Silence in Japan and the United States

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of and attitudes toward silence in Japan and the United States. Five factors emerged in a first-order decultured factor analysis: (a) use of silence to avoid communicating, (b) negative view of silence, (c) strategic use of silence, (d) others' silence creates uncertainty, and (e) positive view of talking. Two dimensions were obtained in a second-order factor analysis: (a) negative view of silence and (b) strategic use of silence. Japanese reported a more negative view of silence when communicating with strangers than when communicating with close friends, but Americans did not. There also was a difference in negative view of silence between Americans and Japanese when communicating with strangers but not when communicating with close friends. Americans reported more strategic use of silence than did Japanese. Respondents also reported strategically using silence with strangers more than with close friends.