LL250 Intercultural Communication:
Midterm Study Guide

The midterm exam will be based on Chapters 1-5 of the text plus the assigned readings from The Reader, and class discussions, and videos.   A variety of question types will be included:  short answer essays of a few lines (e.g., definitions/explanations of theoretical concepts with examples) and some objective-type questions such as true/false statements, fill-in-the blanks, matching, multiple choice, etc.).

Key Concepts and Topics 

I.  Be able to define/explain and give examples where appropriate.

• Dominant culture (p. 9 ff)

• Co-cultures (p. 10 ff)

• The dynamic/systemic/symbolic nature of communication (p. 16 ff)

• Communication—overt/covert, conscious/unconscious responses (p. 20 ff)

• Deep structure (p. 24 ff)

• Ethnocentrism (p. 24)

• Culture—learned/transmitted, external/internal representations (p. 32 ff)

• Enculturation—how culture is taught/learned (p. 34)

• Innovation, diffusion, acculturation as agents of cultural change (p. 44 ff)

• Perception (p. 45 ff)

• Values (p. 48 ff)

• Primary, secondary, tertiary US values (p. 49)

• Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous cultures (p. 51)

• High-context vs. low-context cultures (pp. 76-88)

• Language (p. 138 ff)

• Sapir-Whorf hypothesis/linguistic relativity (p. 143 ff)

• Alternative languages—argot, slang (p. 158)

• Translation—why it is difficult (pp. 160 ff)

• Nonverbal communication (p. 169 ff)

• M-time/P-time (p. 195 ff)

II.  Know the following major categories.  Be able to explain their components and give examples.

• Functions of culture (p. 30 ff)

• Dominant cultural patterns in the USA

• Hofstede’s four-dimensional value framework (individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, masculinity/femininity

• Kluckhohn et al.’s value dimensions (human nature orientation, relation to nature, time orientation, activity orientation)

• Similarities/unique differences among the world’s religions

• Functions/enculturation role of family

• Directness vs. indirectness

• Characteristics of Black (African-American) English speech

• Characteristics of female vs. male communication patterns

• Body behavior

• Body movements (kinesics)

• Facial expressions/touch/paralanguage

• Proxemics

• Time

• Silence

III.  Some questions to think about

• How might certain dominant American cultural patterns be misinterpreted by another culture?

• How does culture affect the meaning of words?

• Can you think of any countries that contrast strongly with USA culture in terms of Hofstede’s framework?

• Can you explain a specific instance where history has affected the “deep structure” /reality of a culture?

• How can the structure of a language reflect the values of that culture?

• How do we send messages unconsciously through our nonverbal communication  and how are they interpreted by members of other cultures?