Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter 6: Culture
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. In ______ cultures, there tends to be a wide salary gap between those in
different parts of the hierarchy.
A. high context
B. high power distance
C. low uncertainty avoidance
D. masculine
2. Jin Kwan comes from an Asian culture; why might he view high context
messages as valuable?
A. High context messages are ambiguous and help both parties prevent
embarrassment.
B. High context messages cause one to lose face without being confronted
directly.
C. High context messages require partners to be active listeners.
D. Jin Kwan wouldn’t value high context messages. Asians prefer low context
messages.
3. Fred’s cultural background favors personal achievement, monetary success,
and competition. These are indicators of a/an ______ culture.
A. collectivist
B. high power distant
C. individualist
D. masculine
4. When interacting with people, Miranda is concerned with the other person’s
self-image, yet she also wants the other person to like her. According to face–
negotiation theory, Miranda has ______.
A. mutual face concern
B. negative face for other
C. positive face concern
D. self-face assertion
5. Liu is angry with Chen for not making dinner. Instead of openly addressing the
conflict, Liu attempts to make Chen feel guilty by dropping blameful hints, “I
guess I’ll have to go to bed hungry tonight.” According to FNT, Liu is using the
______ conflict style, typical in Asian cultures.
A. competitive
B. emotional expressive
C. hostile
D. passive-aggressive
6. Chen agrees to cook dinner two nights a week if Lui will help with the
gardening. This conflict style of giving up something to gain something is called
______.
A. competing
B. obliging
C. compromising
D. collaborating
7. According to the Adler and Proctor text, when CAT is used to study workplace
communication, who is more likely to diverge?
A. African-American (black) females
B. African-American (black) males
C. Euro-American (white) females
D. Euro-American (white) males
8. Social affiliations to which a person feels he or she does not belong are known
as ______.
A. outliers
B. out-groups
C. outties
D. in-groups
9. Maintenance simply is the absence of ______.
A. adjustment
B. motivation
C. conflict
D. disdain
10. ______ are considered in-group relationships; they are characterized by
mutual trust and liking.
A. LMX relationships
B. SX relationships
C. Middle-group relationships
D. none of these
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
11. Paula often thinks that she would quit her current job quickly if a job at
another organization was available. Because she is dissatisfied, she often takes
longer lunch breaks and will spend a lot of her time on Facebook. Paula is more
than likely experiencing a/an ______ relationship.
A. LMX
B. SX
C. middle-group
D. none of these
12. AUM draws heavily from ______.
A. uncertainty reduction theory
B. expectancy violations theory
C. communication accommodation theory
D. politeness theory
13. ______ relationships experience more divergence, according to Leader–
Member Exchange theory.
A. LMX
B. SX
C. Middle-group
D. none of these
14. ______ allows us to engage in appropriate and effective anxiety and
uncertainty management, according to AUM.
A. Intercultural adjustment
B. Attributional confidence
C. Mindfulness
D. Effective communication
15. Being mindful allows us to engage in ______ because we are discerning the
situation, reflecting on our communication, and striving to increase our
effectiveness.
A. LMX
B. SX
C. Sigma Six
D. anxiety and uncertainty management
16. Awareness of others’ face needs (both positive and negative) is known as
having ______.
A. face relations
B. face complications
C. face concern
D. face negativity
17. In ______ cultures, competition is valued and guilt is used as punishment,
whereas in ______ cultures, connections are valued and shame is used as
punishment.
A. high-context; low-context
B. low-context; high-context
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
C. collectivist; individualist
D. individualist; collectivist
18. Dante just joined a new organization. His new boss handed him a thick
employee handbook the first day and the office mate reiterated that the rules
were very important to follow. Dante is used to a more creative and laid back
organization, and he is worried about how he will adjust. What dimension of
culture is Dante worried about?
A. low uncertainty avoidance
B. high uncertainty avoidance
C. low power distance
D. high power distance
19. Chris and Pat are a recently married couple who are living together for the
first time. Pat is concerned with establishing retirement and savings accounts
ASAP and then creating a 5-year plan. Chris is would like to be more
spontaneous right now, especially if the two are going to have children one day.
Which dimension of culture are they dealing with?
A. long-term and short-term orientation
B. masculinity-femininity
C. uncertainty avoidance
D. power distance
20. When you have appropriately discerned and reduced your uncertainty about
another, you have achieved ______.
A. intercultural adjustment
B. attributional confidence
C. mindfulness
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
D. effective communication
21. Anxiety refers to an emotional state that includes ______.
A. exhilaration
B. happiness
C. solidarity
D. apprehension
22. ______ is a secondary outcome of positively reducing anxiety and
uncertainty, whereby the cultural out-group member feels emotionally secure,
socially appropriate, and communicatively competent.
A. Intercultural emotion
B. Intercultural adjustment
C. Interpersonal communication
D. Impersonal communication
23. ______ face emphasizes the desire to act freely without constraints or
imposition from others.
A. Negative
B. Positive
C. Neutral
D. Long
24. With regard to conflict, individuals with a ______ style have a high regard for
self and others.
A. compromising
B. accommodating
C. collaborating
D. avoidance
25. People higher in a hierarchy are not assumed to be superior to people lower
in the hierarchy. This is a characteristic of ______.
A. low power distance
B. high avoidance
C. low avoidance
D. high power distance
True/False
1. Despite the number of women in the workforce, Hofstede’s research indicates
that the United States is a very masculine culture.
2. Both Americans and Japanese view compliments as a positive way to improve
their image.
3. According to CAT, minority employees should diverge if they want to achieve
higher status in the organization.
4. High employee performance leads to an LMX relationship.
5. Middle-group relationships are the ideal relationships to have in an
organization because they lead to the best performance.
6. Mindfulness leads to more effective and appropriate anxiety and uncertainty
management.
7. Typically, individualistic cultures such as the United States are also low in
uncertainty avoidance.
8. Masculine cultures manifest consensus seeking and a preference for quality of
life over material success.
9. A long-term orientation centers on a desire for immediate gratification.
10. Non-accommodation includes over- and under-accommodation—that is too
much or too little adjustment to make a successful interaction.
Essay
1. Hofstede’s research identified five dimensions on which cultures differ. Which
two dimensions do you believe have the greatest potential for miscommunication
between members of different cultures? In your essay, make sure to explain
each dimension fully and give an example that illustrates each end of the
continuum. Then provide clear reasoning as to why you think these dimensions
are most likely to lead to miscommunication.
2. Identify and explain the two dimensions of Hofstede’s research that influence
face and conflict, as discussed in face negotiation theory.
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
3. Explain the positive and negative effects of both converging and diverging.
4. According to your Adler and Proctor textbook, relationships between superiors
and subordinates can be placed on a continuum. Explain this continuum.
5. Chris and Kelly are having a difficult time resolving their conflict and need help
to determine which conflict management style to use in order to achieve better
results and to demonstrate their high regard for each other and themselves.
Describe which conflict management style is the most likely to demonstrate a
high regard to themselves and for the other and how you arrived at your
conclusion.