Chapter 4: Intercultural Communication

◄ Previous: 1. Introduction to Intercultural Communication Next: 3. Communication Misunderstanding ►

2. Definition

Communication is the transmission of information. This requires a sender, a receiver and a channel, which refers to the medium which is used for communication (e.g. face-to-face contact or written language).
Communication happens on different levels: verbal (words, what is said), non-verbal (facial expressions, gestures, body distance) and para-verbal (volume, tone of voice). (Fielding 2006)

Without communication there are no (inter)cultures. (Jürgen Bolten, 2007)

One cannot not communicate. (Paul Watzlawick, 1982)

The effect, rather than the intent, determines whether a message is properly received.
                                                         
                                                                  Illustration based on the Sender-Receiver-Model of           
                                                                   Communication
                                                                  (Shannon and Weaver, 1948)
Figure: Sender-Receiver-Model of Communication
Especially when intercultural communication takes place, misunderstandings can arise. The sender and the receiver are from different cultural backgrounds and therefore use different mental maps influenced by their culture to encode or decode a message or symbol. The sender, belonging to culture A, will encode the message and send it out to the receiver. It is possible, that the receiver of cultural background B will have difficulties with decoding the meaning of the sent message or symbol. He/she will then give feedback to the sender in order to clarify about the message's original meaning. This process will go on until both communication partners reach some kind of mutual understanding.

Major source of information: Frey, Haller, Weber, 1993;  Fielding, 2014

◄ Previous: 1. Introduction to Intercultural Communication Next: 3. Communication Misunderstanding ►