Abstract:This study examined 1631 college students' endorsement of traditional Confucian values in four East Asian cultural contexts (i.e., China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan). Findings showed that young people endorsed values of interpersonal harmony the most, followed by the relational hierarchy and traditional conservatism respectively. Results also indicated that participants in China provided the highest ratings for interpersonal harmony and relational hierarchy among the four cultures. Finally, results demonstrated that Japanese females were more conservative than Japanese males and females in China and Taiwan. Results were discussed in the philosophical tradition of Confucianism, globalization and culture change in the East Asian cultures. Text of paper:Harmony Zhang, Y. B., Lin, M.-C., . Harmony, Hierarchy and Conservatism: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Confucian Values in China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Communication Research Report, 22,[107][108][109][110][111][112][113][114][115] http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00036810500130539, Open Access version: http://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/dspace/. The major interest of cross-cultural studies tends to focus on how cultures differed in the outcome variable (e.g., conflict management style) than in the input variable (i.e., cultural values).Cultural values are frequently treated as a post-hoc explanation to offer validation of the significant results on how cultures differed in the outcome variable (e.g., Lee & Rogan, 1991). While lumping countries together based on their geographical and/or cultural proximity is still a common approach in cross-cultural research (Cross, 1995), Bond (1996) 4 harmonious relationships with others, which are the precondition of social integration and stability, individuals should respect and follow tradition and social hierarchy (rules, status, and authorities) (Chinese Cultural Connection, 1987). These values reflect the core principles of Confucianism, which has influenced Chinese people's attitude toward life and served as standards and rules for social interaction (Bond, 1996).In the process of civilization, Confucianism has spread its influence to neighboring countries of Mainland China (e.g., Korea, Japan) for thousands of years (Chang, 1997). Deliberate effort to promote and maintain Confucianism is evident in these societies. Confucian principles are permeated in media, taught in schools, and praised by officials (Tu, 1996 5Asian societies or "mini-dragons" (e.g., Taiwan, Japan and Korea; Tu, 1996), hence has maintained more of its indigenous cultural values. Therefore, we proposed our second hypothesis:H2: Chinese young participants will endorse the Confucian values more than their counterparts in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.Confucianism emphasizes that things and persons should fall into proper places and order, so that they can relate to each other in a supportive and harmonious manner. One of the traditional social orders in relationships that Confucius specified is gender role with men having more status than women (Pek & Leong, ...

Two studies were conducted in this investigation to compare college students' interpersonal interaction online, face-to-face, and on the telephone. Our first study, a communication diary, assessed the relative amount of social interactions college students conduct via the internet in comparison to face-to-face conversation and telephone calls. Results indicated that the internet was used nearly as often as the telephone, however, face-to-face communication was far more frequent. The second study, a survey, compared reported use of the internet within local and long distance social circles to the use of other media within those circles, and examined participants' most recent significant social interactions conducted online, face-to-face, and on the telephone in terms of purposes, contexts, and quality. Major findings included that online interaction was perceived as high in quality, but slightly lower than telephone calls and face-to-face conversations. Use of the internet was positively correlated with the use of other modes of interpersonal communication. Together, results show that the internet is integrated into social life, but face-to-face remains the dominant mode of interpersonal communication.

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Abstract:This study examined the relationship between relational quality and media use in interpersonal relationships. In addition, the impacts of other potentially important variables such as sex and relationship type of participants and their partners were explored. College student participants focused on interaction experiences with an acquaintance, friend, romantic partner, or family member. Questions addressed the sex of relational partners, how much of participants' total communication with relational partners is conducted in each of three media (i.e., face-to-face, phone, and internet), and the quality of relationships.Results indicated that participant sex and partner sex did not affect reported media use, whereas relationship type had significant effects on the extent to which face-to-face and telephone communication were used. Specifically, among the college students studied, face-to-face communication was used least with family members and the telephone was used most with family members. Relationships with acquaintances had the lowest relational quality and romantic relationships, while closer, were less satisfying than either family or friendship relationships. Same-sex relationships were perceived as more satisfying than cross-sex relationships. Finally, media use did not predict relational closeness or satisfaction. Results are discussed in light of previous research on mediated interpersonal communication and conceptualizations of the role of communication technology in one's social life are highlighted.Key Words: relational quality, relational satisfaction, relational closeness, media use, relationship type, sex Baym, N., Zhang, Y. B., . Relational quality and media use in interpersonal relationships. New Media & Society, 9, 735-752. Publisher's official version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1461444807080339, Open Access version: http://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/dspace/. 2 Text of paper:Relational Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Adrianne Kunkel, Department of Communication Studies, 102 Bailey Hall, 1440 Jayhawk Blvd., University of Kansas, Lawrence, Email: adkunkel@ku.edu). . Relational quality and media use in interpersonal relationships. New Media & Society, 9, 735-752. Publisher's official version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1461444807080339, Open Access version: http://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/dspace/. 3With the proliferation of the internet and mobile telephones, communication in interpersonal relationships is increasingly mediated by technology. Questions about whether mediation enhances or detracts from relational quality are thus increasingly relevant. Although research findings have been mixed (e.g. Walther, 1996), both scholarly research and popular perception have held that computers are a nonverbally-impoverished "lean" medium (Daft & Lengel, 1984), which makes it challenging to create a sense of social presence (Short, Williams, & Christie, 1976) and convey the interpersonal cues so important to creating and maintaining emotional closeness. Accordingly, much rese...

The current paper examines younger and older adults' cognitive representations of intergenerational conversations. In interviews, younger and older adults were asked to imagine various types of conversations with older and younger targets. They were prompted to provide a wide variety of information about the targets and the conversations. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed to uncover types of conversations commonly reported. Through a combination of coding and hierarchical cluster analysis, a hierarchical arrangement of types of conversations emerged in younger and older adults' descriptions. Each of the types is described in detail. In a second study, exemplars of each type were sorted by younger and older adults and subjected to multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. The results supported the validity of the types from Study 1, and suggested dimensions underlying this arrangement (positive-negative and helping-not helping for the younger adults; positive-negative and high-low change orientation for the older adults). The findings are discussed in terms of the communication predicament of aging model, and the role that these representations of conversations may play in future research. It is argued that knowledge of these cognitive representations of communication provides a new perspective on the ways in which intergenerational interactions may progress.