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You might think two people who speak the same language would have no trouble understanding each other. After all, language is used to organize and interpret experiences and perceptions. However, communication is not simply a matter of words. Gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, body posture, and symbols all convey information. These cues may carry multiple meanings. Or their meanings may be specific to a culture or group.
Face-to-face communication is often the best way to avoid misunderstanding. When participants observe each other, they pick up clues. These may provide important context for the words being spoken. This is especially true when the people speaking share a common culture. In intercultural communication, that may differ. Even when people possess good knowledge of a shared language, there is significant potential for misunderstanding.
Culture has a powerful influence on how people communicate. That is why it is important to understand how people of different cultures think and act. Cultural awareness is essential to effective intercultural communication. It is, of course, nearly impossible for an outsider to learn all the rules of behavior governing cultures and subgroups. However, knowledge of common barriers to communication will help prevent misunderstandings.
The first impediment to understanding involves nonverbal communication cues. These are especially dependent on culture for their meaning. Body movements, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact are all aspects of kinesics, a form of nonverbal communication. In Japan, students often avoid making eye contact with their professors as a sign of respect. In the United States, professors expect eye contact from their students as a sign that they are paying attention.
Chronemics refers to how people perceive and use time. Arriving late for an appointment is considered an insult in China. On the other hand, it is acceptable behavior in Colombia. Other issues may include the speed of speech or how long someone is willing to hang around waiting for an appointment.
Some cultures use the element of space, or proxemics, to communicate. How close people stand to each other can affect communication as can entering someone's personal space. Touch is a powerful means of communicating, but norms for its use vary widely. Clothing can identify marital status or religious beliefs. Even crying and laughing may elicit varying reactions in different cultures. Each culture determines when such behavior is appropriate and what it means.
Some misunderstandings are caused by ignorance of nonverbal communication cues. Other factors can also create barriers to effective communication. Stress or anxiety may interfere with understanding. When people are unsure what is expected or how they should act, they often become anxious. It is difficult for them to focus on communication. Nervous people may not hear what is being said. When anxiety causes them to misspeak, their lack of attention can lead to misunderstandings.
Another cause of misunderstanding is assuming that cultures are similar. Visitors to other countries can act inappropriately if they don't know the culture well. It can, however, be just as problematic to assume that cultures are different. The best approach is to ask about or research relevant customs. Beware of ethnocentrism-the attitude that one's own culture is superior. It is a dangerous barrier to effective communication.
It may be a human tendency to consider one's own culture better and to use its standards to judge other cultures. However, it is an approach to be avoided. Such judgments may cause ethnocentric inspaniduals to reject other points of view. It can take conscious effort to recognize and overcome such beliefs. The same is true of stereotypes and prejudices, which prevent successful communication. Stereotypes can be positive or negative, while prejudices are generally negative. Both are judgments about inspaniduals based on their membership in a particular group. Racial, ethnic, religious, or occupational stereotypes too often are used to interpret behavior. This can lead to unfair conclusions about people as well as miscommunication. Simple awareness of this problem will help avoid potential misunderstandings.