A Comparison Of The Similarities And Differences In Interpersonal Communication Of Italians And Americans

Interpersonal communication in Italian

Italy has a high culture of context. They learn more from environmental and nonverbal cues than they do from spoken words. They are very relaxed about time and use many hand gestures.

Italian culture’s chronemics are very laid back and relaxed. It is also known to be a polychronic society, where relationships and quality interaction are more important than following a set schedule. There is no time limit, so things happen when they are convenient. Multitasking is an integral part of Italian culture. It’s common for many things to be done at once, which means that it’s easy to do multiple tasks. Italians pride themselves on social interaction. They will sometimes set aside entire days to talk with their friends. There may be many tasks that continue beyond the end of their scheduled time and they might not complete them at the same hour. It is fine to be late for an event. It isn’t important what time it takes to get there, but it is crucial that everyone has a good time. Italians also have a relaxed approach to time. They are better at communicating using haptics than Americans. One example is the “what” word. This hand gesture involves connecting all fingers to form a shape called a “beak”, then moving your hand back and forth. The hand gesture to show closeness between friends includes holding your hands together with one hand facing upward and the other down. Italy’s culture prides itself on its ability to greet people. A greeting that is traditional in Italy is to embrace an acquaintance with a hug, kiss them on their cheeks and give them a light handshake. On the streets, you may see people pushing and pulling through crowds. You might also witness couples walking together while holding hands. Even though interpersonal communication is quite different in Italy than in America, Americans and Italians are very similar in their self-presentation.

Italians place great importance on first impressions and presentation. Bella Figura is an Italian term for beautiful presentation. It is the Italian fashion conscientiousness and well-dressed. Simple, elegant clothing is common in Italy. It is not unusual to see Italians judging their clothes, shoes, or accessories. They are very strict about dress standards and believe that swimsuits and shorts should only ever be worn to the beach or in a pool. To wear anything else would be considered shameful and a sign of someone lacking self-respect. Bella Figura goes beyond appearance. It also applies to how one looks at themselves. This is somewhat like the idea of face. Eye contact can be a way to express confidence in American or Italian culture. Eye contact can be used to show honesty and intensity. However, it is rude and could indicate that the listener doesn’t care about what the speaker is saying.

Italians and Americans also have similar listening styles. People can show their interest by looking at each other, raising their eyebrows, smiling and leaning in. This shows they are attentive to what is being said and creates a friendly environment. This is similar to the ways we avoid conversations by closing our eyes, crossing our arms, leaning back and avoiding eye contact. These behaviors create a negative communication environment and indicate that people aren’t trying to listen attentively. These concepts illustrate how American culture and Italian culture can be so very different.

Italy’s high culture of context allows people to look at the whole conversation and not just the words. Italians have a relaxed culture. They communicate with each other using hand gestures and haptics. While communication is different between American and Italian culture, there is a shared listening style. This shows that communication does not need to be frenetic or high-strung.

Author

  • jacobcunningham

    Jacob Cunningham is a 26-year-old education blogger and teacher who resides in the Pacific Northwest. Jacob's teaching and writing focus on the use of technology in the classroom, and he is a frequent presenter at education conferences around the country. Jacob's work has been featured on sites such as The Huffington Post, Edutopia, and TechCrunch.

jacobcunningham

jacobcunningham

Jacob Cunningham is a 26-year-old education blogger and teacher who resides in the Pacific Northwest. Jacob's teaching and writing focus on the use of technology in the classroom, and he is a frequent presenter at education conferences around the country. Jacob's work has been featured on sites such as The Huffington Post, Edutopia, and TechCrunch.