Deck 3: Culture, Communication, Context, and Power

Question 1

The learned pattern of perception, values, and behaviors shared by a group of people is known as _____.

A) stereotyping
B) perception
C) culture
D) heterogeneity

Answer 1

culture

Question 2

The ways in which a culture judges good or bad, or right or wrong are often determined by _____.

A) stereotypes
B) values
C) perceptions
D) beliefs

Answer 2

values

Question 3

Collectively, the values and perceptions of a cultural group represent its _____.

A) worldview
B) history
C) communication patterns
D) beliefs

Answer 3

worldview

Question 4

White Americans think that there is greater equality between races than do African Americans. This difference between cultural groups illustrates that _____.

A) culture is a group-related perception
B) culture is expressed as behavior
C) culture is dynamic
D) culture involves power

Question 5

The idea that not all members of a particular group will behave or think in the same way illustrates that _____.

A) culture is shared
B) culture is expressed as behavior
C) culture is heterogeneous
D) culture involves power

Question 6

Many Native American students are soft spoken and hesitate to participate in classroom discussions. Amy, however, is a Native American who actively participates in class and often asks questions to her instructors. Amy's behavior illustrates that _____.

A) culture is shared
B) culture is expressed as behavior
C) culture is dynamic
D) culture is heterogeneous

Question 7

The symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed is known as _____.

A) culture
B) power
C) communication
D) language

Question 8

The fact that Berta uses her chin instead of her finger to point at an object across the room illustrates that communication is _____.

A) dynamic
B) unintentional
C) receiver oriented
D) symbolic

Question 9

An "easy" class or quiz can mean different things to different people. This illustrates that communication is:

A) sharing and negotiating meaning.
B) unintentional.
C) receiver oriented.
D) symbolic.

Question 10

The idea that we are constantly sending and receiving messages which may change midstream illustrates that communication is _____.

A) sharing and negotiating meaning
B) unintentional
C) dynamic
D) symbolic

Question 11

Jeff accidentally insulted the parents of his roommate Mohammed by putting his feet up on the desk when they were visiting their dorm room. Jeff's behavior (and subsequent apology) illustrates that communication can be _____.

A) dynamic
B) unintentional
C) receiver oriented
D) symbolic

Question 12

Daniel offended a classmate by trying to help her with her books. She told him he was sexist and that he should quit patronizing her. In trying to be helpful, Daniel has illustrated that communication is _____.

A) sharing and negotiating meaning
B) unintentional
C) receiver oriented
D) dynamic

Question 13

Societies that are more likely to punish criminals than rehabilitate them probably see human nature as _____.

A) innate
B) basically good
C) a combination of good and evil
D) essentially evil

Question 14

Which relationship between humans and nature is illustrated by societies which place less emphasis on birth control and tend not to interfere with rivers by building dams?

A) domination of nature over humans
B) humans living in harmony with nature
C) humans dominate nature
D) low access to technology

Question 15

Kyle doesn't understand why people in some countries don't make greater use of agricultural technology and why, if they have large populations, more people don't practice birth control. Kyle probably lives in a society with a _____ orientation.

A) domination of nature over humans
B) humans living in harmony with nature
C) humans dominate nature
D) technological

Question 16

Many Guatemalans place great emphasis on extended families and are more likely to consult with family members when making important decisions. This culture most likely represents a(n) _____ society.

A) individualist
B) collectivist
C) feminine
D) masculine

Question 17

A culture that values being productive and keeping busy tends to have a _____ orientation to human activity.

A) doing
B) puritan
C) growing
D) being

Question 18

Carmen would rather spend time interacting and relaxing with friends than working. In fact, she recently turned down a promotion because it would mean she would see her family and friends less. Carmen probably grew up in a culture with a _____ value orientation toward human activity.

A) doing
B) puritan
C) growing
D) being

Question 19

Shauna, age 27, has started to put money into an IRA. She doesn't plan to use this money until she retires. Shauna probably lives in a culture with a _____ orientation toward time.

A) future
B) past
C) present
D) financial

Question 20

The extent to which less powerful members of a society expect and accept power is known as _____.

A) masculinity-femininity
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) power distance
D) long-term orientation to life

Question 21

Many people in Central America have a preference for gender-specific roles (e.g., men should be primary bread winners and women are responsible for the family). They probably have a(n) _____ value orientation.

A) power distance
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) masculine
D) feminine

Question 22

Cultures whose members participate in religions like Hinduism and Buddhism, which emphasize virtue, tenacity, and perseverance, have a _____ orientation toward life.

A) long-term
B) feminine
C) short-term
D) masculine

Question 23

Jeremy is always polite and courteous to his instructors at school but tends to be a bit rowdy with his friends at a party. This difference in Jeremy's communication illustrates the importance of _____ in determining behavior and communication.

A) power distance
B) context
C) rituals
D) ethnocentrism

Question 24

Our sense of familiarity and comfort within our own cultures is known as _____.

A) uncertainty avoidance
B) embodied ethnocentrism
C) symbolic significance
D) preferred personality

Question 25

_____ refers to acting or presenting oneself in a specific way so as to accomplish some goal.

A) Symbolic significance
B) Indulgence
C) Preferred personality
D) Performative

Question 26

A research method where writers examine their own life experiences to discover broader cultural insights is known as:

A) frame analysis.
B) phenomenography.
C) autoethnography.
D) hermeneutics.

Question 27

_____ is a cultural variability dimension that reflects a subjective feeling of happiness.

A) Indulgence versus restraint
B) Long-term versus short-term orientation
C) Masculinity-femininity value
D) Uncertainty avoidance

Question 28

_____ is a specialized area of study whereby interpretive scholars analyze verbal and nonverbal activities that have symbolic significance for the members of cultural groups to understand the rules and patterns followed by the groups.

A) Phenomenology
B) Pragmatics
C) Conversational analysis
D) Ethnography of communication

Question 29

Interpretive scholars view culture as shared and learned and tend to focus on the:

A) often conflictual nature of cultural boundaries.
B) contextual patterns of communication behavior.
C) role of perception in cultural patterns.
D) heterogeneity of cultural groups.

Question 30

In the context of the role of perception in cultural patterns, in contrast to Asians, North European cultural groups:

A) lay heavy emphasis on sensory information and feeling.
B) use more description and physical metaphors to capture their perceptions.
C) tend to be more abstract, stressing coherent explanation.
D) emphasize action-oriented procedures.

Question 31

People in collectivist societies tend to value direct communication and active conflict resolution styles in order to maintain the group.

Question 32

Groups with the most power determine what the acceptable communication system of an entire society will be.

Question 33

People of different ages, genders, physical abilities, or sexual orientations have relatively equal access to power in the United States.

Question 34

People tend to communicate the same way regardless of the setting or the people with whom they are speaking.

Question 35

People who value quality of life, service to others, and support for the unfortunate tend to have a masculine value orientation.

Question 36

A culture whose members believe that less hierarchy is better and that power should be used only for legitimate purposes tends to have a low power distance orientation.

Question 37

Great Britain, Hong Kong, and the United States have low levels of uncertainty avoidance.

Question 38

Forces that attempt to change or retain existing social structures contribute to the political context.

Question 39

Most people in the United States believe that man is essentially evil because we are interested not in rehabilitation, but in punishment of criminal offenders.

Question 40

The most common form of activity in the United States seems to involve a "doing"
orientation.

Question 41

The interpretive perspective on communication emphasizes that the process by which we negotiate meaning is static.

Question 42

Researchers Florence Kluckhohn and Fred Strodtbeck emphasized the centrality of cultural values in understanding cultural groups.

Question 43

Preferred personality refers to the importance or meaning that most members of a cultural group attach to a communication activity.

Question 44

People with a long-term value orientation are concerned with possessing the truth, focusing on quick results in endeavors, and recognizing social pressure to conform.

Question 45

Identify, discuss, and provide examples of the three possible relationships between humans and nature according to Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck.

Question 46

Compare and contrast the individualist and the collectivist orientations toward relationships between humans.

Question 47

Identify and discuss two ways in which communication reinforces culture.