CMST204D

In Native American cultures, respect for nature drives many cultural patterns. Which dimensions of valence and intensity does this value represent?

A positively valenced and intensely held value

Craig is traveling in a foreign country and needs to use the bathroom. He locates the men's restroom by recognizing the familiar symbol and enters. Craig is surprised to see that he has actually entered the women's restroom by mistake. How is this possible?

A symbol's meaning can be culture dependent.

Which of the following metaphors for U.S. American diversity is most similar to a stew, a kaleidoscope, a jazz band, or a mosaic?

A tie-dyed T-shirt

Which of the following interpersonal relationship examples shows the effects of a heightened intercultural competence?

Although she normally doesn't dress in this fashion, Lee wears a long skirt as a sign of respect to attend a religious ceremony with her friend.

When you think of different institutional networks like like Buddhist temples, Christian churches, Greenpeace, the Democratic and Republican parties, or your student government, what is often a shared aspect that can affect cultures?

An influential power that suggests acceptable or unacceptable behaviors

What is the difference between an interpretative statement and an evaluative statement?

An interpretative statement conjectures a meaning, while an evaluative statement makes a resulting emotional declaration.

Which dimension of Schwartz's Cultural Taxonomy is most similar to the individualism-collectivism continuum of Hofstede's Dimensions?

Autonomy versus embeddedness

Juan does not consider himself to be racist and considers himself as a fairly accepting individual. When walking home from work, Juan takes a less-direct route because he does not want to interact with members of a local synagogue. Which form of racism is Juan displaying?

Aversive racism

If you are in another country, which symbol example would be less arbitrary and thus more likely to be understood?

Bathroom signs

Why are interethnic and interracial communications more like intercultural communication?

Because the groups communicating have perceived cultural differences

Which is an important step in increasing your intercultural competence?

Become aware of your bias and reflect on how they may influence your perspective.

Which of the scenarios would be considered an example of interpersonal communication?

Being part of a small international business team working on a new product.

How does biology influence culture?

Biology allows for adaptation to environments.

Why is the term North American problematic when discussing U.S. citizens?

Both Mexican and Canadian citizens live in North America.

How has the invention of the Internet affected cultures around the world?

By opening up channels of communication between different people and their cultures

Which characteristic of communication gives different meaning to the phrase "I'm tired" when said at the beginning of the day compared to when it is said at the end of the day?

Communication is a dynamic process.

Why is an understanding of the connotative meanings of symbols critical to achieving intercultural competence?

Connotative meanings include emotions and subjective thoughts about symbols, which could differ from person to person.

Which of the following factors is fundamental for competent intercultural communication?

Contextual expectations

At which stage of cultural identity formation do you think intercultural competence would be most developed?

Cultural identity achievement

How is cultural identity dynamic?

Cultural identity is dynamic because new life experiences influence how you see yourself.

How do cultural patterns affect communication?

Cultural patterns are the basis for interpreting symbols used in communication.

Which definition of culture best reflects its important link to communication?

Culture is a learned set of shared interpretations that affect the behavior of a large group of people.

What makes the term "culture" different from related, but not interchangeable, terms such as "nation," "race," and "ethnic group"?

Culture is based on shared interpretations of meanings and experiences.

Which type of culture, according to the GLOBE Project, is more likely to give all participants of a game "Participation Ribbons" instead of having a clear winner and loser?

Cultures that are low on the assertiveness dimension

Which is an example of how environment can impact culture?

Decreased amount of sunlight in winter months; festivals celebrating "Polar Night"

Which activity orientation of a culture pattern is embodied by "The American Dream," which is defined as the ideal that every U.S. citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative?

Doing

Russian culture has a high uncertainty avoidance preference. Which characteristic would you expect to see in the culture because of this preference?

Elaborate rituals and religious practices

Which of the following represents a challenge for interpreters with regard to experiential equivalence?

Explaining the taste of a fruit that is not available in the other culture

Which of the scenarios represents a transactional view of communication?

Having lunch with your best friend

In Germany, it is polite to address people using their title and last name. First names are typically reserved for family and friends. Based on this, how would you describe the social relations orientation in German culture?

Hierarchical

In which type of culture, according to the GLOBE Project, would it be more acceptable to display your diplomas on your office wall?

High performance-oriented

Dugnad is a tradition in Norway where locals come together to solve community issues through collective efforts. Where do you think Norway falls on the GLOBE Project dimension of humane orientation?

High, since high humane orientation cultures value expression of generosity and kindness.

Why is culture influenced by historical events?

Historical events provide a shared experience that affect beliefs, values, norms, and social practices.

During a conversation with a Chinese business partner, which of the following statements would display an appropriate orientation to knowledge?

I have been to the Hong Kong airport several times and found it very confusing.

What does an interpreter have to consider when translating the phrase "Let's hop on the bus"?

Idiomatic equivalence

How would studying the patterns of your own culture help make intercultural communication more successful?

If you know what cultural patterns are present in your own interactions, you can mitigate those expectations and adapt when interacting with a different culture.

If you are planning to study abroad in a country you have never been to before, how might learning about interpersonal communication patterns of the area be useful?

If you learn the culture's communication methods, it can give you insight into its beliefs and priorities.

What form of prejudice do you have that you might not even be aware of?

Implicit bias

Why is the term majority problematic when applied to U.S. American cultural discussions?

Implied minority groups feel less important as a result.

Knowledge of which cultural dimension would most likely enhance your intercultural competence?

Individualism-collectivism

If you are going on a business trip to another country, understanding which type of social practice should you understand to help you interact with members of the local culture?

Informal social practices since you will more likely be participating in day-to-day tasks

How does the growing market of international tourism affect the need for intercultural competence?

International tourism increases the need for intercultural competence because it brings people from all over the world into contact with one another, and you want those interactions to be successful.

At a coworker's wedding recently, Jenny was seated next to their boss at the reception. What context is most likely dictating Jenny's communication with her boss at the dinner table?

Interpersonal context

Why is interpretation important in the communication process?

Interpretation facilitates meaning from communication.

Which type of communication would likely occur between two people who identify as being a part of European American culture?

Intracultural communication

Which characteristic is most indicative of a high future orientation culture?

Investing in a retirement plan

Which of the following is important to know when engaging in intercultural interactions?

Knowledge of cultural patterns for the culture you are interacting with

Which pattern might be present in a language whose culture has a low power distance?

Lack of terms identifying status

How does linguistic relativity affect intercultural communication and competency?

Language influences and is influenced by cultural patterns.

Lisa was adopted from South Korea by an European American family when she was an infant. She grew up and went to school in Michigan and is now a junior at the University of Maine. Lisa has an opportunity to study abroad in South Korea, which she is excited about. Which of her interactions would be considered the most intercultural?

Lisa's interactions with her South Korean schoolmates

You are hosting a group of potential business partners from Colombia. You know that your potential partners would appreciate a detailed report about your company's stability and how a partnership would impact their whole business. You also know that it would be appropriate to take the group out to an expensive restaurant for dinner. Based on this information, where does Colombia likely fall on Hofstede's Dimensions?

Low on individualism and high on uncertainty avoidance

Gigi is an American student who is studying in Malaysia for a semester. On the first day of class, she doesn't quite understand how a particular assignment will be graded, so she does what she has always done in her other classes, and asks the instructor a question to clarify. Not only does the instructor not answer her question, several hushed conversations break out among the Malaysian students. Gigi is very confused by this situation. Which of the following explains the reactions of the teacher and students?

Malaysian culture prefers large power distances in which authority figures are rarely, if ever, questioned.

If you own a luxury travel planning business, in which country would you likely have more clients?

Mexico

In this chapter, the authors describe the following scenario: "Dele is from Nigeria, and Anibal is from Argentina. Both young men completed secondary education in their own countries and then came to the United States to study. They studied at the same university, lived in the same dormitory their first year on campus, and chose agriculture as their major. Eventually, they became roommates, participated in many of the same activities for international students, and had many classes together. After completing their bachelor's degrees, they enrolled in the same graduate program. After four more years in the United States, each returned to his home country and took a position in the country's Agricultural Ministry. In emails, phone calls, and the occasional visit with each other, both comment on the difficulties they are experiencing in working with farmers and the larger agribusiness interests within their own country." Would Dele and Anibal's interactions with farmers in their respective countries be considered more or less intercultural now than interactions they might have had with them prior to their studies in the United States?

More intercultural because Dele and Anibal would have gained different experiences and meanings from their time in the United States.

Is international communication considered intercultural communication?

No, while many times cultural differences exist, cultures can also transcend national borders.

How are norms different from values and beliefs in a culture's cultural patterns?

Norms can change over time while values and beliefs are more constant.

In your development of intercultural competence, which aspect of Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's work is important to keep in mind to avoid making assumptions about an individual?

Not all members of a culture share the preferred solutions

Which conclusion about the functions of cultural patterns helps to explain why every culture must formulate its own interpretation of the world?

People in all cultures face common human problems for which they must find solutions.

Which of the following problems can arise from referring to all people with Spanish surnames as Latino?

People of European ancestry are excluded.

Learning how to roll the [r] sound in Spanish is an example of which verbal code rule system?

Phonology

Which verbal code rule system likely affects intercultural communication the most?

Pragmatics

Which cultural forces would most likely interact to create new agricultural methods in response to global warming?

Resource availability and technology

Which type of cultural pattern information might you be able to glean from a culture's popular movies and television shows if the major theme is accepting the position you were born into?

Shared patterns about social standing

If the goal of intercultural competence is to have effective and appropriate communication with someone from a different culture, how would racism affect that goal?

Since a desired outcome of racism is the oppression of ethnic minorities of a culture, the goal of intercultural competence is not possible.

Which of the following evidence would support the more deterministic version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis of linguistic relativity?

Since you use the same word for both blue and green colors, you cannot distinguish between blue or green.

You are walking in the forest and come across a flower you have never seen before. The flower reminds you of your grandmother, so you name it after her. Which of the following aspects of communication does the flower and name represent?

Symbol and meaning

Why might the tapestry metaphor fail to fully capture the dynamic essence of the multicultural landscape in the United States?

Tapestries are static arrangements of component parts.

How does ethnocentrism relate to Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's suggestion that cultural patterns are formed when preferred solutions to a common problem are chosen?

That there is a "correct" and an "incorrect" solution

How can knowledge of the GLOBE dimensions increase intercultural competence?

The GLOBE dimensions have up-to-date information on dominant cultural patterns.

Consider the interpretative statement, "The news anchor doesn't appear to be prepared for the broadcast." Which of the following is a descriptive statement that supports it?

The anchor is visibly sweating and misreading lines.

How do you think your intercultural competence would be affected if during a conversation with a group, you make an insensitive, prejudiced joke?

The effectiveness and appropriateness of your communication would likely decrease, thus so would your intercultural competence.

Which is a flaw in the garden salad metaphor for the United States?

The entire flavor of a garden salad can change if you substitute a single ingredient.

When something or someone unknown enters a culture, how does the degree of "difference" of the stimulus from that culture likely affect the use of stereotypes?

The greater the degree of difference, the more that culture would likely have to rely on stereotypes to make sense of the new stimulus.

How is peace affected by intercultural competence?

The lack of intercultural competence can lead to war, hate crimes, and discrimination.

According to Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's conclusions about cultural patterns, what ultimately shapes a culture's basic assumptions about values, norms, and beliefs?

The preferred solution to a common problem

According to standpoint theory, which of the following explains why two classmates with the same cultural background could have difficulty communicating?

They might have been raised with very different lifestyles.

You are visiting a friend in Argentina and agree to meet her and another friend out for lunch. When your friends do not meet you at the agreed-upon time, which cultural orientation to time is most likely the reason your friends are late?

Time is endless.

According to the definition in your text, what is the goal of effective communication?

To create a shared meaning

Which is an example of the need for grammatical-syntactical equivalence in interpretation?

Translating the French sentence "Je ne le lui ai pas envoyé" whose literal meaning in English is "I not it to him have not sent."

Why is the following statement true or false? "However, even if one's work is within the national boundaries of the United States, intercultural competence requires a global worldview."

True; the cultural diversity of not only your customer base, but also your workforce, is increasing.

Janice becomes upset when her parents won't let her use her phone for a whole day during Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest. In which stage of cultural identity formation is Janice?

Unexamined cultural identity

Which is an example of a cultural shared interpretation?

Valuing group over individual goals in China

The chapter discusses the belief in some cultures that spirits inhabit inanimate objects. Which orientation would describe this cultural pattern?

World orientation

Does the observation that the number of global Internet users has increased by 741% in the past 15 years affect the need for intercultural competence?

Yes, people now have the ability to communicate with an unprecedented number of different cultures.

Which scenario best represents what it is like to be an outgroup member in a high-context society?

You are invited to a secret society ritual where you do not know how to dress, behave, or react, and no one tells you the rules.

According to human social categorizing tendencies, if every Cuban American you'd met liked baseball, what would you think when meeting another Cuban American for the first time?

You would assume that person also likes baseball.

How might your intercultural competence be affected if you only relied on stereotypes of different cultures?

Your intercultural competence would go down because you would likely be applying incorrect generalizations about the other culture, which would influence your interaction.

What should you consider when interacting with someone from a different culture?

Your own culture and experiences will influence how you view the other person and how he or she views you.

Under a positive interpretation of the rainbow metaphor, the United States is strong because it is

a harmony of different types.

According to the metaphor, the United States is ideally like a melting pot in that it

blends distinct materials into a stronger whole.

Your relationship with nature and the world around you is most likely influenced by

culturally shared beliefs.

In high-context cultures, a message is usually _____ since all members assume the meaning of the message is shared. In low-context cultures, messages tend to be more ______ and less of the meaning is left to interpretation.

indirect; direct

Maintaining a smooth conversational flow falls under the BASIC skill of

interaction management.

Like a system of tributaries, cultural groups within the United States ideally

maintain their own identities while moving toward the same goal.

The more two individuals differ, the

more interculturalness is present in communication.

Humans process information by

placing new information into categories.

Jakub from Poland has feelings of hostility toward Croatians. As the hiring manager, he has rejected applicants from people of Croatian nationality. Jakub is _______ toward Croatians, and has practiced ______ against them.

racist; discrimination

The function of a symbol is to

represent meaning.

Mina's _____ identity is that she is 20, and a sociology major; her ________ identity is that she plays guitar and is a fan of heavy metal music.

social; personal

Which culture is likely to be on time for a lunch date or meeting? Why?

A low-context culture, since time is highly organized and more subject to constraints