142 Part 1 Basic Communication Processes
agencies and nonprofit organizations less inclined to support programs to assist
lower-income Asian Americans since Asian communities seem largely self-
sufficient.
Discrimination can be explained in part by research on intergroup com-
munication. Studies show that we have a biased tendency to treat fellow ingroup
members better than we treat members of outgroups (Giles, Reid, & Harwood,
2010). In fact, we even interpret ingroup behaviors more favorably than out-
group behaviors. For example, if you discovered that someone in your sorority
was caught cheating on an exam, you would likely explain the behavior as an
unusual situation brought on by challenging circumstances. But if you heard
about someone from another sorority (an outgroup) cheating, you would be
more likely to attach a personal explanation, such as “She’s dishonest.”Improving Intercultural Communication
As with many worthwhile things in life, you can improve your intercultural com-
munication with effort. Training programs help you become more mindful and
considerate in your interactions across cultures and lead to positive changes in
your thinking, feelings, and behavior (Landis, Bennett, & Bennett, 2004). Inter-
cultural training generally focuses on three areas:c Changing thinking (or cognition). Our thinking changes when we
increase our knowledge about cultures and co-cultures and develop more
complex (rather than simplistic) ways of thinking about a culture. These
moves reduce negative stereotypes and help individuals appreciate other
points of view.
c Changing feelings (or affect). When we experience greater enjoyment and
less anxiety in our intercultural interactions, we feel more comfortable and
positive about intercultural exchanges.
c Changing behavior. When our thoughts and feelings are altered, our
behavior changes too. We develop better interpersonal relationships in work
groups and perform our jobs better when we know what to say and not
to say—do and not do. We thus act with greater ease and effectiveness in
accomplishing goals.You don’t need to attend a special program or hire a professional intercultural
trainer to improve your intercultural communication. You simply need to
consider some important points as you communicate with people from other
generations, faiths, ethnicities, and so on: be mindful, desire to learn, overcome
intergroup biases, accommodate appropriately, and practice your skills.Be Mindful
As you learned in Chapter 2, being mindful means to be aware of your behav-
ior and others’ behavior. To be mindful, you must know that many of your
communication attitudes and behaviors are so rooted in your own culture that