Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Teacher Self-Disclosure From The Perspective Of International Students In The Communication Classroom : A Case Study, Darlene J. Geiger

Dissertations and Theses

Self-disclosure as an interpersonal concept was developed almost 40 years ago with the work of Sydney Jourard (1964). Although the original definition included nonverbal forms of communication, the concept has evolved since then into an 'intentional act of sending verbal information about one's self (Collins & Miller, 1994; Cozby, 1972; Wheeless, 1976; Wheeless & Grotz, 1977). In contrast, the present study broadened the definition for self-disclosure to include nonverbal behaviors and took a new methodological approach to understanding the effects that self-disclosure can have for international students in the communication classroom context.

Teacher self-disclosure from the perspectives of international students …

Silence: A Comparison Of Japanese And U.S. Interpretation, Mimi Murayama

Dissertations and Theses

It is commonly argued that silence is an important Japanese communication strategy, with the goal of making oneself understood without words; on the other hand, in the U.S., silence tends to be filled by speaking, and speaking up clearly and the facilitation of talking is preferred. However, our knowledge about how silence is interpreted in the U.S. and Japan is weak and based on anecdotal evidence. Therefore, this study examines how people in the U.S. and Japan interpret silence according to contexts, examining what kinds of social rules underlie their interpretation. Interpretation is guided by how people connect ideas. One …

Changing Values: A Study Of The Shift In Cultural Values And Perceptions Of U.S. High School Students Following Orientation And Exposure To Russian Culture, Linda Sue Warnock

Dissertations and Theses

When cultural values differ, it is difficult for people not to judge one another's behavior on the basis of their own individual and/or cultural values. Given the profound differences in Russian and American culture, the question of what happens when these two cultures interact comes to mind.

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship of culture specific orientation, coupled with a two week sojourn in Russia on the sojourners' perceptions of cultural values. The sojourners were high school athletes participating in the first part of a Russian - American Track and Field Exchange.

In order to ascertain …

Communication Issues In The Management Of A Multicultural Workforce, Deborah Margaret Sipe

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine communication issues which are most frequently identified as the concerns of U.S. managers who work with culturally and ethnically diverse workforces, and skills which are identified as useful in dealing with those issues. This thesis used a qualitative method of data collection. Information was generated through a review of literature in the fields of communication, management, and organizational behavior to determine frequently occurring themes concerning intercultural communication issues in the workplace. Following the review, three case study interviews were conducted with managers in the Portland metropolitan area to determine what they perceive …

Cultural Values, Educational Methods And Small Group Communicator Styles In The United States And The People's Republic Of China, Lynda Lee Densem

Dissertations and Theses

The increasing contact between countries in today’ shrinking world indicates an urgent need for effective communication between cultures. Fundamental to satisfying this need is an understanding of cultural value systems--what factors have created them and how they interact within society. This paper addresses the value systems of two countries that recently have found themselves in positions of expanding contact, the United States (US) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). The value systems of the cultures are traced from their transference to the young of the cultures through formal educational systems to their effect on learning and perceptual sets. General …