshould always cross-check any information on this site with their course teacher. In societies with a pragmatic orientation, people believe that truth depends very much on situation, context and time. What is the perfect Organisational Culture? In, Meyer, C. (2017). From the perspectives of both ELM and HSM, comprehension does play a part in the persuasion process, but it is not a necessary condition for persuasion to take place. Focus on individual; very task-oriented; Hoechstleistung (to give your best) is expected and nothing less; depending on the position and the nature of the organization, working overtime might be expected. ;#EtZ-P`IsPv;SFMx+CS~!v}w\ `p>cgVX Importantly, the current study examines this classification empirically by assessing individual context scores in both cultures. German Philosophy. Establishing relationships is an important part of communicating and interacting. Based on their fact-orientation, they may appear confrontational and overly critical. German Communication Style Low Context Little attention is given to non-verbal cues & body language. These countries are quite explicit and elaborate without having prior knowledge to each member's history or background. The work of Hofstede is data-driven: nations have been given precise numerical scores on cultural dimensions on the basis of empirical research. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages. It relies on the straightforward use of language, without depending much on nonverbal cues. Your email address will not be published. Low Context Websites catering to high-context audiences had a lot of animation & images. low context processes. McQuarrie & Mick, Citation2003, Citation2009), jargon (cf. Germany, Sweden, and the United States are generally classified as low-context cultures. Based on their insights into Hall's context theory and the Dutch and Belgian (communication) culture, cross-cultural communication scholars Gerritsen and Claes (Gerritsen, Citation2002; Claes & Gerritsen, Citation2011) indicate that Belgium is a medium-context culture, and the Netherlands a low-context culture. Communicating with high-context cultures can require you to focus on politeness strategies that demonstrate your respect for readers and listeners. It is hoped that more research attention will be paid to context culture in the area of culture and advertising. Cultures and languages are defined as higher or lower context on a spectrum. All the advice on this site is general in nature. Original music by Dan Powell and . Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine. Examples of high-context cultures include China, India, and many non-Western societies. Getting the message across. People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read. After the data collection, two of the participants were randomly selected to receive a 25-euro coupon. Communication Differences in Low-Context vs. High-Context Cultures, Comparing Communication Styles in Low- and High-Context Cultures, Additional Resources for Determining Cultural Contexts, Ethnocentrism and Cross-Cultural Competence, Additional Resources for Understanding Trompenaars Dimensions, Three Prototypes: Dignity, Face, and Honor Cultures, Ethnocentrism, Culture Shock, and Cultural Relativism. The present study is the first of its kind to test one of the central claims of context theory: namely, that complex messages are perceived as less complex and are better liked in higher-context than in lower-context cultures. Its impressive business sector features many of the largest brands in the world, and the consumer market has a high buying power. Increased complexity in advertising has been found to affect consumers' comprehension and liking of ads (e.g., Lagerwerf & Meijers, Citation2008; McQuarrie & Mick, Citation1999; Van Mulken, Van Hooft, & Nederstigt, Citation2014). In line with the philosophical heritage of Kant, Hegel and Fichte there is a strong preference for deductive rather than inductive approaches, be it in thinking, presenting or planning: the systematic overview has to be given in order to proceed. Registered in England & Wales No. Cultures with a low-context orientation, including North America and Western Europe, tend to solve problems with logic rather than intuition and highly value directness. Xu & Wyer, Citation2010), or foreign languages (cf. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The indirect effect of nationality on perceived complexity through participants' individual context score proved to be significant (b = .05; CI [0.117, 0.007], bootstrapping technique, N = 50,000). Cardon (Citation2008, p. 400), for instance, noted, Studies that use contexting as an explanatory framework for cross-cultural variation almost invariably accept the contexting continuum, neglecting to measure participants' context scores. One framework for approaching intercultural communication is with high-context and low-context cultures, which . B;dd
xs
f^Jg.!^#>QAc
Cultures where the group is valued over the individual promote group reliance. w'SJVJu V\.|w0#1n`(+~#/ w6'nZ6eFaLYCfFUL_xZ7(oe4pT`s;@Cu}E+=Rg 8Mt:}=v6mqFA*h;oC,}Y aE^:w?M0y'HF;c&
nZiQR e This concept was first advanced by Edward T. Hall in the 1950s. Honesty is also valued highly because German communication as a whole is incredibly low-context. Also remember that although cultures are different from one another, no culture or cultural characteristic is better or worse than any other. ULG covered the basics of the six cultural dimensions in full here. Co-determination rights are comparatively extensive and have to be taken into account by the management. When doing business with German clients, having employees in place who command respect with extensive knowledge and a willingness to have an open mind will be a huge asset. This result supported H1. Praise is rarely given, and when it is given, it is understated, e.g. The socio- . What makes a metaphor complex is that the message is not explicit. A message that is too simple or too difficult to understand is therefore expected to be less persuasive than a message with matching resources. Guffey, M. E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). The methodological problem of this approach is that potential differences in comprehension and appreciation cannot be empirically attributed to context culture, but only to the broader notion of nationality. Achievement, competition, success, and skilled performance at work are what drives many Germansbeing the best is the goal. G~D6cA>`E4SR_.H@vuc_FT_+ QY6PCz~Y*MLH4+p} Conclusion Cultural Communication is always a challenge. }Sp*vv^qVbu4.#TpK:5p/&^{tou,!
)y_f77\dO :3sPb:#( L%T*qsPJl3)}TkU\z,RzHpO^GFoi'})ff\
[6] How does her experience in Japan demonstrate what youve learned so far about the different dimensions of culture? Localization Strategy Guide The Cultural Dimensions of Germany, unwillingness to reveal personal information. This is also reflected by the law system. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(3356907, '2a8a93c6-0c6a-4fe5-9e63-52c235f8ec9d', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); With its sizable middle class and decentralized society, Germany has a low power distance. (_CC There is a strong belief in the ideal of self-actualization. Restrained Many low context cultures are individualist so people openly express their views, and tend to make important information obvious to others. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Hugs and embraces are common in a social context; the occasional pat on the back (from the older superior to the younger subordinate) may be seen in a work environment. Messages are understood at face value. people generally use. Communication Research Reports. Why is managing Cultural Diversity important? endstream
endobj
313 0 obj
<>stream
Greetings are formal and tend to include academic titles (Guten Morgen, Frau Doktor Faust). 45-52). Low-Context Cultures Communicators in low-context cultures (such as those in Germany, Scandinavia, and North America) convey their meaning exclusive of the context of a situation. Hall, E. T. (1976). April 28, 2023. This dimension is defined as the extent to which people try to control their desires and impulses, based on the way they were raised. Edited by Liz O. Baylen and Mike Benoist. The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? According to Hall's context theory, people from different cultures may react differently to complex messages. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine whether national differences in the comprehension and appreciation of ads with visual metaphors can indeed be attributed to participants' context-culture scores. Source expertise did not play a role when the participants were able to understand the message. Low context As the ads depicted individuals or individuals in interaction, they chose to measure the participants' personal achievement (i.e., leadership) and affiliation (i.e., friendship) evoked by the images as measures of implicit meaning. At the same time, for many cultures, working in Germany can be challenging because of the direct communication style and high need for detailed information. The present study had an approach taken in a number of other studies (e.g., Le Pair & Van Mulken, Citation2008; McQuarrie & Mick, Citation1999, Study 2; Van Enschot & Hoeken, Citation2015): participants were asked to report the degree to which they understood the message. Details are equally important to create certainty that a certain topic or project is well-thought-out. The Nine Competencies that Characterize an IEP, Strategies to Increase your IEP[footnote]Deardorff, D. K. (2012). In the current comparative survey-based study, participants were exposed to 12 different product ads; asking for actual comprehension of all of the ads might have revealed the purpose of the study. Speakers should not expect that listeners will figure out what they really mean unless the intended message is stated precisely. However, Relevance Theory also predicts that if people have to invest more effort into comprehending the message than they believe is warranted by the benefits they gain from this investment, they become frustrated. Although there are problems associated with the use of self-reported measurements, it is the best tool there currently is (see Matsumoto & Yoo, Citation2006; Taras, Rowney, & Steel, Citation2009). For instance, See, Petty, and Evans (Citation2009) showed, in two studies, that people with a high need for cognition (who have a tendency to appreciate undertaking cognitive activities) were more motivated to process a complex rather than a simple message, and that people with a low need for cognition were more motivated to process a simple instead of a complex message. Writing Topic Sentences and Body Paragraphs, 39. Le Pair and Van Mulken (Citation2008, p. 289) stress that their choice to relate the findings on ad liking to participants' context culture is a tentative explanation, and Callow and Schiffman (Citation2002, p. 274) acknowledge, It would also be advantageous to measure context at an individualas opposed to a culturallevel.. In two studies, they observed that participants' attitudes towards the product were affected by the source's expertise when the message was difficult to understand. Repeat key points. When it comes to complex messages in the advertising domain, though, there have been empirical studies that based their expectations on context theory. Low-context culture refers to a culture that communicates explicitly. Belgian participants have a lower perceived complexity than Dutch participants, and this national difference is explained by the participants' personal context score. Germanys high score of 83 indicates that it is a pragmatic country. In . Understanding German business protocol is the first step toward success in Germany. 1. One of the biggest differences between cultures is the method by which we communicate. However, the differences that were observed between these groups were solely attributed to consumers' context culture. C\s{58id]wE&=
4y3H[K302LQB7LU]
#Bnf+cC Relevance Theory (Sperber & Wilson, Citation1995) has proven to be a successful approach for our understanding of the relationship between complexity and persuasion of such messages (cf. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In other words, high-context communicators attach great importance to everything that surrounds the explicit message, including interpersonal relationships, non-verbal cues, and physical and social settings. ^o_JcqT Use our contact page or The indirect effect of nationality on ad liking through participants' individual context score also proved to be significant (b = .04; CI [0.104, 0.005], bootstrapping technique, N = 50,000). Instead of doubling down on the tried and true method of fossil fuel power, however, Germany has launched a massive clean-energy revolution. as explicit as possible. )&ucLHD
Competition Dance Hairstyles,
How Many Grandchildren Does Maria Shriver Have,
Biglow Mortuary Obituaries,
Are Tom And Robert Sietsema Related,
Articles W