Chapter 1 • The Nature of Intercultural Communication 13

Chapter 1 • The Nature of Intercultural Communication 13

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

When encountering someone from another culture, communication barriers are often created when the behavior of the other person differs from our own. Communication barriers are obstacles to effective communication. An example of such a barrier is the head nod. The nod indicates understanding in the United States, but in Japan it means only that the person is listen­ing. By understanding intercultural communication, we can break down barriers and pave the way for mutual understanding and respect.

The following are barriers to communication:

• Physical —time, environment, comfort and needs, and physical medium (e.g., telephone or letter)

• Cultural —ethnic, religious, and social differences

• Perceptual —viewing what is said from your own mindset

• Motivational —the listener's mental inertia

• Experiential —lack of similar life happenings

• Emotional —personal feelings of the listener

• Linguistic —different languages spoken by the speaker and listener or use of a vocabulary beyond the comprehension of the listener

• Nonverbal —nonword messages

• Competition —the listener's ability to do other things rather than hear the communication

FIGURE 1-2 Cultural Iceberg

Several cultural iceberg models exist. What you do not see culturally can be a barrier to your ability to communicate effectively and complete your agenda. As shown in Figure 1-2, the values that are below the "waterline" represent those on which behaviors are based; however, we respond to the surface values that we can sense. To truly understand a culture, we must explore the behaviors below the waterline. The common elements of trust, sincerity, and integrity are necessary to building successful business relationships when cultural differences exist (Funakawa, 1997).

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