Intercultural Communication
Attitudinal barriers to intercultural communication is prevalent in Singapore today. Why is this so? Singapore is a multicultural society whereby there are several cultures such as Muslim, Chinese, Indian and Caucasians. Each culture having their own set of norms and rules. In communicating with different cultural groups, one tend to view things from his or her own perception which has been shaped by environmental factors such as family backgrounds, friends and cultures. Hence, it is inevitable that people perceive things in a different light as others. It could be positive or negative. This solely depends on one's open mindedness in cross-culture interaction.
From Thinking Through Communications by Sarah Trenholm (2007), she mentioned that the different attitudes that would hinder the likelihood of comprehension are "stereotype and prejudices, assumptions of similarity, a tendency to withdraw from novelty, and a deep belief in the superiority of one's own culture" (p. 356).
Personally, I feel that the main culprit in hindering Singaporeans to effective intercultural communication is "Stereotype and prejudice". One may correct me if I am wrong. As a teenage Singaporean girl, I encounter several occasions in everyday life going through stereotyping and having prejudices on certain group of people of the silliest reasons if one was to ask me. However, it has been so natural in our lives to stereotype and form prejudice that we did not realize that this will actually leads to us having a disadvantage in the form of future business dealings with different cultural group business partners.
All said, I believe that as a growing nation we will not be able to escape from the fact that we have to have intercultural communication. Therefore, forming stereotypes and prejudices should not be encouraged among groups of people. Let us all work together to achieve this aim for effective intercultural communication!
From Thinking Through Communications by Sarah Trenholm (2007), she mentioned that the different attitudes that would hinder the likelihood of comprehension are "stereotype and prejudices, assumptions of similarity, a tendency to withdraw from novelty, and a deep belief in the superiority of one's own culture" (p. 356).
Personally, I feel that the main culprit in hindering Singaporeans to effective intercultural communication is "Stereotype and prejudice". One may correct me if I am wrong. As a teenage Singaporean girl, I encounter several occasions in everyday life going through stereotyping and having prejudices on certain group of people of the silliest reasons if one was to ask me. However, it has been so natural in our lives to stereotype and form prejudice that we did not realize that this will actually leads to us having a disadvantage in the form of future business dealings with different cultural group business partners.
All said, I believe that as a growing nation we will not be able to escape from the fact that we have to have intercultural communication. Therefore, forming stereotypes and prejudices should not be encouraged among groups of people. Let us all work together to achieve this aim for effective intercultural communication!
posted by Chloe at
2:56 PM
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