THE UNRAVELING OF STELLA TING-TOOMEY'S
FACE-NEGOTIATION THEORY
BY NATALIE WRIGHT
The Face-Negotiation Theory, developed by Stella Ting-Toomey, outlines why the type of face maintenance a specific culture uses determines the type of conflict management they will use in an argument. Ting-Toomey separates cultures into two groups, low-context cultures (i.e. United States) and high-context cultures (eastern countries). Low-context individualistic cultures value spoken words in a conversation, assertiveness, and honesty; while high context collectivist cultures believe every action and decision affects the group.
Ting-Toomey also describes how cultures use face concern (whose face do you protect) and face need(autonomy or inclusion). She states that low-context culture individuals would save their own face and want autonomy (privacy and space), while high-context individuals would be more concerned with trying to save the face of the opposing person and value inclusion (respect and approval). From the concepts of autonomy and inclusion stem what Ting-Toomey calls the four faces of face. The two faces used more predominately in low-context cultures include face-restoration and face-saving, which involve giving freedom and space to yourself and others. High-context cultures prefer to use face-assertion and face-giving as techniques for conflict by defending the need of inclusion for yourself and others.
Finally, Stella Ting-Toomey describes five styles of conflict management often used by high and low context cultures. High-context cultures generally use avoiding, obliging, and compromising tactics in order to deal with conflict. Where as the styles of dominating and integrating are most often used by people in low-context cultures.
In order to learn more information about the Face-Negotiation Theory, please see the pages developed by the other members of my group that are listed below.
To view a research page developed by Heidi that summarizes and analyzes the article, "The Impact of Confucianism on Interpersonal Relationships and Communication Patterns in East Asia", please click here. Heidi uses this article by June Ock Yum to evaluate Yum's discussion of social relationships vs. individualism and confucianism as associated with the Face-Negotiation Theory.
Research on the article entitled "Mental Symptoms and Public Order" by Tony describes how author Erving Goffman describes the way people act in society and what is seen as acceptable behavior in public settings. To view this analysis, please click here.
For more of an insight on how this theory applies to real life please click here. Julia has analyzed the movie Good Will Hunting to prove how the characters use such aspects of the Face-Negotiation Theory as face-restoration, and face-saving. As another example, Julia describes the face-giving characteristics of the Ohio University Forensics Team to further display how the principles of the Face-Negotiation Theory apply in reality.
Is this theory scientific or humanistic? This question can easily be answered by group member Brian Gittinger. After a short summarization of the theory, Brian analyzes the Face-Negotiation Theory step-by-step to show how it fits into one model of communication according to its specific criteria. To find out whether this theory is scientific or humanistic please click here.
To see some interesting links related to the Face-Negotiation Theory that include reports given by Stella Ting-Toomey herself and others, please click on my
links page. On this page you will also find information that further defines the differences between high-context cultures and low-context cultures, as well as an insightful interview with Edward T. Hall.
Related to the Face Negotiation Theory, Gerry Philipsen's Speech Codes Theory deals with how people in different origins have unique patterns of communication. These patterns determine the behavioral and cognitive processes of the people living in different areas. Similarly, Ting-Toomey identifies how these same processes differ in people from different cultural contexts. For a further description of the general guidelines of the Speech Codes Theory please click here.
This page last modified on 3/12/00.