| The purpose of this study was to investigate national perceptions through photo-communication. On the basis of previous research, three factors (nationality, gender, and length of the stay) were selected as independent variables.;Thirty American students, 19 Japanese students, 31 Taiwanese students, and 15 Venezuelan students, all attending the University of Florida, participated in the study. The participants were provided with an instamatic pocket camera loaded with 12-exposure film and were asked to take four photographs describing the United States from their point of view. In addition, they were asked to supplement the photographs with short explanations.;The data were coded into 24 emergent categories and converted to percentages. Three analyses of variances were conducted in order to investigate the differences in national perceptions by four nationals, the characteristics of Americans, and the influences of individual factors, respectively.;It was concluded that three factors affect national perceptions: nationality, gender, and length of stay. The results were interpreted in terms of saliency theory and orientation theory as well as in terms of in-group, out-group perceptions. |
