Airmen Leadership School ALS - Test 1 Questions and Answers 100% Correct
Culture - ANSWER-_______ is a shared set of traditions, belief systems, and behaviors and is shaped by many factors, including history, religion, politics, and resources (financial, informational, technological, material, energy, warfare, and human.
Macro-cultures - ANSWER-The most powerful or the most widely practiced cultures in a
particular society, whether the society is a region or an entire country.
Micro-cultures - ANSWER-Also called "subcultures." They are described as a group of people living within a larger society who share values, beliefs, behaviors, status, or interests that are different from the macro-culture or the rest of society
Holism - ANSWER-All the parts of a culture are interconnected and integrated. Therefore, things such as change in one area (women's rights, for example) will affect change in another area (family structure, distribution of income)
Schema - ANSWER-A cognitive "shortcut" that helps us organize and interpret the vast amount of information that exists in our environment.
Iceberg theory of culture - ANSWER-When we first enter a new culture, we see only those behaviors and symbols that are apparent or above the water. Things like a culture's style of dress, music, games, dance, food, toys, etc. are easily seen when entering a new culture.
According to the iceberg theory. What is below the surface? - ANSWER-Some examples of behaviors, core beliefs, and values that are often "hidden" under the surface include: Ideals of governing, child raising, concept of justice, incentives to work, theory of disease, nature of friendship, patterns of group decision making, definitions of sin, courtship practices, and approaches to problem solving
Worldview - ANSWER-The sum of beliefs and values that people use to define and interpret the world, and their place within it
Cross-Cultural Competence (3C) - ANSWER-The "ability to quickly and accurately comprehend, and then effectively act in a culturally complex environment to achieve the
desired effect without necessarily having prior exposure to a particular group, region, or language.
What two categories does the Air Force break Cross-Cultural Competence into? - ANSWER-General and Specific Culture Culture General - ANSWER-The ability to quickly and accurately comprehend, and then
effectively act in a culturally complex
environment to achieve the desired effect without necessarily having prior exposure to a
particular group,
region, or language.
Culture Specific - ANSWER-An approach that emphasizes specific aspects of particular cultures, affording individuals much of the knowledge and/or skills necessary to interact more competently with individuals of other cultural
backgrounds."
What is the purpose of culture-general learning in the Air Force? - ANSWER-To develop
Airmen who can operate effectively in culturally complex environments
What are the three inter-related enabling factors involved with the 3C model? - ANSWER-Knowledge, motivation (positive attitude), and learning approaches.
Culture-general knowledge - ANSWER-The basis for all cross-cultural learning, including culture-specific, and begins with an understanding of
basic concepts of a culture (kinship, gender roles, types of exchanges or communication norms, etc.).
Ethnocentrism - ANSWER-The human tendency to negatively judge others (cultures, behaviors, values) against our own values and
beliefs
Relativism (as an attitude) - ANSWER-The conviction that the beliefs and practices of others are best understood in light of the
particular cultures where they are found.
Relativism (as a behavior) - ANSWER-Temporarily suspending one's own culturally informed opinion and thinking about how others
might interpret or value a situation.
Three specific skills that emerge as key to successful cross-cultural interactions are: - ANSWER-• Communicate to avoid misunderstandings;
• Negotiate to overcome differences and resolve conflicts; and
• Relate with individuals from other cultures to work effectively
Cultural Perspective Taking - ANSWER-A cognitive process by which an individual is able to identify the thoughts and/or feelings of another culture.
Leaders at every level can develop cultural perspective taking by recognizing - ANSWER-- Needs and values of individuals/groups from another culture - Local norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors - How people from another culture will respond to one's own actions/comments - The importance of norms for interaction - How violating cultural
norms can negatively impact interactions - The impact of positive cross-cultural relations
Two concepts help to maintain motivation - ANSWER-Relativism - (As an attitude)
Relativism - (As a behavior)
Stereotypes - ANSWER-A fixed or distorted generalization about all members of a particular group that share a particular diversity.
Prejudice - ANSWER-The creation of an adverse or unreasonable opinion about a person or group without gathering all the facts and is usually based on deeply held beliefs.
Discrimination - ANSWER-The visible act or consideration to act in favor of or against a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person/thing belongs, rather than on individual merit.
The OODA Loop - ANSWER-Observe, Orient, Decide, Act
Observe - ANSWER-The Observation step involves focused attention on your environment and gathering information through all five senses.
Orient - ANSWER-Make sense of what we are observing by categorizing (organizing) the data in a practical way that is useful to us.
Decide - ANSWER-Consider all the courses of action developed and choose one to move forward with based on our options and understanding of the situation
Act - ANSWER-Review what you have decided to do, take action, and then reflect on how you executed your decision.
Cross-Cultural Communication - ANSWER-The knowledge, motivation, and skills to interact effectively and appropriately with members of different cultures
Linguistic Competence - ANSWER-A speaker's implicit, internalized knowledge of the rules of their native language.
Communication Competence - ANSWER-Understanding how to properly communicate in another language or culture
What is the most important factor for a person to be effective in a foreign culture? - ANSWER-Communication skills
Impression Management - ANSWER-Deliberate and motivated self-presentation
