The Nature and Consequences of Topic Avoidance in Chinese and Taiwanese Close Relationships

• In Event: Reducing Uncertainty in an Uncertain World

Abstract

A total of 657 college students from Taiwan and China responded to two-stage surveys on the nature and consequences of topic avoidance in close relationships. Taiwanese avoided the topic of politics to a greater degree than Chinese. Friends avoided almost every topic to a greater degree than romantic partners. Protection of the other was one of the most frequent reasons for topic avoidance. Lack of closeness consistently predicted topic avoidance.

Authors

• Shuangyue Zhang, Sam Houston State Univ

• Andy Merolla, Colorado State University

• Shu-Fang Lin, National Chung Cheng University of Taiwan