Explain how ethnocentrism, stereotypes, and interpretation of time can create barriers to intercultural communication

Answer 1

Because cultures give different definitions of such basics of interaction as values and norms, people raised in two different cultures can clash in various ways.
a. Ethnocentrism: Problems occur between people of different cultures primarily because people tend to assume that their own cultural norms are the right way to do things. They wrongly believe that the specific patterns of behavior desired in their own cultures are universally valued. This belief, known as ethnocentrism, is certainly natural; but learning about other cultures and developing sensitivity will help minimize ethnocentric reactions when dealing with other cultures.

b. Stereotypes: We often form a mental picture of the main characteristics of another group, creating preformed ideas of what people in this group are like. These pictures, called stereotypes, influence the way we interact with members of the other group. When we observe a behavior that conforms to a stereotype, the validity of the preconceived notion is reinforced. We often view the other person as a representative of a class of people rather than as an individual. These stereotypes can interfere with communication when people interact on the basis of the imagined representative and not the real individual.

c. Interpretation of time:

The study of how a culture perceives time and its use is called

chronemics

. In the United States, we have a saying that "time is money." Canadians, like some northern Europeans who are also concerned about punctuality, make appointments, keep them, and complete them, and waste no time in the process. In some other cultures, time is the cheapest commodity and an inexhaustible resource; time represents a person's span on Earth, which is only part of eternity. To these cultures, engaging in long, casual conversations prior to serious discussions or negotiations is time well spent in establishing and nurturing relationships. On the other hand, the time-efficient American businessperson is likely to fret about wasting precious time.