Internet use ad cross-cultural adaptation.Testing a Model of Internet Use in the Cross-Cultural Adaptation Context

Ying Wang (1) , Shaojing Sun (2) , Paul M. Haridakis (3)
(1) Department of Marketing, Williamson College of Business Administration, Youngstown State University, One University Plaza, Youngstown , China
(2) Fudan University, Shanghai, P. R. China , China
(3) Kent State University , China

Abstract

The growth of new communication technologies has presented new challenges to traditional cross-cultural adaptation (CCA) research. Guided by uses and gratifications (U&G) theory, we proposed a model of Internet use in CCA, investigating how individual differences, Internet use motives, and Internet use influenced Chinese students’ CCA. Eight Internet use motives were identified in the CCA context, including social involvement, acculturation, pass time, information, entertainment, convenience, companionship, and ethnic maintenance. The results showed that loneliness, English competence, separation attitude, and convenience motivation predicted socio-cultural adaptation; Loneliness, English competence, information motivation, entertainment motivation, pass time motivation, and American Internet use predicted psychological adaptation. The findings partially supported the proposed model. Implications for CCA and U&G research were discussed.

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Authors

Ying Wang
ywang01@ysu.edu (Primary Contact)
Shaojing Sun
Paul M. Haridakis
Author Biography

Ying Wang, Department of Marketing, Williamson College of Business Administration, Youngstown State University, One University Plaza, Youngstown

Ying Wang (Ph.D., Kent State University, 2006) is an assistant professor in the Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University. Shaojing Sun (Ph.D., Kent State University, 2003; Ph.D., University of Virginia, 2006) is an associate professor in the School of Journalism at Fudan University, Shanghai, P. R. China. Paul M. Haridakis (Ph.D., Kent State University, 2001) is an associate professor in the School of Communication Studies at Kent State University.

Wang, Y., Sun, S., & Haridakis, P. M. (2009). Internet use ad cross-cultural adaptation.Testing a Model of Internet Use in the Cross-Cultural Adaptation Context. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 9(2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v9i2.484

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