Communication Ethics

1
Communication Ethics

• Dr. John T. Morrison

2
Culture

• Source Trompenaars Riding the Waves of Culture,
  1998
• Universalism vs. particularism
• The hit and run story
• Restaurant example
• Individualist cultures use courts to settle most
  disputes

3
Culture

• Individualism vs. communitarianism
• Sharing blame and credit examples
• Sony Walkman example
• Masks in public example
• Neutral vs. emotional
• Showing emotion
• Credibility and respect

4
Culture

• Specific vs. diverse
• Do we engage others in specific areas or
  multiple?
• Achievement vs. ascription
• Economy car example

5
Culture

• Passage of time differences
• Emphasis on present and future, or emphasis on
  past?
• Environmental differences
• The person is more important than the world vs.
  the world is more important than the person

6
Ethics what are they?

• Johannesen, 1983
• Behavioral expectations and norms that involve
  behaviors that
• Affects others significantly AND
• Involve conscious choice of means and ends AND
• Can be judged in terms of right and wrong
• Communication often involves ethics
• Present information, increase understanding,
  persuade to act, alter values, advocate
  solutions, stimulate conflict etc.
• But, if we each disagree on what is right, must
  we expect others to agree with our ethical
  standards?
• If only for the pragmatic reasons, considering
  ethics is useful