Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Never Mind? Mindfulness And Competent Intercultural Interaction, Yanrong (Yvonne) Chang

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

The ultimate goal of intercultural communication research and education has been or should be to have successful intercultural interactions and build productive intercultural relationships. A close examination of 42 pairs of email exchanges between college students in the U.S. and China during spring 2011 shows how mindfulness shapes positively intercultural interactions. It describes three manifestations of mindfulness, five salient features of mindful intercultural email interaction, and three functions of mindfulness in intercultural interaction. The implications, limitations, and directions for future research are also discussed.