Face and facework: A cross-cultural comparison of managing politeness norms in the United States and Korea

Wonsun Kim, Xiaowen Guan, Hee Sun Park

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study compares U.S. Americans' (n = 222) and Koreans' (n = 202) perceptions of and management strategies toward potentially impolite situations. The results show that cultural norms significantly determine the perception of the situation and that Koreans are more likely to resort to confrontation across situations than are U.S. Americans. Additionally, individual face needs, situational factors, and culture, as well as interactions, are important predictors of individuals' management strategies in potentially impolite situations. Practical implications for intercultural communication are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1100-1118
Number of pages19
JournalInternational Journal of Communication
Volume6
Issue number1
StatePublished - Jun 5 2012
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Communication

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