Maria had never really thought much about her Italian heritage until she became friends with Aylin, an American of Middle Easter
n descent. Through interaction with Aylin's family, Maria gradually began to realize that many of her own behaviors were culturally determined. In this scenario, Maria's experience illustrates the _____ imperative for studying intercultural communication.
The phenomenon of intercultural communication is the result of the contact of cultures (ethnic and national groups with their different languages). Self-awareness is the ability to recognize the own feelings, behaviors and characteristics. A person has greater cognitive intercultural competence when she/he has a high degree of self-awareness. Which implies knowledge, understanding and awareness of one's own cultural and communicative elements, and of other cultures, that promote effective communication. This effectiveness is based on the degree of understanding acceptable to the people in interaction.
