1.2 Research objectives and central theme

The present research attempts to achieve two goals.The first goal is to map out the diverse ways that culture is currently conceptualized in the field，explore the philosophical foundations of each approach，provide evidence and explanations for the prevalence of the fixed-traits view in contemporary intercultural scholarship，critique this view both conceptually and empirically from a functional/postpostivist perspective，and offer a critical review across disciplines of some suggested improvements to this view.

The second goal is to incorporate the novel view of cultural processes into intercultural communication scholarship.Drawing on the work conducted by Hong，Chiu，and associates，the“organizing model for studying communication with strangers”developed by Gudykunst and Kim（2003/2007：45），the social identity theory advanced by Tajfel and colleagues（e.g.，Tajfel，1979；Tajfel&Turner，1986；Turner et al.，1987）and the communication accommodation theory articulated by Gallois，Giles and colleagues（e.g.，Gallois et al.，1995；Giles，Coupland&Coupland，1991），I have sought to propose a cultural process model for conceptually framing and organizing intercultural communication.

This cultural process model has the following distinctive features：（1）Cultural influences on the two communicators overlap，implying the fluidity and fuzziness of cultural boundaries as a result of globalization as well as the universal aspects of culture that provides common ground for communication across cultures.（2）Communication behavior is under the influence of the interaction between communicators’basic psychogenic needs，personal experiences，and cultural knowledge（Chiu&Hong，2007），which is，in turn，shaped by different levels of cultural influences that communicators receive.（3）While culture influences communication，it does not rigidly determine communication.Communicators do not passively receive their cultural environments.They use cultural knowledge as a resource for making sense of their communication experiences（Hong，2009）.（4）The application of cultural knowledge follows the principles of knowledge activation（Higgins，1996；Wyer&Srull，1986）.（5）The application of cultural knowledge is moderated by cultural identity and motivation to accommodate in communication，two factors that are associated with the intergroup dimension of intercultural communication.（6）Communication may modify basic psychogenic needs，enriches personal experiences，and expands cultural knowledge repertoires.It also has an impact on the interaction of the three.

To facilitate the operationalization of its components，the model is then refined and simplified.First，the new model focuses on how culture influences communication without considering individual factors.Second，communication is treated in general terms without an explicit distinction between verbal and nonverbal message exchanges.Finally，the“shared-ness”of cultural knowledge in communicators’knowledge repertoire is highlighted.This assumes that people have acquired cultural knowledge from different sources and of different traditions，with the result that people may have enough“shared”cultural knowledge to ensure effective communication.

I then conduct three studies to test the usefulness of the modified model.In the first study，I investigate how temporary accessibility of cultural knowledge（whether through“Chinese”and“American”primes）influences social attribution and how cultural identity moderates this process.In the second study，I examine how contextual cues influence the chronic accessibility of cultural knowledge in an intercultural situation and how cultural identity and motivation to accommodate in communication moderate this process.The third study is a case analysis aimed to bring out key elements of the model such as cultural knowledge application，cultural identity management，and communication accommodation by focusing on the“over-tuning”effect often found in intercultural interaction and acculturation.