Module 4 Glossary

 

Module 4 Glossary

Term	Definition
Collectivist cultures	cultures in which one’s strongest identity is with the group they belong to. Individual identity is less important.
High-context cultures	cultures in which people generally share a high degree of commonality of knowledge and viewpoints. There is little need to spell things out, and meanings tend to be implicit or can be communicated in indirect ways.
Individualist cultures	cultures in which individuals are prioritized or emphasized over the whole group
Intercultural communication	the study of communication across cultures and how culture impacts communication
Intercultural encounter	an experience between people from different cultural backgrounds
Low-context cultures	cultures in which people generally value directness with discussions resulting in actions. Speakers in low-context cultures are expected to be straightforward and concise.
Monochronic cultures	cultures in which time is viewed as linear; people prefer to do only one thing at a time; schedules are not flexible; and time is considered a valuable commodity.
Polychronic cultures	cultures in which people tend to do many things simultaneously with a focus on tasks or activities (and not schedules)
Stereotype	a commonly held but oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing
Symbolic meaning	the meaning that members of a culture attach to something. Every culture has its own symbols and these meanings are not always the same.