Backchannel Responses as Misleading Feedback in Intercultural Discourse

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between the frequency of backchannel responses and listener recall scores in inter- and intra-cultural conversations. The nature of the study was a simulated physician–patient interaction. Participants were 40 Canadians and 40 Chinese who formed 40 dyads in four experimental conditions: Canadian physician/Canadian patient, Chinese physician/Chinese patient, Chinese physician/Canadian patient, and Canadian physician/Chinese patient. All conversations were video-taped and micro-analyzed. The data generated three intriguing findings. (1) There were significant positive correlations between backchannel responses and listener recall scores in the two intra-cultural groups, indicating that backchannel responses facilitated content communication. (2) There were significant negative correlations between backchannel responses and listener recall scores in the two inter-cultural groups, indicating that backchannel responses might have served as misleading feedback and caused mis-communication. (3) The Chinese/Chinese condition had the highest backchannel responses; the Canadian/Canadian condition had the lowest with the two inter-cultural groups in between. This finding provides support for the Communication Accommodation theory. Implications for verbal and nonverbal communication training in intercultural interactions were discussed.