Understanding Intercultural Communication

by Ting-Toomey, Stella; Chung, Leeva C.

• ISBN13: 9780195330069
• ISBN10: 0195330064
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-09-29
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Understanding Intercultural Communication offers a comprehensive look at the foundational concepts of the discipline. Employing the dynamic theme of flexible intercultural communication, it effectively bridges the gap between theory and practice. A distinctive feature is the book's well-balanced emphasis on both cross-national intercultural communication issues and U.S. domestic diversity issues. Written in a conversational style, it presents up-to-date, identity-based frameworks and fresh approaches. By integrating current empirical research with lively examples, the text illustrates the practical nature of the intercultural communication field. The authors encourage students to think critically by asking thought-provoking questions and posing intercultural ethical dilemmas for students to ponder. They offer strong coverage of such topics as the process of ethnic and cultural identity change, culture shock and intercultural adjustment, intercultural verbal communication styles, conflict facework interactions, romantic relationships and raising bicultural children, global identity challenges, and decision-making choices in intercultural ethics. Understanding Intercultural Communication features "Jeopardy Boxes" on the use of domestic culture, global culture, and diversity; "Double Take" personal narratives and stories; "Know Thyself" mini-assessments; "Quick Poll" reaction polls; "Picture This" intercultural-interethnic poems; and "Snapshots" illustrating cultural diversity and culture shock. In addition, dialogue scenes, global news clips, practical intercultural toolkits, and checkpoints reinforce student learning in each chapter. An interactive Student Study Guide on CD is included with every copy of the text. An Instructor's Manual/Testing Program and a Companion Website are also available.

Table of Contents

Intercultural Communication: Foundational Frameworks

Why Study Intercultural Communication?

Practical Reasons to Study Intercultural Communication

Adapting to Global and Domestic Workplace Diversity: Improving Multicultural Health Care Communication: Engaging in Creative Problem Solving: Enhancing Intercultural Relationship Satisfaction: Deepening Self-Awareness: Fostering Global and Intrapersonal Peace: Intercultural Communication Flexibility

Knowledge, Attitude, Skills: Flexible Intercultural Communication: Four Criteria: Mastering Intercultural Communication Flexibility

A Staircase Model: Communicating Flexibly

What Is Intercultural Communication?

Culture: A Learned Meaning System

Surface-Level Culture: Popular Culture: Intermediate-Level Culture: Symbols, Meanings, and Norms: Deep-Level Culture: Traditions, Beliefs, and Values: Understanding Intercultural Communication: A Process Model

Intercultural Communication Process: Overall Characteristics: Intercultural Communication: Meaning Characteristics: Practicing Intercultural Process Thinking

Process Consciousness: Underlying Principles: Intercultural Toolkit: Recaps and Checkpoints

What Are the Essential Cultural Value Patterns?

Functions of Cultural Values

Analyzing Cultural Values: Identity Meaning Function: Explanatory Function: Boundary-Regulation Function: Adaptational Function: Analyzing Cultural Value DimensionsDiscovering Cultural Values: Identity: Individualism-Collectivism Value Pattern: Power: Small-Large Power Distance Value Pattern: Uncertainty: Weak-Strong Uncertainty Avoidance Value Pattern: Sex Role: Feminine-Masculine Value Pattern: Additional Value Orientation PatternsValue Orientations: Background Information: Meaning: Doing-Being Activity Value Orientation: Destiny: Controlling-Yielding People-Nature Value Orientation: Time: Future-Past Temporal Value Orientation: Space: Privacy-Communal Spatial Value Orientation: Individual Socialization Development

Independent Versus Interdependent Self-Construal: Horizontal Versus Vertical Self-Construal: Internal Versus External Locus of Control: Intercultural Toolkit: Recaps and Checkpoints

What Are the Keys to Understanding Cultural and Ethnic Identities?

Family and Gender Socialization

Family Socialization and Interaction Patterns: Gender Socialization and Interaction Patterns: Cultural-Ethnic Identity Formation

Cultural Identity Conceptualization: Ethnic Identity Conceptualization: Group Membership: Intercultural Boundary-Crossing

Defining Acculturation and Enculturation: Social Identity Factors: Systems-Level Factors: Individual-Level Factors: Interpersonal-Ethnic Media-Level Factors: Ethnic-Cultural Identity Change Process

Ethnic-Cultural Identity Typological Model: Racial-Ethnic Identity Development Model: Intercultural Toolkit: Recaps and Checkpoints

Intercultural Communication Shocks: Crossing Boundaries

What Is Culture Shock?

Understanding Culture Shock

Culture Shock: Defining Characteristics: Culture Shock: Pros and Cons: Managing Culture Shock: Underlying Factors: Managing Culture Shock: Initial Tips: Intercultural Adjustment: Developmental Patterns

The U-Curve Adjustment Model: The Revised W-Shaped Adjustment Model: Culture Shock: Peaks and Valleys: Reentry Culture Shock

Reentry Culture Shock: Surprising Elements: Resocialization: Different Returnees' Profiles: Intercultural Toolkit: Recaps and Checkpoints

What Is the Relationship Between Language and Culture?

Human Language: Distinctive Features

Arbitrariness: Abstractness: Meaning-Centeredness: Creativity: Understanding Multiple Language Rules

Phonological Rules: Morphological Rules: Syntactic Rules: Semantic Rules: Pragmatic Rules: Understanding Diverse Language Functions

The Cultural Worldview Function: The Cognitive Formation Function: The Social Reality Function: The Group Identity Function: The Social Change function

Intercultural Toolkit: Recaps and Checkpoints

What Are the Major

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