Face threatening act avoidance and relationship satisfaction between international students and Japanese host students

This study demonstrates the effects that a face threatening act avoidance (FTAA) behavior has on the relationship satisfaction between international students and their Japanese host students. The negative effects of expectancy violations in relation to FTAA behavior were hypothesized. We collected data from 266 international students in Japan, of whom 180 were males and 86 females, with an age range of 22–44 years. Their national origins were Chinese 27%, Korean 18%, Thai 8%, Taiwanese 8%, European 7%, and others 32%. The results indicate that both overmet and undermet expectations have negative effects on satisfaction, but only in psychologically interdependent relationships. The study reveals the importance of: (1) clarifying the definition of expectation and violation; (2) examining differences in effects and meanings of violations depending on relationship types; and (3) focusing on relationships where both the senders and recipients of FTAA behavior are from the so-called collectivistic cultures.