Name: Amer, Jasmir M.

Grade&Section: SE1AE
Student no.: 202313743 Date: 10/31/23

The Relationship Between

Culture and Communication
ABSTRACT
There are no mass media texts, messages, cues and portrayals that are free from cultural biases and
objectives. Culture, communication and community are key concepts that are inter-related. In order to have
proper relationships, culture plays a very important role as a means by which these relationships are
expressed, but at the same time there must be adequate communication. In simple terms, globalization has
made it necessary for people from different cultures and nations to interact and work together.
Keywords: culture, communication, media interpretation of culture, relationship

INTRODUCTION
The word culture, derived from Latin culture derived from the verb “colere” has many meanings. In
1952, Kroeber and Kluckhohn, limited to British uses, identified more than 160 definitions. The term
“culture” refers to the complex collection of knowledge, folklore, language, rules, rituals, habits,
lifestyles, attitudes, beliefs, and customs that link and give a common identity to a particular group of
people at a specific point in time.

All social units develop a culture. Even in two-person relationships, a culture develops over time. In
friendship and romantic relationships, for example, partners develop their own history, shared experiences,
language patterns, rituals, habits, and customs that give that relationship a special character — a character
that differentiates it in various ways from other relationships.

What is communication? Why do we communicate? How do we communicate, and to what end, are
all questions we ask in the study of communication.

Communication derived from the Latin word “communicare” meaning “to share” is the act of
conveying meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs,
symbols, and semiotic rules.

We are constantly communicating, in a wide range of different contexts, such as with each other
(interpersonal communication), with different cultural groups or subgroups (intercultural communication),
or to large audiences (mass communication), just to name a few. There is verbal communication and non-
verbal communication.

In the literal sense, verbal communication is any communication that uses language to convey
meaning. It can include oral communication, such as speaking to another person over the telephone, face-to-
face discussions, interviews, debates, presentations and so on. It can also include written communication,
such as letters and emails.

According to Wikipedia, non-verbal communication is the transmission of messages or signals

through a nonverbal platform such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, use of objects and
 Name: Amer, Jasmir M. Grade&Section: SE1AE
Student no.: 202313743 Date: 10/31/23

body language. It includes the use of social cues, kinesics, distance and physical environments/appearance,
of voice and of touch.

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE
For peaceful co-existence in a society, human beings have to live with politeness and with somewhat
compromising behavior. They transmit, what they have, to their coming generations. This transmission of
problems, beauties and liabilities to the future generations is known as ‘culture’. This feature makes the
culture known as social heritage.

No country or nation is culture-free. It is one of the basic ingredients of a society. Culture consists
of thoughts and tangible things. Material culture refers to the objects or belongings of a group of people.
Non material culture, in contrast, consists of the ideas, attitudes, and beliefs of a society. Material and
nonmaterial aspects of culture are linked, and physical objects often symbolize cultural ideas. These material
and nonmaterial aspects of culture can vary subtly from region to region.

Raymond Williams defined the culture as:

A particular way of life outlined by values, traditions, beliefs, material objects and territory. Culture
is a complex and dynamic ecology of people, things, visions of the world, activities and ambitions that
essentially reside, but are also changed by routine communication and social interaction. Culture is the
context. It is the way we talk and dress, the food we eat and the way we prepare and consume it, the gods we
invent and the ways we adore it, the way we share space and time, how we dance, the values we share with
our children, and all the other details that make up the daily life. This view of culture means that no culture
is inherently superior to another, and cultural wealth is by no means derived from the economic situation.
Culture as everyday life is a deeply democratic idea. (Lull 1998, 75)

Culture is learned, shared, dynamic, systemic and symbolic. Culture is built and cultivated. Cultures
are not fixed, monolithic entities, but are fluid, always changing and responding to pressures and influences,
such as the changing experiences of its members, or interaction with other cultures. A culture may even have
within it certain subcultures which exist within the main cultural framework of a society, but share within it
specific peculiarities or modalities that also set it apart from the mainstream. These subcultures may
continue to exist for many years or only a short period of time. They may die out, or may become
incorporated into the mainstream as part of this ongoing evolution of culture.

While there are specific differences to each culture, generally speaking, cultures share a number of
traits, such as a shared language or linguistic marker, definition of proper and improper behaviour, a notion
of kinship and social relationship (i.e.: mother, friend, etc.), ornamentation and art, and a notion of
leadership or decision making process.

Any social unit — whether a relationship, group, organization, or society — develops a culture over
time. While the defining characteristics — or combination of characteristics — of each culture are unique,
all cultures share certain common functions. Three such functions that are particularly important from a
communication perspective are (1) linking individuals to one another, (2) providing the basis for a common
identity, and (3) creating a context for interaction and negotiation among members.
 Name: Amer, Jasmir M. Grade&Section: SE1AE
Student no.: 202313743 Date: 10/31/23

Cultures are complex and multifaceted. Cultures show up in many forms and are expressed
differently. Yet all forms and levels of cultures express and share three fundamental aspects: values,
assumptions, and symbols.

To an extent, culture is a social comfort. After all, sharing a similar culture with others is precisely
what defines societies. Nations would not exist if people did not coexist culturally. There could be no
societies if people did not share heritage and language, and civilization would cease to function if people did
not agree on similar values and systems of social control. Culture is preserved through transmission from
one generation to the next, but it also evolves through processes of innovation, discovery, and cultural
diffusion.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

Media and cultural studies have emerged as one of the most significant academic disciplines over
the past quarter of a century. As culture gives an identity to a nation and media are the tools for its
promotion or destruction, this area of communication discipline is best characterized as cultural studies
(Andrew, 1989, p.2). In this academic arena, culture has been considered as a theoretical problem only
because it proves to be socially problematic. Culture, as most communication scholars agree, forms the
baseline from where the researchers must begin their analysis, if they want to understand the impact(s) of
mass media on masses and their culture. Not only this, how media articulate the dominant values of a social
system, what are the prevailing political ideologies and what social changes are taking place can be studied
in the light of perspectives provided by the cultural studies to construct the views about world and human
behavior.

Culture plays a major role in your communication. The idea of culture as something that is shared
means that it is vital to understand culture and communication in relation to one another. The relationship
between culture and communication, in all its forms, is tightly interwoven and interlinked. We can see
that communication enables the spread and reiteration of culture. Both communications and the media
propagate the values and schemas of a culture through the repeated interaction and exchange enabled
by the communications process. It is not in single instances o made, but rather in the repeated exchange of
information and the reinforcement of the ideals and values it embodies, all conveyed within a particular
moment.

A way of viewing this complex interplay is by looking at du Gay, et al (1997) notion of the circuit of
culture. The circuit of culture is a way of exploring a product of a culture as a complex object that is
affected by and has an impact on a number of different aspects of that culture. The five notable variables in
the diagram are: 1) Representation, 2) Identity, 3) Production, 4) Consumption and 5) Regulation.

Mass media do and do not alter our opinions at the same time. They do affect our attitudes and
opinions in some circumstances, but not all of us receive same effects of media exposure. One of the main
functions of mass media is to transfer the cultural heritage to future generations. Not only this, we talk with
the past and at times with the future generations with the help of mass media by consulting historical
records and leaving today’s literature for future. In this way, the culture persists and propagates whereas
mass media are the conduits through which this transmission takes place. And, mass media are not innocent
and absolutely unbiased rather they alter and alter significantly the cultural transmission process. Mass
media transfer the cultural norms and values of old generations through their contents. Almost all forms of
 Name: Amer, Jasmir M. Grade&Section: SE1AE
Student no.: 202313743 Date: 10/31/23

mass communication perform this function to enlighten the masses about the successes and failures of the
past, and compare and contrast it with what was there in the past with what exists at present. This form of
transmission of cultural values, knowledge and patterns is known as historical cultural transmission. The
cultural transmission process does not end here; rather mass media inform their audience about other
cultures, communities and nations. Such sharing of cultural traditions and systems among various cultural
groups increases the chances of cultural change. This process is regarded as the contemporary cultural
transmission which may be one to many — one cultural exposure to many, and many to one — many
cultural systems are shown to a particular culture.

Mass media are the primary sources of information and are considered to be the builder of social
realities. These realities have shared meanings among all those who are the objects or target of mass media.
That’s why, it is believed that every reality is ‘constructed’ or ‘mediated’ wherein mass media frame it ‘in
a predicted and patterned way’ (McQuail 1994, p.331).

Cultural differences have many effects on communication. People with different cultural
backgrounds communicate using different styles. Their language, words, gestures, and phrases may differ
even in their application. Culture also shapes peoples’ attitudes in times of conflict. While conflict is
acceptable in some cultures, it is considered undesirable in others. People from different cultures also have
different approaches to delivering and inquiring about information. Certain words or topics may be
considered taboo in one culture but acceptable in another.

There are various aspects of cultures that affect how people exchange information, including:
● Beliefs: One’s culture informs one’s beliefs, which are the things accepted as being true.
Communicating with people who share your beliefs is easier than exchanging information with those
who believe in significantly dissimilar things.
● Habits: The customary things people do are regulated by their cultural beliefs and behavioral norms.
While these habits are dynamic and adaptable in high-performance societies, they are less so in low-
performance societies.
● Behavioral norms: Each culture includes norms of behavior. As these shared standards of socially
accepted conduct drive how people behave, irrational norms can be extremely difficult to address via
communication.
● Freedom: Individual freedom differs across cultures. This is because the beliefs, habits, and norms of
behavior that comprise a culture directly affect the freedom of those within it. While less developed
cultures normalize restricting the freedom of people, developed alternatives protect individual
freedom. As you communicate with others, their freedom, or lack thereof, will affect how your
information is interpreted, understood, and addressed.
● Clothing: In a culture, the beliefs, habits, and behavioral norms of people support a dress code. In
cohesive, healthy cultures, there is less interest in enforcing this standard, provided outliers avoid
choosing clothing that attacks core cultural beliefs and norms. Communicating with people from a
different culture in which individuals — particularly women — have been coerced on what to wear
for a long period of time can be challenging. This is due to their beliefs that support their culture’s
regulation on apparel and disapprove of any article of clothing — including yours — if it differs.
● Technology: Some cultures, such as European cultures, are comfortable with using computer
technologies for all their work-based communications. In contrast, others prefer in-person
interactions.
 Name: Amer, Jasmir M. Grade&Section: SE1AE
Student no.: 202313743 Date: 10/31/23

● Happiness: As cultural characteristics include the shared beliefs, behavioral norms, and habits of a
specific social group, they directly impact the happiness of the people within it. For example, a
culture that normalizes reductions in personal autonomy, inequalities between males and females,
and disrespect for each other’s inalienable rights can make its people very unhappy. In the
workplace, your happiness impacts your motivation, engagement, and productivity. Consequently,
communicating with people who are unhappy due to their cultural issues — which you cannot fix —
can be counterproductive.
● Autonomy: Respecting the personal autonomy of another, which relates to their right to govern
themselves and enjoy their inalienable rights, is a core belief and behavioral norm among strong
cultures.

Communication across different cultures can be adversely affected by various cultural barriers.
These are the challenges that hamper communication between people with different cultural backgrounds.
Some of these barriers are discussed below.
● Language: Speaking different languages can lead to misunderstandings. Although translation can
help people understand the message, it may lead to distortion of meaning. When some people are
more fluent than others in a language that is widely used, those who are less fluent may feel
sidelined.
● Ethnocentrism: This refers to the tendency to view one’s culture as superior to those of others. This
makes people believe that they are right while others are wrong.
● Stereotypes: Stereotypes are the oversimplified perceptions of a certain culture. Most of these
perceptions are held unconsciously. Although some of them may be positive, most of them are
negative.
● Prejudice: Prejudice is expressed as negative feelings and attitudes towards people who belong to a
certain group. This can be based on aspects such as social class, ethnicity, social class, and
profession.

Understanding how to handle these issues is critical to ensure that they do not get in the way of
effective communication and below are some tips in handling culture in communication:
● Use technology that suits the culture. During cross-cultural communication, determine the extent to
which a culture has contributed to modern technological innovations, progressed with them, and
grown comfortable with using them when selecting your communication tools.
● Develop strategies to deal with cultural differences. Identify cultural differences that have negative
impacts on communication. Then, prepare strategies for handling them. Keep in mind that some
cultural dissimilarities cannot be bridged. Focus on the ones you can handle.
● Engage similar cultures. Due to the pervasive influence of culture on thinking and behavior, it makes
more economic sense to work with similar cultures that share several communication styles and
cultural aspects.
● Evaluate respect for your autonomy. Assess the respect that potential communication partners have
for your autonomy. To communicate effectively, engage with people who respect individual
autonomy. They are likely to be easier to collaborate with than others whose cultures preclude
respecting individual independence.
 Name: Amer, Jasmir M. Grade&Section: SE1AE
Student no.: 202313743 Date: 10/31/23

CONCLUSION
While all cultures are local, all communication is global. This notion carries strong bearings of
unprecedented technological revolution that our age has witnessed. In contemporary ‘global media
environment’, the ‘mass media hold a power position’ and are capable of changing or creating new social
and cultural realities (Said, 1997, pp.135–73). Understanding the impact of culture in communication offers
several benefits.
 Name: Amer, Jasmir M. Grade&Section: SE1AE
Student no.: 202313743 Date: 10/31/23

SOURCE
https://theculturalenthusiast.medium.com/the-relationship-between-culture-and-communication-
8a925da81814