A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Parental and Peer Attachment Styles among Adult Children from the United States,Puerto Rico,and India

Parental and peer attachment is central to perceived and actual communication behavior. This investigation examines perceptions of attachment among people from the United States, Puerto Rico, and India to investigate the variance in parental and peer attachment levels cross-culturally. Puerto Rican participants expressed less overall attachment to their mothers than did Indian and American participants. Indian participants conveyed stronger attachment to their fathers compared to participants from Puerto Rico. US participants showed stronger attachment to their peers than did people from India. This investigation suggests that the tenets of attachment theory are not culturally universal.     

Willingness to Communicate in Intercultural Interactions between Chinese and Americans

This study investigated the differences in willingness to communicate (WTC) between Americans and Chinese living in China and the United States, and the factors affecting WTC between these two nationalities. A battery of questionnaires was administered to 47 American and 54 Chinese college students in China, and 51 American and 42 Chinese college students in the US. Overall Americans were found to be more willing to communicate with Chinese than were Chinese with Americans. Participants living abroad reported higher levels of WTC than those living in their home country. Among Chinese, WTC was positively related to self-perceived communication competence, language competence, immersion time and motivation being positively correlated and negatively associated with CA. Similar results were obtained from Americans, except that immersion time and language competence were not related to WTC.     

Family Problem Solving: A Comparative Study of Adult Children in Puerto Rico and the Upper Midwest

This study examined family problems and problem solving among American Upper Midwest and Puerto Ricans participants. Thematic and chi-square analyses provide a snapshot of how diverse families experience similar macro problems in day-to-day endeavors. Responses to each macro issue or strategy also suggest ways that the two cultural groups relate to family problems differently. Puerto Rico participants described and discussed significantly more communication-related problems and they also identified communicating about the problem less as something they had thought about to resolve the problem than did Upper Midwest participants. The article discusses how micro level values are inherent in macrocultural family problems.     

The Effects of Self-Construal and Perceived Control on Argumentativeness and Communication Apprehension

This study investigates the relationships between self-construal, perceived control in communication interaction, and communication predispositions (e.g., argumentativeness and communication apprehension [CA]). The results indicate that the independent self-construal constitutes a significant predictor of perceived internal control in interaction, whereas the interdependent self-construal constitutes a significant predictor of perceived external (chance and powerful others) control in interaction. Moreover, the findings of this research indicate that perceived internal control constitutes a significant predictor of argumentativeness, whereas perceived external control is a significant predictor of CA. Contrary to expectations, the interdependent self-construal also constitutes a predictor of perceived internal control, which in turn constitutes a significant predictor of CA.     

Japanese intercultural communication competence and cross-cultural adjustment

This study explores the relationship between language and communication skills and patterns of success and failure in the cross-cultural adjustment of Japanese university students. Seven interpersonal communication skills which were selected by Ruben and Kealey as important to cross-cultural adjustment were examined: empathy, respect, role behavior flexibility, orientation to knowledge, interaction posture, interaction management, and tolerance for ambiguity. Besides these skills, language was taken into consideration as a major component influencing Japanese intercultural communication. The behavioral assessment method developed by Ruben was utilized to measure communicative performance and behaviors of Japanese university students who visited the United States for 4 weeks for their English training. In order to assess the language skills of these individuals, listening, speaking, structure and written expression, and vocabolary and reading comprehension skills were measured. At the end of their stay in the United States, the dimensions of culture shock, psychological adjustment, and interactional effectiveness were examined. Comparisons of pre- and post-test measures indicated that six out of the seven communication behaviors observed in the Japanese students did not predict success or failure in adjustment to the United States. Only ambiguity tolerance yielded correlation with culture shock. However, speaking and listening skills were closely correlated with interactional effectiveness.     

Wittgenstein,Organic Form,and an Orientation to Intercultural Language Games

This essay revisits Wittgenstein’s work in relation to intercultural communication. Specifically, it considers how Wittgenstein’s philosophy relates to the analysis of cultural discourses as intercultural language games. The paper proposes a move beyond anti-essentialist interpretations of language games and towards the idea of cultures as family resemblance concepts in the context of Wittgenstein’s naturalism. The idea of organic form is proposed to distinguish this naturalism from that of the sciences. The possibility that Wittgenstein viewed languages and cultures as organic forms is a way to draw connections between his philosophy and more enigmatic, pessimistic views regarding culture and civilization. Together with the familiar philosophical concepts, it is argued that these views offer insights for intercultural communication research today.     

Towards a Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence in Iranian EFL Context: Testing the Role of International Posture,Ideal L2 Self,L2 Self-Confidence,and Metacognitive Strategies

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to present a model of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) by incorporating international posture, motivational disposition (ideal L2 self), second language (L2) self-confidence, and metacognitive learning strategies. To this end, 150 Iranian L2 learners, selected through convenience sampling procedure, took part in the research. The findings of structural equation modelling revealed that the proposed model showed adequate fit to the data, implying that the model is appropriate in Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Also, the results indicated that learners with a high level of international posture are more likely to bridge the gap between their present and ideal selves. This was, additionally, argued that internationally oriented and ideally motivated learners become confident of their abilities to get engaged in interaction with L2 target communities. Furthermore, metacognitive learning strategies were found to be directly associated with ICC, implicating that the learners who continuously reflect on their learning and evaluate their performances are more prone to have a higher level of ICC. Finally, suggestions were offered for language teachers and policy-makers to inspire their learners to be more competent in communication with people of other cultures and languages.     

Tackling the Issues: Meaning Making in a Telenovela

This article focuses on a Venezuelan telenovela, El País de las Mujeres (The Country of Women), broadcast to high ratings in Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Drawing on feminist media studies and cultural studies, I conducted textual analysis of the serial and in-depth interviews with the production team and audience members. I analyzed the production, mise-en-scene, and consumption of the representations of sexual harassment, domestic abuse, abortion, and homosexuality that are present in this telenovela's storylines. The analysis suggests that the inclusion of topics that have been part of the public debate for some time are accepted by viewers, whereas those that are controversial or not publicly discussed are not readily sanctioned by the audience. In addition, the study illustrates how telenovelas' stories and themes contribute to the public debate about social issues, and how production and consumption, traditionally represented as opposing forces, are deeply articulated.     

How Perceived Situational Frequency and Situational Importance Affect Communication Apprehension: A Cross Cultural Analysis

This study assesses the relationship between communication apprehension (CA) and factors of perceived communication situational frequency and communication situational importance. The results reveal a trend demonstrating that the more often a person encounters and the more important a person feels about the particular communication, then the less CA the person experiences. Both American and Indian participants exhibited this trend, demonstrating a connection between culture and CA.     

Stereotyping Hispanics: The differential effect of research method,label, and degree of contact

One hundred Anglo university students were asked to rate a number of ethnic/national groups (American, Chicano, Mexican American, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Japanese, and German) on a Semantic Differential and to openly produce traits they identified with each group. As expected, the freely produced traits differed from those obtained in another study which used the Katz and Braly technique with students from the same university. Furthermore, differential evaluations were found for Chicanos and Mexican Americans in which the latter group was perceived more positively in the Evaluative Dimension, but not in terms of Potency or Activity. Also, as expected, having a member of the group as a friend produced the highest correlations with a positive perception of the group as a whole.     

Intercultural Communication Training for English Language Teachers: A Case Study of an Immersion Program for South Korean Teachers

Little research has been conducted that explores connections between the fields of intercultural communication and English-language instruction. To address this gap, we report on an intercultural communication course delivered as an integral part of a short-term professional development immersion program for English-language teachers from South Korea. Study results indicate that intercultural communication training served to enhance participants’ pragmatics awareness along with sensitivity regarding sociocultural influences on communication that they experienced in situ. After the four-week course, most of the participants expressed desire and readiness to integrate intercultural communication into their teaching in South Korea. Intercultural communication training promises to complement pragmatics instruction aiming at improving English-language learning and teaching.     

The Use of Japanese Language in Intercultural Context among Malaysian Japanese Speaking Employees in Japanese Companies

ABSTRACT

Lack of proficiency in Japanese language is a hindrance for successful intercultural communication between Malaysian Japanese speaking employees (MJSE) and Japanese employers (JE) in Japanese companies (JC) in Malaysia. Therefore, this quantitative study using Japanese Language Questionnaire (JLQ) investigated Japanese language use in intercultural context among MJSE to identify Japanese language challenges faced by them in JC. The findings indicate major challenges in listening and speaking compared to reading and writing. This indicate lack of language preparedness of Malaysian Japanese language learners before embarking for employment into JC in Malaysia. The study recommends evaluation of the Japanese language curriculum to ensure MJSE’s readiness to embark into employment at JC.     

How Should I Respond to Them? An Emergent Categorization of Responses to Interpersonally Communicated Stereotypes

Political correctness defines stereotypes as inappropriate to communicate. However, responses that interpersonally communicated stereotypes receive in conversation may collaboratively produce a different meaning about the appropriateness of stereotype use. The current research reports two studies that explore responses to interpersonally communicated stereotypes and the role these responses play in the perpetuation of stereotypes. This project contributes qualitative research in intercultural communication that exposes a variety of tolerant response types available to communicators and demonstrates how these responses are managed interactionally in ways that show tolerance for communicated stereotypes.     

Predicting adjustment of U.S. college students studying abroad: Beyond the multicultural personality

This longitudinal path analysis tested Yakunina et al.’s (2012) partially mediated model of the relationship between the five multicultural personality factors (MPQ) measured at Time 1 and psychological adjustment measured at Time 2 in 120 U.S. students studying in Costa Rica for a semester. With the addition of other individual and social variables, this model also was tested as a predictor of students’ sociocultural adjustment. Individual (multicultural personality traits, openness to diversity, study abroad goals, language proficiency), social (homestay experience, amount of contact with co-nationals, amount of contact with locals), and structural factors (participation in structured group programs) were considered. Results for psychological adjustment mostly supported Yakunina et al.’s findings except for the relationship between openness to diversity and adjustment, raising the question of whether level of openness to diversity itself changes over the course of the study abroad experience. For sociocultural adjustment, a partially mediated model was the best fit, with social interaction with locals serving as a mediator of students’ MPQ level of open-mindedness and the quality of the homestay experience. Level of language ability at Time 1 was a direct predictor of this type of adjustment. Thus, the two types of adjustment have different predictors, with language proficiency and social interactions with locals being most important for sociocultural adjustment. Implications of the results for study abroad programs and future research are discussed.     

Relationship Between Intercultural Communicative Competence and L2-Learning Motivation of Iranian EFL Learners

In today's interconnected multicultural world, citizens' differential levels of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) can play an important role in the amount of enthusiasm, time, and efforts they invest in second or foreign language (L2) communication and learning. ICC has recently found its way into L2 theory and research. This study attempted to first develop a measure of ICC and then explore the relationship between Iranian L2 learners' ICC and their L2 learning motivation, on the one hand, and between gender and the development of ICC, on the other. The participants were 180 B.A. English Literature/Translation and M.A. TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) students at several Iranian universities. A test battery including the final version of the ICC questionnaire and an L2-learning motivation questionnaire adapted from Gardner's attitude/motivation test battery was then administered to a random selection of 70 students (M = 30 and F = 40). The correlation results indicated that there was a strong, positive relationship between L2 learners' ICC and L2-learning motivation. Meanwhile, t-test results demonstrated that Iranian female and male L2 learners did not possess different levels of ICC. The finding related to the ICC and motivation association suggests that an account of ICC development be incorporated into L2 teachers' classroom agendas at different educational levels.     

Intercultural Friendship: Linking Communication Variables and Friendship Success

International students often complain about the lack of friendships with host nationals. This study explores the relationship between communication variables, number of friendships, and friendship satisfaction. International students at a large urban university in the United States completed a survey on willingness to communicate, communicative adaptability, English language proficiency, loneliness, and friendship with the Americans. Results show that international students rated their American friendships lower than their home- or other-culture friendships. Friendship numbers and satisfaction were significantly related to communicative adaptability, language proficiency, and loneliness. There was no significant correlation between friendship success and willingness to communicate or length of stay.