Communication and Cultural Competence: The Acquisition of Cultural Knowledge and Behavior

Abstract

This essay expounds on individuals’ acquisition and development of cultural competence via the process of communication. It highlights both the importance of culture and communication in our lives and the close associations between culture, communication, cultural literacy, and cultural competence. The author explicates the commonly experienced difficulty in “knowing the true face” of one’s culture, and illuminates the communication process by which individuals acquire their cultural knowledge and behavior.