CHAPTER 3 Culture, Communication, Context, and Power
CHAPTER 3
CULTURE, COMMUNICATION, CONTEXT, AND POWER
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. The learned pattern of perception, values, and behaviors shared by a group of people is known
as _____.
a. stereotyping
b. perception
c. culture
d. heterogeneity
2. The ways in which a culture judges good or bad, or right or wrong are often determined by
_____.
a. stereotypes
b. values
c. perceptions
d. beliefs
3. Collectively, the values and perceptions of a cultural group represent its _____.
a. worldview
b. history
c. communication patterns
d. beliefs
4. White Americans think that there is greater equality between races than do African Americans.
This difference between cultural groups illustrates that _____.
a. culture is a group-related perception
b. culture is expressed as behavior
c. culture is dynamic
d. culture involves power
5. The idea that not all members of a particular group will behave or think in the same way
illustrates that _____.
a. culture is shared
b. culture is expressed as behavior
c. culture is heterogeneous
d. culture involves power
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6. Many Native American students are soft spoken and hesitate to participate in classroom
discussions. Amy, however, is a Native American who actively participates in class and often
asks questions to her instructors. Amy‘s behavior illustrates that _____.
a. culture is shared
b. culture is expressed as behavior
c. culture is dynamic
d. culture is heterogeneous
7. The symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed is
known as _____.
a. culture
b. power
c. communication
d. language
8. The fact that Berta uses her chin instead of her finger to point at an object across the room
illustrates that communication is _____.
a. dynamic
b. unintentional
c. receiver oriented
d. symbolic
9. An “easy” class or quiz can mean different things to different people. This illustrates that
communication is:
a. sharing and negotiating meaning.
b. unintentional.
c. receiver oriented.
d. symbolic.
10. The idea that we are constantly sending and receiving messages which may change
midstream illustrates that communication is _____.
a. sharing and negotiating meaning
b. unintentional
c. dynamic
d. symbolic
11. Jeff accidentally insulted the parents of his roommate Mohammed by putting his feet up on
the desk when they were visiting their dorm room. Jeff’s behavior (and subsequent apology)
illustrates that communication can be _____.
a. dynamic
b. unintentional
CHAPTER 3 Culture, Communication, Context, and Power
c. receiver oriented
d. symbolic
12. Daniel offended a classmate by trying to help her with her books. She told him he was sexist
and that he should quit patronizing her. In trying to be helpful, Daniel has illustrated that
communication is _____.
a. sharing and negotiating meaning
b. unintentional
c. receiver oriented
d. dynamic
13. Societies that are more likely to punish criminals than rehabilitate them probably see human
nature as _____.
a. innate
b. basically good
c. a combination of good and evil
d. essentially evil
14. Which relationship between humans and nature is illustrated by societies which place less
emphasis on birth control and tend not to interfere with rivers by building dams?
a. domination of nature over humans
b. humans living in harmony with nature
c. humans dominate nature
d. low access to technology
15. Kyle doesn’t understand why people in some countries don’t make greater use of agricultural
technology and why, if they have large populations, more people don’t practice birth control.
Kyle probably lives in a society with a _____ orientation.
a. domination of nature over humans
b. humans living in harmony with nature
c. humans dominate nature
d. technological
16. Many Guatemalans place great emphasis on extended families and are more likely to consult
with family members when making important decisions. This culture most likely represents a(n)
_____ society.
a. individualist
b. collectivist
c. feminine
d. masculine
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17. A culture that values being productive and keeping busy tends to have a _____ orientation to
human activity.
a. doing
b. puritan
c. growing
d. being
18. Carmen would rather spend time interacting and relaxing with friends than working. In fact,
she recently turned down a promotion because it would mean she would see her family and
friends less. Carmen probably grew up in a culture with a _____ value orientation toward human
activity.
a. doing
b. puritan
c. growing
d. being
19. Shauna, age 27, has started to put money into an IRA. She doesn’t plan to use this money
until she retires. Shauna probably lives in a culture with a _____ orientation toward time.
a. future
b. past
c. present
d. financial
20. The extent to which less powerful members of a society expect and accept power is known as
_____.
a. masculinity–femininity
b. uncertainty avoidance
c. power distance
d. long-term orientation to life
21. Many people in Central America have a preference for gender-specific roles (e.g., men
should be primary bread winners and women are responsible for the family). They probably have
a(n) _____ value orientation.
a. power distance
b. uncertainty avoidance
c. masculine
d. feminine
22. The degree to which people feel threatened by ambiguous situations and try to ensure
certainty by establishing more structure is referred to as _____.
CHAPTER 3 Culture, Communication, Context, and Power
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a. power distance
b. uncertainty avoidance
c. masculinity
d. femininity
23. Cultures whose members participate in religions like Hinduism and Buddhism, which
emphasize virtue, tenacity, and perseverance, have a _____ orientation toward life.
a. long-term
b. feminine
c. short-term
d. masculine
24. Jeremy is always polite and courteous to his instructors at school but tends to be a bit rowdy
with his friends at a party. This difference in Jeremy’s communication illustrates the importance
of _____ in determining behavior and communication.
a. power distance
b. context
c. rituals
d. ethnocentrism
25. Our sense of familiarity and comfort within our own cultures is known as _____.
a. uncertainty avoidance
b. embodied ethnocentrism
c. symbolic significance
d. preferred personality
26. _____ refers to acting or presenting oneself in a specific way so as to accomplish some goal.
a. Symbolic significance
b. Indulgence
c. Preferred personality
d. Performative
27. A research method where writers examine their own life experiences to discover broader
cultural insights is known as:
a. frame analysis.
b. phenomenography.
c. autoethnography.
d. hermeneutics.
28. _____ is a cultural variability dimension that reflects a subjective feeling of happiness.
CHAPTER 3 Culture, Communication, Context, and Power
a. Indulgence versus restraint
b. Long-term versus short-term orientation
c. Masculinity–femininity value
d. Uncertainty avoidance
29. _____ is a specialized area of study whereby interpretive scholars analyze verbal and
nonverbal activities that have symbolic significance for the members of cultural groups to
understand the rules and patterns followed by the groups.
a. Phenomenology
b. Pragmatics
c. Conversational analysis
d. Ethnography of communication
30. Interpretive scholars view culture as shared and learned and tend to focus on the:
a. often conflictual nature of cultural boundaries.
b. contextual patterns of communication behavior.
c. role of perception in cultural patterns.
d. heterogeneity of cultural groups.
31. In the context of the role of perception in cultural patterns, in contrast to Asians, North
European cultural groups:
a. lay heavy emphasis on sensory information and feeling.
b. use more description and physical metaphors to capture their perceptions.
c. tend to be more abstract, stressing coherent explanation.
d. emphasize action-oriented procedures.
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
32. People in collectivist societies tend to value direct communication and active conflict
resolution styles in order to maintain the group.
33. Groups with the most power determine what the acceptable communication system of an
entire society will be.
34. People of different ages, genders, physical abilities, or sexual orientations have relatively
equal access to power in the United States.
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35. People tend to communicate the same way regardless of the setting or the people with whom
they are speaking.
36. People who value quality of life, service to others, and support for the unfortunate tend to
have a masculine value orientation.
37. A culture whose members believe that less hierarchy is better and that power should be used
only for legitimate purposes tends to have a low power distance orientation.
38. Great Britain, Hong Kong, and the United States have low levels of uncertainty avoidance.
39. Forces that attempt to change or retain existing social structures contribute to the political
context.
40. Most people in the United States believe that man is essentially evil because we are
interested not in rehabilitation, but in punishment of criminal offenders.
41. The most common form of activity in the United States seems to involve a “doing”
orientation.
42. The interpretive perspective on communication emphasizes that the process by which we
negotiate meaning is static.
43. Researchers Florence Kluckhohn and Fred Strodtbeck emphasized the centrality of cultural
values in understanding cultural groups.
44. Preferred personality refers to the importance or meaning that most members of a cultural
group attach to a communication activity.
45. People with a long-term value orientation are concerned with possessing the truth, focusing
on quick results in endeavors, and recognizing social pressure to conform.
ESSAY QUESTIONS
46. Identify, discuss, and provide examples of the three possible relationships between humans
and nature according to Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck.
Commented [MPS1]: AQ: Should it be changed to “Short
Essay Questions” here and also in rest of the chapters as it
was the same in Ch 1 and 2?
CHAPTER 3 Culture, Communication, Context, and Power
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47. Compare and contrast the individualist and the collectivist orientations toward relationships
between humans.
48. Identify and discuss two ways in which communication reinforces culture.
49. Discuss the role of power in the intercultural communication process.