Knowledge includes self- and other-awareness, mindfulness, and cognitive flexibility. Knowledge supplements motivation and is an important part of building ICC. These situations highlight the relational aspect of ICC, meaning that the motivation of all parties should be considered. For example, it would be exploitative for an extrinsically motivated person to pursue intercultural communication solely for an external reward and then abandon the intercultural relationship once the reward is attained. In either case, there is a risk that an individual’s motivation can still lead to incompetent communication. While intrinsic motivation captures an idealistic view of intercultural communication as rewarding in its own right, many contexts create extrinsic motivation. In such instances, African Americans may “talk white” by conforming to what is called “standard English,” women in corporate environments may adapt masculine communication patterns, people who are gay or lesbian may self-censor and avoid discussing their same-gender partners with coworkers, and people with nonvisible disabilities may not disclose them in order to avoid judgment. Recall the phenomenon known as code-switching discussed earlier, in which individuals from nondominant groups adapt their communication to fit in with the dominant group. Their motivation toward intercultural communication may be driven by survival in terms of functioning effectively in dominant contexts. The unbalanced situation I just described is a daily reality for many individuals with nondominant identities. This expectation that others will adapt to our communication can be unconscious, but later ICC skills we will learn will help bring it to awareness. Even in situations where extrinsic rewards like securing an overseas business investment are at stake, it is likely that the foreign investor is much more accustomed to adapting to United States business customs and communication than vice versa. Having more power in communication encounters can create an unbalanced situation where the individual from the nondominant group is expected to exhibit competence, or the ability to adapt to the communication behaviors and attitudes of the other. Members of dominant groups are often less motivated, intrinsically and extrinsically, toward intercultural communication than members of nondominant groups, because they don’t see the incentives for doing so. While both types of motivation can contribute to ICC, context may further enhance or impede a person’s motivation to communicate across cultures. Motivation can also be extrinsic, meaning that the desire for intercultural communication is driven by an outside reward like money, power, or recognition. This intrinsic motivation makes intercultural communication a voluntary, rewarding, and lifelong learning process. If a person has a healthy curiosity that drives him or her toward intercultural encounters in order to learn more about self and others, then there is a foundation from which to build additional competence-relevant attitudes and skills. Put simply, if a person isn’t motivated to communicate with people from different cultures, then the components of ICC discussed next don’t really matter. Motivation refers to the root of a person’s desire to foster intercultural relationships and can be intrinsic or extrinsic (Martin & Nakayama, 2010). Initially, a person’s motivation for communicating with people from other cultures must be considered. Some key components include motivation, self- and other knowledge, and tolerance for uncertainty. Intercultural communication competence (ICC) is the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in various cultural contexts. Components of Intercultural Communication Competence
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