UTM115H5 Study Guide - Final Guide: High-Context And Low-Context Cultures, Iceberg, Endogamy
UTM115H5 Week 3
Communication Among Cultures: Hall’s High and Low Context
● “Culture hides much more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most
effectively from its own participants.” (Edward T Hall, The Silent Language, 1981)
○ ie, iceberg
● Context: the environment in which communication occurs; helps to define the communication.
Includes “the cultural, physical, socio-relational, and perceptual environments” (Neuliep, 2006,
p.57)
● Cultures in which little meaning is determined by context bc the message is explicit in the verbal
code = low context
● Cultures in which less is said/written because more meaning is in the environment or already
shared by participants = high context.
● Low context cultures
○ Verbal messages tend to be elaborate, highly specific and detailed.
○ The ability to express oneself verbally is highly valued
○ Logic and reasoning tend to be expressed within verbal messages
Document Summary
Communication among cultures: hall"s high and low context. Culture hides much more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants. (edward t hall, the silent language, 1981) ie, iceberg. Context: the environment in which communication occurs; helps to define the communication. Includes the cultural, physical, socio-relational, and perceptual environments (neuliep, 2006, p. 57) Cultures in which little meaning is determined by context bc the message is explicit in the verbal code = low context. Cultures in which less is said/written because more meaning is in the environment or already shared by participants = high context. Verbal messages tend to be elaborate, highly specific and detailed. The ability to express oneself verbally is highly valued. Logic and reasoning tend to be expressed within verbal messages. Most information is contained wither within the environment or internalised within the person. Little is in the coded, explicit part of the message.
