Secrets and Shame -- Communication Structures in Japanese Society

Author: (Japanese) Shunji Masumura
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: According to the traditional theory of communication, if the sender does not consciously express information, the information will not reach the receiver. Conversely, this means the sender must consciously express all the information they wish to convey. For example, to let the other party know about one's personality, one must consciously express all aspects of their personality. However, in reality, even without putting in this effort, one can still have their personality recognized by the other party, as the other party will proactively understand one's personality through one's actions. This active understanding by the receiver, while potentially leading to misunderstandings, also provides a possibility for constructing complex social relationships. Once in the presence of others, the sender unconsciously transmits various verbal and non-verbal messages to the receiver, beyond their own will. Even if they say nothing or do nothing, this is still a form of expressing the sender's information to the receiver. Therefore, the possibility of not sending information is no longer determined by the sender's personal will. Not sending information, in turn, is to keep a secret, just like sending information, and is a social process determined within the relationship between the sender and the receiver.