Little Lies for Positive Communication: Pitfalls of Interaction at the Crossroads of Cultures

P. 158–166.

Moshnyaga Elena Viktorovna, Hussain I.

The paper dwells upon the phenomenon of positive communication as
a way of constructing alternative social reality; it is also explored cross- culturally
in interaction with culturally dissimilar Others. Positive communication is contrasted
with negative communication. In this perspective, positive communication
is considered as a social- interactional phenomenon of a pragmatic nature. Cultural
diff erences in conceptualizing positive communication viewed as pitfalls of
intercultural interaction are examined. Little lies are focused upon and analyzed
as a pragmatic value, a cultural norm, and ‘a new normal’ aimed at creating
positivity in relations with communicative partners. An attempt is being made to
identify typical motives for using little lies in communication by means of a survey
among Russian and international students primarily from South Asian cultures.
Other methods used in the ongoing research are participant and non-participant
observation, social and mental experiment as well as case studies, followed by
duoethnographic interpretation of the results.

Keywords: norms, intercultural communication, positive communication, negative communication, little lies, culturally dissimilar Other, pitfalls of interaction

In book

Proceedings of the International Science Conference “APPLIED RESEARCH. GLOBAL SOLUTIONS” (May 6, 2026). Istanbul. Turkey. Part 2.

Scientific publishing house Infinity, 2026.