Deck 3: Adapting to Others

Question 1

In a collectivist culture,

A) there is greater readiness to cooperate with others.
B) individual uniqueness is an important value.
C) independence is worth pursuing.
D) personal achievement is rewarded.
E) None of the above is characteristic of a collectivist culture.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Numerous studies searching for scientific proof of biological differences among racial groups have reached the following conclusion:

A) There are only three identifiable races: European, African, and Asian.
B) There are no pure races: 99.9 percent of DNA sequences are common to all humans.
C) The human species, homo sapiens, had its origins in China.
D) There are only three pure races: European, African, and Asian.
E) There are only five identifiable races: Caucasians, Malays, Native Americans, Ethopians, and Mongolians.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

__________ is a monotheistic religion (belief in one God) just like Christianity.

A) Islam
B) Hinduism
C) Buddhism
D) Daoism
E) Shintoism

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In low power distance cultures,

A) people accept differences in power as normal.
B) people believe that all people should be treated as equal.
C) people of privilege and wealth have much more power.
D) people accept and rarely challenge authority.
E) the government, corporations, and religious authorities may dictate rules of behavior and have the power to ensure compliance.

Question 5

Which of the following countries is the lowest power distance culture?

A) Malaysia
B) Austria
C) Guatemala
D) Philippines
E) Mexico

Question 6

According to Hofstede, the people of Malaysia, Guatemala, the Philippines, and Mexico live in a(n) __________ culture.

A) individualistic
B) high power distance
C) low power distance
D) feminine
E) short-term time

Question 7

__________ is the most individualistic country or region in the world.

A) Guatemala
B) Indonesia
C) United States
D) Pakistan
E) West Africa

Question 8

Groups of people who coexist within the mainstream of society, who remain connected to their cultural heritage, are known as

A) cultures.
B) co-cultures.
C) nationalities.
D) ethnicities.
E) races.

Question 9

According to intercultural communication scholars Myron Lustig and Jolene Koester, each dimension of culture can be viewed as a continuum of ___________ that a culture must make, rather than either/or categories.

A) beliefs
B) actions
C) interpretations
D) choices
E) attitudes

Question 10

According to Hofstede's dimensions of culture, the United States can be classified as a(n) __________ nation.

A) collectivist, low power distance, and feminine
B) individualistic, high power distance, and masculine
C) individualistic, low power distance, and feminine
D) individualistic, low power distance, and masculine
E) collectivist, low power distance, and masculine

Question 11

The gender expectations dimension focuses on expectations about suitable

A) role behaviors.
B) cultural norms.
C) differences.
D) values.
E) nurturing behaviors.

Question 12

Someone who is ___________ assumes that a person with a certain inherited characteristic also has negative characteristics and abilities.

A) racist
B) stereotypical
C) ethnocentric
D) discriminatory
E) prejudiced

Question 13

If you have positive or negative attitudes about an individual or cultural group based on little or no direct experience with that person or group, you would be classified as

A) racist.
B) stereotypical.
C) ethnocentric.
D) discriminatory.
E) prejudiced.

Question 14

Culture is defined as a learned set of ___________________ about beliefs, values, norms, and social practices that affect the behaviors of a relatively large group of people.

A) perceptual sets
B) shared understandings
C) shared interpretations
D) cultural acts
E) cultural behaviors

Question 15

Which cultural dimension would be characterized by the following components: (1) subordinates should be consulted; (2) privileges and status symbols are frowned upon, (3) parents treat their children as equals, and (4) teachers expect students to express their opinions in class?

A) individualism
B) collectivism
C) polychronic
D) low power distance
E) high power distance

Question 16

People who believe that their culture is a superior culture with special rights and privileges that are or should be denied to others would be classified as

A) ethnocentric.
B) discriminatory.
C) prejudiced.
D) stereotypical.
E) racist.

Question 17

According to Hofstede's dimensions of culture, which of the following countries is ranked the highest in terms of masculine values?

A) U.S.A.
B) Japan
C) Italy
D) Mexico
E) Israel

Question 18

Which of the following religions is the oldest?

A) Christianity
B) Islam
C) Judaism
D) Buddhism
E) Hinduism

Question 19

After Hurricane Katrina, many minorities were prevented from moving into particular neighborhoods due to newly established laws about property ownership. These laws were found to be __________________ because they excluded certain groups of people from the opportunity to choose where to live-an opportunity that was granted to others.

A) racist
B) stereotypical
C) ethnocentric
D) discriminatory
E) prejudiced

Question 20

Collectivist cultures place greater value on

A) uncertainty.
B) esteem and self-actualization.
C) personal freedom.
D) collaboration and cooperation.
E) competition.

Question 21

People who share beliefs such as "The duck that squawks gets shot," or "Seeing is better than hearing," would be characterized as members of a(n) __________ culture.

A) individualistic
B) high context
C) polychronic
D) low uncertainty
E) high power

Question 22

In high context cultures, messages are

A) implicit.
B) explicit.
C) objective.
D) factual.
E) direct.

Question 23

Which of the following is a low-context culture?

A) Chinese
B) German
C) Mexican American/Latino
D) African American
E) South Korean

Question 24

Two co-workers are from different parts of the United States-one from Maine and the other from Alabama. While they have different dialects, they use a similar, more formal speaking style in professional settings. Which strategy of intercultural communication are they using?

A) being mindful
B) adapting to others
C) actively engaging others
D) being receptive to new information
E) respecting others' perspectives

Question 25

Which dimension of culture best explains why, in places such as India, Kenya, and Argentina, people are driven less by a need to "get things done" and more by a sense of participation in events that create their own rhythm?

A) individualism-collectivism
B) power distance
C) gender expectations
D) time orientation
E) high-low context

Question 26

Ethnocentrism is a belief based on generalizations about a group of people that oversimplify their characteristics.

Question 27

Hinduism is the oldest of the world's major religions, dating back more than 3,000 years.

Question 28

Which of the following statements would be made by someone from a low context culture?

A) "I rely on facial expressions to interpret what others mean."
B) "Feelings are a valuable source of information."
C) "I try to maintain harmony in my communication with others."
D) "I like to be accurate, clear, and direct when I talk to others."
E) "I communicate in an indirect fashion."

Question 29

In the United States, whiteness is a culture.

Question 30

A culture is a learned set of shared interpretations about beliefs, values, and norms that affect the behaviors of a relatively large group of people.

Question 31

Howard Giles' Communication Accommodation Theory

A) advocates mindfulness.
B) contrasts Western and Asian ways of thinking.
C) explains why collectivist and individualistic cultures have difficulty reaching agreement.
D) claims that when another group is attractive and powerful, we adapt our communication style to their speech behaviors and norms.
E) contends that ethnocentrism and stereotyping leads to racism.

Question 32

The term culture is limited to a person's country of origin, skin color, or ancestral heritage.

Question 33

In many countries and for many cultures, religion is the culture.

Question 34

Culture does not affect your life in obvious ways.

Question 35

Co-cultures exist within a mainstream society.

Question 36

If you interact with people in a culture that respects its elders, you may hesitate to question the views of an older person or senior official. Which observation about how effective communicators accommodate one another is represented by your hesitation?

A) Communication similarities and differences exist in all conversations.
B) The manner in which we perceive the communication of others will determine how we evaluate our interaction with others.
C) Language and behavior convey information about social status and group membership.
D) Accommodation varies in its degree of appropriateness, and norms guide the accommodation process.
E) Conversations are always adapted to others when interacting with those who are culturally unalike yourself.

Question 37

Which theory explains that powerful, wealthy groups at the top of a society determine who will communicate and be listened to?

A) Hofstede's Dimensions of Culture
B) Kramarae's Muted Group Theory
C) Crawford's Mediated Communication Theory
D) Blumenbach's Racial Discrimination Theory
E) Prothero's Religious Literacy Theory

Question 38

Christianity is the oldest of the world's religions, dating back more than 2,000 years.

Question 39

Mindfulness involves being fully aware-in your _________________, emotional feelings, and conscious mind-of the present moment without making judgments.

A) cognitive thoughts
B) stereotypical thinking
C) physical body
D) interpretations
E) logical judgments

Question 40

The concept of culture is much broader than words such as nationality, race, and ethnicity.

Question 41

Hofstede's cultural dimension of masculine/feminine values describes individual perspective, rather than a societal perspective.

Question 42

Prejudices are positive or negative attitudes about an individual or cultural group based on little or no direct experience with that person or group.

Question 43

Most of the world's population lives in collectivist cultures.

Question 44

High power distance represents the extent to which the less powerful person in society accepts inequality in power and considers it normal.

Question 45

According to Hofstede, intercultural communication is an aspect of a culture that can be measured relative to other cultures.

Question 46

Most prejudices are negative.

Question 47

Members of high-context culture tend to speak more, speak louder, and speak more rapidly than people from low-context cultures.

Question 48

There is a strong correlation between collectivism and high power distance.

Question 49

According to intercultural communication scholars Stella Ting-Toomey and Leeva C. Chung, the nature of our language creates many stereotypes.

Question 50

The majority of Americans, including people of color and other minorities, show a variety of unconscious biases.

Question 51

Prejudice is the mistaken belief that your culture is a superior culture with special rights and privileges that are, or should be denied to, others.

Question 52

All humans belong to the same species, homo sapiens, which had its origins in Africa.

Question 53

A study of college students found that in the mid-1990s, African Americans were stereotyped as lazy and loud; Jews were described as shrewd and intelligent.

Question 54

In feminine value societies, gender roles overlap: Both women and men are supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life.

Question 55

In high-context cultures, silence and status both have meaning.

Question 56

The United States ranks number one among the most individualistic countries in the world.

Question 57

One research study concluded that Americans are writing and caring "less about community bonds and obligations" and more about themselves.

Question 58

To someone from a collectivist culture, a U.S. communicator's style and behavior may be viewed as selfish, arrogant, antagonistic, and impatient.

Question 59

In individualistic cultures, there is a greater willingness to cooperate with group members.

Question 60

In low-context cultures, most meaning is primarily expressed through language.

Question 61

According to the practice of communication accommodation, you will encounter differences in all conversations.

Question 62

According to Communication Accommodation Theory, when we sense that another group has more power than we do, we often resent and reject their style of communicating.

Question 63

"What is your race?" How would you answer this question? Is race a legitimate way of classifying people or a biologically meaningless concept? Conclude your essay with the definition of race you would use when addressing the above question.

Question 64

Define each of the five obstacles to understanding others (ethnocentrism, stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and racism). Explain how they differ from one another and how they can lead to one another. In other words, how does ethnocentrism lead to stereotyping, which leads to prejudice, and so on?

Question 65

Define the terms culture and co-cultures. To what culture and co-cultures do you belong and how have they affected your attitudes and behavior?

Question 66

Geert Hofstede and Edward Hall identify several dimensions of culture. Select and name four of these dimensions/characteristics and indicate how they impact effective and ethical communication.

Question 67

Regardless of ethnic background, race, or life experiences, people from all cultures smile when happy, wave as a greeting, laugh when amused, blush when embarrassed, and cry when sad or in pain.

Question 68

If you cling to one way of seeing a person or interpreting an event, you have stopped being mindful.

Question 69

High-context communication occurs more often in collectivist cultures.

Question 70

What kinds of misunderstanding or conflict could occur when some work colleagues are individualistic and others are collectivist in orientation? What communication strategies could help resolve any resulting tensions?

Question 71

Muted Group Theory claims that because powerful, wealthy groups at the top of U.S. society determine who will communicate and be listened to, women, the poor, and people of color have difficulty participating and being heard.

Question 72

Western thinkers focus on the interacting, unpredictable relationships among events, whereas East Asian thinkers focus on discovering the basic and predictable nature of objects and events.

Question 73

The Japanese, African Americans, and Latin Americans are examples of high-context cultures.

Question 74

Your textbook claims that whiteness is a culture. Provide reasons and examples that support this claim. If you disagree with this claim, provide reasons and examples that refute this claim.

Question 75

Mindfulness occurs when you are fully aware of the present moment without making hasty judgments.

Question 76

The United States is far behind other countries in terms of the speed and cost of Internet access and connections. Why, for example, do South Koreans "have access to Internet speeds that are more than 200 times faster than what most American have, and they can have it for just $27 a month"? What is the impact of this growing digital divide between the U.S. and other countries?

Question 77

Japan, Venezuela, and Italy are countries with high masculine values. Sweden, Norway, and Denmark are countries with high feminine values. In general, how would you contrast the assumptions about men and women in these countries?

Question 78

Identify and describe at least two assumptions in Muted Group Theory that explain how women and minority group voices are subdued and silenced in many cultures.

Question 79

If you were from an individualistic, low-context, low power distance culture and had to work with a colleague from a collectivist, high-context, high power distance culture, what strategies would you use to communicate effectively with your coworker?

Question 80

The Know Thy Self feature "Questions of Faith" explains and justifies Stephen Prothero's call for religious literacy. What misconceptions do you or people you know have about religion? How do these misconceptions affect the way we interact with people of other faiths?