Deck 6: Intercultural Communication

Question 1

Intercultural communication competence is highly desirable because

A)there is increasing cultural diversity in all nations and greater levels of interaction across cultures
B)it leads to more effective networking at the local level
C)it is important to have strategies for managing differences in communication
D)it might greatly benefit businesses exclusively

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Where does culture derive from?

A)Knowledge
B)Assumptions,beliefs,values and behaviours
C)Communication between different people
D)Art and literature

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The main idea behind the concepts of high context and low context is to

A)define different cultures
B)classify differences in communication
C)help improve mass communication
D)know and value one another

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In intercultural communication

A)the sharing of meanings will bring about agreement
B)body language will reveal what the other party thinks and feels
C)the sharing of meanings may or may not bring about agreement
D)making the effort to understand the other is the critical issue

Question 5

What is the key difference between intercultural communication and intracultural communication?

A)Who the strangers in the community are
B)The context of the communication
C)The mother tongue of the stranger
D)Which is the society at large

Question 6

A definition of culture is problematic because it is

A)abstract and means different things to different people
B)the result of biological inheritance
C)an accumulation of knowledge
D)multi-dimensional and multi-layered

Question 7

We internalise the rules of interaction within our culture as part of

A)acculturation
B)enculturation
C)ethnocentrism
D)cultural relativism

Question 8

Individuals who work across boundaries are defined as

A)public relations officers
B)boundary spanners
C)ice breakers
D)cultural promoters

Question 9

The intercultural contexts for internalised rules include

A)sense and use of time
B)politeness
C)nonverbal behaviours and their meaning
D)business,social and interpersonal contexts

Question 10

The first step to effective intercultural communication is regarded as

A)acceptance and understanding of cultural differences
B)acceptance of the beliefs of another culture
C)understanding and enjoying another culture
D)recognising another culture

Question 11

What helps to facilitate communication among the members of a culture?

A)Speaking the mainstream language
B)Sharing community property
C)Perception of time and pace of life
D)Understanding the values and customs of the culture

Question 12

All interactions in intercultural communication occur in

A)context
B)business environments
C)communities
D)families

Question 13

What is a major barrier to intercultural communication and understanding?

A)Interaction with another culture
B)Awareness of differences between cultures
C)Interacting and communicating with members within a culture
D)Using one's own culture to interpret all other cultures

Question 14

Culture

A)is dynamic and changing over time
B)is learned social behaviours that develop over time
C)is so pervasive that we rarely notice how it affects us
D)all of the above

Question 15

Acculturation involves the adaptation of language,cultural beliefs and values of the majority group,as

A)an instantaneous process
B)a formal process
C)a multidimensional process
D)a process of conflict

Question 16

In a high-context culture

A)a large part of the message is implied in the message's context
B)the words in the message are explicit
C)members in a negotiation tend to move quickly to a decision
D)all of the above

Question 17

Cultural relativists believe that

A)each co-culture needs to be clear about what is right and wrong
B)different cultures might have different values,beliefs and views of what is right and wrong but this is understandable and acceptable
C)each culture will enforce what is right and wrong on another society
D)deep down we are all related culturally as recent DNA discoveries indicate that all humans have a common biological ancestry

Question 18

An understanding of theories of intercultural communication and a willingness and ability to apply them in business

A)enable us to avoid cultural change
B)increase the gap between different cultures
C)enable organisations and people to transcend cultural differences
D)decrease the need for communication between cultures

Question 19

The process of adapting to a new culture can be difficult because of

A)focusing on similarities in social norms between the two cultures
B)focusing on differences as strengths rather than adopting an unbalanced view
C)acculturation
D)conflicting social norms and attempts to retain previous culture

Question 20

Effective intercultural communication is underpinned by

A)the customs and behaviour of other people
B)interaction with another culture
C)the awareness,knowledge and skills to communicate across cultures
D)benchmarks,organisations and individuals

Question 21

Intercultural misunderstanding,tension and conflict is often generated by

A)acculturative thinking
B)enculturative behaviour
C)cultural relativism
D)ethnocentric behaviour

Question 22

The natural linguistic tendency to organise phenomena into meaningful categories can generate

A)perceptions
B)pride
C)stereotypes
D)experience

Question 23

Intercultural confusion,tension and misunderstanding are caused when

A)we fail to recognise and then understand cultural differences
B)we are aware of the specific cultural 'rules' of the other party
C)the behaviour of the other party differs from our own behaviour
D)there is insufficient time to overcome differences

Question 24

The changeable dimension of the power differential within a culture includes

A)race
B)gender
C)socioeconomic status
D)all of the above

Question 25

The most widely accepted definition of culture is the collective view of people who believe their own values and beliefs are the right ones to hold in every society.

Question 26

The stages of individual adaptation to another culture are

A)correct attitudes,beliefs,trust
B)misunderstanding,understanding,adaptation
C)perceptual element,pattern of cognition,verbal and nonverbal behaviour
D)surprise at incorrect assumptions,making sense of new experiences,new understandings

Question 27

Awareness of language use and the meaning of words can prevent communication barriers because

A)in some cultures justification is put before the main point
B)in some cultures 'yes' may not mean 'yes'
C)language is dynamic and changes over time
D)all of the above

Question 28

How people relate to each other,how they manage themselves and what they view as acceptable behaviour are determined by

A)social institutions and their norms
B)both parties in an interaction
C)the foundation of the cultural process
D)different roles and status within the social institutions

Question 29

The 'perceptual barrier' in intercultural communication refers to

A)a lack of similar life experiences
B)a tendency to view other cultures prejudicially
C)personal feelings of uncertainty and culture shock
D)differences in approach to time,space and environment

Question 30

Who should be able to manage diversity successfully to create environments that value and utilise the contributions of people with different backgrounds,experiences and perspectives?

A)Family-owned enterprises
B)Managers of multinational companies
C)Business people who travel abroad
D)Individuals living in their country of origin

Question 31

The 'culture-specific' approach to learning about other cultures traditionally refers to acquiring

A)cultural awareness and sensitivity about other cultures
B)communication sensitivity and being alert to differences
C)knowledge particular to the other culture
D)'mental software' to be used in exchanges with other specific cultures

Question 32

Intercultural discord can be complicated when

A)issues are resolved
B)conflict is inevitable
C)different conflict-management styles occur
D)ambiguity is absent

Question 33

Rules applying to the nonverbal parts of the message are learnt from

A)members of the same culture
B)members of a different culture
C)common sense
D)individuals who know the rules from different cultures

Question 34

The value systems of a society affect

A)religious practices
B)legal,social,political and economic practices
C)relationships to the physical environment
D)mass communication

Question 35

Intercultural communication competence is gained by

A)understanding other cultures
B)understanding one's own culture as well as other cultures
C)maintaining behavioural flexibility
D)maintaining transparency in financial transactions

Question 36

The purpose of meetings and banquets with potential business partners in China is to

A)understand high-context and low-context cultures
B)negotiate the tension between cultures
C)build up good business relationships and trust
D)examine the business and collect business cards

Question 37

The 'culture-general' approach to learning about other cultures refers to a development of

A)cultural awareness and sensitivity
B)awareness of differences in styles,intentions and verbal and nonverbal communication
C)taking personal responsibility for communicating
D)all of the above

Question 38

The impact religion has on business customs and practices in a country

A)is generally minimal and inconsequential
B)depends on other factors in the environment that modify the impact
C)influences how status is identified within the society
D)all of the above

Question 39

Discrimination involves overt actions by nations,institutions,groups or individuals to

A)create stereotypes about another cultural group
B)exclude,avoid or distance another cultural group
C)generate prejudice against a cultural group
D)promote negative attitudes towards a custom

Question 40

Language and the meaning of words learnt within a culture reflect

A)the tone and pitch of voice and gestures
B)the culture's values
C)that which is left unsaid and only inferred
D)knowledge of self

Question 41

The cultural components of particular importance in intercultural communication are the perceptual elements,patterns of cognition,verbal behaviours,nonverbal behaviours and the influence of context.

Question 42

Enculturation is part of our socialisation as members of a society.

Question 43

The world of communication can be divided into three parts: language,spirit and behaviour.

Question 44

Formality and the appropriate use of titles are unimportant in a high-context culture.

Question 45

Intracultural communication describes the process of communication between people of different nationalities.

Question 46

Communication rules apply only to nonverbal and informal behaviour.

Question 47

Perception of power is stable in intercultural communication.

Question 48

Culture is transmitted,maintained and sustained through learning,enculturation and the group.

Question 49

Some of the aspects of nonverbal communication influenced by culture are tone of voice,inflection,rate of speech,facial expression,touching,use of space and body movement.

Question 50

Discriminatory behaviours result from stereotyping or prejudice.

Question 51

Nonverbal behaviour arises from one's cultural common sense.

Question 52

Perception is determined entirely by intercultural contexts.

Question 53

The concept of ethnocentrism is the opposite of the acculturation process.

Question 54

Culture derives from the assumptions,beliefs,values,attitudes,norms and rules shared by a society or another group.

Question 55

What is left unsaid and only inferred is always less significant than what is said.

Question 56

The higher the context of culture is,the more quickly people get involved in their business.

Question 57

Intercultural interaction generally heightens levels of uncertainty and anxiety.

Question 58

Culture influences the way we think,feel and behave as a group of people.

Question 59

Nonverbal cues can be personal,cultural or universal.

Question 60

Acculturation is an active ongoing process of language involvement.

Question 61

Is there an appropriate attitude towards other cultures and why\why not? Discuss,giving examples to support your answer.

Question 62

Discuss the possible challenges a senior female manager might encounter when doing business with elements of a business group based in other countries.Consider the possible impact of cultural dimensions and values.

Question 63

What strategies might you implement in your organisation to promote intercultural communication competence?

Question 64

Ambiguity in intercultural communication tends to make people respond with a 'default conflict style' that is often productive.

Question 65

Intercultural communication barriers arise when either party demonstrates cultural relativism.

Question 66

Failure to appreciate a religion's significance in a specific culture can increase one's perceived power.

Question 67

Social institutions and their norms determine how people relate to each other,how they manage themselves and what they view as acceptable behaviour.

Question 68

Discuss the idea of intercultural communication competence.Can you be competent in all cultures? Why or why not? Give examples of how communication competence can improve your business.

Question 69

Identify the barriers to intercultural communication.How can these barriers be removed in a business environment? Give examples of the implications of this in business.

Question 70

Discuss the concepts of enculturation,acculturation,ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.Give examples to explain their differences.

Question 71

Discuss the relationship between culture and communication.What impact does this relationship have in multinational business?

Question 72

Discuss the relationship between language and culture.Explain this relationship with examples from two cultures.