A Basic Study on the Conformity of Japanese University Students in Language Communication Activities

Abstract

As a basic study of the communication activities with the system we have been developing, we investigated the affective factors related to student conformity by conducting a questionnaire with 81 Japanese university students in two classes. The results showed that: (1) there was no significant relationship between student conformity with another’s opinion and nervousness during English communication in either of two classes, while there was a weak relationship between student conformity and negative attitudes toward listening/speaking in English only in the Business Administration class; (2) in both classes, there was a moderate relationship between student conformity and indirect ways of self-expression, as well as feelings of apprehension regarding the possible rejection of their opinions. These results suggest that there exists no significant relationship between student conformity and nervousness during English communication. However, from the detailed analyses, it is assumed that some factors exist between them. Further investigation is required by targeting more students. The results and analyses also suggest that indirect ways of self-expression may be one of the factors which slightly influences student conformity. Meanwhile, student conformity is related to feelings of apprehension regarding the possible rejection of their opinions. However, it is not clear which is the main factor of this relationship. Therefore, these results and discussion indicate that we should focus on reducing students' feelings of apprehension regarding the possible rejection of their opinions and on familiarizing them with expressing their true intentions, when we design and implement communication activities.

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Author Information
Harumi Kashiwagi, Institute for Promotion of Higher Education, Kobe University, Japan
Min Kang, Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, Kobe University, Japan
Kazuhiro Ohtsuki, Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, Kobe University, Japan

• Category: ACEID2018, Uncategorised

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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