Getting Started in Grad School: 5.7 Communication Norms

In this section on communication norms, let’s begin with a few questions about what intercultural or cross-cultural communication is. Reflect on the following questions:

• what is culture?
• what impact does your culture have on you?
• does your culture affect how you communicate with others?
• what parts of your culture are visible to others and what parts are invisible?

Consider this image of a cultural iceberg. As the name implies, there are parts of your culture above the surface that are visible to others and parts of your culture below the surface that are invisible to others. Drag and drop examples of visible and invisible aspects of culture to test your understanding.

Communication styles differ between cultures, and the subtleties or nuances are often invisible. Part of the culture shock we feel in a new country is when we don't understand the nuances in the way people communicate or what the expectations of communication might be.

Watch this video on low-context and high-context cultures to determine how cultural differences can affect communication. Which cultural context would you say informs the way you communicate?

Source: Low Context vs. High Context Societies by Erin Meyer

In the video, Erin Meyer describes the differences between low-context and high-context societies. In a low-context society, there is a low level of shared context, meaning people don't all have the same cultural reference points, knowledge, or relationships. Effective communication, therefore, is explicit, simple, and clear, or direct.

In high-context societies, there is a shared understanding of cultural norms, so communication is more easily understood in body language or non-verbal cues. What is said is often less important than a gesture. Communication, therefore, is implicit and more nuanced or indirect.

Want to learn more about the difference between direct and indirect communication? Watch the short video (2:12) below in which Akanksha shares her experiences adjusting to life in Canada.

Source: Direct and Indirect Communication Between Cultures by SFU Co-operative Education

Is Canadian society considered high-context or low-context?

Given how heterogeneous or diverse Canadian society is, it is generally considered low-context. Words tend to be taken at face value and communication is less reliant on shared context, non-verbal cues, or implicit understanding than in high-context cultures. 

However, Anglophone Canadians may come across as less direct, especially when providing feedback or criticism, when compared with some other English-speaking cultures (e.g., the USA, Australia). Communication norms will also differ depending on regional, linguistic, and cultural practices (e.g., Francophone, Indigenous). 

Test Your Understanding

Respond to the questions embedded in this video to test your understanding of where Canada falls on the scale between high and low context cultures.

As of 2021, there are more than 1.8 million Indigenous people in Canada, representing distinct First Nation, Inuit and Métis cultures. These cultures are considered high context. While geographically and culturally diverse, commonalities include valuing and respecting Elders and Knowledge-keepers, honouring the Land, and following protocol. 

Examples of protocol might involve acknowledging the host Nation, its Peoples and their territory at the start of any function. It is not uncommon to give a gift to your hosts [e.g., tobacco], as such is a way to honour the relationship and the spiritual governing principle of reciprocity (4 Seasons of Reconciliation - Personal and Professional Development, Lesson 39, 7.2 Slideshow: Indigenous Relations). 

Such Land Acknowledgements are now a common part of university culture and public life in Canada. To learn more about Land Acknowledgements at USask and the merits of creating a personalized Land Acknowledgement, explore videos prepared by Dr. Stryker Calvez and Dr. Rose Roberts. 

While not universal, Indigenous communication norms may include

• using specific facial expressions or body language,
• being more comfortable with silences,
• using humour (e.g., teasing, telling jokes),
• using listening and consensus-building to reach group decisions, and
• building respectful relationships through ongoing communication and interaction.

Newcomers are encouraged to learn more about local Indigenous history and culture as part of their adjustment to Canadian society. USask students are invited to participate in initiatives like Building Bridges, which is facilitated by the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre and the International Student and Study Abroad Centre to promote intercultural understanding among non-Indigenous and Indigenous peoples, specifically Treaty 6 and Métis.

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