Question 1

Material culture describes how people make things,who makes what,and why.

Accepted Answer

Material culture is the study of how people produce and use things, including the tools, technologies, and techniques involved in production, as well as the social, economic, and cultural contexts in which they are created and used. It also includes the study of how people interact with objects and the meanings and values they attach to them.

Question 2

There are three main classes of social institutions,based on the conditions of their formation: family,kinship and free association.

Accepted Answer

Social institutions are typically categorized into broader classes, including family, education, religion, politics, economics, and health, among others, rather than being limited to just family, kinship, and free association.

Question 3

The specific-diffuse dimension has to do with social patterns for child rearing.

Accepted Answer

The specific-diffuse dimension is a concept from cross-cultural communication that describes how people engage and separate their personal and work lives, not specifically related to child-rearing practices.

Question 4

Human resources are influenced by cultural values because values are the foundation of motivation and evaluation.

Accepted Answer

Cultural values shape an individual's beliefs and attitudes towards work, therefore impacting their motivation and performance in a job. This, in turn, influences human resource management practices and decisions.

Question 5

The unspoken language cannot tell the international manager something that the spoken language does not.

Accepted Answer

The unspoken language, such as body language, gestures, and facial expressions, can often convey a message that the spoken language does not. It is important for international managers to not only understand the spoken language but also be aware of and sensitive to the unspoken language in cross-cultural communication.

Question 6

There are few cultural misunderstandings in the discipline of marketing.

Accepted Answer

Cultural misunderstandings in marketing can occur due to differences in language, values, customs, and behavior. These misunderstandings can lead to ineffective advertising campaigns, offensive messaging, and failed market entry strategies. Therefore, it is important for marketers to have a deep understanding of the cultural context in which they are operating to avoid these misunderstandings.

Question 7

Religion is not an important aspect of culture in countries that are secular and split the church from the state.

Accepted Answer

Even though religion may not be endorsed by the state or officially recognized as a part of culture, it still plays an important role in the lives of many individuals and communities within the country. It can shape beliefs, values, practices, and social institutions, and can be a significant source of identity, meaning, and community for many people.

Question 8

Leadership is universal; all people want to be led.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. While many people may be willing to follow a leader, not all people want to be led and some may prefer to lead themselves or function within a collective decision-making process. Additionally, cultural and societal factors may shape attitudes towards leadership and followership.

Question 9

Gift giving across cultures is a simple kindness and need not be complicated with attempts to understand.The act of generosity says everything in and of itself.

Accepted Answer

Understanding the cultural nuances of gift-giving is important as it varies significantly across cultures, and what is considered a kind gesture in one culture could be seen as offensive or inappropriate in another.

Question 10

Spoken language does not demarcate culture,but body language does.

Accepted Answer

Spoken language is an important aspect of culture and can help identify where someone is from or their cultural background. However, body language can also convey important cultural messages and can differ greatly between cultures.

Question 11

The family is the basic unit of institutions based on free association.

Accepted Answer

The family is considered the basic unit of society, but it is typically based on kinship and marriage, not on free association. Institutions based on free association refer to organizations or groups formed voluntarily by individuals, such as clubs, cooperatives, or non-governmental organizations.

Question 12

Facebook is a social institution based on free association.

Accepted Answer

Facebook allows users to connect and communicate with people of their choice, based on mutual interests and preferences, which is a form of free association.

Question 13

A culture's aesthetics is the sense of moral behavior taught to the young.

Accepted Answer

A culture's aesthetics is actually the set of principles and values that govern beauty and art within that culture, not the sense of moral behavior taught to the young.

Question 14

Material culture includes all human-made objects.

Accepted Answer

Material culture encompasses all the tangible, human-made objects such as tools, clothing, buildings, artwork, and technology that reflects a society's beliefs, values, and activities.

Question 15

Your neighbor's business is cutting down an acre of first-growth,virgin forest and planting a lawn and garden beds at their HQs.You are likely to be in an Anglo culture where domination of nature seems normal.

Accepted Answer

Anglo cultures often prioritize economic development and dominance over nature, leading to practices such as deforestation for the sake of agricultural or commercial purposes.

Question 16

"When in Rome,do as the Romans do" is a solid,moral guideline.

Accepted Answer

This phrase suggests adapting to the customs of the society you are in, which can be practical advice for social harmony. However, it is not a solid moral guideline because it implies that one should always conform to local customs, regardless of whether those customs are ethical or moral according to one's own principles or universal ethical standards.

Question 17

Trompenaars' dimension of universalism vs.particularism measures whether rules or rewards regulate behaviors.

Accepted Answer

Trompenaars' dimension of universalism vs. particularism measures whether general rules and standards or the specific circumstances and relationships govern behavior and decision-making.

Question 18

Trompenaar's achievement vs.ascription dimension describes social status based on what one does or who one is.The U.S.is a culture in which people build who they are through work,so its social status tends to be based on ascription.

Accepted Answer

According to Trompenaar's achievement vs. ascription dimension, the U.S. is a culture in which people build who they are through work, so its social status tends to be based on achievement, not ascription.

Question 19

Trompenaars' dimension of individualism vs.communitarianism differs greatly from Hofstede's individualism-collectivism dimension.

Accepted Answer

Both Trompenaars' dimension of individualism vs. communitarianism and Hofstede's individualism-collectivism dimension explore the relationship between the individual and the group, focusing on whether societal culture values individual achievement and autonomy or prioritizes the group and collective interests. They are conceptually similar, addressing how cultures balance individual and group needs.

Question 20

Culture includes everything objective,and religion contains values,and is thus,not a part of culture.

Accepted Answer

Religion is a part of culture as it encompasses beliefs, rituals, customs, and traditions that are shared by a specific group or community. It shapes the behavior and attitudes of people and contributes to the overall cultural identity. Religion reflects the values of a society and influences its social, political, and economic systems. Therefore, religion is an essential element of culture.

Quiz 4: Sociocultural Forces