What Is Chronemics?

Chronemics is the study of how time affects communication. It is used to understand the use of time in differing cultures, its effect on technology and time management.

Chronemics is a focus of anthropological studies in terms of how time affects different cultures. Many Western cultures have developed a monochronic view of time, meaning that they focus on sequential completion of tasks and are highly conscious of time. Other cultures in Asia and Latin America live polychronic lifestyles and are less dependent on structured time frames and singular tasks, focusing more on tradition and relationships.

Chronemics takes these differences into account concerning technology, and it is essential to designing time management devices as efficiently as possible for businesses. Time management technology may differ due to cultural differences and should be designed to fit varying lifestyles.