CROSS CULTURAL CONVERSATION content Cross-Cultural Implications Conversation Structures  “Ping-Pong” and “Bowling” Conversation Styles Ethnocentric Judgments Cross-Cultural Implications  A large percentage of the world’s cultures value indirectness Americans may need to: - modifying their communication style - Maintaining harmony ( “saving face” – “lose face” ) - not be too direct when : + giving criticism + making requests + expressing needs and opinions      “Ping-Pong” “ Bowling” Conversation Styles  “Ping-Pong” Conversation Styles  American’s conversation style <=>a Ping-Pong game. What is it like? if one person doesn’t say enough or ask enough questions to keep the conversation moving, the conversation stops. North Americans: impatient with culturally different conversation styles If either person talks too much, the other feel that the other monopolizes the conversation. VIDEO 2 North American women: -listening politely -without interrupting “ Bowling” Conversation Styles One’s turn depends on status, age, and the relationship to the other person. Ethnocentric Judgments Definition: judging another culture by the beliefs in your own culture. believing your culture is the best. There are some ways to avoid ethnocentric recognizing differences avoid assumption and do not pre-judge learn about other cultures.

1. CROSS CULTURAL
CONVERSATION

2. content
Cross-Cultural Implications
Conversation Structures
 “Ping-Pong” and “Bowling” Conversation
Styles
Ethnocentric Judgments

3. Cross-Cultural Implications
Americans may judge members of cultural
groups that value indirectness
-Hesitating
-not “getting to the
point”
- “beating around
the bush”
-> not being
assertive enough

4.  A large percentage of the world’s cultures value
indirectness

5. Americans may need to:
- modifying their communication style
- Maintaining harmony ( “saving face” – “lose face” )
- not be too direct when :
+ giving criticism
+ making requests
+ expressing needs and opinions

6. The
greeting
and the
opening
The
discussion
of a topic
The closing
and
farewell
Each part of the conversation

11. “Ping-Pong” “ Bowling” Conversation
Styles
 “Ping-Pong” Conversation Styles
American’s conversation style <=>a Ping-
Pong game.

12. One person has the ball
and then hits it to the
other side of the table.
What is it like?
The other player
hits
the ball back and
the game
continues.
If one person
doesn’t return the
ball, then the
conversation
stops.
VIDEO1

13. if one person doesn’t
say enough or ask
enough questions to
keep the
conversation moving,
the conversation
stops.

14.  North Americans: impatient with culturally different
conversation styles
 If either person talks too much, the other feel that
the other monopolizes the conversation.
VIDEO 2

15.  North American women:
-listening politely
-without interrupting
More passive in
conversation

16.  “ Bowling” Conversation Styles
Japanese’s conversation
Styles bowling
each participant waits
politely for a turn and
speak when the time is
right

17. One’s turn depends on
status, age, and the
relationship to the other
person.
“Video”

18. Japanese
conversation
long silences are
tolerated
American
conversation
even two or three
seconds of silence
(uncomfortable)
=“pulling teeth”
Be difficult to communicate between people
use the ping-pong style of communication
and bowling one

19. To the American,
Japanese speaker:
passive and
uninterested in the
conversation
To the Japanese: the
American is pushy
and overly inquisitive,
more passive.

20. Ethnocentric Judgments
 Definition:
 judging another culture by the beliefs in your own
culture.
 believing your culture is the best.
There may be a gap between the
speaker and listener

21. It is possible that the way they
speak reflects a cultural style
. Your success in developing
cross-cultural rapport is
directly related to your ability
to understand others’
culturally influenced
communication styles
Your ways seem as
“mysterious” to others as their
ways seem to you
It is often valuable to talk
about cultural differences in
communication styles before
they result in serious
misunderstandings
Mysterious
ways

22.  There are some ways to avoid
ethnocentric
 recognizing differences
 avoid assumption and do not pre-judge
 learn about other cultures.