Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
Chapter 3: Context, Perception, and Competence
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. The neurological process by which we become aware of our environment is ______.
A. sensation
B. perception
C. culture
D. intercultural competence
2. When considering perception, sensation is ______.
A. a three-step process
B. not affected by our brain
C. culturally marked
D. external rather than internal
3. The degree to which perception of an object is influenced by the background in which
it appears is called ______.
A. environment confidence
B. field dependence
C. environment dependence
D. field confidence
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
4. According to Nisbett (2003), Eastern cultures ______.
A. are inclined to see the world as continuous masses of matter
B. have an analytic view of focusing on objects and their attributes
C. see a world of discrete, unconnected things
D. sense the world largely the same as other cultures do
5. Human perception can be thought of as the three-step process in the order of
______.
A. interpretation, organization, and selection
B. organization, interpretation, and selection
C. selection, organization, and interpretation
D. sensation, organization, and interpretation
6. Speakers of English have difficulty hearing the difference between Japanese words
that differ only in vowel length is an example of ______.
A. interpretation
B. organization
C. selection
D. sensation
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
7. That languages categorize perceptions differently describes the perceptual step of
______.
A. interpretation
B. organization
C. selection
D. sensation
8. That people in different cultures have different uses for dogs (such as pets, hunting
animals, or food) is an example of ______.
A. interpretation
B. organization
C. selection
D. sensation
Difficulty Level: Medium
9. ______ refers to attaching meaning to sense data and is synonymous with decoding.
A. Sensation
B. Organization
C. Selection
D. Interpretation
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
10. The ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with people of other
cultures describes intercultural communication ______.
A. success
B maturity
C. competence
D. effectiveness
11. Cultures in which more of the meaning of communication is determined by the
environment are called ______.
A. high context
B. individualistic
C. low context
D. immediacy
12. Which of the following terms is used to describe the communicative strategies one
uses to enact self–face and to uphold, support, or challenge another person’s face?
A. face behavior
B. face control
C. face power
D. facework
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
13. Interpersonal disputes are likely to be settled by intermediaries in ______ cultures.
A. high-context
B. individualistic
C. low-context
D. collectivistic
14. In ______ societies, people tend to be guided more by personal responsibility than
by shaming one’s group.
A. low-context
B. high-context
C. collectivistic
D. individualistic
15. The ______ person is one who respects cultures and has tolerance for differences.
A. inclusive
B. postethnic
C. multicultural
D. ethnocentric
16. John Dewey argued that cultural ______ supported rigid segregation between
groups.
A. exceptions
B. exclusion
C. diversity
D. pluralism
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
17. John was raised in London and Anne was raised in Peru. When they marry, the
culture their union might create would be considered a ______ culture.
A. secondary
B. second
C. primary
D. third
18. The notion that you can identify as a member of multiple groups, and that your
identity may evolve over time, is referred to as ______.
A. cultural multiplicity
B. ethnicity
C. postethnicity
D. cultural pluralism
19. Which of the following is one of the skill areas of intercultural communication
competence identified by Chen (1990)?
A. relationship strength
B. financial responsibility
C. cultural awareness
D. social skills
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
20. Which of the following that Kale (1997) argues is the fundamental human value?
A. peace
B. love
C. ethics
D. knowledge
True/False
1. To say “the world is external to our minds” overlooks the idea that perception and
thought are not independent of the environment.
2. Ancient Greeks had a strong sense of individual identity.
3. The Chinese counterpart to the Greek sense of harmony was a sense of personal
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
4. Field dependence is the degree to which perception of an object is influenced by the
background or environment in which it appears.
5. Studies show that when prompted to discuss a scene, people in Japan discuss
relationships between objects and people in the United States describe the
largest object.
6. Believing that humans eating corn on the cob is disgusting because corn on the cob
is only fit for pigs is an example of perceptual interpretation.
7. Feeding and rarely killing rats because of a belief that rats accompany Ganesh
whenever he travels is an example of perceptual interpretation.
8. When viewed from the perspective of high- and low-context cultures, language often
separates people.
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
9. Perception ends with the reception of sensory data.
10. In high-context cultures, verbal messages are elaborate and highly specific.
11. Conflict resolution in a high-context culture such as China is less likely to use
intermediaries and indirect-face negotiation.
12. In low-context cultures the message is explicit, detailed, and redundant.
13. According to Ting-Toomey (1985), high-context cultures with a greater concern for
privacy and autonomy tend to use direct-face negotiation and express more self-
face maintenance.
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
14. According to Cohen (1997), face loss may happen, among other reasons, because
of exposure to personal insult.
15. Self-concept refers to the willingness of individuals to openly and appropriately
reveal information about themselves to their counterparts.
16. Psychological adjustment refers to the understanding of the social system and
customs of the host culture by competent intercultural communicators.
17. Third culture refers to a new culture that two or more individuals from different
cultures can share.
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publications, 2018
18. Postethnic culture refers to how each of us lives in many diverse groups.
19. There are no global fundamental human values that can provide an ethical basis to
guide intercultural interactions.
20. Ethical communicators encourage people of other cultures to express themselves.
Short Answer
1. ______ is the neurological process by which we become aware of our environment.
2. According to Nisbet (2003), humans sense and perceive the world in ways unique to
their ______.