Deck 3: Intercultural Communication

Question 1

In one study, researchers analyzed the conversations of mothers and their 2-year-old children in Estonia and the United States. They discovered that Estonian mothers talked more to their children, but American mothers gave their children more commands.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

One feature of the Estonian communication style that may be changing is how often Estonians use superlatives such as "the best" or "the most."

Answer 2

True

Question 3

McGuire and Padawer-Singer's distinctiveness hypothesis states that ______________.

A) communication is more efficient when speakers enunciate words clearly
B) we define ourselves, in part, in terms of how we are different from others
C) cultural groups with a unique language or history tend to have higher self-esteem
D) none of the above

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In terms of their communication style, Estonians as a group _____________________ than Americans.

A) are more reserved
B) are less direct
C) speak more slowly
D) all of the above

Question 5

Compare and contrast the typical communication styles of Estonians and Americans.

Question 6

What is the distinctiveness hypothesis? How is it relevant to the formation of an ethnic or national identity?

Question 7

Research findings are mixed, but the consensus among experts is that a study abroad experience does not improve one's intercultural competence.

Question 8

The internal validity of a study is high when the researcher can rule out all plausible alternative explanations for the study's findings.

Question 9

Intercultural competence is ________________________________.

A) the ability to act as a mediator when two nations have a legal dispute
B) the ability to travel alone in a foreign country
C) the ability to translate from one language to another language
D) none of the above

Question 10

The two-group, before-and-after design can eliminate the threat of ___________.

A) history
B) maturity
C) testing
D) all of the above

Question 11

According to Wolff and Borzikowsky, the German researchers featured in Briefing 11, why does study abroad enhance one's intercultural competence? Be specific.

Question 12

Design a study to investigate the impact of living in a foreign country on one's capacity to be self-sufficient. Strive to achieve a high level of internal validity. Then identify your hypothetical study's methodological strengths and weaknesses.

Question 13

In a low-context culture, communication is explicit and unambiguous; the intended message is conveyed largely by the words spoken.

Question 14

Historical heterogeneity is high in regions that, for hundreds of years, have seen large numbers of foreign immigrants arrive and settle in the region.

Question 15

In which kind of country are you most likely to see signs in public that say "no smoking" and "the line forms here"?

A) a country with a high level of historical heterogeneity
B) a country with a low level of historical heterogeneity
C) a country with a high-context culture
D) a country with a low-context culture

Question 16

Studies have found that people in countries with high historical heterogeneity tend to _______________ than people in countries with low historical heterogeneity.

A) be more expressive emotionally
B) be less expressive emotionally
C) rely more on contextual communication cues
D) rely less on contextual communication cues

Question 17

Why do people living in high HH societies tend to be more emotionally expressive than people who live in low HH societies? (HH is historical heterogeneity.)

Question 18

According to Craig Storti, the negative emotions associated with a cultural incident often cause a person to withdraw to a familiar space.

Question 19

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to underestimate the dispositional causes of behavior and overestimate the situational and cultural causes of behavior.

Question 20

We read in Briefing 13 about a group of American students who experienced a cultural incident when ________________________________.

A) they tried to mail post cards at a post office in Morocco
B) they encountered children in Russia who begged aggressively for money
C) they boarded a bullet train in Japan to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
D) they attended a late-night student party in the countryside of Estonia

Question 21

Which of the following is a conversational rule in Estonia?

A) Say "how are you?" only if you genuinely want to know how the person is doing.
B) Avoid the use of superlatives.
C) Speak only when you have something worth saying.
D) All of these are conversational rules in Estonia.

Question 22

You read in Briefing 13 about how to respond to a cultural incident. Describe Craig Storti's model of intercultural adjustment. Be specific.

Question 23

According to linguist Donal Carbaugh, what are Americans trying to accomplish when they behave in ways that are sometimes perceived as being superficial?