High-Context and Low-Context Cultures

The scale of high- and low-context cultures helps explain much about how we experience communication across our cultural experiences. These experiences include a mixture of verbal, nonverbal, and contextual cues in a situation that helps make sense of and interpret communication in high vs low-context cultures.

Reference: Beebe, S. A., & Masterson, J. T. (2020). Communicating in small groups: Principles and practices. (12th edition). Pearson Publishing.

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[XinZhang-of]

Thanks for the video. As someone from a high context culture, I wasn’t sure how to interact with people appropriately in America. For example, I didn’t know if I should follow up on an email hadn’t gotten responded. Was he ignoring me on purpose? Is that a hint for rejection? I didn’t know if a casual invitation was brought up simply out of politeness. Did she really want me to join or was she just being nice? Then I gradually learned that I was overthinking sometimes. That makes me feel much more relieved. I am still adapting to this culture. Overall I feel less stressed but also more disconnected to other people living in a low context society. Very hard to form long term social relationship.

[alisachalerychit]

Hi, i am from a low context culture (Thailand) but i spent my undergrad years studying in a high context culture (US). I have had many "cultural clash" moments when i came back. For example, i once brought a cup of hot tea in an interview with a senior manager for an internal promotion. I didn't get the promotion, and the first reason, as my boss told me, turns out to be that teacup, because it showed disrespect.

In business, the best way to say no to someone is to not follow up with them. People will say they will get back to you. But, if they don't want to continue working with you, they will not get back ever.

Thanks for a great video!

[alfiemarie]

one example is saying i love you. in the us where i now live, i had to train myself to say i love you because back in the philippines, we didnt really say this a lot. in the us i noticed people say i love you quite a lot and so casually and easily. it was fascinating to me at first when id hear people say i love you so easily to friends and family. back in the philippines, it would take a LOT for me to say i love you to my parents or my friends. its almost like i didnt need to tell them i love them because thats already a given, of course i love them. i would reserve saying i love you for those soecial occasion monents. culture is so interesting.

[orgcomm]

What is your experience with *_high_* and *_low_*-context cultures?

[masterchief-vdxs]

I am a German who was working a while in Italy. I was used to direct feedback and it took me way to long to find out that I was not doing everything great and the "suggestions" my boss made was in real critic of my work 😂

[Tech_Advisor_to_CXOs]

Can we have an example of culture clash from the least context cultures like Switzerland so that we understand what that means viscerally?

[Hngman]

Hey I know I’m late but at 2:50 did you mean that high context individuals may not see low context individuals as trustworthy? Let me know, thanks!!

[kentokyo]

I wonder if low-context cultures have always been low-context throughout history or if it’s a more recent development.

It seems to me that even those low-context cultures on the chart were high-context before industrialization, modernization, or social revolution.

Also, I assume early civilizations and simpler societies, like tribes, are or were all high-context cultures.

I’m wondering how culture is passed on to later generations in low-context cultures. I mean, being Japanese, the idea of explicit expression being fundamentally required by others sounds exhausting.

How does low-context culture affect relationships in kinship?
For example, I know my parents love me but have never heard them verbalize it. Hence, I never feel that affection needs to be expressed verbally.

[ytano]

I come from Germany and I already notice drastic differences within the country. Cologne is closer to Paris than to Berlin and mentalities are not separated by national borders. Moreover, many European countries have a high percentage of migrants (in Germany it's over 1/4), so everything gets even more mixed.
In the professional environment, this clear separation is more likely to exist due to contracts and laws.

[wish-upon-STAR]

This is true. Asian people are high context and that results in they are soft and very sensitive. Dutch people are direct and they are hard and not sensitive. These are not about being reasonable or not at all. With Asian people, sometimes being very reasonable in context also means rude to them.
Thank you from Thailand for your time making video. Love it!

[solala]

I'm from Germany and my family immigrated from the former UdSSR. so I grew up with both languages and cultures around me.

I would totally agree that Germany has a low context culture. sometimes I would compare the vibe to being in the army.

[zzzwy]

High context is more indirect and Low context more direct, but there is also a mixture of those within cultures too, to make it more confusing lol

[sosome]

Hi Sir, Your video is so helpful but I have a question.
Can a low-context culture transform to a high-context culture? and can a high-context culture be a low-context culture?
Thank you very much

[DanZhukovin]

I have both high and low context cultures in my family. Both cultures are stupid, inconsiderate, maladjusted jerks for their own reasons. When one is communicating or interacting with others, he or she wants to have his bubble of himself or herself respected and complimented. But neither of these aspects of culture respect that fact in any way which is why it's good to read your company when you interact with them, and totally throw away bad ideas.

[Tanookifighter]

As a Swiss I wouldnt say Switzerland is a low context culture, not at all. That Germany is placed above Switzerland makes no sense for me German are way more direct in speech than Swiss people what generates a lot of misunderstandings.

[streetcat]

Japan's ancient capital, Kyoto's high context culture is extremely extreme. Even the average Japanese person doesn't like Kyoto people.
Check a video titled "The 2 Surprising Reasons Why Japan HATES Kyoto"

[mikefletcher]

A professor who does little more than read the words on the Powerpoint presentation? You may know your stuff but this was terrible!