本书内容主要包括跨文化能力介绍、文化与跨文化交际、跨文化交际能力、文化模式与交际、文化身份、文化偏见跨文化交流、跨文化语言交际、跨文化非语言交际、跨文化交际符号使用效果、人际关系中的跨文化能力、社交活动、语境与跨文化交往、跨文化能力潜在意义等，本书是跨文化交际研究领域中的必读之作。

经济全球化的发展增进了不同文化间的交流和合作，也缩小了人际沟通的空间，使跨文化沟通现象日益显现于小至邻里校园，大到跨国公司管理、国际合作项目等各个方面。不同文化间的接触必然产生文化碰撞，可能导致跨文化交际障碍和误解，影响跨文化人际关系的发展。因此，人们急需培养一种能驾驭文化差异、解决在跨文化语境中各种文化冲突现象的跨文化能力。

本书将这一问题作为关注焦点，对跨文化能力的基本概念以及跨文化能力所能解决的问题和范围，作了详尽的分析与精辟的阐述。自初版以来，本书已成为跨文化交际研究领域中的必读之作。

Preface

part one Communication and Intercultural Competence

 1 Introduction to Intercultural Competence

The Imperative for Intercultural Competence

  The Economic Imperative for Intercultural Competence

  The Technological Imperative for Intercultural Competence

  The Demographic Imperative for Intercultural Competence

  The Peace Imperative for Intercultural Competence

Communication

  Defining Communication

  Characteristics of Communication

  Interpersonal Communication

The Challenge of Communicating in an Intercultural World

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

 2 Culture and Intercultural Communication

Culture

  Defining Culture for the Study of Communication

  Culture and Related Terms

Why Cultures Differ

  Forces That Maintain Cultural Differences

  The Interrelatedness of Cultural Forces

Intercultural Communication

  Examples of Intercultural Interactions

  Similarities and Differences between Communicators

  Definition of Intercultural Communication

  Intercultural Communication and Related Terms

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

  3 Intercultural Communication Competence

The United States as an Intercultural Community

  Metaphors of U.S. Cultural Diversity

  What Do You Call Someone from the United States of America?

  Cultural Groups in the United States

Competence and Intercultural Communication

  Intercultural Communication Competence

  The Components of Intercultural Competence

Basic Tools for Improving Intercultural Competence

  The BASICs of Intercultural Competence

  Description, Interpretation, and Evaluation

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

part two Cultural Differences in Communication

 4 Cultural Patterns and Communication! Foundations

Defining Cultural Patterns

Components of Cultural Patterns

  Beliefs

  Values

  Norms

  Social Practices

Characteristics of Cultural Patterns

  The Functions of Cultural Patterns

  An Overview of Cultural Patterns

Cultural Patterns and Intercultural Competence

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

 5 Cultural Patterns and Communication: Taxonomies

Hall's High-and Low-Context Cultural Taxonomy

  Use of Covert and Overt Messages

  Importance of Ingroups and Outgroups

  Orientation to Time

Hofstede's Cultural Taxonomy

  Individualism versus Collectivism

  Uncertainty Avoidance

  Power Distance

  Masculinity versus Femininity

  Long-Term versus Short-Term Time Orientation

  Comparing Hofs.tede's Five Dimensions

Confucian Cultural Patterns

Cultural Taxonomies and Intercultural Competence

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

 6 Cultural Identity, Cultural Biases, and Intercultural Contact

Cultural Identity

  The Nature of Identity

  The Formation of Cultural Identity

  Characteristics of Cultural Identity

Cultural Biases

  Social Categorizing

  Ethnocentrism

  Stereotyping

  Prejudice

  Discrimination

  Racism

Intercultural Contact

  Dominance and Subordination between Groups

  Attitudes among Cultural Members

  Outcomes of Intercultural Contact

Becoming an Interculturally Competent Communicator

Identity, Biases, Contact, and Intercultural Competence

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

part three Coding Intercultural Communication

  7 Verbal Intercultural Communication

The Power of Language in Intercultural Communication

Definition of Verbal Codes

The Features of Language

  Rule-Systems in Verbal Codes

  Interpretation and Intercultural Communication

Language, Thought, Culture, and Intercultural Communication

  The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis of Linguistic Relativity

  Language and Intercultural Communication

Verbal Codes and Intercultural Competence

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

 8 Nonverbal Intercultural Communication

Definition of Nonverbal Codes

  Characteristics of Nonverbal Codes

  Relationship of Nonverbal to Verbal Communication

Cultural Universals in Nonverbal Communication

Cultural Variations in Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal Messages in Intercultural Communication

  Body Movements

  Space

  Touch

  Time

  Voice

  Other Nonverbal Code Systems

Synchrony of Nonverbal Communication Codes

Nonverbal Communication and Intercultural Competence

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

 9 The Effects of Code Usage in Intercultural Communication

Preferences in the Organization of Verbal Codes

  Organizational Preferences in the Use of U.S. English

  Organizational Preferences in Other Languages and Cultures

Cultural Variations in Persuasion

  Persuasion in Intercultural Encounters

  Cultural Differences in What Is Acceptable as Evidence

  Cultural Differences in What Is Considered Reasonable

  Cultural Differences in Styles of Persuasion

Cultural Variations in the Structure of Conversations

  Value of Talk and Silence

  Rules for Conversations

Effects of Code Usage on Intercultural Competence

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

part four Communication in Intercultural Relationships

10 Intercultural Competence in Interpersonal Relationships

Cultural Variations in Interpersonal Relationships

  Types of Interpersonal Relationships

  Dimensions of Interpersonal Relationships

  Dynamics of Interpersonal Relationships

The Maintenance of Face in Interpersonal Relationships

  Types of Face Needs

  Facework and Interpersonal Communication

  Facework and Intercultural Communication

Improving Intercultural Relationships

  Learning about People from Other Cultures

  Sharing Oneself with People from Other Cultures

  Handling Differences in Intercultural Relationships

Interpersonal Relationships and Intercultural Competence

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

 11 Episodes, Contexts, and Intercultural Interactions

Social Episodes in Intercultural Relationships

  The Nature of Social Episodes

  Components of Social Episodes

Contexts for Intercultural Communication

  The Health Care Context

  The Educational Context

  The Business Context

Episodes, Contexts, and Intercultural Competence

Summary

For Discussion

For Further Reading

 12 The Potential for Intercultural Competence

The Ethics of Intercultural Competence

  When in Rome...

  Are Cultural Values Relative or Universal?

  Do the Ends Justify the Means?

  Ethics--Your Choices

The Perils and Prospects for Intercultural Competence

  Impact of National and International Events on Intercultural Communication

  Forces That Pull Us Together and Apart

Summary

Concluding Remarks

For Discussion

For Further Reading

Resources

Intercultural Films

Online Resources

Notes

Photo Credits

Text Credits

Author Index

Subject Index