Self-Perceived Communication Competence in the Thai Culture

Abstract

As intercultural communication and communication competence studies continue to develop, an understanding of how different cultures value these components of human communication is of considerable importance. This study focuses on Thai culture values related to self-perceived communication competence. Several measures of Thai students’ self-perceptions of their own competence in several contexts of communication were obtained—public speaking, meeting, group, dyad, stranger, acquaintance, and friendship. Responses were obtained from over 300 Thai college students. The results indicated that Thai students feel most competent when communicating with acquaintances and/or in a small group. They report feeling somewhat less competent when talking with friends or in meetings. However, they report feeling least competent when communicating in a public speaking setting or talking with strangers. Studies similar to this one, but with participants from other cultures, are needed to prepare people who are going to be called on to communicate in intercultural contexts.

Keywords:

• Communication Competence
• SPCC
• Thai Culture