Deck 3: Intercultural Communication

Question 1

When Elizabeth moved from New York to Savannah,Georgia,she had a hard time adjusting to the slower pace,to people opening doors for her,and to people calling her ma'am.She felt that what others intended as friendly gestures invaded her personal space.Elizabeth experienced _______.

A)culture shock
B)low power distance
C)high uncertainty avoidance
D)low context

Answer 1

A

Question 2

If you come from a culture characterized as having high power distance,_______.

A)you believe there should be opportunities to attain powerful positions in society
B)you believe that power corrupts
C)inequalities in power,status,and rank are viewed as natural
D)individuals are expected to downplay differences in power,status,and rank

Answer 2

C

Question 3

If you come from a culture characterized as having low power distance,_______.

A)you believe that powerful positions in society are subject to low supervision
B)you believe in using proper and polite forms of language and using titles as a sign of respect
C)inequalities in power,status,and rank are viewed as natural
D)individuals are expected to downplay differences in power,status,and rank

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A person who values a company's health and retirement plans more than the base salary is probably from a _______ culture.

A)high uncertainty-avoidance
B)low uncertainty-avoidance
C)long-term oriented
D)feminine

Question 5

When Miriam noticed that a group of Asian women in the cafeteria had an increased loudness or pitch to their speech,she assumed that they must be arguing.Which of the following is she demonstrating?

A)ethnocentrism
B)incompatible communication codes
C)incompatible norms and values
D)anxiety

Question 6

Johanna and Alexis are friends and co-workers.When Alexis gets a promotion and becomes Johanna's boss,Johanna suddenly begins to speak more formally with her.Alexis doesn't understand why her friend is acting so distant,but Johanna feels that she is simply acting more respectful of Alexis's new position.Which of the following communication barrier are they experiencing?

A)ethnocentrism
B)incompatible communication codes
C)incompatible norms and values
D)anxiety

Question 7

Ashlee likes that she is small,has long hair and enjoys wearing dresses.However,she also likes to wear men's jeans,is a construction worker,and does not intend to have children.Based on this information,Ashlee is probably from a _______ culture.

A)feminine
B)high power distance
C)low uncertainty avoidance
D)collectivist

Question 8

Which of these can be a co-culture?

A)sexual orientation
B)social class
C)gender
D)all of these

Question 9

If a person sees it as normal that they must approach their boss in a much different way than they approach other co-workers,they probably come from a(n)_______.

A)individualistic culture
B)collectivist culture
C)low power-distance culture
D)high power-distance culture

Question 10

If Yolanda was upset because she was unable to get a hamburger and French fries for lunch one day during her study abroad to Guatemala,her attitude would be demonstrating _______.

A)ethnocentrism
B)anxiety
C)assuming similarity
D)stereotyping

Question 11

Culture shock _______.

A)is caused by an absence of shared meaning
B)refers to culturally sensitive interactions between people of different races
C)is caused by an absence of sensitivity
D)is caused when one person feels rejected or ignored

Question 12

Intercultural communication _______.

A)refers to an exchange between members of different cultures
B)refers to the psychological discomfort you may feel when you interact with people from different cultures
C)refers to interactions that occur between people whose cultures are so different that the communication between them is altered
D)hurts local cultures

Question 13

Anthony is on vacation and declares that "the food at home is so much better." He is taking part in ______.

A)ethnocentrism
B)stereotyping
C)assumed similarity
D)assumed difference

Question 14

Intercultural empathy is _______.

A)feeling sympathy with someone's culture
B)the power that the listener has over the speaker
C)being careful to avoid the risk of hurting the other person
D)imagining yourself in the other person's cultural world so as to experience what he or she is experiencing

Question 15

Sharon works at a retail store in the U.S.Even though the transactions take longer and are more difficult when she serves a customer who does not speak much English and have different cultural norms,Sharon is patient and realizes these interactions are inevitable and can still result in satisfaction for both the customer and her.Sharon is doing what suggested behavior to improve intercultural communication?

A)being altruistic
B)tolerating ambiguity
C)being ethnocentric
D)immersing herself in culture

Question 16

If someone prefers concrete and specific language and predictability,they are likely to be from a ______.

A)low uncertainty-avoidance culture
B)high uncertainty-avoidance culture
C)culture that values power distance
D)culture characterized by uncertainty reduction

Question 17

If,in a communication setting,the receiver is expected to understand the message based on the time,place,and way the message is delivered,the speaker is probably from a ______.

A)low-context culture
B)high-context culture
C)monochronic culture
D)polychrinic culture

Question 18

Matthew lives his life by Christian principles,attends church twice a week,and he is in a Bible study.When faced with choices in his life,he asks what the right choice is based on his faith.Matthew's religion is an example of _______.

A)culture shock
B)a co-culture
C)ethnocentrism
D)uncertainty anxiety

Question 19

Jerry is more likely to be a member of a collectivist culture if he _______.

A)is concerned that he receive the credit for his work from his co-workers
B)decides to quit work with the family business even though it will upset his mother
C)is careful to bring up delicate topics with his boss in private,not in public
D)gets impatient with his group so he tells them what to do rather than letting them come to a consensus

Question 20

Cultural identity _______.

A)comes from our ethnicity and race
B)becomes more important to people as they get older
C)is determined by the importance that we assign to membership in cultural groups
D)doesn't matter if you are a member of the dominant culture

Question 21

Someone from a low-context culture uses more gestures and unwritten rules to convey their message.

Question 22

Intercultural communication does not occur unless you leave your home country.

Question 23

Assumed similarity helps us communicate interculturally because we usually communicate better when we understand others in terms of ourselves.

Question 24

Identify a cultural saying or proverb from a culture of which you are a member or have knowledge.What does the saying mean? Choose one of the dimensions of culture discussed in the text and explain how that saying illustrates that aspect of the culture.

Question 25

Ethnicity and race are the same thing.

Question 26

What factors should be considered when investigating barriers to intercultural communication? Name and describe at least three barriers

Question 27

Altruism means being insensitive to cultural differences.

Question 28

Assume you are involved in a conflict at work.Discuss three ways in which you might approach this conflict if you were from a collectivist culture,and explain how your approach differs from the approach someone from an individualistic culture might take.