CHAPTER 1
Why Study Intercultural Communication?
CHAPTER 1 OBJECTIVES AND OUTLINE
Chapter 1 Objectives:
As a result of reading Chapter 1 and participating in related class discussions and activities, you
should be able to:
(1) Explain the importance of studying intercultural communication;
(2) Demonstrate an enhanced awareness of changing trends in global and intercultural
communication;
(3) Define the key attributes of the term culture;
(4) Cultivate an initial appreciation for the layered complexity of studying culture;
(5) Define and use examples to illustrate the three levels of the cultural iceberg metaphor; and
(6) Connect how the deep-level culture shapes the expectations and meanings that individuals
attach to an intercultural encounter process.
Chapter 1 Outline:
I. Practical Reasons to Study Intercultural communication
A. Adapting to global workforce heterogeneity
1. U.S. workers are part of global workforce by working remotely
2. Large numbers of U.S. workers take overseas assignments
B. Adapting to domestic workforce diversity
1. Increasing Latino/a population in the United States
2. Increasing foreign-born population in the United States
C. Engaging in creative multicultural problem solving: a synergistic perspective
combines the best cultural approaches
D. Comprehending the role of technology in global communication: the Internet
increases global communication, collaboration
E. Facilitating better multicultural health care communication: between health care
workers and immigrants
F. Enhancing intercultural relationship satisfaction: rise of intercultural relationships
requires understanding, competent intercultural conflict management
G. Fostering global and intrapersonal peace
1. Increasing need for global peace and social justice studies
2. If at peace with ourselves, we’ll have more compassion and caring for others
H. Deepening cultural self-awareness and other-awareness
1. Self-awareness—of our own socialization process
2. Other-awareness—to reduce ethnocentrism, increase understanding of others
II. Culture: A Learned Meaning System
A. Culture: definition describes a system consisting of patterns (beliefs, values, etc.),
which are passed generationally and shared by its members (NOTE: see textbook
for actual definition)
A. Surface-level culture: Popular culture
1. Artifacts or systems that have mass appeal
2. U. S. popular culture dominates globally (Coca-Cola, etc.)
B. Intermediate-level culture: Symbols, meanings and norms
1. Symbol: a sign, artifact, word(s), gesture, or nonverbal behavior that stands for
or reflects something meaningful (ex: language)
2. Meanings: interpretations that we attach to a symbol
3. Cultural norms: collective expectations of proper or improper behavior
(NOTE: these are brief descriptions; see textbook for actual definitions)
C. Deep-level culture: Traditions, beliefs, and values
1. Culturally shared traditions: includes myths, legends, ceremonies, and
rituals passed on from one generation to the next
2. Culturally shared beliefs: fundamental assumptions or worldviews held
dearly without question
3. Cultural values: priorities that guide ”good” or “bad” behavior, “desirable” or
”undesirable” practices, and “fair” or ”unfair” actions
a. Individualistic value cluster: self-direction, stimulation, hedonism
b. Collectivistic value cluster: security, tradition, conformity
CHAPTER 1 CHECK-UP
Check out the following cultural literacy quiz questions:
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the top three most valuable global brands?
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. Coca-Cola
2. IBM
3. Microsoft
To see the top five, check out Jeopardy Box 1.1 in the text on page 6.
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the three U.S. states with the most racial or ethnic diversity
compared to the United States as a whole?
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. Hawaii
2. California
3. New Mexico
To see the top five, check out Jeopardy Box 1.2 in the text on page 8.
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the three U.S. states that are the most racially/ethnically
homogeneous?
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. Maine
2. Vermont
3. West Virginia
To see the top five, check out Jeopardy Box 1.3 in the text on page 8.
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the three countries with the most Internet users?
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. China
2. United States
3. Japan
To see the top five, check out Jeopardy Box 1.4 in the text on page 10.
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the three countries that have the highest ratio of cellular phone
users?
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. Montenegro
2. Hong Kong
3. Saudi Arabia
To see the top five, check out Jeopardy Box 1.5 in the text on page 11.
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the top three countries of birth for foreign-born children adopted
under age eighteen in the United States?
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. China (Mainland)
2. Ethiopia
3. Russia
To see the top five, check out Jeopardy Box 1.6 in the text on page 12.
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the top three movie-producing countries in 2009.?
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. India
2. the United States
3. China (Mainland)
To see the top five, check out Jeopardy Box 1.7 in the text on page 17.
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the three countries with the largest Christian population and the
three countries with the largest Jewish population?
POP-UP ANSWER:
Largest Christian Populations:
1. the United States
2. Brazil
3. Russia
Largest Jewish Populations:
1. the United States
2. Israel
3. France
To see the rest of the top five for each, check out Jeopardy Box 1.11 in the text on
page 20.
Jeopardy Quiz: Can you name the three countries with the largest Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim
populations?
POP-UP ANSWER:
Largest Buddhist Populations:
1. China
2. Japan
3. Thailand
Largest Hindu Populations:
1. India
2. Nepal
3. Bangladesh
Largest Muslim Populations:
1. Indonesia
2. Pakistan
3. India
To see the rest of the top five for each, check out Jeopardy Box 1.12 in the text on
page 20.
CHAPTER 1 GLOSSARY-MATCHING QUIZ
Match the following five terms with their respective definitions or descriptions:
a. Relationship expectation
b. Intermediate-level culture
c. Culture
d. Surface-level culture
e. Deep-level culture
___ 1. Refers to a learned meaning system that consists of patterns of traditions, beliefs, values,
norms, meanings, and symbols that are passed on from one generation to the next.
___ 2. Refers to cultural artifacts or systems that have mass appeal and that infiltrate our daily
life.
___ 3. Refers to how much role formality/informality or task/social tone you want to forge
in the interaction.
___ 4. Includes symbols (e.g., language), meanings, and norms.
___ 5. Includes traditions, beliefs, and values.
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. c
2. d
3. a
4. b
5. e
Match the following five terms with their respective definitions:
a. Culturally shared beliefs
b. Cultural norms
c. Culturally shared traditions
d. Symbol
e. Cultural values
___ 1. Refers to a sign, artifact, word(s), gesture, or nonverbal behavior that stands for or reflects
something meaningful.
___ 2. Refer to collective expectations of what constitutes proper or improper behavior.
___ 3. Can include myths, legends, ceremonies, and rituals passed on from one generation to the
next via an oral or written medium.
___ 4. Refer to fundamental assumptions or worldviews that people hold dearly to their hearts
without question.
___ 5. Refer to priorities that guide “good” or “bad” behavior, “desirable” or “undesirable”
practices, and “fair” or “unfair” actions.
POP-UP ANSWER:
1. d
2. b
3. c
4. a
5. e
CHAPTER 1 REVIEW QUIZ
Multiple Choice: Select and click the BEST ANSWER from the choices available.
1. Culturally shared ________ involve answers to questions such as human origins, concepts of
time, space, reality, and the existence of a supernatural being.
a. traditions
b. beliefs
c. norms
d. values
POP-UP ANSWER:
b. beliefs (p. 19)
2. Culture is a learned ________________ system that consists of patterns of traditions, beliefs,
values, norms, meanings, and symbols that are passed on from one generation to the next and are
shared to varying degrees by interacting members of a community.
a. normative
b. meaning
c. language
d. group
POP-UP ANSWER:
b. meaning (p. 16)
3. These can include myths, legends, ceremonies, and rituals that are passed on from one
generation to the next via an oral or written medium.
a. Culturally shared traditions
b. Culturally shared beliefs
c. Cultural norms
d. Cultural values
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. Culturally shared traditions (p.19)
4. Music and images produced by Snoop Dogg, Beyoncé Knowles, and other musical artists,
belong to what level of culture?
a. Surface-level culture
b. Intermediate-level culture
c. Deep-level culture
d. Immediate-level culture
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. Surface-level culture (p. 16)
5. The instructor says to Brooke and Bianca, “You look tired.” Although they both understand
the words, Brooke takes this to mean a comforting message and Bianca believes she has been
criticized. These two women have heard the same words, but they attached differing
___________ to these words.
a. symbols
b. settings
c. goals
d. meanings
POP-UP ANSWER:
d. meanings (p. 18)
True/False: Consider whether each statement is true (i.e., accurate), or false (i.e., inaccurate).
Click either “a” for “True,” or click “b” for “False.”
1. There has been a dramatic increase in intercultural dating and marriage relationships in the
United States.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
a. True (p. 12)
2. Through the study of intercultural communication, we can deepen our other-awareness, but
not our self-awareness.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
b. False (p. 14)
3. Cultural norms belong to deep-level culture.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
b. False (pp. 18-19)
4. Television shows such as Dancing with the Stars and American Idol are primarily examples of
intermediate-level culture, and specifically, examples of culturally shared beliefs.
a. True
b. False
POP-UP ANSWER:
b. False (p. 19)
CHAPTER 1 INTERCULTURAL WEB SURFING
Check out the following Internet sites and other resources that are relevant to this chapter:
For information about the countries with the highest Internet usage, go to:
http://www.c-i-a.com/pr0207.htm
Information about technology and cell phone usage is available at:
http://www.itu.int/home/index.html
For information on the current top musical downloads, go to:
http://www.billboard.com/charts#
For information about religion and other world facts, check:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
For domestic and international statistics on population and demographics:
http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbnew.html
For specific top-ten related religious groups:
http://www.zackvision.com/weblog/archives/entry/000104.html
Facts related to the historical landmark of reaching seven billion people on planet Earth:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/03/age-of-man/face-interactive
For facts related to race and ethnicity in the United States:
U.S. Census Briefs: Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin 2010. U.S. Census Bureau.
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/ briefs/c2010br-02.pdf
Films:
The Visitor (2007). A professor in the United States leads a simple yet boring life. While
attending a conference in New York, he finds a Syrian musician and his Senegalese wife living
in his apartment. This movie opens up issues of the Staircase Model, conflict, immigration, and
post- 9/11 reactions.
Classic
Children of Heaven (1997). Zahra’s shoes are gone—her brother Ali lost them. With no money
and no shoes, they decide to share one pair of shoes. This simple yet elegant story is set in Iran.
This movie is compelling, an introduction to life in Iran so different from the media’s portrayal.
Books:
Junot Diaz (2007). The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Diaz explores the years to reveal the
back history of Oscar and his sister Lola. The book has its one language and a tempo mixed with
Spanish colloquialisms, street talk, and video game terminology.
CHAPTER 1 CLASS HANDOUT
Note: Your instructor may ask you to download, print out, and/or e-mail the following
class handout for this chapter:
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Name: _____________________________
LAST NAME, First Name
Place Photo Here
E-mail: _____________________________
Major: _____________________________
Who are you? Describe yourself briefly: __________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
In what contexts would you like to apply your intercultural knowledge? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Do you speak any other language(s) fluently? If so, what are they? Have you lived in another
country for more than one month? List them.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Have you had any interesting intercultural experiences or culture shock traveling stories?
Share a story: ________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________ (continue on back page if needed)…