table 5.1 Creating Intercultural Communication Competence
  • Understand the many factors that create people's cultural and co-cultural identities.

  • Be aware of the different cultural influences on interpersonal communication: individualism versus collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, high and low context, emotional displays, masculinity versus femininity, and views of time.

  • Embrace world-mindedness to genuinely accept and respect others' cultures.

  • Practice attributional complexity to consider the possible cultural influences on your and others' interpersonal communication.

  • Use communication accommodation when building and maintaining relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds.