Chapter 10—Cultural Influences on Communication Contexts: Responding to the
Setting
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The shared understanding of the meaning of communication and the behaviors appropriate for specific
situations reflect what basic assumption?
a.
communication is culturally determined
b.
communication is rule governed
c.
communication has a consequence
d.
communication is unavoidable
e.
communication is dynamic
2. Which of the following statements addressing communication rules is/are correct?
a.
context helps specify communication rules
b.
communication rules are culturally diverse
c.
communication rules are universal in most contexts
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
3. Informality in American culture:
a.
can make international business more difficult
b.
can be a source of confusion for people from more formal cultures:
c.
makes international business more predictable
d.
A and B
e.
A and C
4. Cultures in which younger and subordinate members of an organization are not to use first names
when referring to elder and higher ranked members ____.
a.
have high formality
b.
include countries like Germany and Japan
c.
have high informality
d.
A and B
e.
A and C
5. Assertiveness is considered an asset in all of the following cultures except:
a.
The Philippines
b.
Israel
c.
Germany
d.
U.S.
e.
none
6. Power distance relationships can be:
a.
anarchical or hierarchical
b.
egalitarian or totalitarian
c.
egalitarian or hierarchical
d.
anarchical or egalitarian
e.
A and C
7. International business has been significantly impacted by ____.
a.
the increasing importance of national borders
b.
increased economic interdependence
c.
increased role of economic dominance
d.
decreasing number of companies with workers abroad
e.
none
8. Domestically, all of the following statements about businesses in the U.S. are false except ____.
a.
increases in minority co-cultures have impacted both workplace and marketplace
b.
minority owned businesses grew by about 45% between 2002-2007
c.
more than 2.3 million businesses in the U.S. owned by Hispanics
d.
most business transactions involve a culturally homogeneous population
9. In the business sector, culture determines:
a.
protocol
b.
management and leadership
c.
decision-making
d.
negotiation and conflict management
e.
A, B, C, and D
10. All of the following are basic protocols people dealing with international business should follow
except ____.
a.
remember hosts’ names and how they are pronounced
b.
be aware of local uses of time and punctuality
c.
practice behaviors that demonstrate your rank and authority
d.
create an appropriate impression by wearing suitable attire
e.
enjoy social events while observing local customs related to food and drink
11. Identify the false statement.
a.
extended handshakes are rare during first meetings in Brazil
b.
Chinese usually greet the most senior person first and use formal titles
c.
the traditional greeting in India is the namaste
d.
Western women should not offer to shake hands with Indian men
e.
Brazil, China, and India represent major forces in the global economy
12. Which of the following statements are true regarding Brazilian business culture?
a.
corporate structure mimics family structure
b.
reflects a collective culture
c.
best qualified employees have experience and technical expertise
d.
A and B
e.
B and C
13. Chinese business culture is associated with all of the following except:
a.
a collectivist, high-context culture that diffuses decision-making responsibilities
b.
Chinese make decisions based on relationships
c.
rarely defer personal interests to those of the group
d.
discourage independent expression
e.
power relationships are the ultimate determinant of Chinese social interaction
14. Loyalty to a company/employer in India is ____.
a.
more important than loyalty to family
b.
less important than loyalty to family
c.
absolute
d.
not typically expected
e.
A and C
15. According to the text, Indian executives all of the following as ‘key responsibilities’ except ____.
a.
chief input for business strategy
b.
manager of relationships
c.
keeper of organizational culture
d.
guide, teacher, or role model for employees
e.
a representative of owners and investors
16. When negotiating with Brazilians, representatives of American businesses should:
a.
emphasis the universal rather than the specific
b.
emphasize task over relationship
c.
emphasize group over individual
d.
A and C
e.
none
17. Which of the following is not true about U.S.-Chinese business negotiations?
a.
Chinese tend to feel ‘rushed‘ by Western negotiators
b.
Chinese more likely to want a detailed contract than Western negotiators
c.
Chinese prefer a “soft no” to a direct negative
d.
A and C
e.
A, B, and C
18. When negotiating with Indians, what recommendation(s) did the text make for representatives of
American businesses?
a.
identify the leader of the Indian negotiating team and develop a strong rapport
b.
build momentum by achieving smaller agreements on the way to larger ones
c.
avoid underlying issues that may cause problems
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
19. The general intercultural negotiation skills recommended include all of the following except ____.
a.
avoid and resist ambiguity
b.
be prepared
c.
develop sensitivity to the use of time
d.
listen carefully
e.
locate areas of agreement
20. The teaching of history is common in all cultures, but ____.
a.
each culture tends to emphasize its own past
b.
each culture tends to glorify their own accomplishments
c.
each culture tends to minimize the accomplishments of other cultures
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
21. In the U.S., multicultural education includes all of the following concepts except ____.
a.
teaching and learning
b.
based on democratic principles
c.
affirms cultural homogeneity
d.
interdependent society
e.
B, C, and D
22. The challenge(s) of multicultural education include which of the following?
a.
inequality
b.
diverse cultural backgrounds
c.
rapidly changing society
d.
A, B, and C
e.
none
23. The mental processes people employ to think about and become aware of their universe are referred to
as:
a.
ways of knowing
b.
epistemology
c.
deep structures
d.
universal cognitions
e.
axiology
24. Holistic ways of seeing include all of the following except:
a.
physical seeing with eyes
b.
seeing the past
c.
seeing with the mind
d.
seeing the unseen or spirits
e.
seeing through a medium or traditional healer
25. Field-independent learners tend to ____.
a.
prefer to work together in a cooperative manner
b.
to be task oriented
c.
perceive objects as separate and unique
d.
A and C
e.
B and C
26. Learners who prefer a structured, predictable environment ____.
a.
demonstrate intolerance for ambiguity
b.
display a left hemispherical bias
c.
are atypical in the U.S.
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
27. Linguistic issues in multicultural education discussed in the text include all of the following except
____.
a.
the extent of cultural and linguistic diversity in American schools
b.
the relationship between culturally and linguistically diverse students and self-esteem
c.
discrepancies in educational preparedness
d.
English as a second language
e.
none
28. Culturally and linguistically diverse students face difficulties including ____.
a.
cognitive aspects of learning with linguistic difficulties of learning in English
b.
insufficient academic preparation
c.
at higher grade levels, English proficiency is ever more essential
d.
different countries emphasize different content and curricular sequences
e.
A, B, C, and D
29. An individual’s belief in her or his ability to organize and execute courses of action required to
successfully accomplish a specific task in a particular context is known as:
a.
self-efficacy
b.
self-esteem
c.
self-confidence
d.
self-effacing
e.
self-control
30. Immediate teachers are perceived as having all of the following characteristics except ____.
a.
approachable
b.
friendly
c.
cold
d.
responsive
e.
relaxed
31. Which of the following would not help teachers communicate empathically?
a.
attend to student’s nonverbal and verbal behaviors
b.
emphasize a competitive climate
c.
accurately reflect and clarify feelings
d.
be genuine and congruent
e.
none
32. Ineffective communication strategies in multicultural classrooms include:
a.
provide lots of opportunities to discuss global issues relevant to students
b.
be sensitive to cultural customs that may differ from the mainstream
c.
remind students that the classroom is a safe place for learning
d.
encourage conversations that perpetuate us and them discussions
e.
none
33. The ability to understand and work effectively with patients whose beliefs, values, and histories differ
from one’s own:
a.
is essential for contemporary health care providers
b.
is less relevant to scientific/biomedical tradition
c.
is inextricable from the supernatural/mágico/religious tradition
d.
reflects the holistic tradition
e.
B and D
34. Followers of this tradition believe that sorcery, magic, and evil spirits can negatively affect them in
their daily lives.
a.
holistic
b.
scientific/biomedical
c.
namaste
d.
supernatural/mágico/religious tradition
e.
superstitionism
35. Identify the tradition not accurately linked with a cure:
a.
supernatural/mágico/religious = hanyaks
b.
traditional holistic = folk medicine
c.
biomedical/scientific = acupuncture
d.
A and B
e.
A and C
36. Holistic approaches to the cause of illness assume:
a.
there are natural laws that govern everything
b.
to be healthy, a person’s body must be in harmony
c.
people should adapt and adjust to their environment
d.
A and B
e.
A, B, and C
37. The scientific/biomedical approach to health:
a.
focuses on subjective diagnosis
b.
is an evidence-based approach
c.
assumes poor health is an immaterial problem
d.
physical phenomenon can be treated using non-material things
e.
C and D
38. The dominant form of health care treatment in the U.S. is:
a.
scientific/biomedical
b.
holistic
c.
supernatural/mágico/religious tradition
d.
B and C
e.
none
39. What are some of the reasons a hospital or other medical facility might employ interpreters?
a.
legal reasons
b.
quality of care reasons
c.
financial reasons
d.
A and C
e.
A, B, and C
40. Which of the following guidelines regarding medical interpreters were recommended by the authors?
a.
use interpreters trained in the health care field
b.
use cross-gendered interpreters whenever possible
c.
a health professional should be with the patient and interpreter at all times
d.
remember that patients usually understand less than they express
e.
B and C
41. In order for health care provides to understand and appreciate other belief systems, ____.
a.
they need to study other health care belief systems
b.
they need to understand their own belief systems
c.
differentiate between complementary and contradictory belief structures
d.
A and B
e.
A and C
42. All of the following reflect cross-cultural questions recommended for medical interviews except ____.
a.
what do you call the illness?
b.
what do you think caused the illness?
c.
can you cause the illness in others?
d.
what kind of treatment do you think is necessary?
e.
what do you fear most about the illness?
43. Cultural diversity affects individual beliefs about death and dying, which can cause problems between
providers and families about ____.
a.
when to tell a patient he or she is dying
b.
whether to tell a patient he or she is dying
c.
how to tell a patient she or he is dying
d.
A and C
e.
A, B, and C
TRUE/FALSE
1. Social interaction is neither arbitrary nor disorderly, but is patterned by interaction rituals that specify
normative ways of speaking and behaving in specific social contexts.
2. In North America, people tend to treat others with informality and directness.
3. The student-teacher relationship is very formal in Japan.
4. Mexican’s rarely use honorific titles.
5. Cultures such as Germany and Israel view assertiveness as a deficit.
6. Hierarchical societies place a significant emphasis on status and rank.
7. The importance of national borders has diminished in an era characterized by international joint
ventures, mergers, licensing agreements, foreign capital investment, and offshore production.
8. The nature of business cultures across the world make confusion, misunderstandings, and failures less
likely.
9. An unsolicited call or letter is usually quite effective when making initial contacts with the Chinese.
10. Although English may be the international language of business, learning key phrases can be helpful.
11. In India, the use of first names in addressing someone should be avoided.
12. Brazilians are generally more low-context than eastern and middle-eastern cultures, but higher context
than the U.S. and northern European nations.
13. Chinese tend to think in terms of role fulfillment where employees are given a job role or title to
fulfill, though they are not necessarily expected to perform the job.
14. Power relationships have little impact on Chinese social interactions, especially in the business
context.
15. The Indian economy is sometimes compared to an elephant because it is not capable of running swiftly
as some smaller “tiger-like” Asian economies but enjoys the advantage of being stable and less
affected by upsets and disturbances.
16. Negotiating with Brazilians should emphasize details and particulars rather than universal ideas.
17. For the Chinese, a contract is a rigid agreement to which parties are expected to adhere precisely to the
various provisions.
18. Indians conduct business at an extremely fast pace so anyone engaging in negotiations must be
prepared to make decisions quickly.
19. A nation writes its history in the image of its ideal.
20. The subtle ethnocentrism which reinforces a culture’s values, beliefs, and prejudices is a uniquely
American phenomenon.
21. Even in today’s society, some classrooms seem to be focusing on the differences and difficulties
involved in multicultural education rather than embracing these differences.
22. Cognitive abilities are rooted in the patterns of a society.
23. Many traditional native Hawaiians believe that thinking comes from the intestines, the “gut” that links
the heart and the mind.
24. Low context, highly industrialized, and individualistic societies such as the U.S. are predominantly
field dependent.
25. The trial and error approach to learning is commonly preferred in all cultures.
26. A person’s native language had deep significance because it is the seed of identity that blossoms as
children grow.
27. Self-efficacy stems from lifelong experiences resulting in beliefs and perceptions affecting how people
see themselves individually and collectively.
28. Empathy is the inability to experience or express emotion.
29. Although there is a tendency to respond more to the content of what others say rather than the feelings
they are expressing, the multicultural teacher needs to attend to both.
30. Self-questioning is a good strategy for interacting in a multicultural classroom. It involves teachers
asking themselves questions about how students will respond to the assignment.
31. Immigrants who may have limited language skills and may come from cultures with very different
health care practices may be especially confused by the practices within the U.S. health care system.
32. Culture has little to do with the meanings we attach to illness and health.
33. In the supernatural/mágico/religious tradition, people may believe that illness is a sign of weakness, a
punishment for evildoing, or retribution for shameful behavior.
34. The supernatural/mágico/religious tradition seeks to treat illness by achieving a positive association
between the patient and the relevant spirits, deities, and so forth.
35. Holistic health is based on the principle that a whole is made up of interdependent parts: physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual.
36. A holistic worldview results in a uniform approach to understanding the causes of illness.
37. Acupuncture is an example of complementary alternative medicine, a combination of the
scientific/biomedical and supernatural/mágico/religious tradition.
38. According to the scientific/biomedical tradition, life is controlled by a series of physical and
biochemical processes that can be studied and manipulated by humans.
39. When using medical interpreters, it is preferable to select one who is the same gender as the patient.
40. The Chinese put a great deal of emphasis on patient autonomy and a patient’s “right to know.”
ESSAY
1. List and describe the underlying assumptions of context in communication.
2. Differentiate between cultural orientations toward formality and informality.
3. Compare and contrast hierarchical and egalitarian cultures. How do the perspectives affect
intercultural communication?
4. Explain the relationship between intercultural communication and international business.
5. Discuss the impact of intercultural contact has had on domestic businesses in the U.S.
6. Compare the business protocols of initial contacts and greeting behaviors between at least two
cultures.
7. Identify two different examples of how the business culture of Brazil differs from that of the U.S.
8. Identify two different examples of how the business culture of China differs from that of the U.S.
9. Identify two different examples of how the business culture of India differs from that of the U.S.
10. List and describe the characteristics of the Brazilian negotiating style.
11. Explain some of the nuances of negotiating with the Chinese. Include concepts such as status,
communication style, schedules, and the mutual use of empathy.
12. List and describe at least four guidelines for individuals who are preparing to negotiate with Indians.
13. Identify at least three of the five intercultural negotiation skills generally recommended regardless of
culture.
14. Explain the relationship between culture and education. Provide an example from at least two different
cultures.
15. Define multicultural education. What are the challenges associated with it?
16. Discuss the relationship between culture and learning. Be sure to include ways of knowing.
17. Compare and contrast the learning preferences of field independence/dependence,
cooperation/competition, trial and error/watch, then do, and tolerance/intolerance for ambiguity.
18. Describe the difficulties faced by culturally and linguistically diverse students in the U.S. education
system.
19. What is self-efficacy and how does it relate to culturally responsive classroom communication?
20. Explain the concept of immediacy. What role should it play in the classroom?
21. Define empathy and identify explain how to become more empathic using Cooper and Simond’s
guidelines.
22. Describe at least three strategies for effectively communicating in a culturally diverse educational
setting.
23. Explain the supernatural/mágico/religious tradition of health beliefs. Be sure to include the underlying
premises, causes for illness, and treatment.
24. Describe the holistic tradition of health beliefs. Include the underlying premises, the causes of illness,
and the approach to treatment.
25. Discuss the scientific/biomedical tradition of health beliefs. Be certain to include the underlying
premises, the causes of illness, and the methods of treatment.
26. Compare and contrast the three major categories of health belief systems. Which system makes the
most sense and why?
27. Explain the reasons for using a medical interpreter. How should one be selected?
28. Why is it important for health care providers to not only know their own cultures but to learn about
diverse health care beliefs? Include examples.
29. Explain the purpose of conducting a health interview. List some of the questions that should be asked
of patients from diverse cultural backgrounds.
30. Discuss the notion of death and dying. How do health belief systems affect the approach health care
providers should take to discussing these issues with patients and their families?