Brazil Culture

"The cultural context in which human communication occurs is perhaps the most defining influence on human interaction. Culture provides the overall framework in which humans learn to organize their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in relation to their environment" (1). By going through the five dimensions of the cultural context of Brazil, a lot is revealed about the interesting culture, and gives a better understanding of how Brazilians live.

The first dimension in the cultural context is whether the culture is individualistic or collectivistic. Most Latin countries are collectivistic, but Brazil has a slightly higher individualistic rank compared to them. "Despite regional and social class variations, the Brazilian way of life has common traits that distinguish it from the customary ways of dealing with people and situations in North America and Europe and even in other Latin American countries" (2). Brazilians are more individualistic in other ways that they are more self-centered. They find ways to bend the rules and find alternative ways of doing things. Brazilians, though, are not one hundred percent individualistic. They are considered a good mix of being both individualistic and collectivistic because while many of them tend to bend the rules, there are those who place a very high value on the family relationships. There are many good parent/children relationships, and there is a lot of value placed on these. Many of the responsibilities are shared, but on the other hand, many of them are independent. According to Hofstede's individualistic rank, "Brazil falls right in the middle at 38", suggesting that it is easy to see that they are a mixture of both (1). Since Brazilians are such a mixture of both individualistic and collectivistic cultures, they have a social behavior that is guided by one's own attitude, while the culture can still be taught to learn to cooperate and get along for the good of the group. The individualistic and collectivistic aspects of the Brazilian culture are both seen as vertical. The power distance is unequal and there is unequal power in these groups. "Socioeconomic inequality involves subtle forms of residential, educational, and workplace discrimination, in such ways that members of distinct socioeconomic strata tend to live, work, and circulate in different settings. The well-to-do live in chic neighborhoods, usually centrally located, go to private schools, drive or ride in cars, and shop at malls. The urban poor live in favelas or distant housing projects, take long bus trips to work, go to public schools or drop out, and shop at smaller supermarkets or local shops. The rural poor in the country's interior are practically invisible to the urban upper and middle classes" (2).

The second dimension in the cultural context is High or Low Context Communication. When it comes to Brazilians communicating in high or low context, they lean more toward the low context. "Language is one of the strongest elements of Brazil's national unity" (2). Their main language is Portuguese, and it is spoken by nearly all of their population. Their verbal code is their primary source of information because the written Brazilian Portuguese is significantly different from the spoken language and is used correctly by only a small educated minority of the Brazilian population. This culture relies extensively on the verbals for creating and interpreting meaning. This doesn't mean they don't use nonverbal communication at all. "The O.K. hand signal is a rude gesture in Brazil, to express appreciation, a Brazilian may appear to pinch his earlobe between thumb and forefinger, and flicking the fingertips underneath the chin indicates that you do not know the answer to a question" (3). These are just a few of the different kinds of nonverbal communication used.

The third dimension in the cultural context is Value Orientation. "In every culture, there are universal problems and conditions that must be addressed. For a given culture, however, there are only a limited number of solutions to these problems and these possible solutions are motivated by the values of the culture" (1). At the level of interpersonal relations, in contrast to what is usually found in Spanish-speaking Latin America, where behavior tends to be more formal and rigid, there are in Brazil strong cultural values in favor of conciliation, tolerance, and cordiality. To the extent possible, direct personal confrontation is avoided. "Brazilian style of behavior may be derived from an Iberian and colonial heritage of diverse ethnic groups living together, weaker central authority exercised by the Portuguese crown, and day-to-day practical forms of resistance to exploitation. Whatever it's origins, Brazilians are known for their informality, good nature, and charm,