CHAPTER 3 :

THEORIES IN ICC

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 Theorizing about ICC
Overview
Many theorists who tried to explain communication between
members focuses on intergroup communication generally
rather than ICC specifically .

These theorists assume that :

(1)culture is one of the many group membership influencing
communication
(2)The processes occurring in intercultural, interethnic and
intergenerational communication are SIMILAR

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The theories in ICC
7 categories in ICC :
(1)Theories that integrate culture with
communication processes
(2)Intergroup/ intercultural theories
focusing on effective outcomes
(3)Intergroup/ intercultural theories
focusing on accommodation and
adaptation

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(4) Intergroup/ intercultural theories focusing on
identity management and negotiations
(5) Intercultural theories focusing on acculturation
and adjustment
(6) Theories explaining cultural variability in
communication
(7) Intergroup/ intercultural theories focusing on
communication networks
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 THEORIES IN ICC

Theories focussing
Theories in which on acculturation
culture and Intergroup/ and adjustment
communication are Intergroup/ intercultural intercultural theories
integrated theories focusing on focusing on (1) cross-cultural
effective outcomes : accommodation and adaptation
(1)Cultural Convergence
(1) Constructivist adaptation : (2) Interactive
(2)Anxiety / Uncertainty
Theory Management ( AUM) acculturation
(2) Cultural (3)Effective decision (1)Communication model
Communication making Accommodation (3) Anxiety /
(3) Coordinated (4)Integrated theory of (2)Intercultural Uncertainty
management of \ interethnic communication Adaptation Management
Meaning (3)Co-cultural theory (4) Assimilation ,
Deviance and
alienation
(5) Schema theory

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 Theories in which culture and communication are
integrated :
CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY ( Applegate and Sypher)
The assumptions :
(1)Theory should be interpretive
(2)Detailed accounts for everyday interaction are needed
(3)The focus of the study should be the relationship between
culture and communication
(4)Value judgments should be made
(5)Theory and training should be linked closely

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…………………….. CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY
According to Applegate and Sypher :
(1)Communication occur when individuals have a “mutually
recognize interaction to share and exchange messages”
(2)View complex behavior as leading to “person-centered”
communication
(3)Believed that “ culture defines the logic of
communication” in which different culture emphasize
different goals and ways to achieve these goals.

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Theories in which culture and communication are
integrated :
CULTURAL COMMUNICATION (Philipsen)
His argument :
(1)Cultural communication involves a negotiation of cultural
codes through communal communication ( how
individuals negotiate how they will conduct their lives
together)
(2)He proposes speech code theory which suggest
communal conversation imply distinctive codes of comm
(3)The communal functions involves how individuals are to
live as members of a community”
(4)Communication is “heuristic” and “performative”.

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Theories focusing on effective outcomes : Cultural
Convergence (Kincaid & barnett)

Kincaid argues that mutual understanding can be approached BUT

never perfectly achieved. This applies at individual level phenomena
Cultural Convergence Model is used to develop a Mathematical
theory of the effects of communication on cultural differences
( Kincaid & Barnett) . This applies at in-group level phenomena.

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Theories focusing on effective outcomes :
Anxiety / Uncertainty Management (Gudykunst)
Theory explains intercultural adjustment through :
Uncertainty ( the ability to predict attitudes, behavior
and feelings) and anxiety ( feelings of being uneasy,
tense and worried) in order to explain interpersonal
and inter group communication ( ie handling
misunderstandings)
Gudykunst expanded the theory using a competency
framework and assume that individuals ‘
communication is influenced by their cultures and
group membership BUT they can choose how they
communicate when they are mindful.
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Gudykunst / Lieberson argue that effective
communication were found in 2 types :
(1) basic cause ( that is anxiety and uncertainty
management & mindfulness)
(2) superficial variables ( ie attraction, ability to
emphatize) are mediated through anxiety and
uncertainty management

The extend of being mindful ( awareness) of one’s

behavior moderates the influence of their anxiety and
uncertainty management on their communication
effectiveness
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Theories focusing on accommodation and adaptation :
Communication Accommodation Theory ( CAT)
Theory incorporates cross-cultural variability in
accommodative process
Components of theory studied:
(1) sociohistorical context
(2) the communicator’s accommodative orientation
(3) immediate situation
(4) evaluation and future intentions

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(1) sociohistorical context
CAT begins with the “sociohistorical context” of the
interaction which include these components:
(i) relations between groups
(ii) social norms
(iii) cultural variability

(2) The communicator’s accommodative orientation

There are 3 aspects of accommodative orientation :
(i) interpersonal factors
(ii) intergroup factors

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(3) immediate situation
There are 5 aspects to immediate situation and it is interelated :
(i) sociopsychological states
(ii) goals and addressee focus
(iii) sociolinguistic strategies
(iv) behavior and tactics
(v) labeling and attributions

(4) evaluation and future intentions

- which focuses one n communicator’s perception on the other
person’s behavior in the interaction
- Positive or negative perception affects communication accomodation

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Theories focusing on accommodation and adaptation :
Intercultural Adaptation ( Ellingsworth)

Assumes that all communication involves some

degree of cultural variability and therefore
understanding ICC must begin from interpersonal
communication and the need to incorporate cultural
factors
Discusses the functional factors in adaptive
communication and its implications

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