Summarizing
Intercultural communication is one of the most important and relevant areas for research to this day. Researchers need to understand what leads to positive interpersonal communication and have a good effect on relations between people of different cultures and what has a negative impact and leads to conflicts (Grothe, 2021). Thanks to the positive attitude of people of different cultures to each other, strong relationships are established, which are later called intercultural friendships. The most straightforward definition of intercultural friendship is that people have intentional positive emotions towards each other, and communication occurs spontaneously and not with any task.
The characteristics of people’s personalities have a beneficial effect on the development of intercultural communication. These include patience, empathy, and other features that are measured using various social tools. Another practical technique for the study of friendship is the Ting-Toomey approach, which discovered five personality types (Morgan & Arasaratnam, 2003). His version is based on the extent to which people are guided by their personal or cultural identity. The fewer individuals rely on their cultural peculiarity, the more they become susceptible to other cultures and differences in them. However, this approach has not been widely recognized so far because it does not contain significant solutions necessary to support culture and diversity.
The desire for sensationalism is one of the traits of individuals that is almost universally ignored. This trait can stimulate people’s desire to develop intercultural friendships and relationships. The willingness to sensationalism is closely related to people’s need for something new (Morgan & Arasaratnam, 2003). That is, this group includes those people who are inclined to enjoy various vivid physical or emotional stimuli. Non-standard desire to get thrills may be associated with multiple stimulants such as taking drugs or alcohol or risky activities such as skydiving (Morgan & Arasaratnam, 2003). Nevertheless, although focusing on the search for thrills and sensations is often associated with negative behavior, some individuals in this group are more competent in building social relationships.
People who love thrills are more open to communication and are often direct in nonverbal communication. In addition, for such people, communication can be more pleasant than for people with low feelings (Morgan & Arasaratnam, 2003). That is, people who are not looking for thrills are more likely to start relationships with those who are more similar to themselves, and thrill seekers are less likely to avoid topics for conversations that can cause disputes. Such an open approach to communication has a more active impact on the development of intercultural relations.
There is also such a thing as intercultural meetings, which are new for representatives of different cultures and are characterized by an increased level of anxiety due to uncertainty. Although some people may be anxious when communicating with people of other cultures, they are driven by interest, which generates intercultural communication (Grothe, 2021). During the interaction, there is familiarization with social norms that are associated with cultural differences. Misunderstandings can often occur, and there is a risk of offending each other, as well as the risk of losing face in the process of communication. Such situations have given rise to such a criterion of a successful communicator as the ability to cope with anxiety caused by uncertainty.
An intercultural meeting is attractive for those people who are interested in finding new sensations and impressions. That is, people who are prone to risk are more active in making cross-cultural friendships than those who do not like high feelings (Grothe, 2021). This is due precisely to the fact that it is easier for thrill seekers to overcome any possible risks associated with intercultural communication. Based on this information, the authors of the article identify three main hypotheses that indicate that those who are willing to take risks in everyday life may be more open to intercultural communication.
Based on the information described in the article, it can be concluded that intercultural interaction is one of the forms of taking a social risks. For those who are looking for something new, this type of risk brings a reward in the form of new sensations. Prior to the research on intercultural communication, the desire for change and the search for sensations were associated with dangerous behavior that is incompatible with society (Morgan & Arasaratnam, 2003). Still, the desire to get new sensations makes intercultural communication possible and attractive for a certain circle of people. The curiosity they feel is a solid basis for the prospects for the development of intercultural friendship, as well as for the development of intercultural communication training programs.
Thus, leaving the framework of their own culture and getting acquainted with new cultures will help people eliminate the sameness and constancy of their own culture. In addition, it can help people learn something new and exciting. In order to develop intercultural communication, it is necessary to go beyond one’s own culture and, in some cases, take risks (Morgan & Arasaratnam, 2003). Consequently, the ties between different cultures will be more stable and robust.
Application
If one person travels from America, for example, to Africa and they are not familiar with the culture of this country, then communication may be difficult. The information from the article may be helpful for this person to understand that it is the risk that can be the basis for creating an intercultural connection. If a traveler in ordinary life is not looking for thrills and adventures, then after reading the article, they can understand that intercultural communication can be complicated. Probably, the information presented in the article will show that even though it is often the risk that makes it possible to communicate more openly if a closed, non-risky person finds a person from another culture, then communication can still develop.
The information presented in the article can also demonstrate that people who are not ready for risk may not always have intercultural communication. That is, after visiting a country with an unknown culture, a person who does not know that communication can often develop only if they are ready to take risks can close and no longer seeks to establish intercultural ties. If, on the other hand, a person realizes that the point is precisely that risk contributes to the development of intercultural communication, then probably, at some point, they will be ready to open and communicate with people of other cultures even without knowing their cultural characteristics.
The article indirectly demonstrates that the process of intercultural communication is quite complicated because its participants cannot always communicate as they communicate within their culture. The increased level of anxiety and tension plays a negative role in the development of intercultural relations, and it is anxiety that is the leading risk factor. People may misinterpret any judgments or nonverbal behavior of each other and adhere to specific patterns of behavior. In the end, this situation can provoke an intercultural conflict and prevent communication from taking place at the proper level.
The study and consideration of risk factors is an essential component of the process of formation of intercultural communication. Having received information that there is a particular risk factor in establishing cross-cultural ties, a person can think about exactly how they can avoid mistakes in contact to minimize risks. The development of cross-cultural communication is a complex skill that requires a high degree of reflection, attentiveness, and flexibility. However, if a person is not prone to risk in everyday life if they are not too interested in intercultural communication, then there is a high probability that they will not establish close intercultural ties.
There are people who are so interested in meeting and communicating with people of other cultures that they are ready to take risks and will not be afraid to offend a person of another culture. Probably this approach makes sense because it is on the basis of this that it is possible to build intercultural ties that will later develop into friendships. In addition, people of another culture also have a risk of offending the traveler, and by joint efforts, they can build their communication so that both will avoid unpleasant situations.
In conclusion, it is the willingness to take risks that can become the driving force on the way to intercultural communication. However, not everyone is ready for this risk and may experience anxiety when communicating with people of other cultures. Most often, such people are closed and do not take risks in ordinary life, unlike those who can do risky things. Curiosity and the desire to get new sensations and something sensational helps on the way to establishing intercultural relations.
References
Grothe, T. (2021). Intercultural communication competence. Butte College.
Morgan, S. & Arasaratnam, L. (2003). Intercultural friendships as social excitation: Sensational seeking as a predictor of intercultural friendship seeking behavior. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 3(31), 175-186.