FACE NEGOTIATION

THEORY -RISE OF THE

GUARDIANS-
INTRODUCTION
2012 American movie
The guardians: Jack Frost, North, Bunnymund, Sandy and Tooth, how they
confront Pitch Black.
Face Negotiation Theory refers about how people of different cultural get
together to solve conflicts when they are able to communicate with each
other.
It determines that self-image or “face” are the common phenomenon
which is permeated in all cultures.
People of different culture will have different precedence to save their
“face” and different ideas of what forms to save face.
ASSUMPTION 1: SELF-IDENTITY IS IMPORTANT
IN INTERPERSONAL INTERACTIONS, WITH
INDIVIDUALS NEGOTIATING THEIR IDENTITIES
DIFFERENTLY ACROSS CULTURES.

The focus of this assumption is on the personal features and attributes of

individuals involved in a conversation.

Individuals present an image of who they are in interactions with others

Just as culture influences out self-identity, the ways in which we project our
identities differ across cultures

Scene: Jack finds out about his past

ASSUMPTION 2: THE MANAGEMENT OF
CONFLICT IS MEDIATED BY FACE AND
CULTURE.

Ting-Toomey (1884) views conflict as potentially damaging to face and

reducing the amount of relational closeness between people.

Culture teaches us how to manage conflict. For example, the US culture

promotes openly airing differences.

Other cultures believe conflict should be handled discreetly

Scene: Where Jamie says Jack Frost’s name for the first time
ASSUMPTION 3: CERTAIN ACTS THREATEN
ONE’S PROJECTED SELF-IMAGE (FACE).

Different cultures have different face needs and concerns and because of
this they select different conflict management styles.

Individualistic cultures tend to be concerned with their own face (self-face

concern) and have negative face needs leading them to use conflict
management strategies that are dominating.

Collectivistic cultures are concerned with others face and they use other
type of conflict management strategies that are not dominating.

Scene: When Sandy (Sandman) is killed by Pitch (The Boogeyman)

CONCEPT 1: FACE
ORIENTATIONS
The introduction of face decides the concentration with which the face
moderator will guide her or his consideration and vitality of the content
messages

In maverick societies, such as Germany and England, there is incredible

incentive on individual rights.

In collectivist societies, such as Japan and Colombia, put more incentive

on "we" versus "I".
Scene:

The guardians North (Santa Clause), Bunnymund (Easter Bunny), Sandy

(Sandman) and Tooth (Tooth Fairy) find out that The Man in the Moon has
chosen Jack Frost as a new guardian.

Jack Frost is unimpressed by his new position as the other guardians are
easily believed in by the children, whereas he still resents the children for
not believing in him.

This scene shows that the guardians are more of a Maverick society and that
Jack is more of a collectivist.
CONCEPT 2: FACEWORK
INTERACTION STRATEGIES
Individualistic societies work with a more straightforward, low-setting
facework with significance put on verbal correspondence and nonverbal
motions for accentuation.

Collectivistic societies work in a more circuitous, high setting facework

underscoring nonverbal nuances.

There are three frequent facework strategies:

i. Dominating Facework
ii. Avoiding Facework
iii. Integrating Facework
DOMINATING FACEWORK
Characterized as trying to maintain a credible image with the goal of
winning a conflict.
Scene:
After Sandy was killed the dejected guardians return to Bunnymund’s
home as Easter is approaching
Without Sandy, they are dejected as they believe that Pitch will win and
the guardians will lose their powers.
However, Jamie’s little sister Sophie had accidentally followed them back
to Bunnymund’s home and with her help their spirit is renewed and all the
guardians begin the process of painting the eggs for Easter.
AVOIDING FACEWORK
Attempts to maintain harmony in a relationship by dealing with conflict indirectly.

Scene:

Jack loses trust in the other guardians and isolates himself in Antarctica.

Pitch finds him and tries to get Jack to join him, but Jack refuses.

Angry, Pitch threatens to kill Baby Tooth unless Jack gives him his staff.

To avoid any conflict Jack surrenders his staff to Pitch.

INTEGRATING FACEWORK
Focuses more on content resolution and maintaining the relationship.

Scene:

Jack and Jamie gather Jamie’s friends to defeat Pitch.

Jamie and his friend’s renewed belief in the guardians combined bolster their
fight against Pitch

Pitch tries to threaten them but their dreams prove to be stronger than his
nightmares, which results in the resurrection of Sandy.
With Sandy’s resurrection, the group manages to defeat Pitch

Pitch tried to retreat but his nightmares turn on him and trap him in his
lair.

In the end, Jamie and his friends say goodbye to the guardians and Jack
finally accepts his position as a Guardian.
CONCEPT 3: FACE MOVEMENT
The orientation of face decides the concentration with which the face
negotiator will guide her or his consideration and vitality of the contention
messages.

Face orientation additionally includes the idea of power distance

In an individualistic culture, the more self-face undermining the contention,

the more probable the individual will take part in an assault.

In a collectivistic culture, where common face concern is critical, evasion of

contention may win all together for the circumstance to be defused.
Scene:
Jack Frost awakens from a frozen pond with amnesia and upon realizing that
no one can see or hear him, he disappears.

300 years later, Jack as the spirit of Winter, enjoys delivering snow days to
school children.

However, he resents the fact that they do not believe in him

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Face Negotiation Theory is a theory that shows that people of
different cultures have different level of matters to save their face.

“Face” refers to the self-image of a person that they must hold their face to
maintain self-esteem.

People come from different cultures or background that have different

education or life-style, there will be conflicts that can menace people’s faces.

This theory are concentrate of using a better communication style to resolve

the conflicts and maintain faces.