This study identified intercultural conversational competencies for Mexican Americans, Black Americans and White Americans which were compared and contrasted with previously identified intracultural competencies. Members of each culture group described behaviors which were appropriate/ inappropriate as well as cognitive and behavioral consequences in recalled conversations with acquaintances. Members of each culture group were found to share general rules with other groups, such as concerns for politeness and role fulfillment, but many more differences emerged. Mexican Americans emphasized relational climate more frequently than the other groups, Black Americans emphasized individuality in politeness and expression and White Americans showed a marked emphasis on verbal content. For the most part, rules for conversing with members of one's own group were different from rules for intercultural conversations with the general exception of Mexican Americans, who perceived similar rules in intracultural and intercultural conversations.
KEY CONCEPTS Intra-and intercultural communication competence, rules and outcomes, cultural identity, intra-and intercultural acquaintance relationships,A previous study has indicated that acquaintances in domestic cultures differ in their perceptions of behavior which is competent-appropriate and effective-in intracultural conversations (Collier, Ribeau, & Hecht, 1986.) Although similarities were identified in Mexican Americans', Black Americans' and White Americans' perceptions of such appropriate behaviors as politeness and professionalism, and such preferred outcomes as self and relational validation, the specific behaviors described as polite or professional differed between the three groups. Also, culturally unique rule and outcome preferences emerged. Similarities and differences in intracultural competencies were derived from the cross-cultural comparison, but questions about intercultural competencies were left unaddressed.The current study reports the results of a related investigation exploring intercultural competencies in ongoing conversations among acquaintances. Two themes guided the present study: (1) variations in intercultural competencies across culture 122 groups and (2) the extent to which members of each culture group changed their perceptions of appropriate and effective behavior when interacting with a member of their own culture as compared to interaction with someone from a different culture. In other words, a comparison was made between intra-and intercultural competencies for members of each culture group.
Theoretical and Conceptual BackgroundAs delineated in the first study, members of culture groups define and redefine cultural identities through communication processes, through behavior patterns and the meanings that are attached to behavior. The rules/systems theoretical approach (Collier, Ribeau, & Hecht, 1986) was utilized in the current study to measure appropriate and inappropriate message behaviors together with the outcomes of rule-following or rule-...
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