Adept through adaptation: Third culture individuals’ interpersonal sensitivity

This study evaluated the interpersonal sensitivity of third culture individuals, defined as people who lived in a country other than that of their nationality during their developmental years, by comparing them to mono-cultured individuals. While the notion that third culture individuals develop enhanced perceptual skills as a result of intercultural adaptation is widely accepted in popular and professional literature, this assertion has not been empirically tested. Previous research on intercultural communication competence and adaptation has almost exclusively focused on intercultural exposure among adults. This study collected data from 142 individuals using web-based surveys. The instruments measured two aspects of participants’ interpersonal sensitivity: social and emotional sensitivity. Results showed that third culture individuals have significantly higher social sensitivity than mono-cultured individuals, while mono-cultured individuals reported higher emotional sensitivity. Additionally, no significant correlation was found between greater intercultural experience and increased interpersonal sensitivity.     

An analysis of friendship networks, social connectedness, homesickness, and satisfaction levels of international students

International students continue to grow in number worldwide, prompting researchers to look for ways to make the study abroad experience more fruitful. One avenue of research has focused on friendship formation, the significant role it plays in the study abroad experience, and the unique friendship combinations made possible by the study abroad experience. International students form friendships with individuals from their own country, from other countries, and from the host country. Research has found that international students often have more friends from their home country; however, research has also demonstrated a relationship between having more host country friends and satisfaction, contentment, decreased homesickness, and social connectedness. The current study looks to further explore these relationships through a social network lens by examining friendship network ratios, strength, and variability of the three friendship groups. A friendship network grid was developed to assess where international students’ friends are from and how strong those friendships are. Eighty four international students completed a survey examining the relationship between friendship networks, social connectedness, homesickness, contentment, and satisfaction. Contrary to prior research, international students did not report having a higher ratio of individuals from their home country in their friendship networks. However, international students with a higher ratio of individuals from the host country in their network claimed to be more satisfied, content, and less homesick. Furthermore, participants who reported more friendship variability with host country individuals described themselves as more satisfied, content, and more socially connected. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

An Interpretation of the Intercultural Sensitivity

Intercultural sensitivity is one of the dimensions of intercultural communication competence,which has been widely studied. This paper mainly reviews and interprets studies of intercultural sensitivity, including the concept, application of it and directions for future research.     

跨文化交际视阈下的客家之和合文化价值观

和合文化是中华民族价值观的重要特征,作为中华民族一支系的客家民系,和合文化也是客家价值观的重要特征。本文将通过以跨文化交际研究的视阈,从客家"显形文化"中的建筑、楹联、山歌、方言及民俗风情等方面探寻其"隐形文化"中的"和合"文化价值观,弘扬中华文化,实现"中国梦"。     

Physical Appearance and Intimate Friendship in Adolescence： A Study Using a Portuguese College Student Sample

A group of students enrolled in the 12th year of education, was asked to answer a direct application questionnaire containing the following measures： Intimate Friendship Scale （IFS） （Sharabany, 1994）, The Self-perception Profile for College Students （Neemann ＆ Harter, 1986） adapted for the Portuguese population （Ribeiro, 1994） and Social Notation of Family Scale -Adapted Graffar, adapted of the original （Graffar, 1956）. The values of Intimate Friendship are higher for girls and the values of Perception of Physical Appearance, were higher for boys.     

探析英汉礼貌用语的语用差异及其成因

礼貌是人际交往的前提条件,中西方礼貌用语的差异导致跨文化交际中出现不必要的障碍。本文通过对比分析英汉礼貌准则和礼貌语用的差异性,分析了英汉礼貌文化交际语用失误的成因。     

从诗文酬唱看苏轼与黄庭坚的非凡友谊

苏轼是我国北宋中期文坛上的领袖,黄庭坚为苏门学士并开一代诗派。师徒之间诗文酬唱频繁,友谊非凡。从他们大量的酬唱诗文来看,二人之间的友谊体现在他们生活志趣以及人格理想上的相知相通,诗歌艺术上的交流切磋、争奇斗巧和宦海沉浮,人生遭遇中的勖勉与慰藉等方面。     

Thawing the North: Mostly Martha as a German-Italian Eatopia

Abstract

The establishment of the European Union, reunification of Germany, and Germany's extension of dual citizenship to immigrant minorities provided challenges to the country's understanding of itself as a nation. In negotiating these changes, debates on citizenship frequently centered on definitions of German culture. Using the concept of Leitkultur (guiding culture), conservatives argued that Germany should reject multiculturalism and stem immigration. This essay analyzes discourses on cultural policy in Germany through a contextual and textual analysis of the film Mostly Martha. In its alignment with aesthetic conventions of the art house food film, Mostly Martha participates in the debate on cultural citizenship and embodies changes in the German film industry that have moved German cinema toward increased commercialism. The film's main character, Martha, is transformed through an intercultural relationship and a trip to Italy. We argue that the film's citation of this well-known tradition of traveling south to redeem oneself and its treatment of ethnic “Otherness” engages in the Leitkultur debate and participates in the transition from national German to transnational cinema. Through the utopian treatment of Italian food, the film fetishizes cultural difference and reaffirms fixed constructs of nation and gender, thereby avoiding an explicitly politicized engagement with intercultural citizenship and identity.     

Stages and Transitions of Relational Identity Formation in Intercultural Friendship: Implications for Identity Management Theory

Abstract

In light of identity management theory (IMT), this research seeks to uncover the stages and transitions that explain the process of relational identity formation within intercultural friendships. Three stages (i.e., initial encounter, interaction, and involvement) and two transition phases emerged within the intercultural friendships of this research. This study concludes that while IMT contributes to our understanding of the process of intercultural relationship formation, it overlooks how intercultural relationships transition from one stage to another and the influences of networks and a third cultural context.