b. Negative Stereotypes—

c. Anxiety: Fear about the possible negative consequences of out actions or uncertainty about how to act—

d. Affirming Another’s Person’s Cultural Identity—

III. Foundations of IC Relationships
a. Similarity and Differences
i. Similarity principle:

ii. Differences (Complementarity):

b. Cultural differences in relationships
i. Friendships
1. Friend is defined differently in different cultures
a.
b.
c.
d.

ii. Romantic relationships
1. In general, most cultures stress the imptc. of some degree of openness, involvement, shared nonverbal meanings, and relationship assessment
a. American students emphasize
b. Many other cultural groups

iii. Gay relationships
1. Less research exists in this area of study, however it is known that homosexuality has existed in every society, and in every era.
IV. Relationships Across Differences
a. Unique themes guide thinking about communicating in intercultural relationships
i. Competence: There are four levels of IC communication competence
1. Unconscious incompetence—

2. Conscious incompetence—

3. Conscious competence—

4. Unconscious competence—

ii. Similarity
1. While some dissimilarity accounts for the initial attraction, it is important to find and develop some similarity
iii. Involvement
1. All relationships take time to develop, but it is especially important in IC relationships.
2. Intimacy of interactions is another element of involvement, as are shared friendship networks.
iv. Turning Points
1. These relate to perceived changes in the relationship that move the relationship forward or backward.
2. Points of understanding (self-disclosure) may move the relationship to a new level.
b. Intercultural Dating
i. The reason people date both inside and outside their own ethnic group is similar: they are attracted to the other person, physically and/or sexually.
ii. The reason people do not date inside or outside of their own ethnic group are often different
1. lack of attraction
2. lack of opportunity and not having thought about it
iii. These different responses reflect the social and political structure of U.S. American society.
1. People have been taught that it is better to date within their own ethnic and racial group: and they probably have very little opportunity to date interethnically.
2. Families often pass on negative attitudes regarding interracial friendship or romance to their children.
c. Intercultural Marriage
i. Pressures from the family and society and issues involved in raising children are major concerns for spouses in intercultural marriages, more so than for other married couples.
ii. Most couples face similar problems related friends, politics, finances, sex, in-laws, illness and suffering, and child raising.
1. Certain issues can be more serious in intercultural marriages, including values, eating and drinking habits, gender roles, ethnocentrism, religion, place of residence, stress, and attitudes regarding time.
iii. Couples considering permanent international relationships should prepare carefully for the commitment. Partners who marry interculturally should consider legal issues like their own and their children’s citizenship, finances and taxation, property ownership, women’s rights, divorce, and issues regarding death.
V. Society and IC Relationships
a. It is important to consider how society influences interpersonal relationships.
b. We must consider the kinds of persecution that intercultural relationships encounter and think about the social institutions that might discourage such relationships.