The “Ask vs Guess vs Tell” framework [1] focuses on how people approach requests and expectations. Consider the following re-definitions of these terms
In a “Tell Culture” individuals are more inclined to provide information or make decisions without being asked. Their cooperative norms may approximate Grice’s four maxims of conversation.
In an “Ask Culture” someone might not ask for help if they need it unless asked.
Now consider stereotypical Eastern and Western communication styles in the context of “Ask and Tell Culture”. Many Eastern cultures emphasize group harmony and face-saving. As someone with Eastern heritage I think that aligns with a “Ask Culture” to some extent, as people are expected to attune to others’ needs without explicit tells.
Eastern cultures may prefer indirect communication to maintain politeness and avoid confrontation.
Western cultures often prioritize individual expression. As someone living in the West I think this aligns with “Tell Culture,” as people are encouraged to voice their needs and opinions. Western cultures generally value straightforward and explicit communication. Individuals may express their thoughts and opinions without being prompted.
In practice, you can find a blend of these communication styles in both Eastern and Western cultures. Some situations and individuals may lean more towards Ask and others to Tell Culture, while others may reflect Guess Culture.
What are the implications? If an Ask culture AI or human interacted with a Tell culture AI or human, there might be some challenges in communication and decision-making. The Ask culture AI may be more passive and wait for explicit requests or information, while the Tell culture AI may proactively provide information or make decisions without being asked. This could lead to potential misunderstandings or frustration, as their communication styles may not align well.
In Ask-Ask interactions, both AIs may tend to wait for the other to ask questions or seek information, potentially leading to slow initiative or progress.
In Tell-Tell interactions, both AIs may constantly provide information and make decisions without necessarily seeking input or questions from the other. This could result in faster conflict or collaboration.
The effectiveness of these interactions may depend on the context, technological and human norms and the adaptability of the AIs to recognize and accommodate different communication styles.
This frameworks is a simplifie hypothetical model and doesn’t cover all possible combinations and variations in communication and interaction styles. There is likely redundancies with more established sociological concepts like conflict avoidance and findings from the World Values Survey.
However, it’s interesting to think about, reflect on your communication style and those of others and how they interact. Maybe there’s a balance between asking and telling and even guessing that promotes productive and harmonious interactions.
Guess, ask or tell?
The “Ask vs Guess vs Tell” framework [1] focuses on how people approach requests and expectations. Consider the following re-definitions of these terms
In a “Tell Culture” individuals are more inclined to provide information or make decisions without being asked. Their cooperative norms may approximate Grice’s four maxims of conversation.
In an “Ask Culture” someone might not ask for help if they need it unless asked.
Now consider stereotypical Eastern and Western communication styles in the context of “Ask and Tell Culture”. Many Eastern cultures emphasize group harmony and face-saving. As someone with Eastern heritage I think that aligns with a “Ask Culture” to some extent, as people are expected to attune to others’ needs without explicit tells.
Eastern cultures may prefer indirect communication to maintain politeness and avoid confrontation.
Western cultures often prioritize individual expression. As someone living in the West I think this aligns with “Tell Culture,” as people are encouraged to voice their needs and opinions. Western cultures generally value straightforward and explicit communication. Individuals may express their thoughts and opinions without being prompted.
In practice, you can find a blend of these communication styles in both Eastern and Western cultures. Some situations and individuals may lean more towards Ask and others to Tell Culture, while others may reflect Guess Culture.
What are the implications? If an Ask culture AI or human interacted with a Tell culture AI or human, there might be some challenges in communication and decision-making. The Ask culture AI may be more passive and wait for explicit requests or information, while the Tell culture AI may proactively provide information or make decisions without being asked. This could lead to potential misunderstandings or frustration, as their communication styles may not align well.
In Ask-Ask interactions, both AIs may tend to wait for the other to ask questions or seek information, potentially leading to slow initiative or progress.
In Tell-Tell interactions, both AIs may constantly provide information and make decisions without necessarily seeking input or questions from the other. This could result in faster conflict or collaboration.
The effectiveness of these interactions may depend on the context, technological and human norms and the adaptability of the AIs to recognize and accommodate different communication styles.
This frameworks is a simplifie hypothetical model and doesn’t cover all possible combinations and variations in communication and interaction styles. There is likely redundancies with more established sociological concepts like conflict avoidance and findings from the World Values Survey.
However, it’s interesting to think about, reflect on your communication style and those of others and how they interact. Maybe there’s a balance between asking and telling and even guessing that promotes productive and harmonious interactions.
[1] https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/rEBXN3x6kXgD4pLxs/tell-culture