Tsukasa Nishida

Anxiety, uncertainty, and perceived effectiveness of communication across relationships and cultures

Abstract Anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) theory suggests that effectiveness of communication is a function of individuals’ abilities to manage their uncertainty and anxiety. The effect of anxiety and uncertainty on perceived effectiveness of communication was examined in two relationships (strangers and close friends) and two cultures (United States and Japan) in the present study. The results indicate that there is a moderate, negative relationship between anxiety and attributional confidence (the inverse of uncertainty) across relationships and cultures. The results also reveal that anxiety negatively predicts perceived effectiveness and attributional confidence positively predicts perceived effectiveness across relationships and cultures. The present data, therefore, support the major axiom of AUM theory.

Individual and cultural influences on uncertainty reduction

This study examined the scope of Berger and Calabreses (1975) uncertainty reduction theory of initial interaction. Multivariate analysis of covariance was employed to examine the influence of attitude similarity (similar vs. dissimilar), cultural similarity (intracultural vs. intercultural communication), culture (Japan vs. the United States), and self‐monitoring (covariate) on intent to interrogate, intent to self‐disclose, intent to display nonverbal affiliative expressiveness, attraction, and attributional confidence. Results indicate that each of the independent variables influences the set of dependent variables. The findings support Halls (1976) high‐low context culture distinction and prior research on self‐monitoring, as well as supporting and beginning to identify boundary conditions for uncertainty reduction theory.

The Influence of Individualism Collectivism, Self-Monitoring, and Predicted-Outcome Value on Communication in Ingroup and Outgroup Relationships

This study examined the influence of individualism-collectivism on communication in ingroup and outgroup relationships. Differences were predicted in ingroup and outgroup communication in collectivistic cultures. It was also hypothesized that self-monitoring and predicted-outcome value (POV) of the relationships also affect communication processes in these relationships. Data were collected in Hong Kong and Japan (collectivistic) and in Australia and the United States (individualistic). Results supported the prediction regarding the influence of cultural variability on ingroup and outgroup communication, as well as those regarding the influence of self-monitoring and POV.

Cultural Differences in Self-Consciousness and Self-Monitoring

The present study examines self-consciousness (Fenigstein, Scheier, & Buss, 1975) and self-monitoring (Snyder, 1974; Snyder & Gangestad, 1986) across cultures. Data from samples in Japan, Korea, and the United States were collected. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the three-dimensional model of the self-consciousness scale and the 18-item one-factor self-monitoring scale provided the best fit to the data from all three cultures. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that culture affected the three dimensions of self-consciousness, with significant differences emerging between the United States and Japanese samples on public self-consciousness, between Japan and Korea on private self-consciousness, and between the United States and both Japan and Korea on social anxiety. In addition, the U.S. sample reported significantly higher levels of self-monitoring than both the Japanese and Korean samples. These results are consistent with the hypotheses generated from Hofstedes (1980) theory of cultural differentiation.

Changing Gender Roles in Prime-Time Commercials in Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States

This study showed that during prime time, a new paradigm of gender role depiction has emerged in prime-time commercials in Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Even though some stereotypes about the presentation of gender in commercials persist (for setting, product type, voice-over), the study found an equal number of males and females appearing as primary characters in commercials during prime time. In Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan, the majority of commercials depicted males and females in nonstereotypical gender roles. Some shifts were also observed for role depiction in prime-time commercials in the United States. Reasons for these changes are discussed.

Perceptions of social penetration in Japanese-North American Dyads

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of social penetration in Japanese-North American dyads to determine if predictions from the theory can be extended to intercultural relationships. The first hypothesis argued that as relationships increase in intimacy, communication is perceived as more personalized and synchronized, but less difficult. The second hypothesis predicted that opposite sex relationships are perceived as more personal than same sex relationships. The data fully supported the first hypothesis and partly supported the second. Results suggest that social penetration theory is generalizable to intercultural relationships and, in addition, that social penetration in intercultural relationships is related to perceived intercultural effectiveness and communication satisfaction.

The influence of cultural, relational, and personality factors on uncertainty reduction processes

The major purpose of this study was to examine the influence of cultural variability on communication. It was predicted that cultural variability in individualism‐collectivism influences uncertainty reduction in ingroup and outgroup relationships, while cultural variability in masculinity‐femininity influences uncertainty reduction in same‐ and opposite‐sex relationships. It also was hypothesized that self‐monitoring and predicted outcome value of the relationships influence uncertainty reduction processes in these relationships. Data were collected from respondents in Japan (a collectivistic and masculine culture) and the United States (an individualistic and feminine culture). Results of the study supported the prediction regarding the influence of cultural variability on ingroup and outgroup communication, and partially supported those regarding its effect on same‐and opposite‐sex relationships. The hypotheses regarding the effect of self‐monitoring and predicted outcome value on uncertainty reduction ...

A cross‐cultural comparison of self‐monitoring

This study examined the goodness of fit of three alternative models of self‐monitoring to data collected in five cultures (two individualistic and three collectivistic cultures) and the influence of individualism‐collectivism on self‐monitoring. It was predicted that the 18‐item unidimensional self‐monitoring scale is the best fit among the three and individualistic cultures exhibit higher self‐monitoring than collectivistic cultures. Data were collected from respondents in the United States, Australia (individualistic cultures) and Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (collectivistic cultures). Results supported the predictions. The data suggest, however, that it is necessary to develop self‐monitoring measures which are sensitive across cultures.

Communication openness, satisfaction, and length of employment in Japanese organizations

Hypotheses were generated regarding the relationship among communication openness, satisfaction, and length of employment in Japanese organizations. A questionnaire was administered to employees of Japanese organizations in the Tokyo area. The data revealed that upward, downward, and lateral communication openness were associated positively with both relational and organizational satisfaction. Length of employment also was associated with downward and lateral communication openness and with both relational and organizational satisfaction. The relationships between length of employment and satisfaction differed for employees in large and small‐to‐moderate sized organizations. Lateral communication openness was associated positively with satisfaction variables and there was a relatively small association between length of employment and satisfaction.