What Silence Says: Communicative Style and Identity

Silence as used in interpersonal communication can be regarded an aspect of communicative style. Because of its ambiguity, silence is a rich medium of communication, but at the same time has a high potential for miscommunication, especially in intercultural encounters. The role of silence in Estonian communicative style is explored against the background of research in cross-cultural communication and a comparative study of attitudes towards silence in communication (conducted among Estonian and Canadian students as well as North American students visiting in Estonia). Attitudes towards silence in conversation are linked to dimensions of culture and constructs in social psychology.