LL 250: Intercultural Communication                                                                                               Name_________________
Prof. Bauer-Ramazani

Chapter 2: Understanding Culture--Alternative Views of Reality
Worksheet for Chapter 2, Part 1--pages 28-50 (Understanding Culture, Perception, Beliefs, Values)

I. Understanding Culture

A. The basic functions of culture

• In what 3 ways does culture give us a system to deal with the world?

B. The elements of culture

• Name the five major elements of culture and give an example of each.

C.  Definitions of culture

• Name and explain the significant elements in Marsella’s definition of culture. Does Marsella’s definition of culture include conscious and subconscious cultural behavior?

D. Characteristics of culture

1.  T / F   Most of us are not aware of the elements of our culture and how they shape our perception.

2.  The term for learning about another culture and becoming competent in it is called ________________________.

3.  How do we learn to be competent in another culture? Give examples.







4. Give examples of consciously learned responses vs. unconsciously learned responses.







5. The proverbs on page 35 indicate the values that are important to Americans. List them.






6.  Give specific examples of American values found in folktales, myths, comic strips, etc.





7.  What different cultural values do we find in European/Asian/Native American art?





8.  What important messages do Americans learn through the mass media, particularly TV?

9.  American values are transmitted and distributed globally through technology and the mass media. How are they received in many cultures?




10.  Summarize the 3 main characteristics of culture.
 

E.  Culture is transmitted from generation to generation. 
What are the major carriers of cultural values?

F. Culture is based on symbols.
 Explain and give examples.

G.  Culture is subject to change
Explain how and list the major reasons for this fluctuation.

II.  Perception

1. Explain: "Perception is best defined as 'the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting sensory data in a way that enables us to make sense of our world'" and "'perception is the process whereby people convert the physical energy of the world outside of them into meaningful internal experiences'".  In other words, explain and describe the link between culture, perception, and behavior.  Give examples of how culture affects the perceptions of people in different ways and consider the following cases:

• colors
• sports
• speaking up and other personal characteristics
• the elderly

III.  Beliefs

Values are "shared ideas about what is true, right, and beautiful that underlie cultural patterns and guide society in response to the physical and social environment" (S & P, 2004, p. 48).

1. List the primary, secondary, and tertiary values in the United States.  Do these coincide with yours?

Primary:

Secondary:

Tertiary:

 

2.  Define normative and evaluative cultural values.  Give examples from your own culture and contrast them with American culture.  Do all members of your culture share these values—why/why not?

3.  When normative and evaluative values become transformed into action, what may be the consequence?  How can such consequences be prevented?