Chapter 7 - In-class

Emma notices that one of her team members, Raj, feels marginalized and discriminated against by some colleagues. She wants to understand how this situation might impact team dynamics and intercultural relations. What is the impact of discrimination on intercultural relations?

• Discrimination can sometimes motivate marginalized individuals to work harder, thereby improving team performance.

• Perceptions of discrimination, whether real or imagined, need to be acknowledged and addressed as they can significantly impact intercultural relations and reduce willingness for further intercultural encounters.

• Discrimination only affects the individual experiencing it and has little to no effect on the overall team dynamics.

• Addressing discrimination is unnecessary as it is a natural part of diverse work environments.

John is preparing for a business trip and wants to communicate effectively with his international colleagues. How can stereotypes act as barriers to intercultural communication?

• Stereotypes can enhance intercultural communication by providing useful generalizations.

• Stereotypes can lead us to believe that commonly-held beliefs about a culture are true, even when they are not.

• Stereotypes have no impact on intercultural communication and can be ignored.

• Stereotypes can lead to more accurate understanding of other cultures and improve communication.

What is the role of ethnocentrism in intercultural interactions?

• Ethnocentrism has minimal impact on intercultural interactions.

• Ethnocentrism can create barriers to successful intercultural interactions.

• Ethnocentrism often leads to more accurate assessments of other cultures.

• Ethnocentrism typically enhances mutual respect in intercultural interactions.

In an international company, Jane notices that her colleague, Ahmed, who speaks English with a distinct accent, is often interrupted and not taken as seriously in meetings compared to his native English-speaking colleagues. She wants to understand how discrimination based on accent can impact their work environment.

• Discrimination based on accent has no impact on communication.

• Discrimination based on accent promotes equal power relations.

• Discrimination based on accent can lead to better understanding.

• Discrimination based on accent can lead to misunderstandings and hinder communication.

What is social categorization?

• It does not affect intercultural communication.

• It causes misunderstandings in intercultural communication.

• It involves grouping individuals into categories to understand our social surroundings.

• It involves classifying people into categories to comprehend our social environment.

How can prejudice impact intercultural interactions?

• Prejudice is irrelevant to intercultural interactions.

• Prejudice can create negative perceptions and attitudes towards individuals from different cultures, hindering positive intercultural interactions.

• Prejudice fosters positive intercultural interactions.

• Prejudice leads to neutral perceptions and attitudes towards individuals from different cultures, enhancing positive intercultural interactions.

In a school district, students from minority backgrounds receive fewer opportunities for advanced placement courses and are disciplined more than their white peers. What type of racism is evident in these practices?

• Individual racism

• Institutional racism

• Systemic racism

• Internalized racism

In a small town, tensions rise among local residents due to an influx of immigrants. Some express strong opposition, citing cultural differences and a perceived threat to their way of life. What concept best describes the sentiment of the local residents towards the immigrants?

• Racism

• Prejudice

• Xenophobia

• Discrimination

A group of students discusses cultural perceptions and biases. Some express concerns about unintentionally perpetuating stereotypes. What is a key aspect of becoming a mindful intercultural communicator?

• Embracing ethnocentric attitudes and stereotypes.

• Recognizing and challenging one's own cultural biases and stereotypes.

• Avoiding interactions with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

• Promoting cultural assimilation and uniformity.

During a cultural sensitivity workshop, participants reflect on their identities and attitudes towards others. Some feel frustrated when their identities are not recognized, while others struggle to respect different cultural identities. What is a key aspect of becoming a more successful intercultural communicator?

• Reflecting on one's own emotions and behaviours when interacting with people from different cultures.

• Automatically attributing negative encounters to discrimination or prejudice.

• Blaming unsatisfactory intercultural interactions solely on communication partners.

• Avoiding discussions about personal identities and attitudes towards others.