COMMUNICATIONS AND DIVERSITY

Communications and Diversity

Communications and Diversity

Introduction

Norms are unwritten laws that basically dictate what is right to do and what is unacceptable. Some norms vary from person to person? but other norms are collective within a society and different cultural backgrounds. This is important to know because when one understands different norms from their own? they are able to tailor their communication to achieve a desired result. The representation of culture has three primary dimensions - language? physical? and psychological. (DeWitt? 1991? 14) The language dimension is used to communicate with other people who have similiar beliefs and values as we do. The physical dimension refers to the environment and cultural activities of people. Knowledge? our beliefs? and our mental activities are of the psychological dimension. Since all of these dimensions are connected? it is significant to comprehend the differences among people in order to communicate effectively. Before we understand others? we must understand our own dimensions and why we are the way we are. When we allow that to happen? then perhaps we can broaden our minds to try to understand how different backgrounds communicate and respond to things. Let us take a look into the Asian culture. (DeWitt? 1991? 14)

What are the key communications issues of interracial friendships?

White students generally increased their number of interracial friendships during their first year of college? while black students showed a slight decrease? according to a study at one highly selective private university. Results showed that students were particularly likely to develop more interracial friendships if they were paired with a residence-hall roommate of a different race. But white students who joined fraternities or sororities didn't increase their number of friends of other races during their first college year. White and black students tend to have the majority of friends of the same race. (Douglah? 1969? 137-144) But factors such as extracurricular activities and? especially? living arrangements? can have a significant impact on the number of interracial friendships that students develop? at least at colleges such as the one studied. The close ties that college students form when they live together in residence halls seem to break down the racial barriers better than any other experience in college. Just having diversity in classrooms is not enough to encourage interracial friendships. The sample included 800 students who were surveyed in the summer before they enrolled in college? and again during the second semester of their first year at the university. (Douglah? 1969? 137-144) Among other questions? students were asked to provide information on up to eight of their friends? including their race. Results showed that prior to entering college? white students reported far fewer interracial friendships than did any other group. They also lived in neighborhoods and attended high schools with the highest concentration of whites. During the first year of college? white students' proportion of different-race friends increased from about 11 percent to 16 percent. Black students' proportion of different-race friends declined from about 40 percent to 31 ...