Deck 4: The Self and Croups

Question 1

Robyn Cameron is about to depart for Thailand on a business trip. She has asked for your help to prepare her. What do you think she should learn before she leaves? You tell her that Thais value harmony very much in daily exchanges. She knows only three other facts about Thailand: 1)it is a monarchy and the king and his family are greatly loved,2)the majority of Thais are Buddhist and all men must serve two years as monks,3)the military enjoys high status and power.You believe Robyn can learn what she needs to know by answering the following questions based on inferences from these facts,sometimes called the "3 Ms" of Thailand. Remember to give your answers based on what Robyn knows.
a.Do you suppose the culture is more collectivist or more individualist? On what do you base this?
b.Is Thai society hierarchical or horizontal? On what do you base your response?
c.Will form be important or distrusted? Why?
d.Is group membership likely to be permanent or temporary? On what do you base your answer?
e.Will uncertainty be tolerated or avoided? Why?
f.Do Thais welcome or resist change? On what do you base your answer?
g.Will Robyn be at a disadvantage because she is female? Why?
h.Would you expect Thais to communicate about business in a direct,explicit way or in an indirect,implicit way? On what do you base your answer?
i.Would you suppose that books and other written sources have authority for learning,or that first-hand experience carries more weight? Why do you think so?
j.Do you suppose Thais are question-askers or learners from mastering given wisdom? What in the culture leads you to this conclusion?
k.Do you think age counts for more or less in Thai culture? Why?
l..Do you think the approach to authority would be direct or mediated? On what do you base your answer?
m.Do you think relationships or results matter more? Why?
n.Should Robyn be prepared for a culture that sees obligation as a burden or as a benefit? On what do you base your answer?

Answer 1

a. collectivist,because most people share the same religion (Buddhism),the monarchy is loved by most,and the military is popular: these are all group/relationship oriented
b. hierarchical;royalty means social hierarchy,as does the military
c. form will likely be trusted and valued;protocol is important for royalty and for the military
d. permanent;the 3 Ms are all enduring memberships
e. uncertainty will probably be avoided, because the 3 Ms are social institutions that control uncertainty
f. resist change;the 3 Ms are established institutions
g. yes;the 3Ms are all male-dominated (monks are rendered unclean if a woman touches them even accidentally;the military is male ;the monarch is male)
h. indirect and implicit;the first answer established the culture is collectivist and Thais are known for their emphasis on harmony,so too-direct speech could threaten the harmony they value
i. books;Thais are Buddhists which is based on holy texts,and students learn from texts. (At the same time,some sects of Buddhism emphasize meditation,which could be interpreted as personal experience that is the most valued source of learning.)
j. mastering received wisdom;in the monasteries,at the royal court,and in the military asking questions is not encouraged.
k. age is valued;seniority matters to royalty and the nobility,and it matters in the military as well as in the monasteries
l. mediated;the 3Ms all practice mediated approaches to authority
m. relationships;having connections to the royal family is important in a hierarchical society,and connections are also important in the military and the monastery
n. obligation is a benefit and a potential for a favor being returned one day;the first answer established the society is collectivist,and the previous answer established it is relationship-oriented,and group memberships tend to be permanent

Question 2

The individual is the basic unit of society in all cultures.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

One way to understand identity is as something formed partly by the self and partly by group membership.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The Japanese expression,"The nail that sticks up will be pounded down" indicates that culture is collectivist.

Question 5

Why is form an important issue in intercultural communication? Use two cultures to give examples.

Question 6

Independent self-construal tends to appear in collectivist cultures.

Question 7

Interdependent self-construal is the same thing as collectivism.

Question 8

Collectivist cultures see group membership as permanent,while individualist cultures see group membership as potentially temporary. Discusses the implications of temporary versus permanent group membership upon communication with regard to a)face,b)emotion,and c)shame or guilt.

Question 9

Culture shapes self-identity.

Question 10

. Discuss being female in two different cultures of your choice. Focus your discussion on women's roles: traditional and non-traditional. Avoid evaluations of cultures in your answer.

Question 11

Discuss the value of age/seniority and attitudes toward age in two cultures. Use specific examples.

Question 12

Self-construal is either interdependent or co-dependent

Question 13

Self-construal is one important research area that enables us to compare cultures,especially European/American and Asian cultures. Discuss self-construal and show its relevance to cross-cultural comparisons.

Question 14

Discuss self-identity and explain why it is important in investigating culture's influence on communication.

Question 15

Societies may prefer a hierarchical organization or a horizontal organization,depending on culture. Discuss these two structures in relation to two other cultural dimensions of your choice.

Question 16

In many cultures relationships mean obligations--being asked and asking for favors.

Question 17

Being indebted or obligated to someone for favors is valued differently in different cultures.Discuss,using specific examples from two cultures.

Question 18

Discuss the cultural dimension of individualism-collectivism in relation to two cultures of your choice.

Question 19

In some cultures,to pay back a favor to clear the indebtedness is to terminate the relationship.

Question 20

Collectivist cultures value cooperation and,correspondingly,individualist cultures value competition.

Question 21

The way women are viewed in different cultures can partly be understood by looking at their roles.

Question 22

Form is the same thing as formal,and the opposite of informal.

Question 23

Throughout the world,women do not achieve key business positions in equal numbers with men.

Question 24

In cultures that view group membership as permanent

A) the culture of the group values low-context,explicit communication
B) the members of the group are all about the same age
C) the culture of the group values individual achievement of measurable results
D) responsibilities to other members come before personal rights

Question 25

Displaying the emotion of anger in business meetings

A) is typical of cultures that value group relationships
B) is often practiced by members of high-context cultures
C) is downplayed in group-oriented cultures because it could threaten harmony
D) is stressed in group-oriented cultures because it is a typical activity of collectivist cultures

Question 26

Shame

A) is the same thing as guilt: an emotion of embarrassment
B) is the same thing as losing face: a failure to meet others' expectations
C) operates to motivate behavior in individualistic cultures
D) operates to motivate behavior in collectivist cultures

Question 27

Self-construal is

A) the same as self-motivation
B) only relevant to Western cultures
C) the way we see ourselves in relation to others
D) the way we see ourselves without reference to others

Question 28

The interpretation of obligation as a cultural dimension involves

A) cultural values concerning the environment
B) cultural values concerning achievement of results and group membership
C) the ability of the more affluent party to wait for repayment
D) the rules established by the poorer party

Question 29

It is possible for foreigners to cause shame to members of "shame cultures" without even realizing it.

Question 30

Muslim cultures are among those in the world that do not value women.

Question 31

Seniority is valued in cultures that give old people great freedom from responsibility.

Question 32

Form

A) is highly valued as a key cultural priority in the United States
B) operates to some degree in every culture,but is a low priority in Japan
C) is trusted in cultures that value "correct" behavior as a way to prevent loss of face
D) is trusted in cultures that value spontaneity as evidence of sincerity and openness

Question 33

It is unimportant to business people whether or not members of a culture feel comfortable displaying emotion in public.

Question 34

Form means rules of etiquette and manners while interacting with others for business purposes.

Question 35

The individual

A) is the basic unit of society in individualist cultures
B) is the starting point for decisions in collectivist cultures
C) is important in cultures that value interdependence
D) is important in cultures that can be called collectivist

Question 36

Three ways of explaining the development of self-identity are

A) social-psychological,communication,and critical approaches
B) intercultural,critical,and international approaches
C) social-psychological,intercultural,and critical approaches
D) social-psychological,intercultural,and critical approaches

Question 37

Women in every culture want to be considered equal to men

Question 38

Hierarchy in a social organization

A) is present to a greater or lesser degree in almost all cultures
B) is least likely to exist in a society that is ruled by a king
C) is the opposite pattern of social structure from Confucianism or Hinduism
D) is also known as horizontal social organization

Question 39

Interdependent self-construal

A) is the same as individualism
B) is the same as collectivism
C) is a structured notion of self as independent
D) is a structured notion of self as connected to others