8. Conflict. For all the reasons stated earlier, intercultural communication is also marked by a greater potential for conflict. During intercultural encounters, chances are great that people’s behaviors will not conform to our expectations.

We often interpret those behaviors as transgressions against our value system and morality. They produce negative emotions, which are upsetting to our selfconcepts.

These conflicts arise in intercultural episodes not only with people but also with other agents of a cultural system (such as public transportation, the post office, shops, businesses). These interactions are bound to accentuate differences in process, which inevitably lead to conflict or misunderstanding.