Chapter 02 – Intercultural Communication
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CHAPTER TWO
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The learned patterns of perception, values, and behaviors shared by a group of people, which
are dynamic and heterogeneous, are known as _____.
a. stereotyping
2. The ways in which a culture judges good or bad, or right or wrong, is often determined by
_____.
d. beliefs
3. Collectively, the values and perceptions of a cultural group represent its _____.
d. beliefs
4. Surveys of global attitudes toward U.S. popular culture show that the majority of people
surveyed in European countries say they like American music, movies, and television, while
U.S. popular culture gets generally poor reviews in the majority of Muslim nations surveyed.
This difference between cultural groups illustrates that _____.
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
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. Amy’s behavior illustrates that _____.
a. culture is shared
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7. The symbolic process whereby meaning is shared and negotiated is called _____.
a. culture
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
9. An “easy” class or quiz can mean different things to different people. This illustrates that:
d. communication is symbolic.
10. The idea that we are constantly sending and receiving messages that may change midstream
illustrates that:
a. communication involves sharing and negotiating meaning.
11. Jeff accidentally insulted the parents of his roommate Mohammed by putting his feet up on
the desk when they were visiting him. Jeff’s behavior illustrates that:
a. communication is always dynamic.
12. Daniel offended a classmate by trying to help her with her books. She told him he was sexist
and that he should not patronize her. In trying to be helpful, Daniel has illustrated that:
a. communication involves sharing and negotiating meaning.
13. Societies that are more likely to punish criminals than rehabilitate them probably see human
nature as _____.
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14. Which of the following relationships between humans and nature is illustrated by societies
that place less emphasis on birth control and tend not to interfere with rivers by building
dams?
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
16. Which of the following statements is true about people from collectivist societies?
a. They are less likely to employ an avoidance-style conflict resolution.
17. Which of the following statements is true about a “doing” value orientation?
d. It particularly places importance on the spiritual aspects of life.
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
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.
d. financial
20. The extent to which less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country
expect and accept power is known as _____.
Chapter 02 – Intercultural Communication
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a. masculinity/femininity
21. Which of the following value dimensions is related to the subjective feelings of happiness?
d. masculinity/femininity orientation
22. Identify a feature of national cultures that are categorized as more indulgent.
a. They report that having lots of friends is unimportant.
23. Which of the following is a feature of societies with a long-term orientation to life?
d. They are concerned with “possessing” the truth, which is reflected in Western religions
like Christianity and Islam.
24. Jeremy is always polite and courteous toward his instructors at school but tends to be a bit
rowdy with his friends at parties. The differences in Jeremy’s communication illustrate the
importance of _____ in determining behavior and communication.
d. ethnocentrism
25. The belief that one’s own cultural group is superior to all other cultural groups is known as
_____.
a. prejudice
26. Which of the following terms can be best defined as a negative attitude toward a cultural
group based on little or no experience?
d. stereotype
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27. Widely held beliefs or generalizations about a group of people are known as _____.
a. prejudice
28. James believes that gay people are abnormal and overly concerned with sex, so he has never
been friends with people he knew were gay. James’ attitude toward gays illustrates _____, a
barrier to intercultural communication.
a. prejudice
29. People who go out of their way to engage in unimportant but positive intergroup behaviors
(saying “I’m not prejudiced“) in order to convince themselves and others that they are not
prejudiced, illustrate the subtle form of prejudice known as _____.
a. stereotyping
True or False
30. People in collectivist societies tend to value direct communication and active conflict
resolution styles in order to maintain their group.
31. Groups with the most power determine what the acceptable communication system of their
entire society will be.
32. People of different ages, genders, physical abilities, or sexual orientations have relatively
equal access to power in the United States.
33. Communication involves tossing “message balls” back and forth, such that one person sends
a single message and the other person receives it.
34. We learn to be cultural members slowly and subconsciously through the process of
socialization.
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35. People in Japan, Austria, and Mexico seem to prefer a masculine orientation, expressing a
general preference for gender-specific roles.
36. Countries with a predominant indulgence orientation emphasize freedom of speech over
maintaining order, whereas countries with a more restraint orientation tend to value
maintaining order over allowing freedom of speech.
37. Weak uncertainty-avoidance societies like Great Britain, Sweden, Ireland, and Hong Kong
prefer more extensive rules and regulations in organizational settings and more consensus
concerning goals.
38. Forces that attempt to change or retain existing social structures contribute to the political
context.
39. Stereotypes are a normal product of our everyday thought processes.
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. A “growing” orientation places importance on the spiritual aspects of life.
Short Essay Questions
42. Identify, discuss, and provide examples of the three possible relationships between humans
and nature according to Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck.
43. Compare and contrast the individualist and the collectivist orientations toward relationships
between humans.
44. Identify and discuss two ways in which communication reinforces culture.
45. Discuss the role of power in the intercultural communication process.
