Culture and Communication Styles: Collectivism vs Individualism Cultural Orientations from Malaysian Perspectives

Abstract

The primary objective of this research is to examine the relations between individualismcollectivism and communication styles among students attending public universities in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia. A total of 380 students from three Malaysian public universities were chosen through stratified sampling to participate in this study. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The findings indicate that the majority of respondents exhibited a moderate level of individualism and high level of communication styles, while nearly all respondents displayed a collectivist orientation. The results also revealed significant correlations between individualism and communication styles such as impression leaving, argumentative, attentive, animated, dramatic, open, and dominant. Meanwhile, collectivism showed correlations with friendly, impression leaving, relaxed, argumentative, attentive, animated, open, and dominant communication styles. From this study, by understanding the principles of individualism and collectivism is vital for effective communication, as these cultural orientations significantly shape individuals' expectations and interpretations of interactions. Recognizing these cultural perspectives can enhance mutual understanding, minimize miscommunication, and improve the overall effectiveness of cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration.