Cultural Communication Chapter 36 Quiz

Co-Cultural Theory Overview

• Co-cultural theory emphasizes communication strategies for marginalized groups within a dominant culture to ensure their survival.
• The dominant culture refers to the culture of the most powerful societal group, typically comprising well-off white European American non-disabled heterosexual men in the U.S.

Co-Cultural Groups

• Significant co-cultural groups in the U.S. include women, people of color, the economically disadvantaged, individuals with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, and various religious minorities.

Theoretical Frameworks

• Standpoint theory and muted group theory address issues of power disparity and its impact on communication.

Co-Cultural Communication

• Co-cultural communication involves interactions between varying groups within a dominant culture, focusing on perspectives from co-cultural members.

Communication Orientation

• Communication orientation combines preferred outcomes and chosen approaches of co-cultural group members, categorized into three types: assimilation, accommodation, and separation.

Communication Approaches

• Nonassertive, assertive, and aggressive approaches are strategies available to co-cultural members, impacting how they express communication.

Communicative Practices

• Communicative practices are the habitual verbal and non-verbal actions employed by co-cultural members during interactions with the dominant group.

Assimilation Types

• Nonassertive Assimilation: Emphasizes commonalities and seeks to blend unobtrusively into the dominant society while censoring self and avoiding controversy.
• Assertive Assimilation: Involves members "playing the game" to fit into dominant structures while being open about their co-cultural identity.
• Aggressive Assimilation: Exhibits a forceful approach to integrate into the dominant culture, often neglecting one's own group identity.

Accommodation Strategies

• Nonassertive Accommodation: Aimed at gaining acceptance by conforming to dominant culture norms.
• Assertive Accommodation: Engages actively with the dominant culture, utilizing interpersonal skills and educating others about co-cultural norms.
• Aggressive Accommodation: Advocates for transformative changes, confronting injustices within the dominant culture.

Separation Approaches

• Nonassertive Separation: Preference for sticking to the co-cultural group to avoid discrimination.
• Assertive Separation: Strategy focused on maintaining a distinct identity and promoting in-group solidarity.
• Aggressive Separation: Used by powerful co-cultural leaders to advocate for segregation from the dominant group.

Phenomenology

• Phenomenology is a qualitative research method centered on the lived experiences of individuals, factoring in personal context, situational environments, abilities, and perceived costs/rewards in interactions.

Test your knowledge on Co-Cultural Theory with this quiz based on Chapter 36. Explore the dynamics between dominant cultures and co-cultural groups, and understand the specialized strategies used for effective communication. Ideal for students studying intercultural communication or sociology.