CHAPTER 3: CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The language, values, beliefs, traditions, and customs people share and learn are collectively referred to in the chapter as _________________.
2. salience
3. coculture
4. culture
5. race
   

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. Social scientists use the term _______________ to describe how much weight we attach to cultural characteristics.
2. salience
3. coculture
4. culture
5. race
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. The label ______________ is used to describe others with whom we identify and are emotionally connected.
2. coculture
3. culture
4. in-groups
5. out-groups
   

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. The label ______________ is used to describe those we view as different and with whom we have no sense of affiliation.
2. coculture
3. culture
4. in-groups
5. out-groups
   

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. When people from different cultures and cocultures encounter one another, ______________ occurs.
2. salience
3. complex communication
4. intercultural communication
5. intracultural communication

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. James plays softball on the company team. He feels connected to them because they’ve experienced the joy of winning together, the sadness of losing, and overall camaraderie. He has an emotional connection to them that he does not have with others. That is likely because they are his __________________.
2. ethnicity
3. high-context culture
4. in-group
5. out-group
   

Answer: C
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. James feels a connection with his teammates. This same connection is not felt for members of other teams. He has no emotional connection with them. The members of the other team are likely James’ _________________.
2. ethnicity
3. high-context culture
4. in-group
5. out-group
   

Answer: D
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. Laura is from New Hampshire and she doesn’t feel like she has much in common with people from the southern U.S. She can’t get past the southern drawl they use and their slow speaking pace. She sees this as a big difference. She places a lot of weight on the way southerners speak. This could be referred to as __________________.
2. salience
3. coculture
4. culture
5. ethnicity
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. Adi and Liana are both from Indonesia. They have many things in common like language, traditions, values, and customs. Even so, Adi is still not close friends with Liana. They have different religious beliefs. Adi feels an emotional connection to people that share his religious beliefs and no affiliation to those who don’t. Adi does feel an emotional connection to Miguel, although he is from South America, because they both share religious beliefs. What choice below best characterizes Adi’s relationships with Liana and Miguel?
2. Adi is in an in-group with Miguel because they share religious beliefs and Liana is in an out-group with Adi because they do not share religious beliefs.
3. Adi is in an in-group with Miguel because they share religious beliefs and Liana is also in an in-group with Adi because they share a language, traditions, values and customs.
4. Adi is in an out-group with Miguel because they are from different continents and Liana is in an in-group with Adi because they share a language, traditions, values and customs.
5. Adi is in an out-group with Miguel because they are from different continents and Liana is also in an out-group with Adi because they do not share religious beliefs.

Answer: A
Blooms: Analyzing

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. Adi and Liana are both from Indonesia. They have many things in common like language, traditions, values, and customs. Even so, Adi is still not close friends with Liana. They have different religious beliefs. Adi feels an emotional connection to people that share his religious beliefs and no affiliation to those who don’t. What might best explain why people can have many things in common except shared religious beliefs, yet still are not close?
2. race
3. ethnicity
4. culture
5. salience

Answer: D
Blooms: Analyzing

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. The perception of membership in a group that is part of an encompassing culture is referred to as ________________.
2. race
3. ethnicity
4. culture
5. coculture

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. Which of the following statements about in-groups and out-groups is correct?
2. In-groups and out-groups are fixed and stable in all situations.
3. Out-groups suggest greater affiliation than in-groups.
4. In-groups suggest lower emotional connection than out-groups.
5. In-groups and out-groups may be defined situationally.

Answer: D

Bloom’s: Remembering

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

1. A social construct originally created to explain biological differences among people whose ancestors originated in different regions of the world is called ________________.
2. race
3. ethnicity
4. culture
5. coculture
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. The degree to which a person identifies with a particular group, usually on the basis of nationality, culture, religion, or some other unifying perspective is called ________________.
2. race
3. ethnicity
4. culture
5. high-context culture
   

Answer: B
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. People living in southern latitudes of the United States are more socially isolated, less tolerant of ambiguity, higher in self-esteem, more likely to touch others, and more likely to verbalize their thoughts and feelings than people in the north. Which factor that shapes cocultural identity is exemplified here?
2. Socio-economic status
3. Region
4. Sexual orientation and gender identity
5. Religion

Answer: B
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. In some communities the first question a newcomer might be asked is “What church do you attend?” Which factor that shapes cocultural identity is exemplified here?
2. Socio-economic status
3. Region
4. Sexual orientation and gender identity
5. Religion

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. The theory describing the complex interplay of people’s identities, at the intersection of multiple factors, giving rise to a unique perspective and collection of experiences is known as _______________.
2. intersectionality
3. coculture
4. intercultural communication
5. interpersonal communication

Answer: A

Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. Bill and Ralph both work as cashiers for fast food restaurants. They are paid minimum wage. They are attending a black-tie party in an upper-class neighborhood. They drove there from the same part of town and they don’t know each other. While they feel out of place there, they feel an understanding with one another. From what we know, what best explains why?
2. Ethnicity and race
3. Region
4. Socioeconomic status
5. Religion
   

Answer: C
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. Naomi lives in a small Jewish community in Bolivia. She speaks Spanish and is a Bolivian citizen. Despite her citizenship, she identifies herself as Jewish foremost. She follows Jewish religious customs and practices and visits Israel once a year. What best characterizes her primary ethnicity?
2. Naomi is Spanish.
3. Naomi is Latin American.
4. Naomi is Israeli.
5. Naomi is Jewish.
   

Answer: D
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. Determine the true statement about regional cocultures.
2. Speakers with regional accents tend to get higher paying jobs.
3. People living in Middle America tend to place a high value on being friendly.
4. Climate and geographic latitude have no impact on communication.
5. People with southern accents are more likely to be uptight and irritable.

Answer: B
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. Determine the true statement about religious cocultures.
2. Religion shapes how and with whom many people communicate.
3. Other research suggests that, in general, teens who believe that only one religion has merit date more frequently than other teens.
4. Religious teens who respect the viewpoints of multiple religions typically date less frequently than their nonreligious peers.
5. Members of evangelical churches are unlikely to view parents as family decision makers.
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. Jackie is an excellent guitar player. She is a blind person, who doesn’t let her physical challenges slow her down. She also teaches at the university. How could you best describe Jackie?
2. Jackie plays well for a blind person.
3. Jackie is an excellent guitar player and is a person who is blind.
4. Jackie is a blind person.
5. Jackie is disabled, but teaches at the university.
   

Answer: B

Blooms: Analyzing

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. These individuals don’t feel that their biological sex is a good description of who they are.
2. Gay.
3. Bisexual.
4. Transgender.
5. Lesbian.

Answer: C
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. Rather than thinking about race, it’s more fruitful to think in terms of ___________, which is a social rather than a biological construct.
2. ethnicity
3. culture
4. nationality
5. region
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

1. Adolescents typically experience what psychologists call a personal fable (the sense that they are different than everybody else) and imaginary audience (a heightened self-consciousness that makes it seem as if people are always observing and judging them), which can lead to some classic communication challenges. Which cocultural factor does this demonstrate?
2. Socio-economic status
3. Region
4. Religion
5. Age and generation
   

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups.

1. Ted began working at the company as a teenager in the mid-1980s. He is now a manager there and has just hired Keisha a recent college graduate who was born in the eighties. Ted and Keisha attend the same church, but don’t know each other well. Despite the age gap, they’ve worked fairly well together. Ted often tasks Keisha with projects with a brief request via email and not much more. Do you foresee any possible work relationship issues?
2. There could be no issues because they know each other from church.
3. Ted and Keisha cannot communicate well because of the age gap.
4. Keisha is so young she likely feels that people are always judging her, which could cause problems.
5. Keisha, a millennial, may need clearer guidance on how to complete a project.

Answer: D
Blooms: Analyzing

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups.

1. On balance, people over age _____________ are twice as likely to be depicted in the media as unattractive, bored, and in declining health when compared with younger people
2. 35
3. 37
4. 40
5. 70
   

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups.

1. Anna, a 75-year-old woman, tends to feel that she is less capable and older than her peers because others tend to treat her as incapable. This illustrates the harmful effects of _______________.
2. being older
3. stereotypes
4. workplace differences
5. generations
   

Answer: B
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups.

1. Maria’s grandmother gets angry when Maria posts information about their family conflicts on social media. This is likely because _______________.
2. older adults are overly critical.
3. younger adults have a greater need for feedback.
4. younger adults are less judgmental.
5. older adults are more concerned with maintaining privacy online.
   

Answer: D
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups.

1. Determine which statement is true of developing intercultural communication competence.
2. Intercultural communication competence is nothing like general communication competence.
3. If you spend time with people from other cultures, you will automatically become competent at communicating with them.
4. Spending time with people from other cultures can lead to positive outcomes like: reduced prejudice, greater productivity, and better relationships.
5. People who are willing to communicate with others from different backgrounds are more isolated from society than others.

Answer: C
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups

1. Which strategy for moving toward a more mindful, competent style of intercultural communication involves noticing what behaviors members of a different culture use and applying these insights to communicate in ways that are most effective?
2. Passive observation
3. Active strategies
4. Self-disclosure
5. Persistence
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups

1. Which strategy for moving toward a more mindful, competent style of intercultural communication involves reading, watching films, and asking experts and members of the other culture how to behave, as well as taking academic courses related to intercultural communication and diversity?
2. Passive observation
3. Active strategies
4. Self-disclosure
5. Persistence

Answer: B
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups

1. The ability to show flexibility by adapting to the norms of multiple cultures is known as _______________.
2. Passive observation
3. Self-disclosure
4. Interpersonal communication
5. Frame switching

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups

1. Someone from ____________ is most likely to answer the question “Who am I?” by saying, “I am a father” or “I work for ABC Corporation.”
2. United States
3. Japan
4. Canada
5. Great Britain
   

Answer: B
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. Which culture listed below is collectivist?
2. United States
3. Canada
4. Japan
5. Great Britain
   

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. A _________________ uses language primarily to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas as directly as possible.
2. competent communicator
3. culture
4. low-context culture
5. high-context culture

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. A _________________ relies heavily on subtle, often nonverbal cues—such as behavior, history of the relationship, and general social rules—to maintain social harmony.
2. coculture
3. culture
4. low-context culture
5. high-context culture

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. The term ______________ is used to reflect the degree to which members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous situations and how much they try to avoid them.
2. uncertainty avoidance
3. reflective avoidance
4. communication fear
5. cultural meekness
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. The extent of the gap between social groups that possess power and those that don’t is referred to as _________________.
2. uncertainty avoidance
3. power play
4. power distance
5. social superiority
   

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. People in Western cultures tend to view _______________ as desirable and use it for social purposes as well as to perform tasks.
2. high-context culture
3. talk
4. silence
5. meekness
   

Answer: B
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. In countries that avoid uncertainty, people who are different or who express ideas that challenge the status quo are considered ______________, and intolerance is high.
2. heroes
3. dull
4. intelligent
5. dangerous

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. What are less differentiated in cooperative cultures?
2. races
3. genders
4. gender roles
5. languages

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures

1. Brenda recently began teaching English in India. She treats all of her students the same, but other teachers consider her behavior rude. What might best explain this?
2. India has a high degree of power distance.
3. India has a low degree of power distance.
4. India has an individualistic culture.
5. Brenda is not concerned with equality.

Answer: A
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures

1. Sun Jihai is from Hong Kong. He is an advocate for democracy and has strong views about human rights. He has a meeting with a diplomat from mainland Communist China. While the two have very different beliefs, Sun is very accepting of the diplomat. What might best explain this?
2. Sun is from an individualistic country.
3. Sun is from a country with a high tolerance for uncertainty.
4. Sun is from a low-context culture.
5. Sun is from a competitive culture.
   

Answer: B
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures

1. Cal is from the United States and Medina is from Saudi Arabia. They are having communication challenges. Cal is very direct with Medina, but he can’t understand why she beats around the bush so often. What might best explain this?
2. Cal is from a country with a low tolerance for uncertainty and Medina is from a country with a high tolerance for uncertainty.
3. Cal is from a country with a high tolerance for uncertainty and Medina is from a country with a low tolerance for uncertainty.
4. Cal is from a low-context culture and Medina is from a high-context culture.
5. Cal is from a high-context culture and Medina is from a high-context culture.

Answer: C

Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

1. Ralph is British. He is an independent person. His wife Trish stays home to tend to the children and Ralph expects her to. What might be said of Ralph’s culture?
2. Ralph is from a culture that values silence.
3. Ralph is from a culture that avoids uncertainty.
4. Ralph is from a cooperative culture.
5. Ralph is from a competitive culture.

Answer: D
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures

1. Ingrid believes in harmony and cooperation. She doesn’t care whether a person is rich, poor, educated, or uneducated. She often meets people from other cultures and is very welcoming of them. She considers herself shy, and does not like to be direct with people. She’d rather give nonverbal cues. She doesn’t believe that talking solves all problems, and thinks that sometimes there’s nothing to say. Are there clues that Ingrid is from a high-context culture?
2. Yes, because she believes in harmony and cooperation.
3. Yes, because she treats everyone equally.
4. Yes, because she does not like to be direct and relies on nonverbal cues.
5. No, because she doesn’t believe that talking solves problems.
   

Answer: C
Blooms: Analyzing

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures

1. Ingrid believes in harmony and cooperation. She doesn’t care whether a person is rich, poor, educated, or uneducated. She often meets people from other cultures and is very welcoming of them. She considers herself shy, and does not like to be direct with people. She’d rather give nonverbal cues. She doesn’t believe that talking solves all problems, and thinks that sometimes there’s nothing to say. Are there clues that Ingrid is from a culture that doesn’t avoid uncertainty?
2. Yes, because she believes in harmony and cooperation.
3. Yes, because she welcomes people from different cultures.
4. Yes, because she believes that one person is as good as another regardless of his or her station in life.
5. No, because she does not like to be direct and relies on nonverbal cues.

Answer: B
Blooms: Analyzing

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures

1. Ingrid believes in harmony and cooperation. She doesn’t care whether a person is rich, poor, educated, or uneducated. She often meets people from other cultures and is very welcoming of them. She considers herself shy, and does not like to be direct with people. She’d rather give nonverbal cues. She doesn’t believe that talking solves all problems, and thinks that sometimes there’s nothing to say. Are there clues that Ingrid is from a culture with a low power distance?
2. Yes, because she believes in harmony and cooperation.
3. Yes, because she welcomes people from different cultures.
4. Yes, because she believes that one person is as good as another regardless of his or her station in life.
5. No, because she does not like to be direct and relies on nonverbal cues.

Answer: C
Blooms: Analyzing

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures

1. When doing business, members of which cultures are most likely to aspire to mutually satisfying outcomes?
2. Cooperative cultures
3. Competitive cultures
4. Low-context cultures
5. High power-distance cultures

Answer: A

Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures

1. An attitude that one’s own culture is superior to others is called ________________.
2. passive observation
3. stereotyping
4. prejudice
5. ethnocentrism
   

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication.

1. An unfairly biased and intolerant attitude toward others who belong to an out-group is called ________________.
2. passive observation
3. stereotyping
4. prejudice
5. ethnocentrism

Answer: C
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication.

1. Exaggerated generalizations about a group are called ________________.
2. passive observation
3. stereotyping
4. prejudice
5. ethnocentrism
   

Answer: B
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication.

1. Robin and Jacob, who are visiting China together for the first time, are inclined to complain about hotels and restaurants that they feel don’t measure up to American standards. What are they engaging in?
2. mindfulness
3. discrimination
4. prejudice
5. ethnocentrism
   

Answer: D
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication

1. Jennifer is very upset when she hears that employees at her company marked the job applications from people of color with words to remove them from proper consideration for the position. This behavior is known as ____________________.
2. making judgments
3. unfair discrimination
4. perceptual tendencies
5. exaggerating ideas
   

Answer: B
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication

1. Charles and Emilia, who are visiting China together for the first time, recognize that the hotels and restaurants they go to differ greatly from what they are used to back home, but agree that generalizations would not adequately reflect the experiences they are having. What are they engaging in?
2. mindfulness
3. discrimination
4. prejudice
5. ethnocentrism
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication

1. Attitudes based on preconceived ideas about appearance, age, and socio-economic status are prone to lead to _______________.
2. exaggeration
3. out-groups
4. unfair discrimination
5. bias

Answer: C

Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication

1. Which statement below best represents the conclusion from intercultural communication research that states you should engage in mindful thinking?
   
2. The answer is not to ignore our differences, but to recognize that each of us reflects such a unique collection of experiences and cultures that generalizations cannot describe us.
3. The transition from culture shock to adaptation and growth is usually successful, but it isn’t a smooth, linear process.
4. People who are willing to communicate with others from different backgrounds report having a better social life.
5. Attitude alone is enough to guarantee success in intercultural encounters.
   

Answer: A
Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication.

1. Culture shock is also known as ____________ shock.
2. mindfulness
3. disinhibition
4. self-monitoring
5. adjustment
   

Answer: D
Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Coping with Culture Shock

Objective: 3.6: Analyze the stages involved with adapting to communication in a new culture.

1. Someone adjusting to life in a new culture who reports being pleasantly surprised after making friends with people they first took to be odd is demonstrating the benefits of which method of reducing culture shock?
2. Reaching out to others
3. Intrapersonal communication
4. Perception checking
5. Making judgments

Answer: A

Blooms: Understanding

A-head: Coping with Culture Shock

Objective: 3.6: Analyze the stages involved with adapting to communication in a new culture.

1. The “draw back and leap” pattern can be used to describe how people _______________ when adapting to communication in a new culture.
2. should try reaching out to others
3. tend to feel homesick
4. often experience both progress and setbacks
5. should ideally behave

Answer: C

Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Coping with Culture Shock

Objective: 3.6: Analyze the stages involved with adapting to communication in a new culture.

1. How is the “honeymoon phase” of settling into a new culture best typified?
2. By feelings of disenchantment and homesickness
3. By feelings of excitement
4. As a linear process
5. As mindful behavior

Answer: B

Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Coping with Culture Shock

Objective: 3.6: Analyze the stages involved with adapting to communication in a new culture

1. According to one communication theorist, a degree of stress when acclimating to a new culture is a good sign, because it shows _______________.
2. potential for adaptation and growth
3. competent communication skills
4. mindfulness
5. self-monitoring

Answer: A

Blooms: Remembering

A-head: Coping with Culture Shock

Objective: 3.6: Analyze the stages involved with adapting to communication in a new culture

SHORT ANSWER

64. How is culture defined in the chapter?

Answer: The language, values, beliefs, traditions, and customs people share and learn.

A-head: Culture Defined

Objective: 3.1: Define culture and coculture, and differentiate between in-groups and out-groups.

65. Name and describe four cocultures.

Answer: Could include any four from among: ethnicity and race, region, sexual orientation and gender identity, religion, physical ability and disability, age and generation, socioeconomic status, language, activity, examples of these, and others that may apply.

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

66. Name four strategies for moving toward a more mindful, competent style of intercultural communication

Answer: 1. Seek out cultural information. 2. Confess your ignorance. 3. Spend time with people from different backgrounds. 4. Be flexible.

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups

67. Explain low power-distance cultures.

Answer: They are cultures that believe in minimizing the difference between various social classes and that one person is as good as another regardless of his or her station in life—rich, poor, educated, or uneducated.

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

68. What is ethnocentrism?

Answer: It is an attitude that assumes one’s own culture is superior to others. An ethnocentric person thinks—either privately or openly—that anyone who does not belong to his or her in-group is somehow strange, wrong, or even inferior.

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication

ESSAY QUESTIONS

69. Discuss some of the problems that come with defining cocultures by race.

Main point: Race is problematic when characterizing groups of people.

A-head: Communication and Cocultures

Objective: 3.2: Apply the concept of intersectionality to your communication, and identify communication factors that help shape cocultural identity.

Answers will vary, must include:
a) Personal experience plays a far greater role than superficial biological characteristics like skin color.
b) Racial features are often misinterpreted.

c) There is more genetic variation within races than between them.

Answers will vary, may include:
a) Racial differences mostly involve only superficial qualities such as hair color, skin color, and facial features.
b) Multiple group membership can be a bonus and that people who come from culturally rich backgrounds tend to be more comfortable establishing relationships with a diverse array of people, which increases their options for friendships, romantic partners, and professional colleagues.
c) Knowing someone’s skin color doesn’t necessarily tell you anything else about him or her.

70. What are some of the problems that occur when older adults communicate with others?

Main point: Age has a role in how we communicate with each other.

A-head: Age and Generation

Objective: 3.3: Explain communication patterns within and between different age groups

Answers will vary, must include:
a) People who believe that older adults have trouble communicating are less likely to interact with them.
b) Older adults that are treated as less capable often perceive themselves as older and less capable.

c) When older adults speak up, they are often judged as cranky or bitter.

Answers will vary, may include:
a) Older adults may be treated as “dead weight.”
b) Western cultures value youth and see aging as a predominantly negative thing.

c) People over age 40 are twice as likely to be depicted in the media as unattractive, bored, and in declining health when compared with people under age 40.

71. How do individualistic and collectivistic cultures’ approaches to communication differ?

Main point: Individualism and collectivism shape the way we communicate with others.

A-head: Cultural Values and Norms

Objective: 3.4: Analyze how values and norms affect communication between members of different cultures.

Answers will vary, must include:
a) Individualistic cultures are relatively tolerant of conflicts, whereas members of collectivistic cultures place a greater emphasis on harmony.

b) Individualistic societies are far more likely to produce and reward superstars, while collectivistic societies more often produce team players.

c) Members of individualistic societies are more likely to tout personal accomplishments that put individuals ahead of the group, whereas members of collectivistic societies are more likely to draw attention to group achievements.

d) Individualistic cultures tend to value independence more than collectivistic cultures, and persons raised in individualistic cultures are often less adept at seeing others’ points of view.

Answers will vary, may include:
a) Examples of individualistic and collectivistic cultures as given in the textbook (e.g. the United States and Great Britain on the one hand, Korea and China on the other).
b) Differential attitudes to families, communities, or partnerships.

c) Mistaken assumptions (e.g. mistaking humility for lack of confidence).

72. Explain what it means to be mindful to overcome prejudiced assumptions.

Main point: Appreciating others have different ways of thinking and acting.

A-head: Overcoming Prejudice

Objective: 3.5: Practice thinking mindfully to overcome prejudiced assumptions that influence communication

Answers will vary, must include:
a) Avoid an attitude that assumes one’s own culture is superior to others.
b) Don’t have an unfairly biased and intolerant attitude toward others who belong to an out-group.
c) Don’t engage in unfair discrimination.

d) Don’t ignore differences but recognize that each of us reflects a unique collection of experiences and cultures that generalizations cannot describe.

Answers will vary, may include:
a) Avoid exaggerated generalizations about a group.
b) Overcome stereotypes.
c) Look for ways to appreciate others beyond obvious cues such as race, gender, age, and sexual orientation.

73. Give advice to someone who is experiencing culture shock.

Main point: Adapting to communication in a new culture takes time and it is normal to encounter difficulties during the process.

A-head: Coping with Culture Shock

Objective: 3.6: Analyze the stages involved with adapting to communication in a new culture.

Answers will vary, must include:
a) Don’t be too hard on yourself. After a “honeymoon” phase, it’s typical to feel confused, disenchanted, lonesome, and homesick.
b) Homesickness is normal. It’s natural to feel a sense of push and pull between the familiar and the novel.
c) Expect progress and setbacks. The transition from culture shock to adaptation and growth isn’t a smooth, linear process.

d) Reach out to others. Communication can be a challenge when learning how to operate in new cultures, but it can also be a solution.

Answers will vary, may include:
a) You may feel disappointed in yourself for not adapting as easily as you expected.
b) With patience, the sense of crisis may begin to wane and, once again, the person may feel energetic and enthusiastic to learn more.
c) If people are patient and keep trying, the rewards are worth the effort.