Deck 4: Interpersonal Communication and Diversity: Adapting to Others

Question 1

The general cultural perspective on such key issues as death, God, and the meaning of life that shapes how you perceive and respond to what happens to you is called a(n)

A)prospectus.
B)ethnicity.
C)microculture.
D)worldview.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

A confirmation class from the local Methodist church visited a nearby synagogue to experience worship from a different perspective.The synagogue provided the group with a guide.The guide explained what would happen during the service, showed them where to sit, how to respond at different times during the service, and was available after the service to answer any questions they might have about the service, the synagogue, or Judaism.The synagogue's response to this visit demonstrated their commitment to which strategy for improving intercultural communication?

A)developing knowledge
B)developing motivation
C)developing skill
D)developing critical evaluations

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following cultures emphasizes achievement, assertiveness, heroism, and material wealth?

A)feminine culture
B)masculine culture
C)high-context culture
D)low-context culture

Answer 3

B

Question 4

What is a culture called that relies heavily on nonverbal information to enhance message meanings not explicitly communicated through language?

A)low-context
B)heavy-context
C)high-context
D)cool-context

Question 5

The selection committee was looking over the résumé of Abdul Ishtar, who had applied for the Dean of the College position.His records showed that he was born and raised in South Yemen, but had been in the United States for the past 25 years.He has been chair of the psychology department of a regional university for the past 12 years.His letters of recommendation were excellent.Some of the women on the committee expressed concern about the ability of a man raised in an Islamic culture to treat women fairly and objectively.Their resistance resulted in his being excluded as a finalist.Which barrier to effective interpersonal communication does this example reflect?

A)ethnocentrism
B)different communication codes
C)stereotyping and prejudice
D)assuming similarity

Question 6

Trina was born in 1962.She lived a secure early childhood, only to have her family uprooted by her father's job loss in her teens, followed by her parents' divorce.She attributes her current determination to build a decent savings, and balance her career and personal life to the uncertainty she faced in her early years.Trina's outlook is typical of a person in which generational group?

A)Matures
B)Baby Boomers
C)Generation X
D)Millennials

Question 7

Which barrier to effective intercultural communication is involved when Jason, an American exchange student, is confused when his British host mother tells him to put the luggage in the "boot"?

A)ethnocentrism
B)different communication codes
C)stereotyping and prejudice
D)assuming similarity

Question 8

Which of the following cultures values an equal, or decentralized, distribution of power?

A)Israel
B)Russia
C)France
D)China

Question 9

Heterosexuals who have negative perceptions of gays and lesbians are more likely to have ________ views about gender roles.

A)rigid
B)egalitarian
C)neutral
D)ambivalent

Question 10

Which of the following cultures places a high value on social and status obligations?

A)short-term culture
B)long-term culture
C)androgynous culture
D)restrained culture

Question 11

Several researchers suggest that one of the best ways to enhance understanding when communicating over a period of time with someone from a different cultural background is to develop

A)a combination language.
B)mindfulness.
C)a third culture.
D)a friendship.

Question 12

Which of the following terms best describes a person's visible physiological attributes?

A)race
B)genotype
C)phenotype
D)sociobiology

Question 13

The theory that suggests that all people adapt their behavior to others to some extent is

A)other-orientation.
B)uncertainty reduction.
C)social decentering.
D)communication accommodation.

Question 14

Sydney has both feminine and masculine traits.Thus, Sydney is said to be
A)bisexual.
B)asexual.

A)anti-sexual.
B)androgynous.

Question 15

Jamal is visiting Norway as a Rotary exchange student.Shortly after his arrival to the country, he began to experience a sense of confusion, anxiety, and stress.He began to question the wisdom of committing himself to this exchange.Based upon Jamal's reaction, what is he most likely experiencing?

A)culture shock
B)ethnocentrism
C)mindfulness
D)enculturation

Question 16

The group of people born between 1961 and 1981 is called
A)Baby Boomers.

A)Millennials.
B)Generation X.
D)Seniors.

Question 17

How would a culture that values support from others and expects loyalty from the community probably be classified, according to the six dimensions of culture?

A)masculine
B)tolerant of uncertainty
C)decentralized
D)collectivistic

Question 18

What is the process of communicating a group's culture from one generation to another called?

A)ethnocentrism
B)cultural context
C)enculturation
D)indoctrination

Question 19

Communication researcher Milton Bennett calls the ultimate other-oriented principle the "Platinum Rule," which states:

A)Do to others as you would have them do to you.
B)Do to others as they themselves would like to be treated.
C)Do to others the best you can do.
D)Do to others as you believe they would prefer.

Question 20

Liam has just transferred from a community college to a large university.He is aware that this new culture will likely be more formal and less friendly than his old school, and he wants to make a good impression.Therefore, one of the ways Liam adapts is to address each of his professors as "Doctor" until and unless he is told differently.What type of adaptation has Liam used?

A)topical adaptation
B)explanatory adaptation
C)adaptation through comparisons
D)adaptation through language choice

Question 21

Spain would be considered a long-term culture.

Question 22

When you encounter a different culture and become confused, anxious, and uncertain, you are probably experiencing culture shock.

Question 23

Jerome asks that his mother make a vegetarian dish because he knows that his guest, Sara, does not eat meat for religious reasons.Jerome is mindful of Sara's background.

Question 24

The United States is generally considered to be a feminine culture.

Question 25

To stereotype someone is to push him or her into an inflexible, all-encompassing category.

Question 26

The term gender refers to the biological differences between men and women.

Question 27

Paul believes everything about America is better than anywhere else, and is especially proud of American culture.Paul may be said to be

A)in culture shock.
B)from a high-context culture.
C)ethnocentric.
D)collectivistic.

Question 28

Intercultural communication competence is the ability to adapt your behavior toward another person in ways that are appropriate to other person's culture.

Question 29

Individualistic cultures tend to be more loosely knit socially.

Question 30

Gender is something that is primarily learned from and socially reinforced by others.

Question 31

A person's age has little influence on his or her communication with others.

Question 32

What skill is involved when you take into account the other person's thoughts, feelings, values, background, and overall perspective when communicating?

A)social decentering
B)perception checking
C)causal attribution
D)enculturation

Question 33

Brenda is from the Netherlands and has made every attempt to "fit in" with her new American friends.While they may not be consciously aware of it, those friends have also been trying to adapt to Brenda's communication behaviors.This is illustrated in

A)culture shock.
B)communication accommodation theory.
C)evolutionary psychology theory.
D)contact theory.

Question 34

People who interact with one another over time tend to communicate in similar ways; they develop similar speech patterns and use similar expressions.

Question 35

Buying your friend flowers to apologize after a fight is an example of

A)adapting predictively.
B)adapting reactively.
C)accommodating.
D)refining the relationship.

Question 36

Virtually every organization or group develops a hierarchy that makes status distinctions.

Question 37

The factor or behavior that helps you improve the effectiveness or quality of your communication with others is called your ability.

Question 38

A co-culture is a learned system of knowledge, behavior, attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms that is shared by a group of people.

Question 39

Heather, a Southern Baptist, attended Mass at her boyfriend William's Roman Catholic church.During the service she was confused about when to stand, sit, or kneel; she didn't know the words to most of what the congregation recited aloud from memory; and she decided just to stay in her seat when William went to receive the Eucharist.What strategy for developing motivation did Heather seem to display?

A)tolerating ambiguity
B)developing mindfulness
C)avoiding negative judgments
D)developing a third culture

Question 40

Ethnocentrism is the process of transmitting a group's culture from one generation to the next.

Question 41

Your friend, Tasha, is about to move to Italy with her family.She fears interacting with people she doesn't know, who speak a language she doesn't speak, and who have different cultural traditions and worldviews.What advice about understanding and communicating with the new people she will meet can you give Tasha?

Question 42

How does social class affect communication? Give an example.

Question 43

How are stereotyping and prejudice related? Name three ways they are perpetuated.

Question 44

What are the main differences between a low-context and a high-context culture?

Question 45

Your text claims that assuming similarity and assuming differences are barriers to effective intercultural communication.How can these two seemingly contradictory barriers both be true?

Question 46

Dr.Higgins has a Japanese foreign exchange student in his class.He understands that typically, foreign students have difficulty writing papers in English.Consequently, he intends to be more lenient when evaluating this student's grammar.Which of the following strategies is Dr.Higgins most likely employing: social decentering, empathy, or predictive adaptation? Justify your answer.

Question 47

What are the differences between sex and gender?

Question 48

Define co-culture and give an example of a co-culture within the United States.

Question 49

In what way might ethnocentrism be viewed as a positive cultural characteristic?

Question 50

Define the contact hypothesis and provide an example to illustrate the hypothesis.