Culture and Interpersonal Communication

Book excerpt: The authors examine the theoretical influence of culture on interpersonal communication. They provide a framework for guiding future, and for interpreting past, research in the field. Because cross-cultural comparisons of interpersonal communication must be theoretically based, culture must be treated as a variable in research. This concept is presented in the first two chapters and then applied to specific areas of research. Previous research is reinterpreted in the light of this concept, and explanations are provided on how culture has influenced specific areas such as situational factors, verbal and nonverbal communication styles, interpersonal and intergroup relationships.