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Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter Exercises
Chapter 13: Contact Between Cultures
Exercise 1: Intercultural Relationship Formation Exercise
Purpose
To help students explore relationships with people of different cultural backgrounds
Instructions
1. In groups of three to five students, identify and record responses to the following questions.
a. Why do we develop relationships with people of different cultural backgrounds?
b. How do you form relationships with people of other cultural backgrounds with whom
you want to become friends?
c. How did you get to know your intercultural friends? Is this different than friends who
share your cultural background?
d. What are some of the criteria you use to determine with whom you want to form
friendships and with whom you don't want to be associated?
2. Keep track of your answers.
Conclusion
Each group reports back to the class. The instructor might write different types of responses on
the board and ask students to identify the main patterns.
Note: Adapted from Martin, J. N. & Nakayama, T. K. (2004). Intercultural Communication in Contexts.
Exercise 2: Intercultural Relationships Interview
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Purpose
To explore the challenges of forming intercultural relationships
Instructions
Interview someone from your own culture who has lived for an extended period of time
(minimum of 4 months) in a foreign country or someone from another country living in the
United States. Ask him or her the following questions as a basis for the interview. Ask follow-up
questions where relevant.
1. How did you feel about meeting members of the culture for the first time? Were you
nervous?
2. What information best prepared you to interact with them, and where did you get it?
3. Before you met members of the culture, what did you expect them to be like?
4. Did you encounter any surprises when you began interacting with them?
5. How would you describe the experience of forming relationships with members of this
culture? Was your experience different or similar to forming relationships with members of
your own culture?
6. Did you notice differences or similarities to your own culture in how friendships were
formed with members of the opposite sex?
7. Did you notice differences or similarities to your own culture in the expectations and norms
for friendships with members of the same sex?
8. What advice would you give to people about forming relationships with members of a
different culture?
Conclusions
Share your findings with the class.
Note: Adapted from Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2010). Intercultural communication and
dialectics revisited. The handbook of critical intercultural communication, 59-83.
Exercise 3: Cultural Imperialism
Purpose
Jandt, An Introduction to Intercultural Communication 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Instructions
1. Identify three instances of cultural imperialism.
2. Discuss how they impact the culture in which you live.
3. Discuss how they impact cultures other than your own.
Conclusions
Share your findings with the class.
Exercise 4: Marketing Cultural Icons
Purposes
1. To recognize icons of the United States and other countries
2. To develop an understanding of the diffusion process
Instructions
1. Make a list of recent U.S. icons that were not mentioned in the chapter. Also make a list of
other countries’ icons that are sold in the United States. If you were born and grew up in
another country, you may make a list of icons from your country that are sold in the United
States and a list of icons from the United States that are sold in your country.
2. Consider how new ideas are adopted by cultures. For every icon that you have listed, try to
list the characteristics of the people (or part of the culture) who have adopted it.
Example:
U.S. Icons
Characteristics of Adopters
Cowboy boots
In Japan: urban college students; young, fashion-minded,
educated, previous exposure through media and possibly
travel
Icons from Other
Countries
Characteristics of Adopters
French perfume
In the United States: upper-middle and upper class women;
educated, middle-aged or older, “sophisticated”
Exercise 5: Adapting U.S. Icons
Purpose
To understand how common U.S. icons are changed to fit other cultures.
Instructions
4. Choose an American fast-food restaurant that has locations in other countries.
5. Using the various country-based Internet websites of the restaurant, examine the menu
items of each country. For example, you could look at the U.S. menu offerings of
McDonald’s at McDonalds.com, and the German menu offerings at McDonalds.de.
6. Make a list of which items are on both menus, and which items differ.
Conclusion
1. What do you think influences what items are sold in different countries by the same fast-
food establishment?
2. Did it surprise you to see new menu items are not sold in the United States?
