Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Erika Reflection #8

Erika Beedle
Intercultural Communications
Reflection #8

            As we enter in the last few weeks of class I think it was very appropriate that our final chapter was “Striving For Engaged And Effective Intercultural Communication.”  One of the most interesting topics I found from this chapter was William Howell’s four levels of intercultural communication competence.   The four levels he describes are unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and unconscious competence.  For my research paper, I am talking about how traveling increasing intercultural competence, so Howell’s idea correlates with my findings. 
            I believe through this class I am on the third level intercultural communication competence: conscious competence.  When you are at this level you are aware that interaction is going well and understand why.  Reaching this level is a necessary part of the process of becoming a competent communicator.  I hope at this level I will move forward to become unconsciously competent, and help others move on from being consciously incompetent, or unconsciously incompetent. 

            If I reach an unconscious competence, I will be able to communicate smoothly, but it is not a conscious process.  This level of competence is not something we can acquire by consciously trying to. It occurs when the analytic and holistic parts are functioning together.   My goal is continue traveling, learning about other cultures, creating intercultural friendships, and acquire unconscious competence. 

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