Stella Ting-Toomey and the Face-negotiation theory
Face-negotiation theory seeks to explain and understand the roots of conflict in terms of identity management on both individual and cultural level. Face can be defined as “the claimed sense of favorable social self-worth and/or projected other-worth in a public situation” (Ting-Toomey & Kurogi, 1998). Namely the public image of an individual, or group, that their society sees and evaluates is based on cultural norms and values. The concept of face has been used to explain linguistic politeness rituals, apology acts, embarrassment episodes, requesting behaviors, rapport-building, and conflict interactions (Ting-Toomey 2010).
Born in Hong Kong, Stella Ting-Toomey (Ph.D., University of Washington) is a professor in the Department of Human Communication Studies, California State University at Fullerton. Being an author and scholar in the field of intercultural communication for over twenty years, Ting-Toomey is the leading researcher on “mindfulness” and “facework” in intercultural communication. The theory and its central issues such as face-saving, face-losing, and face-honoring “resonate with diverse ethnic groups and cultural groups on a global level,” as she says (Rinderle 2002). Currently, her research focuses on testing and fine-tuning the conflict face-negotiation theory and the cultural/ethnic identity negotiation theory.
Back in the 1980s, the mainstream, Western-based interpersonal and workplace conflict research literature emphasized on the value of self-disclosure and conflict confrontation, ignoring conflict tactfulness, avoidance style, and silence strategy. Dissatisfied with this, Ting-Toomey began to incorporate a stronger Eastern/Asian cultural orientation on conflict negotiation in a variety of conflict contexts. (Ting-Toomey 2010). Face-negotiation theory was first conceived in 1985 in the