What Is The Difference Between a High-Context and Low-Context Culture?

It has been said that when Americans want to say 100 things, they will verbalize 150 things for they are explicit in their use of language in communication. When the Japanese verbalize 70 things, they are trying to get the other person to understand 100, for they are using implicit understandings and at times non-verbal cues to get their point across.

Edward T. Hall, a cultural anthropologist, found that cultures can be separated into two groups with regard to communication. High context cultures (such as East Asian, Latin American, Southern Mediterranean and Arab countries) were commonly homogeneous, sharing a history of common values and assumptions. When people of high context cultures communicate, it is not necessary for them to say everything explicitly. Non-verbal cues often communicate what is not said, and silence can have great meaning!

In parallel to this are low context cultures (such as America, Canada and Western European countries). These communicators prefer clear descriptions, unambiguous communication and are highly specific. Low context communicators do not rely on or trust our relationships in business communication. They rely on the spoken or written word.

Deborah Rinner, Vice President, Tero International explains how we can bridge the communication gap between high-context communicators and low-context communicators.

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[TeroTrainers]

What other topics around culture would you like us to explore?

[theman]

This is very true. when i first moved to America i had difficulty communicating with people. My friend kept telling me you have to be straightforward and explicit. I'm still struggling with that but better than when i came

[KurtDepner]

Very helpful; provides clarification this topic for my business communication class. Thank you!

[eugenecjones]

Very solid presentation of high and low context communication. Will use as an example in the future.

[pamelasiliceo]

GRACIAS, JUST WHAT I NEEDED FOR MY ESSAY!

[DavidArmenta]

Excellent video! Being able to understand the context of cultural interactions and the values of culture facilitates connection across shared humanity. Thank you for making this video @Tero Trainers! 🤟

[TheGDEventI]

This video really explained it well for me! Thank you so much :)

[ketoleuclaver]

I study business but really love human resources. I love knowing how stake holders behave as well as working on companies data and resources to increase profit and growth. That inspire me to do a double bachelor in business analytics and in organizational behavior.

[hsun]

In order to be direct and straightforward, it requires a degree of confidence and not caring about what the other person might think.

[manishachoudhary]

You explained it very well. I was preparing for my Human resource management exam and this explains so much. I have seen your other video on monochronic and Polychronic too. It was such an eye opener to view the culture with that spectrum. Can you make some more videos on that? Thanks a lot.

[raneemkahlini]

the only video that explains it best!! THANK YOU

[kundansarkar]

Great explanation ma'am, love from INDIA😊🙏

[mpessan]

This video is so cool. Low-context speeches often times sound rude to high-context listeners. Because in high-context cultures people outweigh directions or instructions. It's imature to boil down a business relatiobship to rules and contracts because there are people behind them.

[AdityaKathurojigari]

Thank you very much for such a great explaination. Loved the video. It seems like you are also in the low context culture because you're too direct which made me understand this topic very thoroughly.

[marquiswebb]

it's so true how people of high context culture don't say everything explicit. nonverbal signs are very big. Low context like people in America is absolotuly right they don't trust anything hardly.

[docenciologia]

It's interesting! I've never heard such view about communication. I am from Brasil and I work as an english and portuguese teacher. It's possible to see how americans show some difficult to understand our way of comunicate even when they speak portuguese. I don't want to insult, but sometimes it seems like an ingenuous reaction, of course I know it's not the case but now I can understand it. Could we say that in a high context we have a richer semantic comunication and, on the other hand, in low context we have a poorer semantic comunication, since we need more than words to express ourselves?

[chaimaer-rmichi]

thank you so much for this video. i have a question, we say people of high context or people from high context

[ARJUN-wioh]

Thank you ma'am. I am from India.stay healthy and bless me .

[mvoices]

i have a coming exam in culture thanks so much for your help

[ngochovan]

Very good and funny videos bring a great sense of entertainment!