A cross-cultural comparison of the relationship between ICA, ICMS and assertiveness/cooperativeness tendencies.

This study compared the differences and similarities in the relationship of intercultural communication apprehension (ICA) with intercultural conflict management styles (ICMS) and assertiveness/cooperativeness tendencies between U.S. and Korean college students. With Neuliep and McCroskey¡¯s PRICA scale, Wilmot and Hocker¡¯s ICMS scale and Volkema and Bergmann¡¯s assertiveness/cooperativeness dimensions, this study attempted to expand McCroskey and his colleagues¡¯ studies by employing three levels of ICA: Low, medium and high. This study found that there were significant differences across the levels of ICA, ICMS and assertiveness/cooperativeness tendencies between U.S. and Korean college students. The findings of this study suggest that across culture high ICA is a public enemy that we must eliminate; ICA is an important factor in determining how an individual manages intercultural conflicts across culture; reducing ICA may contribute to building more productive intercultural conflict management across culture. However, the findings of this study further implies that besides ICA, there may be some other important factors, influencing ICMS and assertiveness/cooperativeness tendencies, such as shyness, silence, and face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]