K.C. Dreisbach, LMFT
High Context vs Low Context Communicators: Which One Are You?
Updated: Mar 5, 2022
Today I want to talk about High Context versus Low Context Communication. This concept is important to know and understand, because it is going to have a great effect on how couples and families communicate with one another. Frequently, differences in communication styles can lead to a lot of conflict within relationships as well as frequent arguing and misunderstanding. Surprisingly, I never learned about this concept in my graduate studies in psychology. I learned about this when I was trained to be a Mental Health Interpreter. (Yes! There's specialized training to be an interpreter for mental health appointments!) And I remember thinking to myself, "Why don't we learn about this as therapists?!?! This is good stuff to know!" I never got the answer to that question, but today, I frequently teach my clients about High and Low Context Communication. And today, I'm going to teach you!

What is "Low Context Communication"?
Low Context Communication can sometimes be referred to as Indirect Communication. Essentially low context communicators get right to the point, using very little metaphor, storytelling, or words to explain the concepts or message they are trying to get across. They speak directly with fewer words. In effect, Low Context Communication can be illustrated like this:

Low context communicators tend to be brief in their communications. They are most likely to be men (though not always), and typically come from more individualistic cultures, such as the United States and Germany. We can also see some ties to language. Individuals that speak languages that stem from Anglo Saxon, as well as it's Germanic cousins, are more likely to be low context communicators.
What is "High Context Communication"?
High Context Communication is simply using more words to get your point across. It doesn’t mean that the person is “beating around the bush." It just means that these individuals tend to use storytelling, metaphor, and examples to express themselves. High context communicators will explain their point in many different ways and provide numerous examples. High Context Communication can be illustrated like this:
