INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION:
PATTERNS OF THOUGHT
By Leanne Brenner
According to Samovar, Porter and McDaniel (as cited in Ing, 2015), the way people of a certain culture think is directly related to how they communicate. The Mexican culture can be identified as a collectivistic society, where the family is more important than the individual. This way of thinking permeates the way that Mexicans think and therefore how they communicate. In Mexican culture, it is common to be conscious of social etiquette. For example, it is not considered acceptable to greet someone by their first name until you have been invited to do so (Commisceo, 2015). A great deal of importance is placed on hierarchical structures, and people are expected to greet each other using proper terms based on socioeconomic status. In verbal communication, this can be seen in the usage of academic or professional titles upon addressing someone. Speaking eloquently is also a prized skill in Mexican culture: an indirect conversation style is preferred, as is politeness and taking the time to get to the main point (W.C.E., 2016). Mexicans can find the more direct conversational styles of other cultures to be overly aggressive. Their verbal communication style can be more subjective and emotional as they are taught to think of things from a place of honour, trust and pride (Cotton, 2012). Machismo, a way of acting that is seen as a reflection of masculinity, is common in Mexican culture and also affects the way Mexicans think and communicate. For instance, comments towards women that other cultures may see as derogatory are considered acceptable in Mexico (Commisceo, 2015).