本书在综合了社会认同理论、符号互动论以及传播学理论的基础上，发展出了跨文化认同协商理论。作者指出，有效的交际要求我们必须调整行为规范的指导原则(参照系)，尝试使用新的分类方法来了解不同的文化视角，实验多样化的决策方略和问题解决方式。

对于语言功能的探讨是本书的亮点。它不仅提供了大量典型的跨文化交际实例，还给出了很多关于如何提高交际质量的建议。

Leo Thayer(1979)曾说过：“我们今天所面临的(人类沟通问题)与两个世纪前孔子所思考的问题没有本质上的不同”；只有“完全彻底了解沟通现象”之后才能找到解决冲突的方法。为此，跨文化交际学学者和研究者们一直在不懈努力，期望能更充分地解析交际的复杂过程。本书作者Stella Tin9—Toomey就是涉足此领域较早的学者之一，她长期不懈的努力使人们对多个跨文化交际问题的了解更加全面深入，特别是在研究种族／民族认同、跨文化冲突管理、文化认同和跨文化“面子观”等方面，她发展的理论获得了广泛赞誉。

《文化间的交流))正是融合了Tin9—Toomey多年的教学研究成果和实地调查经验的一本基础读物。作者在前言中指出本书有五大特点：1、全书由统一主题——“留心(Mindfulness)”概念贯穿；2、介绍了一个涵盖知识、动机和技巧等多方面内容的理论诠释模型；3、从第三章到第十章，每章结尾处都提供了简单可行的建议，指导读者如何将所学知识和技巧应用在实际的跨文化交际中；4、本书多个章节采用图示或表格处理关键概念和理论，易于读者理解概念间的相互关系，形成视觉记忆；5、本书采用的是跨学科的视角。在林林总总的跨文化入门著作中，本书围绕一个核心概念、两条理论主线组织信息的方式，以及注重理论联系实际的写作指导思想，可谓独具特色。

I. CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS

1. Intercultural Communication: An Introduction

Why Study Intercultural Communication?

　Global Diversity Trends

　Domestic Diversity Trends

　Interpersonal Learning Opportunities

　　What Is Intercultural Communication?

Conceptualization of Culture

Conceptualization of Intercultural Communication

　Intercultural Communication: Five Core Assumptions

2.Mindful Intercultural Communication:

　An Identity Negotiation Perspective

　The Identity Negotiation Perspective

The Theoretical Background

Primary Identity Domains

Situational Identities

Summary

　The Identity Negotiation Theory

Core Theoretical Assumptions

Assumptions 1-4

Assumptions 5 and 6

Assumption 7

Assumption 8

　Mindful Intercultural Communication

Threefold Outcomes of Mindful

Intercultural Communication

Mindful Intercultural Communication:

Criteria and Components

II. THE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION PROCESS:

DISSIMILAR ASSUMPTIONS

　3. Value Orientations and Intercultural Encounters

　　Classical Value Orientations

　 Basic Assumptions

　 People-Nature Value Orientation

　 Temporal Orientation

　 Human Nature Orientation

　 Activity Orientation

　 Relational Orientation

　　Cross-Cultural Organizational Value Dimensions

　 Individualism-Collectivism: The Core Dimension

　 The Power Distance Dimension

　 The Uncertainty Avoidance Dimension

　 The Masculinity and Femininity Dimension

　 The Confucian Dynamism Dimension

　 Loose and Tight Social Structures

　　Values, Self-Conception Consequences, and Interaction

　 Independent and Interdependent Self-Construal

　 Personal and Collective Self-Esteem

　 Universalistic-Based versus　Particularistic-Based Interaction

　 Summary

　　 Recommendations

　 4. Mindful Intercultural Verbal Communication

　　　Human Language: A Coherent System

　 Arbitrariness

　 Multilayered Rules

　 Speech Community

　　Languages across Cultures: Diverse Functions

　 The Group Identity Function

　 The Perceptual Filtering Function

　 The Cognitive Reasoning Function

　 The Status and Intimacy Function

　 The Creativity Function

　　Cross-Cultural Verbal Communication Styles

　 Low-Context and High-Context Communication

　 Direct and Indirect Verbal Interaction Styles

　 Person-Oriented and Status-Oriented Verbal Styles

　 Self-Enhancement and Self-Effacement Verbal Styles

　 Beliefs Expressed in Talk and Silence

　　Recommendations

5. Mindful Intercultural Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal Communication:

  Specific Functions and Patterns

Reflecting and Managing Identities

Expressing Emotions and Attitudes

Conversational Management

Impression Formation and Attraction

Space and Time across Cultures

Interpersonal Spatial Boundary Regulation

Environmental Boundary Regulation

Temporal Regulation

Interpersonal Synchrony and Nonverbal Cautions

Interpersonal Interactive Synchrony

Nonverbal Cautions

Recommendations

III. BOUNDARY REGULATION AND INTERGROUP-

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENTS

6. Identity Contact and Intergroup Encounters

Social Identity Theory and Its Associated Constructs:

  A Boundary-Regulation Approach

 Social Identity Theory

 Social Categorization

 Social Comparison

Intergroup Attribution: A Sense-Making Process

 Attribution Theory

 Intergroup Attribution Theory

Mindsets: Affective and Cognitive Filters

 Intergroup Perception

 Ethnocentrism and Communication

 Stereotypes and Communication

 Prejudice and Communication

 Reduction of Prejudice and Discrimination

Recommendations

7. Intercultural Personal Relationship Development:

Identity- and Relational-Based Themes

Personal Relationship Developments:

  Membership and Contextual Conditions

 Cultural and Ethnic Membership Values

 Gender Expectations and Norms

 Individual Personality Attributes

 Situational Contact Conditions

 Four Identity- and Relational-Based Themes

The Identity Vulnerability and Security Theme

The Identity Autonomy and Connection Theme

The Relational Dissimilarity and Similarity Theme

The Relational Openness and Closedness Theme

Summary

 Recommendations

8. Constructive Intercultural Conflict Management

 Intercultural Conflict: Definitional Characteristics

Conflict Goal Issues

Conflict-Related Characteristics

 Contributing Factors Affecting Intercultural Conflict

A Cultural Variability Perspective

Cultural-Based Conflict: Different Lenses

 Intercultural Conflict Management Skills

Operational Skills Needed for Constructive Conflict Management

Collaborative Dialogue and Communication Adaptability

 Recommendations 227

IV. IDENTITY TRANSFORMATION AND

 TRANSCULTURAL COMPETENCIES

9. Identity Change and Intercultural Adaptation

 Intercultural Adaptation: Antecedent Factors

Systems-Level Factors

Individual-Level Factors

Interpersonal-Level Factors

 Intercultural Adaptation: The Identity Change Process

Managing the Culture Shock Process

Sojourners' Adjustment Models

Minority and Immigrants' Identity Change Models

 Intercultural Adaptation: Effective Outcomes

Systems-Level and Interpersonal-Level Outcomes

Personal Identity Change Outcomes

 Recommendations

10. Transcultural Communication Competence

 Criteria of Transcultural Communication Competence

The Appropriateness Criterion

The Effectiveness Criterion

The Satisfaction Criterion

Components of Transcultural Communication Competence

The Knowledge Blocks Component

The Mindfulness Component

The Communication Skills Component

From Intercultural to Transcultural Ethics

Ethical Absolutism versus Ethical Relativism

Moral Exclusion versus Moral Inclusion

Final Recommendations

References

Index