Intercultural Communication
Select either True or False for the flowing statements/questions:
One of the main difficulties in a multicultural life is the risk of not knowing how to develop an appropriate sense of ethics. T or F
Discrimination and class issues sometimes result in conflict between recent immigrants and those from the same country who have been in the host country for a long time. T or F
American television programs that cross cultural and linguistic frontiers are successful because they appeal to basic human values. T or F Television is less a reflection of reality than a forum for discussing and working out ideas on a variety of topics. T or F
Complementarity in a relationship results from the fact that we are attracted to persons who are somewhat different from ourselves. T or F There is often more anxiety in the early stages of intercultural relationships compared to intercultural relationships. T or F
Buddhists, Taoists, and Confucian traditions tend to avoid direct expression of feelings, confrontation, and verbal aggression. T or F White males and females tend to focus on the importance of taking responsibility for behavior. T or F
Forming coalitions can be emotionally injuring. T or F
Linguistic knowledge is the most important component of intercultural communication competence. T of F
Find and study the answers to the following questions:
Stanley shakes his head no and ducks his eyes but doesn’t say anything when his instructor asks him if he has his essay to turn in. Stanley has used nonverbal behavior to ________ verbal behavior.
a. contradict
b. substitute for
People in _____ cultures stand closer together while talking, have more direct eye contact and speak in louder voices than many people in the United States.
a. contact
b. East Asian
The “bubble” around us that marks the territory between ourselves and others is known as ________.
Which of the following is NOT true about gay relationships?
a. Men in gay relationships tend to seek emotional support from same-sex friendships.
b. Close friendships may be more important to a gay person than a straight person due to discrimination and hostility .
c. Although their friendships start with sexual attraction and involvement, they often last after the sexual involvement is terminated. d. They are formed primarily for physical intimacy.
The “be yourself” approach to intercultural communication in which the person is not conscious of differences and does not need to act in any particular way is known as _______________ _________________.
When communication goes smoothly but we’re not sure why, we are probably communicating with ________________ __________________.
Which of the following is NOT true about the similarity principle in relationship formation.
A perceived or real incompatibility of goals, values, expectations or processes between two or more independent parties is known as __________________.
Irwin is unsure of how to handle a conflict with his girlfriend Wenshu. She wants to spend their vacation with family while he would like to take a trip to a place they’ve never been before. They haven’t argued, but Irwin is confused about how to resolve their different desires.
Irwin is discovering that there is a great deal of ____________________________ in intercultural conflicts.
When individuals become aware that their feelings and emotions are incompatible, they are most likely experiencing _______________ conflict.
Philip has decided to move in with his girlfriend. His parents are highly critical of his decision because they feel that living together before marriage is morally unacceptable. Philip and his parents are experiencing _______________ conflict.
A situation in which people have incompatible ideas about what the proper course of action should be is often a ____________ ____________ .
Ben and his wife Jenny have a disagreement over what kinds of investments they should make for long term financial security. Ben wants to invest more heavily in risky ventures while Jenny prefers more secure options such as CDs or savings bonds. Ben and Jenny have a ____________ ____________ .
When people disagree about a preferred outcome or end state, they are involved in ________________ conflict.
Lisa and her roommate, Kristen, argue over how often they should clean their apartment. Kristen doesn’t mind things being out of place or an occasional sweater on the couch. Lisa, however, prefers a more orderly environment in which everything has a place and is in it. Lisa and Kristen are experiencing ____________ ____________ .
Why is linguistic knowledge important to intercultural communication competence? ________________________________
The quality of knowing how one is perceived as a communicator as well as one’s strengths and weaknesses is called _________________ .
When a person realizes that he/she is not experiencing success in intercultural interactions, it is a case of _____________ _____________ .
If Jurgen, from Germany, is communicating with his friend Koji from Japan and accidentally offends Koji, who never tells him, what approach may Jurgen have been using to communicate? _______________________ _______________________ .
How can the practice of dialogue help someone to become a better intercultural communicator? _______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In the intercultural context, empathy refers to __________________________________________________________________ .
Linguistic knowledge leads to higher intercultural competence because ____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Which of the following is the most important dimension of intercultural competence?
What type of migrants are people who leave their countries to come to the United States permanently, because they want to be close to relatives who have already come? ___________________________
Which of the following represents a group of domestic refugees?
a. international students who have come to attend U.S. universities
b. Vietnamese who relocated to Australia after the Vietnam conflict
c. a family from Iran who come to the United States because they want their children to have Western educations
The W–curve theory suggests that ____________________________________________________________________________ .
Which of the following is true for culture shock?
a. Every sojourner will experience culture shock.
b. There are no benefits to experiencing culture shock.
c. Culture shock can result in an identity crisis.
d. Older people may experience less severe culture shock than younger people.
What two primary characteristics distinguish different migrant groups? ____________________ and __________________.
What two types of uncertainty do migrants experience when they begin interacting in the “host” culture?
Which model has traditionally been the most commonly used to describe cultural adaptation?
People who move into new cultural contexts for a limited period of time and for a specific purpose are known as _________________ .
Which of the following is true about people’s responses to popular culture?
a. In general people cannot resist popular culture.
b. The study of popular culture is considered by most people to be worthy of serious attention.
Those systems or artifacts that most people share and that most people know about are known as __________ __________.
What initially motivated the exportation of U.S. popular culture?
a The desire to share new information and technological advances.
b. Requests from countries that did not have high-quality entertainment.
c. A need to help people from other cultures understand the benefits of democracy.
_________________________ produces products of popular culture (e.g., movies, cartoons, Hello Kitty) as commodities that can be economically profitable.
In the study of White and Black job applicants, how did interviewers who were influenced by negative stereotypes of Blacks differ in their behavior?
a. They spent more time interviewing some applicants.
b. They showed more immediacy behaviors.
Intercultural communication scholars are interested in popular culture because ____________________________________.
To what does cultural imperialism refer?
a. The idea that many White people have superiority over people of color.
b. The technological advancement of the United States in media forms.
c. The resistance of people in the United States to popular culture forms from other countries.
Details concerning the average age, sex, and income of a magazine’s readership is known as a/an _____________________.
Which of the following is NOT true about the benefits of intercultural relationships?
Talal, a Middle Eastern student, finds himself attracted to Guo Hongwu, a Chinese student in his economics class. After several conversations, he has found that despite their different cultural backgrounds, they have many of the same opinions and experiences in the United States. Talal and Hongwu’s relationship illustrates the ________________ rationale for relationship formation.
When we seek out people who have different personality traits, we are looking for a _____________________ relationship.
Which of the following is NOT true about U.S. relationships?
a. Honesty and individuality are more important than harmony and collectivism.
b. Understanding, respect and sincerity are more important than togetherness, trust and warmth. c. Physical attraction
and passion are not as important as similar backgrounds and compatibility.
d. In intimate relationships, it is important to have openness, and talk things out.
