CMST204D

How do dialects and accents affect intercultural communication?

Accents and dialects may trigger evaluation and judgment, which could prevent effective or appropriate communication.

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

maintain their own identities while moving toward the same goal.

Which saying best captures the approach of individualistic cultures to interpersonal conflicts over task issues?

"Let bygones be bygones."

Which of the following kinds of evidence would a speaker with an analogical style of persuasion likely use?

A familiar account of a past ruler's actions

Which item could a person install in an office environment to communicate both formality and distance?

A large and imposing desk

Which of the following are manifestations of greater social control in many cultures?

A large desk in a spacious office

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

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 factors is fundamental for competent intercultural communication?

Contextual expectations

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 is an example of how environment can impact culture?

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

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 approach to health is more typical in a culture that values collectivism over individualism?

Family involvement in diagnosis and treatment

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

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

Implicit bias

Which is an example of nonlinear, listener-responsible organization?

A description of relevant contexts

If, while conversing with someone from another culture, a speaker takes a step or two back, which assumption can the listener most safely make?

The speaker comes from a culture that prefers more personal space.

Teachers attuned to the different rules of interactions operating in a multicultural classroom can minimize student discomfort and maximize participation by

turn-taking and discussion.

Which is an example of a cultural contact that is ethically questionable?

A businessperson turns to a cultural difference for profit.

Which response to illness follows the holistic or naturalistic approach to health?

Arranging crystals on the body to restore balance

Which is an important step in increasing your intercultural competence?

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

Families in a particular neighborhood are close-knit and provide goods and services to each other as needed. They meet daily to share a meal. What relationship model do these families follow?

Communal sharing

How is cultural identity dynamic?

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

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.

When a person from a polychronic culture arrives a half hour late for a meeting, the other attendees, who are from a monochronic culture, would most likely

feel insulted and annoyed by the person's tardiness.

In general, threats to face increase with

greater distances between people in hierarchies.

Successful intercultural persuasion is more likely when speakers

observe conversants from other cultures with active curiosity.

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

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

Bathroom signs

How does a speaker's choice to "bridge" between ideas help U.S. English speakers comprehend a speech's content?

Each bridge links one main idea to the next.

Which behavior is an example of interpersonal interactions governed by a culture's tacit display rules?

Facial expressions such as movement of the eyebrows

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

Idiomatic equivalence

Which facework action is more acceptable in collectivistic than in individualistic cultures?

Offering an apology for a threat to face

Which strategy would most likely mitigate the problem of muted group theory as experienced by a subordinate culture?

Public forums in which subordinate cultures express concerns to mixed culture audiences

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

In listener-responsible languages such as Japanese, a speaker's thesis is often

inferred by listeners.

How would a conversant who speaks little of herself but draws others into the conversation likely be perceived by a listener who prefers a direct and personal conversational style?

As insecure

Which action is an interactive strategy you might undertake to better understand a person's culture and reduce uncertainty?

Ask the person polite questions about her expectations.

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

Autonomy versus embeddedness

Which action would most likely increase the success of intercultural contact in a business setting?

CEOs of companies from different cultures set an example of collaboration.

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.

An Australian student on a foreign exchange program in China interrupts his professor with a question during the lecturewants to change one aspect of a group project, even though the other students in the group don't think the change is necessary. His interruption insistence is met with a cold stares and silence, which confuses the student. Which component of social episodes colors this interaction?

Cultural patterns

Which nonverbal communication behavior is thought to communicate pride universally?

Head tilted back, arms held out

Which behavior impedes a person's ability to understand another culture's nonverbal communication?

Interpreting a culture's nonverbal cues too quickly

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

Intracultural communication

What advice do the authors give to aid participants in intercultural, yet culturally-influenced, acts of communication?

Participants may have to accept the necessity of agreeing to disagree.

Which affiliative behavior should you expect to encounter in a low-contact culture?

People close doors to gain privacy.

A culture that places high value on individuality tends toward which style of conversation?

Personal and instrumental

Which intercultural contact would violate Kale's principles for ethical communications?

Refusing to answer a question unless it is stated in a particular linguistic pattern

Which situation points to the United States lowering its perceived ethnolinguistic vitality?

Some news reports are in Spanish.

Which nonverbal communication behavior is likely rooted in cultural expectations?

Standing when an authority enters the room

Which type of interpersonal relationship carries the fewest social demands in most cultures?

Stranger

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.

Why can vocalics such as intonation, inflection, and volume lead to misinterpretation of nonverbal communication?

The meaning of many nonverbal sounds is cultural rather than universal.

Which scenario is most likely to increase your desire and willingness to learn about someone else's cultural behaviors and expectations?

The person can provide valuable help to you in your business.

Which is an example of successful sociocultural adaptation to a new culture?

Understanding when the new culture's speakers speak sincerely and when they use sarcasm

Students from collectivistic cultures may have difficulty adapting to which expectation in European American classrooms?

Unstructured discussion that challenges course content

A person who, in a new culture, quickly learns to speak its language fluently and even takes a new name from that language experiences

assimilation.

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

blends distinct materials into a stronger whole.

The statement "I don't trust anyone who won't look me in the eye" reflects a culture in which eye contact communicates

confidence and frankness.

European American cultures assign greater significance to _____ in persuasive interactions than some other cultures do.

expert and witness testimony

The use of inexpensive platforms such as Skype and FaceTime may improve intercultural interactions by

facilitating increased behavioral synchrony.

A persuasive speaker from a culture that prefers the presentational style is likely to use

fervent language.

In an intercultural persuasive interaction, one participant relies on stories and anecdotes to make her case, while another finds facts and data more compelling. This is an example of

logic

You are negotiating a deal with a client who is from another culture. In order for both parties to have a favorable interaction, you need to

monitor the client's nonverbal cues and coordinate yours accordingly.

A culture that encourages people to "seize the day" has a _____ understanding of time.

present-oriented

The function of a symbol is to

represent meaning.

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.

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.

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

Knowledge of cultural patterns for the culture you are interacting with

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

Mexico

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.

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

Resource availability and technology

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.

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

To create a shared meaning

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

World orientation

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

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

Read a speaker's comments about himself to a new acquaintance: "I do work in sales, yes, but I'd really like to get into content and data management. Sales means a lot of time on the road, and that's been fun, but to be honest, I'm getting a little tired of being away from home. I guess I'm more of a homebody than I thought! Or maybe I'm just getting lazy." [laughs] Consider the five measures of self-disclosure. To which culture does the speaker likely belong?

European American culture

The display rules of individualistic cultures, which may value emotional expression, would likely encourage which of the following nonverbal communication behaviors?

Expressing grief openly at a funeral

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.

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

a harmony of different types.

Romantic couples who insist that "me time" is vital to the relationship's health are privileging the need for

autonomy.

The extent to which a culture is universalistic or particularistic affects whether people doing business in that culture can expect

consistency in application of policies.

You know how to act appropriately and effectively during a religious service, job interview, or doctor's appointment because you have learned your culture's interaction

contexts.

Behavior in social episodes is driven primarily by

cultural experience.

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

culturally shared beliefs.

Maintaining a smooth conversational flow falls under the BASIC skill of

interaction management.

The information caregivers and patients are willing to verbalize during a medical exam can be limited when the caregiver and patient have different

interaction rules and contexts.

When to make small talk and how to state requests are exchanges that follow culturally dictated

interaction scenes.

Cultures in which people have a strong need for personal space are also often cultures in which nonverbal communication through touch is

limited.

A speaker making a persuasive case to European American listeners would likely emphasize

rationality.

Because _____ are culturally specific, turn-taking cues in conversations between people of different cultures may be misinterpreted.

regulators

Because cultural expectations regarding eye contact, touch, physical stance, topics of discussion, and other specifics of business contexts vary widely, people conducting intercultural business must prepare by

researching and accommodating business contacts' expectations.

A job applicant who wears a suit and tie to an interview uses nonverbal communication to convey

seriousness and maturity.

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

Marginalization differs from segregation in that

their stay in the new culture is brief.

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.

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

Implied minority groups feel less important as a result.

Which of the situations shows positive motivation toward intercultural competence?

Learning some phrases and words in another language, even when fluency is not the goal.

Which is an example of the force of isolationism?

A nation closes adoption of its orphaned children to citizens of other nations.

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

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.

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

Why are interethnic and interracial communications more like intercultural communication?

Because the groups communicating have perceived cultural differences

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.

Which is a cultural expectation of written U.S. English?

Each paragraph addresses a single main point.

Read the excerpt from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (1899) about a man who, in the wilderness, became a law unto himself: "You can't understand. How could you?—with solid pavement under your feet, surrounded by kind neighbors ready to cheer you or to fall on you, stepping delicately between the butcher and the policeman, in the holy terror of scandal and gallows and lunatic asylums—how can you imagine what particular region . . . a man's untrammeled feet may take him into by the way of solitude . . . ?" On which aspect of face does the speaker's explanation focus?

Face is dependent on the opinions of others in social settings.

Which is an example of a dominant culture using communication to consolidate power over a subordinate culture?

Favoring the dominant culture's linguistic patterns and accents in the workplace

Which of the scenarios represents a transactional view of communication?

Having lunch with your best friend

Why is interpretation important in the communication process?

Interpretation facilitates meaning from communication.

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.

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.

Which is an example of a technological innovation that promotes global engagement?

Immediate communication about a natural disaster that leaves people in need or aid

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

Which action would most likely satisfy the face need for admiration?

Marrying into a respected and wealthy family

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.

Which activity fits the description of both of Kale's central values that transcend all cultures?

Responding with aid in a time of famine

Which typically Western business practice would likely be perceived in a collectivistic culture as a threat or insult to the needs and goals of the group?

Rewarding brisk negotiation and efficient decision making

Which component of social episodes dictates at what point in a college graduation ceremony the traditional tossing of caps occurs?

Rules of interactions

Which is a Western bias or assumption about silence among conversational partners?

Silence signals disapproval or apathy.

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.

Couples considering marriage in Indian and some Asian cultures would likely be taken aback by which cultural expectation?

That people make their own decisions about whom and when to marry

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.

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

Your friend Marsha wants to study abroad for a semester in college, but doesn't want to have to learn another language. She chooses to study in Ireland because "They all speak English there, so I won't have any problems." What should you tell Marsha regarding this statement?

There are many cultural factors that influence the meaning behind symbols, so she may want to look into Irish syntax and pragmatics before she leaves.

Which transitions, or links between ideas, are appropriate to quasilogical persuasion?

Therefore; in conclusion

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.

A person who holds her hand out and up to stop a speaker from continuing uses nonverbal communication primarily for which function?

To regulate interactions

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."

Which is an example of a cultural shared interpretation?

Valuing group over individual goals in China

Which is an example of an ethical choice concerning social roles that someone from a European American culture might face in a different culture?

Whether to abide by customs regarding the status of women and childrence1

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.

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.

Conflicts that arise during intercultural social episodes should usually be assumed to arise from

differing expectations about others' behaviors.

Regardless of the culture, evidence in persuasive communication allows people to

draw conclusions to act and decide.

The more two individuals differ, the

more interculturalness is present in communication.

Bride, grandparent, employer, civil servant—all are examples of ________with predictable responsibilities and scripts familiar to people in a culture.

social roles

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

Cultural identity achievement

How do cultural patterns affect communication?

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Investing in a retirement plan

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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