Body Language

Imagine the following scenario

– Imagine that you have the opportunity to visit any country/culture you want. The reason for your visit is up to you (i.e. visit friends/family, business/professional, recreational/adventure, see sites/landmarks, etc.). In addition, you are able to visit this country/culture for any length of time you desire, and during this trip you will have unlimited financial resources. According to the textbook, “Sometimes host-culture members experience tourists as impatient and unwilling to accept local customs, and sometimes tourists’ inability to speak the local language and understand the local expectations of appropriateness and effectiveness can be an irritant and a barrier to host culture relationships” (p. 298). You want to minimize the chances of this, and maximize your intercultural competence. 2 With this scenario in mind, answer the following questions.

1. State the country/culture that you will visit. In addition, state the reason (or reasons) for your visit.

2. -What are some of the beliefs of this country/culture?

-What are some of the values of this country/culture?

-What are some of the norms of this country/culture?

-What are some of the social practices of this country/culture?

3. Hofstede’s cultural taxonomies are explained on pages 105-112. In addition, culture specific information is available on pages 310-312. Explain how knowledge of three of these dimensions will be helpful. Be specific.

1. Power Distance- refers to the degree to which culture believes that institutional and organizational power should be distributed unequally and the decisions of the power holders should be challenged or accepted.

2. Uncertainty avoidance- the extent to which the culture feels threatened by ambiguous, uncertain situations and tries to avoid them by establishing more structure.

3. Masculinity Versus femininity- This dimension indicates the degree to which a culture values “masculine” behaviors, such as assertiveness and the acquisition of wealth, or “feminine” behaviors, such as caring for others and the quality of life.

4. Do you know the primary language of the country/culture? Students will only be expected to address A or B; not both.

-a. If you do know the primary language: Do you consider your knowledge of the language; basic, intermediate, or proficient? Will you learn more about the language? Why or why not?

-b. If you do not know the primary language: Will you learn the language? Why or why not? If you will learn the language, what specifically will you learn?

5. The nonverbal codes are explained on pages 187-201. Provide five specific examples of nonverbal codes that are used within this country/culture. In addition to the examples, seek to include the concepts in bold, blue font (i.e. physical appearance, kinesics(Body Language), emblems, illustrators, proxemics, etc.) in your answer.

6. In an effort to maximize your intercultural competence in this country/culture, what else should you know?

The paper should be in APA Style

– Include a proper APA title page.

– Include proper APA in-text citations with all sources.

– Provide a properly formatted APA references page

There is not a minimum or maximum length requirement. However, all ideas are expected to be thoroughly explained.