Over the past several years, researchers exploring the various facets of intercultural communication have developed labels for the value that certain cultures place on direct versus indirect communication: high-context cultures and low-content cultures. Characteristics of High-Context Cultures Put very simply, a high-context culture is one that relies heavily on nonverbal communication and implicit verbal queues. High-context cultures include those found in many countries in Central Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. People from these regions typically display the following behaviors and traits: • Identity is based strongly upon the family and/or work group. • Relationships are based heavily on trust and develop very slowly . • Great emphasis is placed on subtle, nonverbal communication. • Verbal communication is often relatively indirect. • People typically have very small areas of "personal space." • Time is viewed differently and is seen as more of a