5/23/2019; Week 5: Response to Cultural Miscommunication

Our third focus this week is on Cultural Miscommunication.  Prof. Ivers, of BYU-Idaho differentiated communications from Paradigms and Time, by pointing out the differences in interpersonal communication styles in various locations.  For example: If an Asian students laughs at what someone says, it may not mean they are amused. Rather, they might be embarrassed.

During the course of the lecture, Prof. Ivers commented on the propensity of Latin Americans to be very careful to not hurt the feelings of others, at the expense of full honesty, since feelings are more important.  Hence, a Latin American person may agree to do something and then never do it - the agreement was so that the other person would know that they cared...

In what seems like direct conflict to me, a student from within Iver's class commented that she'd met confrontational Latinas.  Prof. Iver's re-labeled this as passionate. I am trying to work it out in my mind how someone can be careful of feelings and yet be confrontational....

In my limited experience with my own Latina/Latino friends, it appears to me that the 'confrontational' part occurs in two general ways: (1) within non-personal things like a favorite soccer/futbol team, and (2), when it involves a moral situation.   As best I can tell for moral situations the feeling comes under the "Mom/Dad" sort of umbrella.  The Latina/Latino cares deeply for you and wants you to be happy, and so feels obliged to help you learn the error of your ways ?

I am not at all sure, I am correct in my theory.  If anyone reading this can provide some clarity to this contradiction, I would greatly appreciate it.

Comments

  1. JohnaMay 25, 2019 at 5:04 PM

    While listening and watching the lectures of Profession Ivers, I am beginning to understand why we are sometimes misinterpreted because of culture differences.

    Generally,Filipinos are polychronic just like Latin Americans. It is true that we care so much about others feelings that we try our very best not to offend people. I think we are also confrontational in a way when Filipino talk to each other. Since no one else can tell us our own needs and weaknesses, family members can be very vocal or sometimes passionate about what they observe from each other. Most often we can just openly say what we feel to those dearest to us. However, when it comes to other people, we tend to be more sensitive of how we say our feelings, so as not to offend because to us relationship with people do matter.

    I may say that being passionate or confrontational depends from who you are talking to.

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