Storytelling and Empathic Responses in Interaction Scenes

Conversations between Students Studying Japanese Abroad and Japanese University Students

Abstract

This study analysed conversations between Japanese language learners and Japanese students as they interacted. This research focused on the following two points: ① What kind of experiences are discussed? ② What kind of empathetic response is expressed toward storytelling? The conversations were analysed using a conversational analysis method.. The following characteristics were revealed. Regarding ①, the students and language learners discussed common experiences as well as personal experiences. Additionally, they discussed their own experiences while also introducing the cultures of their home countries. When doing so, rather than simply to provide an informational context, they presented this information in a manner designed to pique the interest of the listener. By presenting this as a point of interest, a situation was created where the listener was more likely to be responsive. Moreover, when the speaker introduced culture through their personal experiences, the other party was able to participate in the discussion on an equal footing without being made to feel as though they lacked the prerequisite knowledge. It was found that this way of speaking created a structure of ‘learning from each other’ rather than ‘teaching the other person ⇔ learning from the other person’, which made it easier for both parties to talk about their experiences as they interacted. Regarding ②, it has been suggested that, through hearing about another person’s experiences and culture, one gains a better appreciation of that person’s culture while striving to better understand the individual themself. Some participants could also be seen reacting by seemingly empathising with the other person’s experiences.