Honorio Gonzalez

EDU 533
Intercultural Competence
Chapter 3 Notes
What is competent intercultural communication?
Competent interpersonal communication is a worthy and elusive goal while interpersonal
competence in intercultural interactions is an even more difficult objective to achieve,
because cultural differences create dissimilar meanings and expectations that require even
greater levels of communication skills (p. 61). Furthermore, although there is still some
disagreement among scholars about how best to conceptualize and measure
communication competence, there is an increasing agreement about certain of its
fundamental characteristics (p. 61). The following definition defines it: Competent
communication is interaction that is perceived as effective in fulfilling certain rewarding
objectives in a way that is also appropriate to the context in which the interaction occurs
(p. 61). Competent interpersonal communication results in behaviors that are regarded as
appropriate and behaviors that are effective in achieving desired personal goals (p. 6162). Therefore, communication competence is a social judgment that people make about
others (p. 62). Thus, the way a person shows communication competence is how people
we think about that person. It also goes to show that how you act does matter to other
people because they way you act will determine how people will think about you and
treat you.
List and describe the components of intercultural competence (p. 66)
Competent intercultural communication is contextual; it produces behaviors that are both
appropriate and effective; and it requires sufficient knowledge, suitable motivations, and
the right skills (p. 62-63). Intercultural competence is contextual in that an impression or
judgment that a person is interculturally competent is made with respect to both a specific
relational and a particular situational context (p. 63). Judgments of intercultural
competence also depend on cultural expectations about permitted behaviors that
characterize settings or situations within which people communicate (p. 63). Both
interpersonal competence and intercultural competence require behaviors that appropriate
and effective (p. 63). By appropriate they mean behaviors that are regarded as proper and
suitable given the expectations generated by a given culture, the constraints of the
specific situation, and the nature of the relationship between the interactants while by
effective they mean those behaviors that lead to the achievement of desired outcomes (p.
63).
Intercultural competence requires sufficient knowledge, suitable motivations, and the
right skills (p. 64). Knowledge refers to the cognitive information you need to have about
the people, the context, and the norms of appropriateness that operate in a specific culture
(p. 64). Not having this knowledge wont allow you to interpret the meaning of what
someone from a different language and culture is trying to say to you. Additionally,
culture-general information provides insights into the intercultural communication
process abstractly and can therefore be a very powerful tool in making sense of cultural
practices, regardless of the cultures involved while culture-specific information is used to
understand a particular culture (p. 64-65).

Motivation includes peoples overall set of emotional associations as they anticipate ad

actually communicate interculturally (p. 65). Feelings refer to the emotional or affective
states hat you experience when communicating with someone from a different culture
while intentions are what guide the choices a person makes in a particular intercultural
interaction (p. 66). Finally, skills refer to the actual performance of those behaviors that
are regarded as appropriate and effective (p. 67). Therefore, having the right motivation
can push a person to try even harder to achieve their desired outcome. Having the right
skills is also crucial in achieving a certain desired outcome.
Apply BASICs of intercultural to yourself as you prepare to go to your country
BASIC: 8 Areas for Improving Cultural
How will you bridge the cultural gap in each of the
competence
following areas?
Your Culture________America________
Your Host Culture____Japan________________
1. Displays of respect are present, but
By knowing how to address my fellow w teachers,
students, superiors, and friends in both a formal and
shown differently in every culture.
informal setting. By using honorifics when the situation
calls for it.
2. Orientation to knowledge refers to the
terms people use to explain themselves
and the world.

3. Empathy is to behave as if one

understands the world as others do.

4. Interaction management refers to the

skills necessary to maintain a
conversation.

5. Task-role behavior refers to those skills

that contribute to a groups performance.

6. Relational role behavior deals with

efforts to build and maintain personal
relationships.

7. Tolerance for ambiguity refers to the

By following the advice of a fellow Japanese teacher

when needed, regarding a situation that can come up
unexpectedly. I would follow their advice because they
would know how to deal with the situation. Thus, I am
recognizing the individuals experience regarding that
situation.
By knowing how to act and behave in any formal and
informal situation that might come up in Japan. This
shows that I understand enough of the culture in order
to be able to understand it and therefore live in that
culture.
Knowing how to talk with fellow teachers and students
would allow me to maintain a conversation with them.
Maintaining a conversation would be essential for me to
live in Japan.
Knowing how to participate in a schools activities and
festivals would allow me to participate in them. By
participating in them I am contributing to the
advancement of the groups overall performance in the
school festival or activity.
Knowing how to build and maintain a good
relationships with my fellow teachers and students
would be essential to my role as a teacher. It would
allow me to fulfill my role to its utmost best since I
would be able to have a good relationship with my
fellow teachers and students.
Would allow me to respond in a good and adequate way

extent to which an individual can deal

with unpredictability and uncertainty.
8. Interaction posture focuses on the ability
to respond to others in a way that is not
judgmental.

to new situations that might come up in Japan. This

would allow showing good experience in handling
unexpected situations whenever they might occur.
Responding in a good and proper way to an unexpected
situation would show how I would think of that
situation or person. This would allow me to be
perceived as a person who is open-minded and
nonjudgmental to my fellow teachers and students,
thereby gaining more respect and trust from them.

Application
When in Japan, I would have to show that I am a person that can be respected and relied
upon no matter the situation. This in turn would help me in time to gain the trust of
people that I would come to know and work with. This would be important because I
would need these relationships in Japan in order to further mu knowledge and
understanding of Japanese culture. Having someone I could interact with on a
interpersonal level would allow me to further expand my knowledge and experiences that
I would obtain while in Japan. I would also make relationships that could develop even
father into friendship.
Biblical Principles
He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe Proverbs
28:26. When on my journey in Japan, I would have to trust in God and not myself. If I
did trust in myself, I would only make mistakes and my journey would be an even harder
one. But If I were to trust in God, he would give me His wisdom, in order for me to make
the right choices on my journey in both Asia and Japan. I would also be able to share my
faith better with those who would want to listen because I would have the wisdom
provided to me by God to do so in a great way. I would also be able to open my mind to
Gods purpose for me while in Japan and also show me in how to go about achieving that
purpose.