Intercultural Communication Anxiety, Intercultural Sensitivity, and Global Awareness in Japan, China and the United States: The Mediating Roles of Culture and Language Competence

Abstract

This study examined the relationships amongst intercultural communication apprehension, language competence, intercultural sensitivity, and global awareness of American, Chinese, and Japanese university students. A total of 584 students (198 from Japan, 188 from China, and 198 from America) responded to an online questionnaire. Results indicated that Japanese students had the highest intercultural communication apprehension, followed by Chinese and American. American students had significantly higher intercultural sensitivity and global awareness compared to Japanese and Chinese. The effect of culture on intercultural communication apprehension was mediated by language competence and intercultural sensitivity. Furthermore, for Japanese and Chinese, language competence mediated the relationship between intercultural sensitivity and intercultural communication apprehension, as well as the relationship between global awareness and intercultural communication apprehension. We discussed the results implicating the need for Japanese and Chinese students to become more apt at dealing with their rapidly internationalizing societies.

Keywords

Intercultural communication apprehension / intercultural sensitivity / global awareness / language competence

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