Research On Diverse Message Systems In Intercultural Communication

The necessary study of intercultural communication can be safely detected from among a selection of the major publications on L2 learning and teaching that are currently available both at home and aboard. The state of basic research into the intercultural communication has continued to leave something to be desired. One of the best ways to improve intercultural communication is to find out the cultural communication barriers together with their roots that lead to misunderstandings. However, the topic of cultural communication barriers is so great that the thesis only focuses on one aspect—diverse message systems.The thesis consists of four chapters. Specifically, first of all, the thesis provides an overview of the basic understanding of the related concepts on intercultural communication and message system.Secondly, the thesis focuses on the theoretical approaches of human information processing which provide a framework for understanding human cognition, whether the information processing system operates within the linguistic sphere or not. Serial and parallel processing, top-down and bottom-up processes, automatic and controlled processes and modularity are examined separately. At the same time, the Cognitive Constraint Theory and the Whorf Hypothesis are introduced in this chapter. Thirdly, the thesis specifically discusses the typical phenomena of diverse message systems: stereotypes. In the first part, the connections between the diverse message systems and the stereotypes are pointed out. The thesis explains how stereotypes influence the daily life through examples. Stereotypes can be positive if being properly used. On the contrary, they can deepen the misunderstanding if they are falsely used.Fourthly, the thesis raises some feasible suggestions that can be used in daily life to help intercultural communication according to the viewpoint of diverse message systems.In conclusion, the thesis reviews all the discussions about the diverse message systems. The clash of different cultures is actually the clash of diverse message systems. Attention on the influence of diverse message systems during the communication can effectively decrease the conflictions between cultures. Feasible measures on diverse message systems can accelerate the cultural compatibility.