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Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. True or false? Stereotypical beliefs about and attitudes toward others may lead us to interact with them in
such a way that we set them up to prove our perceptions true.
a.
True
b.
False
2. True or false? In order to avoid ethnocentrism, we must resist the tendency to feel national pride.
a.
True
b.
False
3. True or false? Sakura is studying international finance at a California state university. While working in a
group in class, Sakura becomes uncomfortable with her classmate Marsha’s blunt responses. She is not used to
one being so direct in his or her communication. Sakura MOST likely comes from a low-context culture.
a.
True
b.
False
4. True or false? The phrases “make time” and “buy time” are indicative of a polychronic time culture.
a.
True
b.
False
5. Bill grew up in a small rural town, where he and most of his classmates shared similar ethnic, religious, and
socioeconomic backgrounds. However, since he has gone away to college, he has noticed that he is surrounded
by people from many different backgrounds. Compared to Bill’s hometown, we would describe Bill’s college
environment as more:
a.
cultural.
b.
diverse.
c.
ethnic.
d.
urban.
6. The assignment of behavioral and cultural traits to men and women that is determined by the way a particular
culture defines notions of masculinity and femininity is referred to as:
a.
sex.
b.
gender.
c.
sexism.
d.
sexual orientation.
7. The United States is classified as which type of culture?
a.
collectivist
b.
high-context
c.
conforming
d.
low context
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8. True or false? People from individualist cultures are prone to hyperbole when describing their emotional
response to events.
a.
True
b.
False
9. True or false? Culture is synonymous with ethnicity or nationality.
a.
True
b.
False
10. True or false? The United States and Canada would be classified as cultures that highly value flexibility.
a.
True
b.
False
11. At work, Alan feels that his boss doesn’t like him and doesn’t value his contributions to the team. He begins
slacking off at work, arriving late, and falling asleep at his desk. We might describe Alan’s behavior as:
a.
behavioral confirmation.
b.
accommodation.
c.
ethnocentrism.
d.
overaccommodation.
12. True or false? People from low-context cultures use cues like the time, place, relationship, and situation to
interpret messages and send subtle messages.
a.
True
b.
False
13. Which theory holds that we each have a sense of ourselves as a unique individual but also define ourselves
based on our group memberships?
a.
cross-cultural adaptation theory
b.
intergroup contact theory
c.
social identity theory
d.
anxiety uncertainty management theory
14. True or false? Collectivist cultures tend to be governed by a clear sense of status and hierarchy and tend to
prize loyalty.
a.
True
b.
False
15. Andrew met his roommate, Danny, when they both joined the Independent Filmmakers Club as freshmen,
and they have found a large group of mutual friends through that group. More recently, Danny has joined a
fraternity and has invited Andrew to join him at the frat’s parties and other events. Andrew has accepted a few
invitations but feels awkward at the fraternity events because he just doesn’t identify with the people who
attend. We would describe the filmmakers’ club as Andrew’s:
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a.
ingroup.
b.
outgroup.
c.
a group.
d.
social group.
16. True or false? Gender and biological sex mean the same thing.
a.
True
b.
False
17. What branch of the discipline (of communication) focuses on the ways in which communication within and
between groups affects relationships?
a.
intercultural communication
b.
intersocial communication
c.
interpersonal communication
d.
intergroup communication
18. True or false? Our culture is reflected as well as affected by our communication behaviors.
a.
True
b.
False
19. Along with many European countries, the United States is between:
a.
flexibility and stability.
b.
individualism and collectivism.
c.
low and high power distance.
d.
monochronic and polychronic time orientation.
20. True or false? Effective intercultural communication often requires us to accommodate—to adapt our verbal
and nonverbal behaviors toward others to facilitate understanding.
a.
True
b.
False
21. Naoko’s American friends sometimes get frustrated with her because she prefers to use subtle clues to
communicate that she disagrees or is uncomfortable in a particular conversation. What her friends may not
realize is that Naoko’s communication pattern reflects the culture in which she was raised. This culture is:
a.
indirect.
b.
shy.
c.
high context.
d.
low context.
22. People from which type of culture perceive themselves first and foremost as members of a group?
a.
individualist
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b.
collectivist
c.
low context
d.
high context
23. Which theory suggests that interaction between members of different social groups generates a possibility
for more positive attitudes to emerge?
a.
anxiety uncertainty management theory
b.
social identity theory
c.
cross-cultural adaptation theory
d.
intergroup contact theory
24. True or false? Although you may not interact with many new people in person, you most likely
communicate with new people at least occasionally through media.
a.
True
b.
False
25. Jim’s dad always tells him things like, “The early bird gets the worm” and “We’re burning daylight” in
order to remind him that time is finite and that he should get up early in the morning if he wants to be successful
in life. Jim’s dad is instilling which time orientation?
a.
definitive
b.
indefinite
c.
monochronic
d.
polychronic
26. True or false? Communication researchers have found that even people from very different cultures have
nearly identical expectations when they communicate.
a.
True
b.
False
27. Palestinians use the term al nachba, which translates into English as “the catastrophe” or “the disaster,” to
refer to the creation of the Israeli state. Their linguistic choice represents:
a.
discrimination.
b.
emotion.
c.
hyperbole.
d.
understatement.
28. True or false? It is common for people to feel anxiety when engaged in intercultural communication.
a.
True
b.
False
29. True or false? An individual in a low power distance culture is LESS likely to feel anxiety when talking to
someone of higher status than an individual from a high power distance culture would.
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a.
True
b.
False
30. True or false? Rules about where, when, and how to express emotions vary from one culture to another.
a.
True
b.
False
31. A belief that one’s own culture is superior to others’ with the tendency to view other cultures through the
lens of one’s own is called:
a.
patriotism.
b.
ethnocentrism.
c.
bias.
d.
xenophobia.
32. The communication between people from different cultures who have different worldviews is called:
a.
intracultural communication.
b.
intercultural communication.
c.
cultural communication.
d.
diversity communication.
33. “A learned system of thought and behavior that belongs to and typifies a relatively large group of people; a
composite of shared beliefs, values, and practices” represents which term?
a.
society
b.
religion
c.
culture
d.
groupthink
34. True or false? One of the best ways to reduce one’s uncertainty and anxiety about interacting with people
from other social groups and cultures is to take the opportunity to interact with diverse groups of people in our
social, educational, and professional lives.
a.
True
b.
False
35. True or false? The generation into which a person is born can have a significant impact on his or her
attitudes and behaviors.
a.
True
b.
False
36. Liz prefers working on her own rather than in groups but will tolerate group work if each member’s role or
job is clearly defined, each person is responsible for his or her own work, and each person js held accountable
by their supervisor for the quality of the work they do in the group. Liz’s perspective seems to reflect which
cultural perspective?
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a.
collectivist
b.
individualist
c.
antisocial
d.
democratic
37. Pulling together what you learned in previous chapters, what advice would you give to someone who wants
to improve their intercultural communication competence?
38. What three changes do intercultural communication training programs focus on?
39. Briefly describe the approach to power distance found in the United States.
40. Synthesizing what you know about perception, what connections would you draw between concepts like
ethnocentrism, discrimination, stereotyping, prejudice, selective perception, fundamental attribution error,
behavioral confirmation, and self-fulfilling prophecies?
41. Reflecting on your own experiences, explain and illustrate how interacting with others from different ethnic,
racial, religious, or cultural backgrounds has helped you to understand your own culture more clearly and be a
more competent intercultural communicator.
42. What do we mean when we say that a culture has a polychronic time orientation, and what is an example of
a culture that fits this description?
43. Name the three most pressing intercultural challenges that communicators experience when interacting with
others.
44. Explain the difference between one’s sex and one’s gender.
45. Briefly describe one way in which mediated interaction is changing the way we experience the diverse
world around us.
46. What is the difference between ethnocentrism and discrimination, and how are they related to one another?
47. Define the term culture.
48. Describe one way in which your own generation’s attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors differ from those of your
parents.
49. Provide an example of a high-context culture.
50. Explain what we mean when we say that culture is both learned through communication and expressed
through our own communication. Provide an example of something the media have taught you about your
culture, and describe one way in which you express that cultural attribute.
51. Define and give an example of a collectivist culture.
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52. When Monica arrived in Nepal for her Peace Corps assignment, she realized she had forgotten the
medication she takes for her painful migraine headaches. Luckily, she was able to get a new prescription sent to
a local pharmacy. Unfortunately, when she went to pick up the medication on a weekday afternoon, the
pharmacy was closed and no hours were posted on the window. Frustrated, she went to a café next door,
complaining, “They don’t know anything about customer service—he doesn’t even keep regular business
hours!” A short time later, the pharmacist greeted her at the café with the filled prescription—the server at the
café had phoned him at home, and he rushed over to get her the medication. Question: How does what you
learned about individualist/collectivist cultures and time orientation inform your understanding of this scenario?
Was ethnocentrism or discrimination a factor? What does intergroup contact theory suggest might be the
outcome, for Monica, of this intercultural exchange?
53. Contrast the differences between high-context and low-context cultures.
54. What do the authors of your textbook mean when they caution not to overaccommodate?
55. Based on what you learned throughout this chapter, why do you think intercultural communication
competence is considered more important today than it was a generation or two ago?
56. List an example of one group you consider to be your own ingroup and one that you consider to be one of
your outgroups.
57. Citing specific examples to support your answer, explain why it is important to develop intercultural
communication skills.
58. Describe and illustrate social identity theory using yourself as an example. How do the groups you identify
with affect the way you perceive yourself and others? Can you identify ways in which your perception and
behavior may change depending on which group you are with at a given moment?
59. Your friend Jasmine has signed up to study abroad in Japan. Based on what you’ve learned about high- and
low-context cultures, individualist and collectivist orientation, power distance, flexible and stable self-concepts,
time orientations, and emotional expression, what information would you share to prepare her for the cultural
differences she should expect?
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