Communication and intercultural Competence

The Melting Pot Metaphor- "is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements "melting together" into a harmonious whole with a common culture. It is particularly used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States; the melting-together metaphor was in use by the 1780s."

The Tributaries Metaphor- "A currently popular metaphor for describing the mix of cultures in the United States is that of tributaries or tributary streams. America, according to this image, is like a huge cultural watershed, providing numerous paths in which the many tributary cultures can flow. The tributaries maintain their unique identities as they surge toward their common destination."

The Tapestry Metaphor- A tapestry is a decorative cloth made up of many strands of thread. The threads are woven together into an artistic design that may be pleasing to some but not to others. Each thread is akin to a person, and groups of similar threads are analogous to a culture. Of course, the types of threads differ in many ways; their thickness, smoothness, color, texture, and strength may vary.

The Garden Salad Metaphor- Like a garden salad made up of many distinct ingredients that are being tossed continuously, some see the United States as made up of a complex array of distinct cultures that are blended into a unique, and one hopes tasteful, mixture.

Competent communication is interaction that is perceived as effective in fulfilling certain rewarding objectives in a way that is also appropriate to the context in which the interaction occurs.

Intercultural competence is contextual. An impression or judgment that a person is intercultural competent is made with respect to both a specific relational context and a particular situational context. Competence is not independent of the relationships and situations within which communication occurs.

Knowledge refers to the cognitive information you need to have about the people, the context, and the norms of appropriateness that operate in a specific culture.

Motivations include the overal set of emotional associations that people have as they anticipate and actually communicate interculturally.

Feelings refer to the emotional or effective state that you experience when communicating with someone from a different culture.

Intentions are what guide your choices in a particular intercultural interaction. Your intentions are the goals, plans, objectives, and desires that focus and direct your behavior.

Actions refer to the actual performance of those behaviors that are regarded as appropriate and effective.

Respect is shown through both verbal and nonverbal symbols.

BASIC dimensions of intercultural competence.

Orientation to Knowledge - The terms people use to explain themselves and the world around them.

Empathy - The capacity to behave as though you understand the world as others do.

Interaction Management - Skill in regulating conversations.

Task Role Behavior - Behaviors that involve the initiation of ideas related to group problem-solving activities.

Relational Role Behavior - Behaviors associated with interpersonal harmony and mediation.

Tolerance for Ambiguity Interaction Posture - The ability to react to new and ambiguous situations with little visible discomfort.

Display of Respect - The ability to show respect and positive regard for another person.

Interaction Posture - The ability to respond to others in descriptive.