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Chapter 1: The Study of Communication, Gender, and Culture
Multiple Choice
1.
Rick was born with male and female sex organs. Which of the following is the best term
to describe Rick as a person with biological qualities of a male and a female?
A.
Cisgender
B.
Intersex
C.
Transgender
D.
Gender rebels
E.
Dual sexed
2.
Which of the following is NOT one of the ways cultures reflect their views of gender?
A.
Communication within the culture
B.
Cultural practices
C.
Cultural institutions
D.
Biology
E.
None of these
3.
Which of the following persons would be accurately described as “cisgendered”?
A.
A person born as a biological female who embodies both masculine and feminine
characteristics
B.
A biological male who prefers romantic and sexual relationships with biological
males
C.
A biological female who identifies as female and feminine
D.
A biological female who enjoys dressing in men’s clothing
E.
A person whose biological sex is inconsistent with their gender identity
4.
The meaning of masculinity and femininity in our lives is affected by
A.
our age.
B.
our race.
C.
our interactions with others.
D.
the historical time period in which we live.
E.
all of the above.
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5.
Research that examines the reasons why working mothers are often forced to return to the
workplace earlier than they want and attempts to change the dynamics of the corporate
world to end these practices would be best served by which research methods?
A.
Quantitative research methods
B.
Qualitative research methods
C.
Mixed research methods
D.
Critical research methods
E.
None of these
6.
The term patriarchy literally means
A.
oppression of females.
B.
from male standpoint.
C.
rule by the fathers.
D.
government by men.
E.
all of the above.
7.
Which of the following is not one of the current meanings of masculinity in American
culture?
A.
Emotional engagement
B.
Strength
C.
Ambition
D.
Success
E.
Rationality
8.
Yan Bing and Dianna are college students discussing how they each define cheating in a
romantic relationship. Yan Bing considers flirting during an IM conversation cheating,
but Dianna thinks cheating only involves physical contact. Later, they continue the
discussion with friends over dinner. This scenario best describes which of the following?
A.
Communication is dynamic and contextual.
B.
Communication is gendered.
C.
Yan Bing and Dianna are exhibiting feminine styles of communication.
D.
Content level of meaning and relationship level of meaning are not the same thing.
E.
All of the above.
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9.
A professor says to a student, “I will not accept your paper after 5 pm today.” The
content level of meaning in this message is that the professor
A.
is open to negotiation.
B.
feels s/he has to explain the policy to the student.
C.
can exercise power over the student.
D.
feels s/he has greater status than the student.
E.
won’t accept the paper after 5 pm today.
10.
Topic or question should come from class business. See pages 8 to 10 of this
manual for details on this activity.
11.
Gender is a relational concept because masculinity and femininity make sense in
relation to one another.
12.
The thinness valued as desirable and beautiful in American culture has always been the
standard for attractiveness in that culture.
13.
The Industrial Revolution led to the redefinition of masculinity and femininity.
14.
Different cultures have different gendered expectations than Western society does.
15.
The standard practice today for intersex infants is to give them normalizing surgery so
their genitalia are consistently male or female.
16.
Androgyny is a term describing individuals who “feel their biological sex is wrong—
that they are really women trapped in men’s bodies or men trapped in women’s
bodies.”
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17.
There are two distinct genders, female and male.
18.
Gender identity is the same thing as one’s biological sex.
19.
Most transgender people experience a change in their sexual orientation after
transitioning.
20.
Content and relationship levels of meaning
21.
Essentializing
22.
Sex
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REF: p. 19
23.
Gender
24.
Sexual orientation
25.
Intersex people
26.
Cis:
27.
Patriarchal
28.
Transgender
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29.
Popular psychology books often profile the behaviors and characteristics of the
“opposite sexes.” Based on your understanding of material from Chapter 1, how would
you critique this labeling of men and women? Make sure your answer demonstrates
your understanding of essentializing, androgyny, and sex and gender. The framework
for the answer to this essay may be found throughout Chapter 1.
ANS: Answers should:
REF: pp. 18–25
30.
The term cis has come to be used to designate a person who fits conventional gender
categories. Explain how cis is used and why it is an important word.
31.
Define levels of meaning in communication and provide a concrete example of each
level of meaning.
32.
Unlike sex, gender is a relational concept. Explain what this means and the
implications of it, and give an example that illustrates your point.
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compared and contrasted with masculinity. Likewise, we cannot understand
masculinity without the concept of femininity. We socially construct these two to be
opposites; for example, if we see masculinity as being about strength, then femininity
is seen as weakness. This concept is important because it means that when we change
our ideas about one gender, we necessarily change the way we think about another
gender.
REF: p. 25
33.
Describe three cultural structures and practices that reflect and promote a culture’s
views of gender and sex.
(1) Communication announces social views of gender and defines for us what is