Purposive Communication: Globalization, Culture, and Intercultural Communication

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering Module 2 and Chapter 3 on Communication, Globalization, Cultural Adaptation, Intercultural Competence, and High/Low Context Cultures.

What concept did Marshall McLuhan predict that describes a world interconnected by an electronic nervous system?

The global village

According to Thomas Friedman in 'The World Is Flat', how is the 'flattening' of the world economy achieved?

Through globalized trade, outsourcing, supply-chaining, and political liberalization.

What is the Latin root of the word 'culture' and what does it mean?

The Latin root is 'colere', which means to inhabit, to cultivate, or to honor.

How do Lustig and Koester (2003) define culture?

A learned set of shared interpretations about beliefs, values, and norms that affect the behaviors of a relatively large group of people.

What are the five core characteristics of cultures outlined in the text?

1. Cultures are learned, not innate.
2. Cultures are shared.
3. Cultures are multi-faceted.
4. Cultures are dynamic.
5. Cultural identities are overlapping.

What is cultural integration?

A form of cultural exchange in which one group assumes the beliefs, practices, and rituals of another group without sacrificing the characteristics of its own culture.

How does cultural assimilation differ from cultural integration?

In cultural assimilation, members of one cultural group adopt the practices and beliefs of another group and often lose parts of their traditional culture in the process, whereas integration retains the original culture.

What is cultural accommodation?

The process by which individuals take on values and beliefs of the host culture in the public sphere while maintaining their parent culture in the private sphere.

What occurs during the 'Separation' method of cultural adaptation?

One cultural group refuses to interact or join the dominant culture, preferring to interact only with members of their own culture.

What six responses to differing ethical principles across cultures are identified by Adler, Elmhorst, & Lucas (2013)?

1. Avoiding
2. Accommodating
3. Forcing
4. Educating-Persuading
5. Negotiating-Compromising
6. Collaboration-Problem Solving

What is intercultural competence?

The ability to function effectively across cultures, to think and act appropriately, and to communicate and work with people from different cultural backgrounds at home or abroad.

What is ethnocentrism, and how does it affect cross-cultural communication?

It is the belief that one's 'in-group' culture is superior to any 'out-group' culture and judging other cultures by one's own norms. High ethnocentricity creates large communication barriers.

What is the difference between a stereotype and a prejudice?

A stereotype is a generalized negative trait assigned to a whole group of people, while a prejudice is an unfair thought, feeling, or dislike (bias) toward a group learned from an in-group without direct contact.

What is 'assumed similarities' as a barrier to communication?

A baseless, unreasonable refusal to see cultural differences where they exist, assuming that all groups behave and think the same way as one's own culture.

How did social psychologist Geert Hofstede (1984) define culture?

"The programming of the mind"—patterns of thinking, feeling, and potential acting learned throughout a person's lifetime.

What are the key characteristics of a high-context culture?

They rely heavily on nonverbal cues, background information, indirect communication, and value group relationships highly (e.g., Asian, African, Arab, Central European, and Latin American cultures).

What are the key characteristics of a low-context culture?

They prefer direct, explicit communication over indirect cues, place less emphasis on nonverbal signs, and focus more on individual goals (e.g., United States, Australia).

According to Carol Kinsey Goman (2011), why do people in Japan prefer face-to-face communication over electronic devices?

Japan is a high-context culture where people place higher value on relationships created and established through face-to-face communication.

Why did Pampers diapers initially face poor sales in Japan, according to Joel Spring (2000)?

Because the Japanese place significant importance on gender differences, which was resolved by offering pink diapers for girls and blue diapers for boys.

Why was the Marlboro cowboy advertisement ineffective in Argentina?

In Argentina, the concept of a cowboy is viewed as a lower-class worker rather than an appealing icon.

What are the eight potential hot spots for cross-cultural misinterpretation listed by AJ Schuler (2003)?

1. Opening and closing conversations
2. Taking turns during conversations
3. Interrupting
4. Using silence
5. Using appropriate topics of conversation
6. Using humor
7. Knowing how much to say
8. Sequencing elements during a conversation