| Intercultural studies have established that communication misunderstandings and breakdowns are inevitable when people from different cultures interact in a multicultural environment. This dissertation study examined intercultural issues among long-duration spaceflight (LDSF) crew interactions, by using the theoretical framework of intercultural communication competence (ICC) theory. Specifically, it analyzed 71 oral histories from the Shuttle-Mir project, live interviews of American astronauts, and 71 journals written by astronauts on the International Space Station. The study employed a deductive qualitative content analysis method, supported by descriptive statistics. It posed three research questions: RQ 1: What are the documented instances of intercultural communication competence in long-duration spaceflight crew communication? RQ 2: Out of the three competencies and their components, which of them do LDSF crews possess? RQ 3: Out of the three competencies and their components, which of them do LDSF crews lack?;Findings and results indicated that intercultural communication competence exists in LDSF crew interactions in the form of three competencies knowledge, motivation, and skills---and their several categories. Long-duration spaceflight crews were most competent in knowledge, followed by skills, and finally, motivation. The study also uncovered several themes under each competency and its categories, which will not only help future multicultural missions to Mars but also increase understanding of intercultural communication and ICC theory. This study has important implications for the extraterrestrial setting of space as well as practical applications for Earth. The results of this study can be applied to select and train astronauts for prolonged space missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond. They can also be utilized to examine competence among sojourners, international students, foreign workers, missionaries, volunteers, and so on. Being the first study of its kind, which examines LDSF crew interactions from an ICC perspective, the researcher hopes that this study will expand the knowledge and understating of intercultural communication and competence from a unique perspective. |
