Exam question interpersonal and
intercultrural communication
Hoofdstuk 3: universal communication topics
What/who do we most talk about? AND, what can you say about
the perceived partner responsiveness and social penetration?
Universal topics of conversation: Human Universals Approach:
We are hardwired for stories no hard evidence that we have
mental mechanisms for it but we have been telling stories for a long
time there can be multiple mental mechanisms that work together
and results in the craving to become part of a good story stories
can be about different things the most of adult stories are about
people, even if we talk about nature it’s self centured and mention
people often
30% to 40% is about private experiences or personal relationships
the six general subject areas are
What we self-disclose
Stories from you about you what you disclose about yourself
Six general subject areas
1. Attitudes and opinions
2. Tastes and interests
3. Work or studies
4. Money: not personal money but find out how much money other
people have
5. Personality
6. Body
There are a lot of individual differences in frequency (how often and
how much information is revealed), breadth (how many different
topics) and depth (how deep, the intimacy of personal information
depends on the type of relationship between people
We share 90% of our emotional experiences we talk a lot about
ourselves (see why) unless it’s too emotional supress
We also talk a lot about other people BUT most of the conversations
are rather boring and neutral
, We give greater weight to negative entities evolutionary basis
we also remember this better
Non-human conversation topics (sports, cars,goods, politics and
news) almost always relates to people we are self-centered
How we Self-Disclose
Spiraling effect: Social Penetration Theory describes the process of
bonding that moves a relationship form superficial to more intamate
peel the onion
Self-disclosure is a key factor for trust (see spiraling effect) it’s a give
and take proces and it’s very important for the other person to listen
Self-disclosure only works in combination with responsive behaviors by
the listener convey understanding, validation, and warmth to the
speaker 3 step process: self-disclose, listerner reponds warmly and
speaker perceives the warm response influences the onion (social
penetration theory) to proceed to a further layer (it’s important to listen
and pay attention) We remember what others disclose too (we get the
signal that it it’s important) memories rely on feedback
Do all people gossip about others in equal amounts and similar
ways?
It was told that women gossip more than men and more negativly because
women value intimate relationships more but research shows that
machiavellistic people have more distant relationships and gossip less
you need a network to gossip cause you need to know the people
machiavellism accurs equally to men as women
Women use more indirect forms of agression but it can be that
men do it aswell but that we don’t pay enough attion to it
Women are more victim of unexplainable gossip that it’s hard to
talk your way out of, are not based on facts (like short skirts)
fragile reputation traits
Women tend to wrap negative messages in a positive layer
Study shows that Women don’t gossip more negativly than men
actually couched in positive terms (f.e. she looks nice but)
The most reliable study shows that women gossip was more
neutral (perhaps more intimate and stronger social networks)
There is no support fort he notion that women evaluatively gossip
more then men
women gossip more about social relationships and physical
appearance than men.
, Younger adults gossiped negatively slightly more often than older
adults. learn social norms
Poorer and less educated people gossip to the same degree
richer, more educated people.
Extraversion was the most consistent predictor of gossip. This
was particularly true for positive and neutral gossip. not really
sex but personality trait is more important
Gossip is a human universal BUT what we gossip about is mainly
driven by culture and personal interests
Social value orientation: prosocial people gossip more ( especially
about unacceptable behaviour of others) group is more
important spread information about free riders protect
others
Pro self use social networks to meet from one network to other
exploit people don’t want gossip cause then they become
victim (free riders)
Same-sex Japanese and U.S. American friendships
Americans friends self-disclose more about: relationship with
others, love/dating and sex, interests/hobbies, attitudes/values),
Japanese friends self-disclose more about: physical condition
(health)
Americans discuss more intimate topics while Japanese discussed
more superficial topics, and it is important to respect cultural
differences in the depth and scope of conversational topics when
establishing intercultural relationships.
See explanation about the independent self view and the
interdependent self view
Self-Disclosure fits more in Individualistic cultures with an
Independent Self view
Is self-disclosure expected (from CMC theories) to be different
offline vs. online? What do results show?
There are different kinds of theories that predict whether we
communicate more online than offline: the hyperpersonal CMC tells
us that for some people it’s easier online cause they have more time to
respond higher frequency, breadth and depth, the reduced cues
theory shows that there is a lack of cues in de mediated
communication, no there are no direct answers cues form social
norms for behavior more online self disclosure no immediate
reactions. The social information processing theory tells us that
humans want friends and love so much that we will also self disclose
online and even more online cause people are lacking certain
information that you will have to explain . The last theory is the media
intercultrural communication
Hoofdstuk 3: universal communication topics
What/who do we most talk about? AND, what can you say about
the perceived partner responsiveness and social penetration?
Universal topics of conversation: Human Universals Approach:
We are hardwired for stories no hard evidence that we have
mental mechanisms for it but we have been telling stories for a long
time there can be multiple mental mechanisms that work together
and results in the craving to become part of a good story stories
can be about different things the most of adult stories are about
people, even if we talk about nature it’s self centured and mention
people often
30% to 40% is about private experiences or personal relationships
the six general subject areas are
What we self-disclose
Stories from you about you what you disclose about yourself
Six general subject areas
1. Attitudes and opinions
2. Tastes and interests
3. Work or studies
4. Money: not personal money but find out how much money other
people have
5. Personality
6. Body
There are a lot of individual differences in frequency (how often and
how much information is revealed), breadth (how many different
topics) and depth (how deep, the intimacy of personal information
depends on the type of relationship between people
We share 90% of our emotional experiences we talk a lot about
ourselves (see why) unless it’s too emotional supress
We also talk a lot about other people BUT most of the conversations
are rather boring and neutral
, We give greater weight to negative entities evolutionary basis
we also remember this better
Non-human conversation topics (sports, cars,goods, politics and
news) almost always relates to people we are self-centered
How we Self-Disclose
Spiraling effect: Social Penetration Theory describes the process of
bonding that moves a relationship form superficial to more intamate
peel the onion
Self-disclosure is a key factor for trust (see spiraling effect) it’s a give
and take proces and it’s very important for the other person to listen
Self-disclosure only works in combination with responsive behaviors by
the listener convey understanding, validation, and warmth to the
speaker 3 step process: self-disclose, listerner reponds warmly and
speaker perceives the warm response influences the onion (social
penetration theory) to proceed to a further layer (it’s important to listen
and pay attention) We remember what others disclose too (we get the
signal that it it’s important) memories rely on feedback
Do all people gossip about others in equal amounts and similar
ways?
It was told that women gossip more than men and more negativly because
women value intimate relationships more but research shows that
machiavellistic people have more distant relationships and gossip less
you need a network to gossip cause you need to know the people
machiavellism accurs equally to men as women
Women use more indirect forms of agression but it can be that
men do it aswell but that we don’t pay enough attion to it
Women are more victim of unexplainable gossip that it’s hard to
talk your way out of, are not based on facts (like short skirts)
fragile reputation traits
Women tend to wrap negative messages in a positive layer
Study shows that Women don’t gossip more negativly than men
actually couched in positive terms (f.e. she looks nice but)
The most reliable study shows that women gossip was more
neutral (perhaps more intimate and stronger social networks)
There is no support fort he notion that women evaluatively gossip
more then men
women gossip more about social relationships and physical
appearance than men.
, Younger adults gossiped negatively slightly more often than older
adults. learn social norms
Poorer and less educated people gossip to the same degree
richer, more educated people.
Extraversion was the most consistent predictor of gossip. This
was particularly true for positive and neutral gossip. not really
sex but personality trait is more important
Gossip is a human universal BUT what we gossip about is mainly
driven by culture and personal interests
Social value orientation: prosocial people gossip more ( especially
about unacceptable behaviour of others) group is more
important spread information about free riders protect
others
Pro self use social networks to meet from one network to other
exploit people don’t want gossip cause then they become
victim (free riders)
Same-sex Japanese and U.S. American friendships
Americans friends self-disclose more about: relationship with
others, love/dating and sex, interests/hobbies, attitudes/values),
Japanese friends self-disclose more about: physical condition
(health)
Americans discuss more intimate topics while Japanese discussed
more superficial topics, and it is important to respect cultural
differences in the depth and scope of conversational topics when
establishing intercultural relationships.
See explanation about the independent self view and the
interdependent self view
Self-Disclosure fits more in Individualistic cultures with an
Independent Self view
Is self-disclosure expected (from CMC theories) to be different
offline vs. online? What do results show?
There are different kinds of theories that predict whether we
communicate more online than offline: the hyperpersonal CMC tells
us that for some people it’s easier online cause they have more time to
respond higher frequency, breadth and depth, the reduced cues
theory shows that there is a lack of cues in de mediated
communication, no there are no direct answers cues form social
norms for behavior more online self disclosure no immediate
reactions. The social information processing theory tells us that
humans want friends and love so much that we will also self disclose
online and even more online cause people are lacking certain
information that you will have to explain . The last theory is the media
