Co-Culture

Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the students are to:

1. Explain the concept of co-culture.

2. Identify the communication strategies employed by co-cultures with dominant culture and its results.
3. Use co-culture communication strategies in a communicative situation with dominant culture.

Co-Culture

 A group whose beliefs or behaviors distinguish it from the larger culture of which it is a part and with which
it shares numerous personalities.

Strategies

1. Passive
 An attempt to separate by having as little to do as possible with the dominant group.
 Avoidance technique– conscious attempt not to engage with others in the dominant group.
 Assertive
 Self-enhancing, expressive communication that takes into account both self and others’ needs.
 Being your self
 Use of liaisons (associations) – relating to the dominant group through others with a shared
cultural identity or with a trusted individual from the dominant group.
 Aggressive
 Includes behaviors perceived as hurtfully expressive, self-promoting, and assuming control over
others’ choices.
 Confrontational tactics

Goals of Co-Cultural Communication

1. Assimilation
 Individuals from the non-dominant group attempt to “fit-in” the dominant group.
2. Accommodation
 Not losing one’s cultural identity in participating with the dominant group.
 Develop and maintain positive relationship with the dominant group without denying his/her
membership in the non-dominant group.
3. Separation
 Non-dominant individual resists interactions with the dominant group, preferring instead to relate
more exclusively with his or her own group.

Quiz

1. A strategy in co-cultural communication which aim, is to have good relationship with a dominant group
without losing one’s own cultural identity.
2. A goal of Co-Cultural communication which sees non-dominant group resist interaction with the dominant
culture.
3. A strategy that might result to assimilation of a non-dominant individual with the dominant one.
4. A group that is part of a larger group but has distinguishable culture.
5. A strategy that can be used if the goal is to express oneself without considering others.
6. An aggressive technique that can be used to let the dominant group know of the position of a non-dominant
individual.