– Chapter Four –
Test Items
1. Communication that takes place between people who are members of the same dominant culture but
have different values is known as ________ communication.
2. Cultures are passed on by ________.
3. According to Folb, each individual below is part of a nondominant group EXCEPT__________.
4. Folb argues that nondominant groups are both ________ and ________.
5. Which of the following options influenced the geopolitical reality of the United States and served to
create the current hierarchy between dominant and nondominant people?
6. About how many people in the United States have some type of disability?
7. Which of the following was identified by Crewe and Athelstan (1985) as a “key life function” that
may be affected by a disability?
8. Which of the following forms of redefinition by people with disabilities describes the following
comment made by one of Braithwaite’s informants: “I am a person like anyone else”?
9. Focusing on how every person is handicapped in one way or another by their physical attributes and
how every person is dependent on others in many aspects of their lives is part of which redefinition
process?
10. The label “handicapped person” is problematic and objectionable to people with disabilities because
it emphasizes the disability instead of the ________.
11. Nondisabled persons are sometimes referred to as _____ by members of the disabled culture.
12. In which of the three phases of adjusting to a disability is an individual focusing on the physical
changes and rehabilitation rather than social relationships and communication?
13. Of the three phases identified when adjusting to a disability, which phase is identified as one where
the individual realizes that the relationships and communication with nondisabled people have
changed?
14. The difference between a disability and a handicap is:
15. Which of the following is good advice for nondisabled people interacting with people with
disabilities?
16. According to the Bern sex role inventory, a person who is high in masculinity and high in femininity
would be labeled as ________.
17. In which stage of development do children imitate others by mirroring their behavior?
18. Which statement below accurately represents research findings about communication differences
between masculine and feminine individuals?
19. Which statement below does NOT describe a problem facing gender and communication research?
21. Which statement below best describes a satisfying conversation for most African Americans
according to Ribeau, Baldwin, and Hecht?
22. A European American bringing up “African American topics” like sports or music is an example of
________.
23. When an African American is frustrated by a European American being “phony,” which issue has
affected the conversation?
24. If an African American is deliberately contradicting stereotypes during a conversation with a
European American, which communication improvement strategy is he or she using?
25. If an African American changes the topic of conversation during an interaction with a European
American in order to keep the interaction flowing smoothly, which communication improvement
strategy is he or she using?
26. Which of the following is NOT a stereotype of gay males?
27. According to one study, ________ do(es) not exist.
28. The idea that heterosexuality is “normal” and homosexuality is “deviant” as opposed to “different” is
known as ________.
29. In order to safely communicate with gay strangers, gay men use ________ to indicate they are
interested in another man.
30. Which statement below is true of same-sex relationships?
– Chapter Four –
Test Items
Short Answer / Essay
1. Explain how culture arose and how children are initiated into cultures.
2. How are hierarchies formed and reinforced in societies?
3. Explain what Folb means by “nondominance.” Which people fit into this category? How are
4. How has the history of the United States as a geopolitical entity helped establish the current status
5. What accounts for the rise in the number of persons with disabilities?
6. What’s the difference between being disabled and handicapped?
7. What have been some problems with research on disabled persons’ communication?
8. Describe the different stages of individual adjustment to disabled culture.
9. What role does language play in the redefinition of disability for disabled and temporarily able-
10. What suggestions do Braithwaite and Braithwaite give for communicating with people with
11. How have theories of sex, gender, and communication changed over the years?
12. What are some of the ways that masculine and feminine individuals communicate differently?
13. What are the three major problems within the field of gender and communication? How can these
14. What features of conversation characterize satisfying conversations for African Americans, Mexican
15. What are the seven primary intergroup communication issues that often arise during conversations
16. Explain five of the twelve communication improvement strategies identified by Ribeau, Baldwin, and
17. How do media portrayals of lesbians and gays perpetuate stereotypes? And how do the media foster
18. What are the six interactive stages through which nonheterosexual individuals pass as they develop
19. What are some reasons that negotiating intimacy might be more difficult for lesbians and gay men?
20. Describe how gay men use verbal and nonverbal communication to safely indicate attraction and