Page 120 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

Diversity and the Effects of Culture 103

Recap: A Quick Review

e simultaneously belong to several co- cultures that present communicative
Wchallenges when we interact in groups with individuals from other co- cultures:
1. African Americans and Caucasian Americans, in general, misunderstand and
evaluate each other negatively. In general, the African American co- culture
is more collective, expressive, and verbally playful than that of the dominant
Caucasian American culture. Blacks seem overreactive to whites, but whites seem
underreactive to blacks.
2. Learned gender roles and biological sex differences have been linked to expressive/
instrumental, task/relationship, forcefulness, and individual/group patterns, status,
power, and conversational mechanics. These differences are too often stereotypical
and should be considered cautiously as possible predictors of behavior.
3. For the first time, four different generations (builders, boomers, X- ers, and millennials)
must work together in many organizations and groups. Each of these groups was
influenced by different experiences and world events, which shaped their view of
the world and can make communication between generations challenging.
4. Differences in socioeconomic class have not been widely researched, but there
are different communication “rules” for the co- cultures of wealth, middle class,
and poverty. In the co- cultures of wealth and the middle class, communication in
organizational groups uses formal register, with complete sentences, standard
sentence construction, and a linear organizational pattern. Individuals from
generational poverty use casual register almost exclusively and tell stories in a
circular, meandering style that is negatively evaluated by middle- class listeners.
5. Some of the most important differences are invisible ones, such as how people
think, approach work, and solve problems. These deep diversity characteristics may
be more difficult to bridge than visible characteristics like sex and race.
6. Two principles govern ethical intercultural communication: communicating with
empathy and respect and, as much as possible, incorporating the cultural values of
all members into the group’s procedures and outcomes.

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

This chapter focused on the types of cultural differences 2. Martha and the design team were all fairly recent
that created challenges for groups composed of members college graduates; all were either from generation X
from different cultural and co- cultural groups. One exam- or the net generation. What are the main differ-
ple of those challenges was presented in our opening ences between these two groups and, if Martha had
case of Martha, who lost the job with the software gotten the job, where would you expect to see the
design team. most serious communication challenges?
3. The software team included one Hispanic member
1. How do the intercultural dimensions discussed in
the chapter serve as a framework for assessing the (Jorge) and one African American member (Scott).
differences in communication pattern between How might these co- cultural differences have
the software design team and Martha? Where were created challenges with Martha, if she had gotten
the biggest sources of friction between the two? the job?

gal37018_ch04_075_108.indd 103 3/28/18 12:35 PM