Revi 1
Intercultural Communication
Speech 14
BOTCHED
Cultural Uniqueness Activity
In class we have discussed various features that extend across all cultures that make a cultural
heritage unique. In examining cultures the text uses six characteristics which we can readily
identify; biology, organizational networks, technology, communication patterns, history and
ecology. This exercise is to designed to have you explore your own cultural uniqueness and to
begin to recognize how your culture impacts your daily life.
Biology
1) What is your racial background?
2) What is your earliest memory of your racial identity? Was it positive or negative?
2) Where did you learn this identification?
3) Has it changed as you have become an adult?
4) What are the key factors of your racial identity?
Organizational Networks
1) As a child what groups do you remember your parents belonging?
2) What groups/organizations did you belong to as a child?
3) What are significant features you remember about those groups? ( Behaviors, pledges, rituals,
etc...)
4) Where did you go to day care, grammar school, middle school, high school?
5) What were the names of the mascots, particular groups, school colors, of those
schools?
6) What groups (formal & Informal) did you belong to in those schools?
7) What are significant features you remember about those groups? ( Behaviors, pledges, rituals,
etc...)
8) What groups do you belong to today?
9) What are significant features of those groups? ( Behaviors, pledges, rituals, etc...)
Technology
1) What do you use that you have made yourself?
2) What are the three most important items of technology to you? (Things you use in your life
that you have not made) Why is each important?
3) What would you have to do if you gave up all of those things? (List 3 major changes)
Communication Patterns Language
1) What is your primary language?
2) What is your dialect?
3) What other languages do you speak?
4) Where do you speak them?
Verbal Patterns
1) Who do you speak with in person most frequently?
2) How often?
3) List five recent topics you talked about.
4) Make a list of everyone who is important to you that you talk with. Frequency? Topics?
5) Who else would you like to add to this list? Why?
6) Who would you like to eliminate from your communication network? Why?
7) Who don't you talk with? Why?
Nonverbal
1) What is your hair style?
2) What is your favorite item of clothing?
3) What would you never wear in pubic?4) How many clothes do you have?
5) What is your favorite facial gesture? Describe.
6) What is your favorite arm/hand gesture?
7) Compare your nonverbal characteristics to an animal. Explain why?
Ecology/Environment
1) Where did you grow up?
2) Where is your home land?
3) Where do you live now?
4) How would you describe that place?
5) What is your facvorite thing about where you live?
6) What is the least favorite thing about where you live?
5) Where would you like to live?
History
1) What are the important historical events in your life?
2) Why are they important?
3) What are the important historical events in your family?
4) Why are they important?
5) What historical events are important to your cultural identity? Why?
What conclusions would you draw about your own cultural heritage based on your responses and
discussion in small groups?
ew Ch 2