On the morning of April 21, 2026, the 141th Gao Juefu Psychology Lecture was held in Conference Room 108 of the School of Psychology at Nanjing Normal University’s Suiyuan Campus. The lecture was delivered by Prof. Li-Jun Ji, a tenured professor at Queen’s University in Canada, on the topic “To Disclosure or Not to Disclosure: How Culture Shapes the Meaning of Communication in Intimate Relationships.” The lecture was organized by the School of Psychology at Nanjing Normal University and chaired by Associate Professor Zhang Jiqi of the School of Psychology. Faculty and students from the School of Psychology gathered at the venue, creating a lively atmosphere as they explored how culture shapes the meaning of communication in intimate relationships.

In her lecture, Professor Ji began by defining “what culture is,” then illustrated how cultural differences between the East and West manifest in everyday life by comparing the way addresses are written on envelopes, as well as the differences between elementary school classrooms in China and Canada. Professor Ji then systematically presented the research team’s three studies, which deeply explored how culture shapes the forms of communication behaviors and their effects on social lives. The first study examined the functions of self-disclosure and non-disclosure by children across different cultures. The results showed that self-disclosure is more beneficial to relationships and psychological adaptation in cultures with an independent self-concept, whereas in cultures with a humble, interdependent self-concept, withholding negative experiences actually serves to protect relationships. The second study examined the ways in which Chinese and Canadian parents apologize to their children and the effects of these approaches. Although verbal apologies facilitated forgiveness in both cultures, nonverbal apologies were more effective in promoting parent-child intimacy in Chinese families; this cultural difference was mediated by beliefs in filial piety and communication styles. The third study examined whether interacting with artificial intelligence helps individuals improve their emotional awareness. The results found that structured AI interactions centered on emotional awareness effectively enhance individuals’ ability to identify and express emotions, while reducing anxiety and stress levels; furthermore, emotional expression serves as a key mechanism for emotional regulation. Overall, these studies demonstrate that the meanings of speech and silence are deeply embedded in cultural norms.

At the conclusion of the lecture, Professor Ji engaged in an in-depth discussion with the audience.