Over the years I have had many discussions regarding cross-cultural miscommunication. These discussion have covered a wide-range of topics such as expectations, judgments, language issues, and ethnic differences to name a few. One form of miscommunication that is rarely discussed are intentions. Intentions are instructions we give ourselves about how to communicate (Triandis, 1977). Intention therefore, is a cognitive construct, it is part of our thought process (Gudykunt & Kim, 1997). Gudykunst & Kim (1997) go on to argue that “It is not necessary for a person to transmit a message intentionally in order to communicate. Many intercultural misunderstandings are due to unintentional behavior of a person from one culture being perceived, interpreted, and reacted to by a person from another culture.” (pg. 12). One such intention related communication error is the bias that suggests every individual desires to communicate at all. In other words, personality may be a more significant factor in communication than language or culture. One example is the disparate needs of introverts and extroverts in the communication process.
In the introvert’s case the preference to limit communication is not a manifestation of cultural or societal socialization rather it is simply a result of the need to preserve energy. It may be useful to think of the differences between extroversion and introversion as preferences for certain levels of stimulation (Cain, 2011). Extroverts are prone to under stimulation; thus they seek out multiple opportunities for socializing and communicating. Introverts, on the other hand, are prone to overstimulation thus they seek minimal conversational opportunities. Miscommunication occurs because extroverts draw energy from mingling (Walsh, 2012) and the interactive process that communication provides whereas that same interaction drains the energy of the introvert. The intention of introverts is not avoiding people; the intent is to save energy for quality communication.
Cain, S. (2011). Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking. New York: Crown.
Gudykunst, W. B., Kim, Y. Y. (1997). Communicating with strangers: An approach to intercultural communication. New York: Random House.
Triandis, H. C. (1977). Interpersonal behavior (p. 329). Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
Walsh, B. (2012). The upside of being an introvert (and why extroverts are overrated). Time, 179(5), 40.
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