Page 99 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

82 Chapter 4

Sometimes a grouping that sees itself as distinct, yet part of a larger culture, is
Co- culture termed a co- culture. We use the term co- culture rather than the more common
A grouping that sees subculture because we agree with Orbe’s argument that subculture, which simply refers
14
itself as distinct but is to size— a smaller grouping within a larger culture— can also imply inferiority.
also part of a larger Co- culture, on the other hand, reminds us that “no one culture is inherently superior
15
grouping. over co- existing cultures,” although one culture may dominate. Co- cultural group-
ings can form on the basis of any shared identity. For example, your coauthors con-
sider themselves to be part of the co- culture professional educators. We share certain
values and beliefs with other professional educators that are very important to us: a
belief in the value of education, similar ideas about what does and does not constitute
a good education, a desire to place education high on a list of funding priorities, and
so forth. When we interact with professional educators (at our universities, at profes-
sional conferences, during chance encounters on airplanes, etc.), we take these beliefs
for granted— we accept them as “givens.”
Each of us belongs to several different co- cultures simultaneously. For example,
Gloria is white, middle- class, Greek American; Kathy is white, middle- class, a military
brat. Whether a particular co- cultural identification is important in a given circum-
stance depends on the specific features of that circumstance. Gloria’s identification as
a Greek American is more salient when she attends the Greek festivals in Springfield
and Cincinnati than when she attends professional conferences. Kathy thinks of her-
self as a military brat when she talks about how much she has moved or when she
attends high school reunions with those who went to Wagner High School on Clark
Air Force Base in the Philippines.
Your cultural identity affects everything you do, particularly your communication
16
Intracultural behavior. During intracultural communication (among individuals from the same
Communication culture or co- culture), much of the communication behavior can be taken for granted.
Interaction between But during intercultural communication (among individuals from different cultures or
and among co- cultures), participants must be alert to the added potential for misunderstanding.
individuals from the Our opening story of Martha was chosen to emphasize that intercultural commu-
same culture or nication is not limited to encounters between people from different countries. An
co- culture. Anglo American manager talking to an Arabic counterpart certainly represents an
instance of intercultural communication, but so does a native of Visalia, California,
talking to someone from New York City. In fact, a conversation between people from
Intercultural
Communication different countries can be more intra- than intercultural (e.g., as between an Anglo
American and an Anglo Canadian).
Interaction between
and among In a sense, every act of communication has intercultural elements because each
17
individuals from individual is a unique blend of innate and learned behaviors. Intercultural communi-
different cultures or cation is a continuum with intercultural communication at one end and intracultural
18
co- cultures. communication at the other. The more intercultural communication becomes, the
greater the potential for communication malfunctions.
Now that we have introduced you to these important terms, we turn to a discus-
sion of five broad cultural characteristics that affect group members’ communication
behaviors. This information should be treated as a framework to help you understand
where communication differences may originate, diagnose misunderstandings, and
decide how you will act.

gal37018_ch04_075_108.indd 82 3/28/18 12:35 PM