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Intercultural Communication Encounters, 1st edition

Published by Pearson (May 30, 2006) © 2007

  • Donald W. Klopf
  • James C. McCroskey University of Alabama, Birmingham
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Intercultural Encounters provides a brief but broad introduction to the fundamentals of intercultural communication. 

The text combines theory and knowledge from different disciplines to help prepare students to interact successfully with people who think, feel, and behave differently than they do.  Brief commentaries from noted scholars in the field, exercises, activities, and discussion questions provide students with an opportunity to develop communication skills in today’s increasingly diverse world.
  • Written in an approachable style, this brief text covers the fundamentals of intercultural communication, while providing students with the assistance they’ll need when interacting with communicators from a different culture.  The text relies on investigations of numerous cultural specialists, pioneers in the field of interpersonal intercultural communication.   
  • The text presents a broad introduction to intercultural communication, including examples and analysis from different cultures all over the world.  In addition, the text draws heavily from the theories and practical knowledge of many disciplines besides communication, including psychology, sociology, and anthropology.
  • Remaining cognizant of the ethnocentric label attached to intercultural communication instruction in the US, the text includes Asiacentric and Afrocentric comparisons, while refraining from becoming too heavily positioned in those areas. 
  • Throughout the text, commentaries are offered, written by scholars of note and experts in the field, including Ron Gordon on the ethnocentric approach to human communication instruction in the US and Jeannie Oak’s experiences growing up in an intercultural world.  These brief commentaries will broaden the reader’s intercultural education.     
  • Each chapter ends with exercises that contain a variety of hands-on learning activities, including some out-of-class activities.  The goal of the exercises is to help students become attuned to the needs of others.
  • Discuss questions, entitled “Think about This”, conclude each chapter and provide an opportunity for students to discuss problems or questions related to the chapter’s content.

I. COMMUNICATION ACROSS CULTURES.

1. Intercultural Encounters.

Diversity in America.

Diversity Abroad.

Globalization and Technology.

Origins of Intercultural Contact.

Cultural Discord.

Communicating Competently Interculturally.

The Field of Study.

An Educational Exigency. 

2. Culture: The Heart of Diversity.

Culture Defined.

Broad Version of Culture.

Narrow Version of Culture.

Culture is a Blueprint.

Culture’s Characteristics.

Cultural Universals.

Comparing Cultural Patterns.

Cultural Impact on Life.

3. Interpersonally Communicating.

Introduction.

Forms of Communication.

Oral Communication Defined.

Classes of Messages.

The Communication Process.

Communication’s Elements.

4. Communicating Across Cultures.

Introduction.

Cultures within Cultures.

USA Macroculture.

Americans are Us.

American Microcultures.

Membership in Multiple Microcultures.

Multiculturalism.

Communicating Interculturally.

Culture’s Impact on Communication.

Axioms about Intercultural Communication.

Related Concepts.

The Three Worlds of Communication.

II. COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION.

5. Perceiving and Motivating.

Perception.

Perception Defined.

The Perception Process.

Motivation.

The Western View of Motivation.

The Easter View of Motivation.

6. Behavorial Guides.

Introduction.

Values: Cultural Standards.

Dominant American Values.

Beliefs.

Attitudes.

7. Cultural Antipathy.

Introduction.

Ethnocentrism.

Stereotyping.

Prejudice.

Causes of Prejudice.

Interventions.

8. Cultural Foundations: Social Institutions.

Introduction.

The Family.

Education.

Distance Education.

Religion.

Political Institutions.

9. Culturally Diverse Interpersonal Relationships.

Introduction.

Self-Disclosure.

Uncertainity Avoidance.

Face.

Social Stratification.

Interpersonal Intercultural Conflict.

The Conflict Process.

Conflict Management and Resolution.

III. TRANSMITTING INTERCULTURAL MESSAGES.

10. Communicating Verbally Interculturally.

Introduction.

Verbal Communication.

Types of Languages.

11. Verbal Diversity Among Americans.

Introduction.

Age.

Gender.

Black English.

Asian Americans.

Mexican Americans.

Regional Variations.

Non-English Speakers.

12. Communicating Nonverbally Interculturally.

Introduction.

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication.

Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication.

Functions of Nonverbal Behavior.

Body Movement.

Eye Contact.

Physical Appearance and Clothing.

Physical Touch.

Paralanguage.

Space.

Time.

Environment.

Monitoring Nonverbal Behavior.

IV. ACHIEVING COMPETENCE IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION.

13. Adapting to Diversity: Culture Shock.  

Introduction.

Culture Shock.

Causes of Cultural Shock.

Stages in Cultural Shock.

W-Curve Theory.

Acculturation.

Coping on a Short Term Basis.

Assimilation and Pluralism. 

14. Coping Competently with Strangers.

Introduction.

Intercultural Communication Competence.

Achieving Intercultural Competence.

Listening.

Language.

Indirectness.

Restricted Codes.

Nonverbal Behavior.

Intercultural Relationships.

Personal Orientation.

Training to Work Abroad.

Ethics in Intercultural Encounters.  

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