Communication in everyday interpersonal and intergroup encounters

Abstract Communication that occurs in everyday encounters influences the development and maintenance of relationships. Many theorists have called for paying greater attention to everyday communication behavior. To date, this call has not been addressed in research comparing interpersonal and intergroup communication. The purpose of this study was to compare communication in everyday interpersonal and intergroup encounters. Two sets of data were collected, one involving a comparison of intracultural and intercultural encounters, and one involving a comparison of intraethnic and interethnic encounters. In each set of data, respondents completed diaries containing measures of the nature of the encounter, the quality of communication, their satisfaction with the communication, the amount of uncertainty and anxiety, the importance of their social and personal identities, and their expectations after their encounters. The results indicate that both the type of encounter (interpersonal, intergroup) and the type of relationship (stranger, acquaintance, friend) influence communication in everyday encounters. The specific patterns that emerge are consistent with previous research and current theories of interpersonal and intergroup communication.

[1]  C. Berger,et al.  SOME EXPLORATIONS IN INITIAL INTERACTION AND BEYOND: TOWARD A DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION , 1975 .

[2]  Rick H. Hoyle,et al.  Perceptions of Social Behavior , 1989 .

[3]  R. Wiseman,et al.  Intercultural communication theory , 1995 .

[4]  Steven W. Duck,et al.  Relating to others , 1989 .

[5]  William B. Gudykunst,et al.  The Influence of Social Identity and Intimacy of Interethnic Relationships on Uncertainty Reduction Processes , 1988 .

[6]  M. Knapp,et al.  Perceptions of communication behavior associated with relationship terms , 1980 .

[7]  John A. Daly,et al.  Personality and interpersonal communication , 1987 .

[8]  Tsukasa Nishida,et al.  Individual and cultural influences on uncertainty reduction , 1984 .

[9]  M. Hecht,et al.  An Afro‐American perspective on interethnic communication , 1989 .

[10]  M. Hecht.  Satisfying communication and relationship labels: Intimacy and length of relationship as perceptual frames of naturalistic conversations , 1984 .

[11]  J. Turner.  A theory of social interaction , 1988 .

[12]  M. Hecht,et al.  A Mexican American perspective on interethnic communication , 1990 .

[13]  W. Stephan,et al.  Antecedents of intergroup anxiety in Asian-Americans and Hispanic-Americans , 1989 .

[14]  R. Wiseman,et al.  Intercultural communication competence , 1993 .

[15]  James M. Honeycutt.  EVENTS THAT INCREASE UNCERTAINTY IN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS SALLY PLANALP , 1985 .

[16]  Michael L. Hecht,et al.  Toward a conceptualization of communication satisfaction , 1978 .

[17]  W. Stephan,et al.  Reducing intercultural anxiety through intercultural contact , 1992 .

[18]  James M. Honeycutt,et al.  Events That Increase Uncertainty in Personal Relationships II Replication and Extension , 1988 .

[19]  John B. Nezlek,et al.  Sex differences in social participation , 1977 .

[20]  L. Baxter,et al.  “Secret Tests”Social Strategies for Acquiring Information About the State of the Relationship , 1984 .

[21]  Steven W. Duck,et al.  Some Evident Truths About Conversations in Everyday Relationships All Communications Are Not Created Equal , 1991 .

[22]  John C. Turner,et al.  Rediscovering the Social Group , 1987 .

[23]  William D. Gudykunst.  Anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) theory: Current status. , 1995 .

[24]  William B. Gudykunst,et al.  Perceptions of social penetration in Japanese-North American Dyads , 1987 .

[25]  Stella Ting-Toomey,et al.  Cross-Cultural Interpersonal Communication , 1991 .

[26]  William B. Gudykunst.  The influence of cultural similarity, type of relationship, and self‐monitoring on uncertainty reduction processes , 1985 .

[27]  William B. Gudykunst.  Toward a theory of effective interpersonal and intergroup communication: An anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) perspective. , 1993 .

[28]  L. Baxter.  Symbols of Relationship Identity in Relationship Cultures , 1987 .

[29]  William B. Gudykunst,et al.  Theories in Intercultural Communication. , 1988 .