QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND EXPLORATION
Chapter 1 - Questions for Discussion and Exploration
1. What are some of the factors that have combined to create a greater need for effective
intercultural and international communication in today’s world?
2. What are some of the benefits of studying intercultural and international communication?
3. What are some of the global challenges that we face today? How can the study of
intercultural and international communication help us address global challenges?
4. What are the primary approaches to the study of intercultural and international
communication? How do they differ from one another?
5. How would you define the term mindfulness? What role does mindfulness play in
intercultural and international communication?
Chapter 2 - Questions for Discussion and Exploration
1. What are the key characteristics of culture?
2. Why is individualism/collectivism considered a core cultural value dimension?
3. What are the limitations of cultural value frameworks for the study of intercultural
communication?
4. What is the relationship between culture and perception?
5. How might the differing worldviews of diverse cultures present challenges for
intercultural communication?
Chapter 3 - Questions for Discussion and Exploration
6. What assumptions underlie the social science approach to the study of intercultural
communication?
7. What methodologies would social science researchers be likely to use? Why?
8. What is the Communication Accommodation Theory?
How can it be used to predict
communication behaviors?
9. What are some limitations of the social science approach? How have researchers
attempted to overcome these limitations?
10. What assumptions underline the interpretive approach to the study of intercultural
communication?
11. What methodologies do interpretive researchers typically use? Why?
12. How have other fields influenced the development of the interpretive approach to
studying intercultural communication?
13. What are some of the benefits and limitations of the interpretive approach?
Chapter 4 - Questions for Discussion and Exploration
1. What assumptions underline the critical approach to the study of intercultural
communication?
2. What methodologies do critical researchers typically use? Why?
3. What significance does popular culture have for scholars using the critical approach?
4. What are some of the benefits and limitations of the critical approach?
5. What is the relationship of the dialectical approach to the other three approaches to
studying intercultural communication?
6. What methodologies would dialectical researchers use?
7. How does the dialectical approach reconcile contradictory information?
8. In what ways is this approach to studying intercultural communication more challenging
than the other approaches?
Chapter 5 - Discussion and Exploration
1. What is the relationship between language and thought? How does language reveal the
values and beliefs of cultures?
2. What relationship exists between verbal communication styles and cultural values? Are
some of the styles more likely to be favored by members of individualistic cultures? Or
by members of collectivistic cultures? Why?
3. Discuss the relationship between language and political power within nations. How are
national languages selected? Are some languages intrinsically superior to others?
4. Explain the Theory of Language Accommodation. Why might speakers choose to
conform to the speech of another group? Why might they choose to diverge from the
speech of another group?
5. What are some causes of intercultural conflict? How can different approaches to conflict
management cause intercultural conflicts to escalate?
Chapter 6 - Questions for Review and Discussion
1.
What are the four different kinds of gestures typically used for nonverbal
communication? Which do you think has the greatest potential to cause intercultural
misunderstandings and conflict? Why? Give an example to support your answer. Then
give one example of how each of the other three kinds of gestures might lead to an
intercultural misunderstanding.
2.
The cultural norms for making and sustaining eye contact are not universal. Discuss
some of the differences among cultural norms and the cultural values to which the
differences are related.
3.
What are some examples of haptic behavior that you take for granted as a member of
your own culture? What are some differences in haptic behavior that you have
encountered when interacting with members of other cultures? Did these differences
cause misunderstandings or conflicts? If so, how did you resolve them?
4.
What role does climate play in the way cultures have developed their immediacy
behaviors, particularly those behaviors related to haptics and proxemics? How can
understanding the role of climate facilitate your ability to use nonverbal communication
effectively when interacting with members of other cultures?
5.
How is choice of clothing and other physical adornments related to cultural values? Can
you relate any of your own clothing choices to the values your culture or to the values of
your age group? Explain the relationship between your choices and the cultural values.
6.
What are the six universally understood facial expressions of emotion? How truly
universal are they? How do cultural display rules apply to these universal facial
expressions?
7.
How is volume of speech related to cultural values? Give at least one example to support
your answer.
8.
What are the four types of spatial relationships recognized by most cultures? What are
some of the cultural differences in the distances assigned to each type?
9.
How can cultural differences in chronemic behavior lead to conflicts and
misunderstandings in international business? What can mindful intercultural
communicators do to prevent such misunderstandings?
10.
Discuss some of the differences in nonverbal communication that can be related to the
individualism and collectivism cultural value dimension. How can a thorough
understanding of this value dimension help you to better understand and categorize
different types of nonverbal communication?
Chapter 7 - Questions for Discussion and Exploration
1.
What is the difference between visual communication and nonverbal communication?
How is visual communication similar to verbal communication?
2.
In his work on semiotics, Charles Sanders Peirce posited three types of signs: iconic,
indexical, and symbolic. Discuss the distinctions among these three types. Give an
example of each type that would be specific to one particular culture. Can you think of
examples of each type that are not culture specific? Which of the three types is it most
difficult to find universal examples of? Why?
4.
Discuss some of the attempts that have been made to create a universal visual language.
What are the limitations of these visual languages? Do you think that human beings will
ever be able to create a universally understood language of signs that is totally free from
cultural biases? Why or why not?
5.
What are some of the problems associated with the depiction of human beings and
animals across cultures? As a mindful intercultural communicator how might you
address these problems to ensure effective communication with members of other
cultures and to avoid offending anyone?
6.
What are some of the challenges associated with the use of color across cultures? What
can you do to address these challenges in a mindful fashion?
7.
Traditionally the study of intercultural communication has focused on verbal and
nonverbal aspects of communication. What recent developments have given visual
communication an increased importance in intercultural communication?
Chapter 8 - Questions for Discussion and Exploration
1. What are some problems created by the exporting of popular culture from the U.S. to
the cultures of other nations? Provide examples.
2. How has the twenty-four hour news stations changed the way news media is
delivered? Have the topics and delivery changed in the new twenty-four hour
setting?
3. What role does selective process and selective perception play in the interpretation of
the media?
4. What are the two routes of persuasion? How do the two routes of persuasion affect
the way the media communicates with an audience?
5. How can the media play a more positive role in intercultural communication? How
can a more positive role affect global politics?
Chapter 9 - Questions for Discussion and Exploration
6. What is the universal approach to ethics? What challenges does this approach present?
7. What is ethical relativism? What challenges are inherent in this approach?
8. What role does power play in intercultural ethics?
9. What basic guidelines underlie any ethical approach to communication across cultures?
Chapter 10 - Questions for Discussion and Exploration
Discuss the differences between the state-centric model and the complex interdependence
model. What role do both models play in international relations?
What role does intercultural communication play during times of war? During times of
peace?