Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter Exercises
Chapter 12: Identity and Subgroups
Exercise 1: Identity Model Exercise
Purpose
To gain a clearer understanding of your identities and how they are negotiated, co-created, and
reinforced depending on the specific situation and/or context
Instructions
Draw a picture or model that you feel depicts your various identities. You may think of a
particular situation when you develop your model. You may need to place your identities within
a context. You will post your model on the classroom wall (or online platform) and will be asked
to describe it to the class.
Conclusions
Students should present their models in the class (or in an online course, platform such as
Blackboard) and discuss them with classmates.
Students: Did you need to explain your model to your classmates? Did you have questions for
others regarding their models?
Exercise 2: Subcultures and You
Purpose
To gain a clearer understanding of your identities and what impacts them
Instructions
Identify the subgroups that you are part of.
In order to do so, think of the following:
1. specific forms of argot you might use
2. specific forms of media you consume (music, films, news sources, etc.)
3. organizations/associations you are a member of
Conclusions
What does your participation in these subcultures tell others about you? Do you think these
assumptions are necessarily accurate?
Exercise 3: School or Employment Culture
Purposes
1. To recognize how one’s school or place of employment can be viewed as a culture
2. To describe the special communication behavior of that culture
Instructions
Answer the following questions about your school or place of employment.
1. Identify when and where communication usually takes place.
2. Identify any shared argot. If there is more than one argot spoken in this place, identify
which groups speak each argot.
3. Identify any shared nonverbals (i.e., dress codes, symbols, etc.).
4. Describe how the communication changes depending on who the receiver is.
5. Identify typical content of conversations.
6. From the content, identify values and goals shared by the speakers of the argot.
7. Identify the media that are used to communicate those values and goals.
Conclusions
What insights about your school or place of employment became clear when you viewed it as a
culture? Did you learn anything new or discover anything you had not considered before?
Exercise 4: LGBT Representation in Media Across Cultures
Purposes
1. To recognize how the LGBT community and LGBT identities are represented differently in
the popular culture of different cultures
2. To recognize why these representations matter for identity
Instructions
1. Find a piece of popular culture media from your home culture and from a culture that is not
your own (e.g., you may watch an American film and a Japanese film) that includes some
representation of the LGBT community.
2. As you watch, take notes on how identity is represented in each piece of media.
Conclusions
1. Compare and contrast representation in your chosen pieces of media.
2. Why does it matter how these identities are represented? What does it communicate about
that culture’s views of LGBT identities?
Exercise 5: Research on Sexual Orientation and Othering in the United States
Purpose
To understand the changing views on sexual orientation and gender identity in the United States
Instructions
1. Using your university’s library and online library website, research the history of sexual
orientation and gender identity in the United States.
2. You may look at information on legal policies, examine the language used in older textbooks
your library may still have on file, or find sources that lay out the history of views regarding
sexual orientation and gender identity in the United States.
3. Summarize what you find.
Conclusions
1. What did you learn from your research?
2. Was there anything that surprised you in your research?
3. Why do you think changes have occurred?