High Context Culture

The term High Context Culture goes back to the one-dimensional cultural approach of the US anthropologist and ethnologist Edward Twitchell Hall. He introduced this approach in 1976 in his work Beyond Culture. In it Hall refers to the strong and weak contextual reference of communication, with special view on the „understanding of different cultures among themselves“ (Hall 1989, 105). Hall’s conception of communication was informed by cultural anthropology, linguistics, ethnology, and Freudian psychoanalytic theory (cf. Hall 1992).

Indirect Communication

High Context Culture represents indirect communication (as opposed to Low Context Culture = direct communication). In cultures where High Context Communication is predominant, speakers primarily need contextual information about individuals in order to establish private or business relationships. Familiarity with the subjects to be communicated is assumed and not directly mentioned by name. Therefore, few details are known to the speaker, as they might otherwise have a disruptive effect on the communication. What „has not been said is more important, or as important, as what has been said.“ (Hall 1989, 114)

The interpretation of the message being conveyed is highly contextual. Information is expressed not only through words, but also through facial expressions, body language, special circumstances, and tone of voice. Crucial for communication is especially the relationship between sender and receiver (age, gender, power relationship), since the linguistic messages are not explicitly expressed, but rather implicitly said (cf. Hall 1989, 116). For successful communication, it must be noted to resolve existing conflicts, since there are few fixed rules in the field of this communication. High Context Cultures are, for example, business relationships that are based in particular on trust and thus develop only slowly.

Examples of High Context Culture in terms of cultures are:

– Asian countries: Japan, Korea, China

– Latin American countries: Brazil, Argentina

– southern European countries: Spain, France, Greece, Turkey

Literature

Hall, Edward T. (1989): Beyond Culture. New York: Anchor Books.