attributional complexity: The ability to acknowledge that other people’s behaviors have complex causes.

Co-Cultural Communication Theory: A theory suggesting that people who have more power within a given society determine the dominant culture of that society because they decide the prevailing views, values, and traditions.

co-cultures: Groupings formed by members of a society who don’t conform to the dominant culture but who are unified by any number of factors, including age, gender, social class, ethnicity, religion, mental and physical ability, sexual orientation, and other elements. For example, the LGBTQ community coexists with the dominant culture of the United States.

collectivistic cultures: Societies that emphasize group identity (“we” rather than “me”), interpersonal harmony, and the well-being of ingroups. Examples include Japan and Pakistan. See also individualistic cultures.

Communication Accommodation Theory: A theory stipulating that people are especially motivated to adapt their communication when they seek social approval, wish to establish relationships, and view others’ language usage as appropriate.

culture: An established, coherent set of beliefs, attitudes, values, and practices shared by a large group of people.

display rules: Guidelines for when, where, and how to manage emotion appropriately.

ethnocentrism: The belief that your own culture’s beliefs, attitudes, values, and practices are superior to those of all other cultures.

feminine cultures: Societies that emphasize personal connections to others, relationship health, quality of life, and concern for the poor and elderly. Examples include Norway and Sweden. See also masculine cultures.

high-context cultures: Societies in which people rely less on language than on widespread cultural knowledge to create meaning. Examples include China and Korea. See also low-context cultures.

individualistic cultures: Societies in which people tend to value independence and personal achievement. Examples include Canada and the United States. See also collectivistic cultures.

intercultural communication competence: The ability to communicate appropriately, effectively, and ethically with people from diverse backgrounds.

low-context cultures: Societies in which people strive to be informative, clear, and direct in their communication. Examples include Germany and the United States. See also high-context cultures.

masculine cultures: Societies that prioritize personal ambition, competition, assertiveness, and material gain. Examples include Austria and Italy. See also feminine cultures.

monochronic time orientation (M-time): The view that time is a precious resource to be shared and/or withheld judiciously. See also polychronic time orientation (P-time).

polychromic time orientation (P-time): The view that time, as manifested in such things as deadlines and schedules, is less important than harmonious interaction with other people. See also monochromic time orientation (M-time).

power: The ability to influence or control events and people.

power-distance: The degree to which people in a particular culture view the unequal distribution of power as acceptable. In high-power-distance cultures, it is considered normal for those with greater power to receive greater deference and respect. In low-power-distance cultures, those who have more power seek to create parity with those who have less power via informality and openness.

prejudice: The destructive and unethical attitude that results from rigid beliefs about groups and their members.

Stereotype Content Model: The idea that prejudice centers on two judgments made about others: how warm and friendly they are, and how competent they are. These judgments create two possible kinds of prejudice: benevolent and hostile.

uncertainty avoidance: The variance across cultures regarding the acceptance and tolerance of unpredictability. In high-uncertainty-avoidance cultures, control is valued, and in low-uncertainty-avoidance cultures, change, dissension, and diversity are welcomed.

world-mindedness: The ability to demonstrate acceptance and respect toward other cultures’ beliefs, values, and customs. This ability is developed by accepting others’ cultural expressions as natural elements of their communication, by avoiding the temptation to judge others’ cultural traits as “better” or “worse” than your own, and by treating people from all cultures with respect. See also ethnocentrism.