The influences of host and ethnic internet use on sociocultural and psychological adaptation among Chinese college students in the United States: Intercultural communication apprehension and uncertainty reduction as mediators

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the influences of internet use on cross-cultural adaptation. One hundred and fifty-two Chinese students (N = 152) in the United States completed a battery of questionnaires. Results indicated that host internet use negatively predicted intercultural communication apprehension (ICA) and uncertainty, which in turn positively influenced sociocultural and psychological adaptation. ICA predicted sociocultural adaptation equally as uncertainty, but was a stronger factor explaining psychological adaptation. Ethnic internet use, however, was not related to cross-cultural adaptation. These findings suggest that the host internet helps newcomers adapt to a new culture by reducing their ICA and uncertainty levels.

KEYWORDS:

• Internet use
• sociocultural adaptation
• psychological adaptation
• intercultural communication apprehension
• uncertainty reduction

Notes

1 All factor loadings can be obtained from the first author. According to Hair et al. (2010), factor loading estimates should be higher than 0.5, and ideally, 0.7 or higher.