Communication in everyday interpersonal and intergroup encounters

Abstract

Communication that occurs in everyday encounters influences the development and maintenance of relationships. Many theorists have called for paying greater attention to everyday communication behavior. To date, this call has not been addressed in research comparing interpersonal and intergroup communication. The purpose of this study was to compare communication in everyday interpersonal and intergroup encounters. Two sets of data were collected, one involving a comparison of intracultural and intercultural encounters, and one involving a comparison of intraethnic and interethnic encounters. In each set of data, respondents completed diaries containing measures of the nature of the encounter, the quality of communication, their satisfaction with the communication, the amount of uncertainty and anxiety, the importance of their social and personal identities, and their expectations after their encounters. The results indicate that both the type of encounter (interpersonal, intergroup) and the type of relationship (stranger, acquaintance, friend) influence communication in everyday encounters. The specific patterns that emerge are consistent with previous research and current theories of interpersonal and intergroup communication.