Deck 7: Coping With Culture Shock

Question 1

An expatriate is someone who __________.

A) immigrates to a second country as a child
B) has been deported from their home country
C) is a resident of a foreign country
D) obtains citizenship in a new country

Answer 1

C

Question 2

__________ will experience all the symptoms of culture shock, but __________ will experience some.

A) Not everyone; almost all
B) Not everyone; most people
C) No one; most people
D) No one; almost all

Answer 2

A

Question 3

What alternate interpretation does sociologist Peter Adler give for culture shock?

A) The effects of culture shock are exaggerated, and are actually quite rare.
B) It can result in transitional experiences that lead to personal growth.
C) Culture shock can be completely prevented with careful training.
D) Culture shock is an urban myth, and does not exist.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

What is the most effective way to completely avoid culture shock?

A) stay with a host family
B) go on a short trip
C) have training before you leave
D) stay home

Question 5

Mike has been living in Korea for about six months now. He is enjoying his work, getting along well with his Korean colleagues, and learning his new language rapidly. He understands local customs better now, and will miss many of them when he returns home. Which stage of culture shock does Mike's situation best represent?

A) biculturalism
B) gradual adjustment
C) the honeymoon stage
D) irritation and hostility

Question 6

Which of the following is true regarding the onset of culture shock?

A) It is so subtle that you cannot know whether you have culture shock or not.
B) It gradually develops from a series of cumulative events.
C) It comes on suddenly and without warning.
D) It is triggered by one of several specific, traumatic events.

Question 7

What is a common consequence of failure to adjust to a foreign job assignment?

A) poor work performance
B) quitting and moving back home
C) divorce
D) serious illness

Question 8

What qualities are common in successful businesspeople back home, but are also traits that readily contribute to culture shock?

A) flexibility, competitiveness, and egalitarianism
B) competitiveness, flexibility, and time consciousness
C) egalitarianism, high motivation to achieve, and flexibility
D) high motivation to achieve, competitiveness, and time consciousness

Question 9

The disorientation faced when trying to reintegrate back into one's own culture is known as __________ shock.

A) homecoming
B) homeland
C) reentry
D) return

Question 10

Why are tourists and short-term business travelers shielded from the more debilitating effects of culture shock?

A) One must be in a new place for at least a month to experience culture shock.
B) Their experiences are limited to hotels and restaurants geared to Westerners.
C) Tourists and businesspeople tend to travel in groups with trained guides.
D) Culture shock is only experienced by those who speak the local language.

Question 11

According to researchers Okpara and Kabongo, cross-cultural training that is focused on __________ is most effective.

A) conflict resolution
B) the host country's culture
C) virtual partnerships
D) language and history

Question 12

Which of these people is demonstrating symptoms of severe culture shock?

A) Ann looks forward to her letters from home, and eagerly writes to her mother about her experiences each week.
B) Brad misses some foods from home, but has really enjoyed learning to cook with the local fruits and vegetables.
C) Christine attends language lessons weekly, and likes to meet with her new neighbor for the occasional cup of tea.
D) Dan spends most of his time alone or with other expats, and often makes stereotypical jokes about the locals.

Question 13

What skill can provide a sense of safety and self-assurance when immersed in another culture?

A) first aid
B) starting a fire
C) reading a map
D) communication

Question 14

Consciously pursuing communication patterns, cultural self-awareness, and other facets of the cultural environment is known as the __________ approach.

A) behavioral
B) cognitive
C) functional
D) stylistic

Question 15

Why are epithets such as "savage", "ignorant", or "primitive" inappropriate for describing one's host culture?

A) Business transactions rarely take place in underdeveloped cultures.
B) These terms represent the emic view of anthropology, not the etic.
C) All cultures are integrated, and have a consistently logical structure.
D) Most cultures are more socially advanced than our own.

Question 16

What is the best piece of advice for minimizing culture shock?

A) Live with other Americans.
B) Be prepared.
C) Reduce contact with people back home.
D) Keep your visit to a short duration.

Question 17

Which of the following is a common feeling associated with culture shock?

A) delight
B) eagerness
C) helplessness
D) terror

Question 18

Many employees are on assignment abroad for about __________.

A) 12 weeks
B) 6 months
C) 3 years
D) 10 years

Question 19

Which of these attitudes is most beneficial for a successful post abroad?

A) The world offers opportunities for personal and professional growth.
B) Foreign markets are untapped sources of income.
C) The American business model is the best in the world.
D) You do not need to adjust to the local environment if you're only staying temporarily anyway.

Question 20

Why should you try to master simple tasks, such as using the local currency and public transportation, within a few days of arrival?

A) This will minimize frustration and help you gain confidence .
B) It is unlikely that anyone in your host culture will be able to help you.
C) People will laugh at you if you make errors on these tasks.
D) Mastering these tasks is a quick test of your intelligence and adaptability.

Question 21

Illustrate each of the four stages of culture shock by writing a description of a hypothetical person experiencing it. What feelings, difficulties, and/or successes can be expected at each stage?

Question 22

Most people expect to have some culture shock, but few are prepared for the challenges of reentry shock. What are the differences between the two? Why would people experience this stress when returning to their comfortable, well-known culture?

Question 23

Throwing oneself into the new culture to such an extent that one looses a sense of cultural identity is known as __________.

A) cultural relativism
B) going native
C) participant observation
D) tribalism

Question 24

How does more generalized stress compare to the stress of culture shock?

A) Culture shock is often relieved by meditation and biofeedback, while more generalized stress is not.
B) Generalized stress is often relieved by exercise, while stress from culture shock is not.
C) Stress relief techniques that worked for you at home will also help relieve culture shock stress.
D) Culture shock requires very specific stress relief techniques than more generalized stress .

Question 25

You can best practice empathy with your hosts by __________.

A) becoming an active listener
B) living in their homes
C) trading job duties for a day
D) describing your own culture

Question 26

Which of these is the worst way to adjust to life abroad?

A) getting involved in local events
B) enjoying a few familiar comforts, such as foods from home
C) trying to use the language, even though you make a lot of mistakes
D) hanging out in an American ghetto

Question 27

Define culture shock for the foreign employee. Why do people living abroad get culture shock, but people visiting as tourists usually do not?

Question 28

What suggestions would you give a foreign colleague to help them minimize the culture shock they encounter on their arrival in the United States?

Question 29

How does working abroad affect one's work-family balance?

A) You generally have more time at home with family.
B) There is usually a more relaxed division between work and family time.
C) Employees working abroad are generally discouraged from bringing families.
D) Working in an unfamiliar setting often places more demands on your time.