MINDFULNESS AND EVT

Mindfulness and Expectancy Violations Theory

Mindfulness and EVT

Mindfulness

In any human communication transactional process, meanings are negotiated via three layers: content, relational, and identity. In developing a mindful interaction state, the mindful communicator is capable of being reflexive of her or his own state of identity emergence and that of others. Mindfulness is, simply phrased, the state of intentional awareness of the self's and the other's identity perspective (Langer, 2004, Pp. 85).

In communicating with culturally dissimilar others, it is vital that communicators develop a mindful outlook because of multiple identity issues at work. Although some individuals might draw from their personal identities in interacting with others, others might rely heavily on their ethnic or cultural identities in framing their communication intentions. Identity is conceptualized here as the cultural, ethnic, societal, professional, relational, and individual images of self-conception. This composite identity has group membership, interpersonal, and individual self-reflective implications (Langer, 2007, Pp. 38).

Through mindful communication, communicators can have a deeper grasp of the salient identity issues that are embodied in the intercultural speakers. Communicators can also choose to interact with others with greater intercultural sensitivity and empathy. This entry reviews the role of mindfulness in identity negotiation theory.

The concept of “mindfulness” can serve as the key link in linking culture-sensitive knowledge with the artful practice of communication skills. Mindfulness can serve as the first effective step in raising our awareness of our own systems of thinking and judging. Additionally, through mindfulness, we can learn to be more aware of the commonalities and differences that exist between dissimilar individuals and groups (Kabat, 2006, Pp. 22).

The roots of mindfulness practice are in the contemplative practices common to both Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. It is, at once, a spiritual, meditative, reflective, psychological, and applied way of intentional living and communicating.

Intercultural Competence Criteria

To be mindful communicators, individuals need to learn the value systems that influence others' self-conceptions. They need to be aware of the imbalance of power dynamics at play in interethnic or interracial communication. They need to be open to a new way of identity construction.

Competent intercultural communication emphasizes the importance of integrating the necessary intercultural knowledge, mindfulness, and interaction skills to manage identity-based process issues satisfactorily and achieve desired interactive goals appropriately and effectively. Furthermore, intercultural communication competence relies heavily on the perceptions of the communicators in evaluating each other's communicative performance (Hayes & Linehan, 2004, Pp. 51).

What may appear appropriate (e.g., soliciting age identity or relational status issue directly) in one cultural context can be viewed as inappropriate from another cultural perspective. Likewise, what may appear as effective (e.g., dealing with team problems monochronically with no regard to trust-building process) in one cultural context can be interpreted by another culture as ineffective. To act appropriately and effectively, individuals have to enhance their cultural knowledge and motivations to learn the culture-based identity rhythms in different group membership communities.



Expectancy Violations Theory

Expectancy violations theory (EVT) was developed by Judee K. Burgoon and several colleagues to predict and explain the impact of unexpected communication ...