1.What is culture?

: Culture means invisible signs such as: entertainment, behaviour, the way we
do things around and invisible causes like value, attitude, fundamental assumptions and belief.
2.How important is culture?: Culture reflects the inner working of an individual society. Culture
is the sum of all the forms of arts, of love, and of thought. Culture is related to the development
of men’s attitude.
3.What are basic principles of culture?

- What is logical and important in 1 culture may see irrational and unimportant in others
- In describing culture, people tend to distract differences and over look similarities
- Stereotyping may be inevitable for people who lack frequent contact with another culture
- Cultural differences exist due to genders, ages, social economic status and education
- Understanding another culture is a journey not a goal

4.What should you do to success in cross-cultural communication?

- Slow down( when communicate)

- Separate questions
- Avoid negative questions
- Take turns
- Write it down
- Be supportive
- Check meaning
- Avoid slang
- Maintain etiquette

5.Mainstream culture: the values, beliefs, and behavior of the dominant group in a
society(America, VN, Japan). The behavior of the group is basedon its values and beliefs.
6.Individual behavior: the actions and activities of one person.
7.Generalization: a statement describing general behavior that does not apply all the time.
8.Stereotype: an exaggerated belief about a group often based on a lack of information or contact
with member of that group.( co the dung/sai)
9.Melting pot:(literally: a pot that is used to heat things until they turn into liquid) a society in
which ethnic group blend and become one group.
10. Mosaic:( literally: a picture or design made with small bits of colored stone, glass, or tile) a
society in which ethnic groups retain their separate identities but together form the larger
community.

-> VN là melting pot.

 melting pot: dễ cho chính phủ cai trị

 Mosaic: có thể duy trì bản sắc dân tộc riêng

11. Homogeneous: made up of one group; having members that are all the same

12. Heterogeneous: made up of a variety of groups; having members that are not all the same
-> VN là heterogeneous: có 54 dân tộc, chia sẻ văn hoá và có những nét riêng của từng dân tộc.

13. Does a person have to change in order to adjust or adapt to a new culture? Đúng vì nếu ko
điều chỉnh thì sẽ bị lạ nước lạ cái (a fish out of water) và culture shock.

14. Culture shock: the response that an individual may have in a new country; the person may
feel confused and disoriented, and every aspect of daily life may be difficult.

15. Some people say:” when in rome, do as the romans do”( nhập gia tuỳ tục) Do you agree?
Should people in a new culture try to retain some of their oen culture or should they become just
like the Romans?

 Partly agree. ( vì nếu hoà nhập hoàn toàn thì sẽ mất đi văn hoá cũ)

16. Does cultural adjustment vary among individuals?

 Yes, the adjustment depends on genders, ages, social positions and locations. (Thông
thường người trẻ, những người có địa vị và học vấn cao sẽ điều chỉnh nhanh hơn)

17. “A fish out of water”: describe s.o who is living in a new culture. Such a person will
experience a variety of emotional” ups and downs” lasting from weeks to years. Cultural
adjustment can indeed be difficult, and newcomers adjust in many different ways.

18. 4 States of culture shock:

- Honeymoon( not essential to suffer honeymoon because people may not be willing, may be
introvert/extrovert, they have different time to live)
- Frustration
- Adjustment
- Acceptance
12. The adjustment process in a new culture
- Honeymoon period: Initially many people are fascinated and excited by everything in the new
culture. The newcomer is elated to be experiencing a new culture. Interestingly, this level of
elation may not be reached again.
- Culture shock: The individuals are immersed in new problems: housing, transportation,
employment, shopping, and language. Mental fatigue results from continuously straining to
understand the new language and culture.
- Surface initial adjustment: everyday activities such as housing and shopping are no longer
major problem. The visitors may not yet be fluent in the spoken language, but they can now
express their basic ideas and feelings.
- Mental isolation: individuals have been away from their family and good friends for a long time
and may feel lonely. Many can not express themselves as well as they could in their native
language. Frustration and sometimes a loss of self-confidence result. Some individuals remain at
this stage, particularly if they haven’t been able to find a job.
Acceptance and integration: a routine( work, business or school) has been established. The
newcomers have become accustomed to the habit, customs, foods and characteristics of the
people in the new culture. They feel comfortable with friends, associates and the language in the
new country.
* some people never experience a “honeymoon” period because the circumstances of their
coming to a new country have been too painful.
20. What factors contribute to culture shock?
- Unfamiliar rules for social interaction
- Strange environment and climate
- Different attitudes and expectations
21. Can a person skip some of the stages of adjustment? : Depends on individual’s ability to cope
with changes in their life.
22. Symptoms of having problems adjusting to the new culture: (7)
- homesickness
- Inability to work well
- Too much eating, drinking or sleeping
- Anger toward the members of the new culture
- Glorifying the native culture and emphasizing the negative in the new culture
- Withdrawal and avoidance of contact with people from the new culture
- Lack of ability to deal with even small problems
23. One of the most important things a newcomer can do to facilitate adjustment is to try to
develop social relationships with people from one’s own country, with other newcomers, and
with members of the new culture.
24. What strategies help you cope with the adjustment process?
- Culture is relative
- You should be open-minded
- You must use your observation skills
- Ask questions
- Give yourself permission to make mistakes
- Take care of your physical health
- Remember to support from other people’s seek
- You should be patient
- Don’t try to understand everything
25. When is written and oral communication used?
Written Oral
You want to convey facts You want to convey emotions and
feelings
Your message needs to become face of Your message doesn’t need to be
a permanent life permanent

You don’t need immediate feedback You need immediate feedback

There is little time urgency There is time urgency
Ideas are complicated Ideas are simple and can be made
simple with explanation

26. Proverbs:
- The greeting is higher than a tray of banquet food: lời chào cao hơn mâm cỗ
- Words cut more than swords: lưỡi ko xương nhiều đường lắc léo
27. Advantages & disadvantages of oral and written
- Oral
Advantages Disadvantages
Time saving No record
Cost savings Distortion of the word
More powerful Inaccuracy
Effectiveness Limited use
Immediate feedback Confused speech
- Written
Advantages Disadvantages
Easy to preserve Expensive
Easy presentation of complex matter Time consuming
Permanent record Red-Taoism
Prevention of wastage of time and Useless for illiterate person
money
Accurate presentation Lack of flexibility

28. Heated conversation: conversation characterized by argument, loudness, a rapid exchange of

words, and interruptions
29. Hesitant conversation: conversation characterized by politeness, indirectness, pauses and a
lack of interruptions
30. Direct communication: a style of talking in which speakers do not avoid issues; they “get to
the point”
31. Indirect communication: a style of talking in which speakers tend to avoid issues, hesitate,
and “talk in circles”
32. Conversation structure: the way people converse; the pattern of their conversations
33. Cultures influence communication styles. Although this point may seem obvious, cultural
styles can and do create “misunderstandings in conversations among people from different
cultures”.
34. “High involvement” styles: talk more, interrupt more, expect to be interrupted, talk more
loudly at times and talk more quickly.(South American, Arab, African, Russia, Italian, Greek,
Spanish…)
35. “High considerateness” styles: speak one at a time, use polite listening sounds, refrain from
interrupting, and give plenty of positive and respectful responses to their conversation
partners.(Asian: Chinese, Japanese…)
36. One way to determine whether a culture favors a direct or indirect style in communication is
to find out how the people in that culture express disagreement or how they sat “NO”.
37. It is not a surprise to find out that cultural groups misjudge each other based on different
beliefs about directness and honesty in communication.
38. What are the characteristics of directness:
- Use clear definitive statement
- Participate actively in meeting
- Be free to tell other people what to do
- Use words like “should”, “have to”
- Tell other people why ideas should be adopted
39. What are principles of oral communication?
- Clear pronunciation
- Physical and mental preparation
- Unity and integration
- Exactness
- Natural voice
- Planning
- Simplicity
- Legality
- Avoiding emotions
- Efficiency
- Vocabularies
40. What are the forms of non-verbal communication?
- Facial expressions (happy, sad, fear, disgust, anger, contempt, surprise)
- Posture (open posture, close posture)
- Gesture (listing, a tiny bit, listen up!, everything…)
- Silent
41. What are the role of non-verbal communication?
- Convey meaning
- Influence others
- Regulate conversational flow
- Effect relationships
- Express your identity
42. What are differences between verbal communication and non-verbal communication?
- Meaning
- Types
- Time consuming
- Chances of transmission of wrong message
- Documentary Evidence
- Advantage
- Presence
43. Verbal communication: spoken communication, including the use of words and intonation to
convey meaning.
44. Nonverbal communication: “silent” communication, including the use of gestures, facial
expressions, eye contact, and conversational distance.
45. Gesture: movement of the body or part of the body, especially the hands.
46. We express our emotions and attitudes more nonverbally than verbally.
47. Nonverbal communication expresses meaning or feeling without words.
48. Eye contact: Provides social and emotional information. Eye contact is important because
insufficient or excessive eye contact can create communication barriers. In relationships, it
serves to show intimacy, attention and influence.
49. Luôn dùng eye contact là đúng hay sai -> Đúng 1 phần. Ví dụ:
- In the West: use eye contact -> polite
- In some Asian countries (Especially Thailand): avoiding eye contact is a sign of respect
50. Unconsciously, we all keep a comfortable distance around us when we interact with other
people. The amount of space changes depending on the nature of the relationship.
51. 4 conversational distances:
- Imitate distance: 45 cm (closed relations)
- Personal distance: 1.2m (friends, coworkers)
- Social distance: 3.7m (strangers, new acquaintances)
- Public distance: 7.6m (presentation, stated)
52. People express verbally in written communication, non-verbally in oral communication.
53. Do you think it is important to understand other cultural communication styles? Explain.
>> Yes. Because we can avoid culture shock and avoid misunderstanding.
54. Proverbs:
- “Like father, like son”: Cha nào con nấy >> Family
- “Blood is thicker than water”: Giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã >>Relatives
- “Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are”:… >>Friendship
- “Nothing can success without the hair of the teacher”: Không thầy đố mày làm nên.
55. Do you have any impressions of American friendships? >> (Dễ kết bạn nhưng tình bạn
không sâu đậm) In general, Americans have casual, friendly relationships with many people, but
deeper, closer friendships with only a few.
Do you think there are cultural differences in the way people make and keep friends? Explain.
>> Tùy ở mỗi nước, ở VN mọi người khó kết bạn, nhưng tình bạn sâu đậm và lâu dài. Ở mỹ…
56. Friendliness: behavior, characterized by smiling, chattiness, and warmth, that demonstrates
interest in another person.
57. Types of relationships: Family, Neighborhood, Teacher-Student, Coworker-Coworker,
Employer-Emplyee…
58. How important is family relationship?
- Help to build confident and self-extend
- Provide sense of belongings and independences
- Provide the feeling of safety, security and love
59. Benefit to socializing with people from the same culture:
- Culture shock can be lessened
- Have the familiarity when everything else is different
- Individuals can truly relax and be them selves
- Being involved in relationships across cultures will assist in acculturation and ultimately
integration into the new society
60. Proverb:
- “ A good wife makes a good husband”: Đằng sau người đàn ông thành công có bóng dáng
người phụ nữ.
- “Men make houses, women make homes”: Đàn ông xây nhà, đàn bà xây tổ ấm.
61. 7 types of families + Adv & Dis
- Extended family
Adv
Family can help take care of the children
Family can offer help and advice
There are closed family bonds
- Nuclear Family
No interfere
Smaller house costs less
Parents can choose childcare provider
- Step Family
Maybe a better quality of life
Parent will have another adult to talk to
More money coming home if both partners
work
- Single-parent Family
Maybe calmer atmosphere
The parent feels independent
- Childless Family
Typically have more disposable income
No dependents to take care of
Couples have more time to be together
- Grandparent-Grandchild Family
Grandparents and grandchildren form a closed
bond
Keeps children from ending up in a foster
homes or other situations
Dis
Lack of privacy and space
Family may interfere
Disagreement on family matters
Grandparents miss their grandchildren
Lack of help
Have to pay for childcare
Older children may find it difficult to adapt
Jealousy between mother’s and step father’s
children
Disliking step parents
Lacking a father/mother figure
Hard work bringing up children on their own
May not have enough money
Couples can feel left out if all their
friends/family start having kids
If you like kids, you can feel like something is
missing
Grandparents may not work or have full-time
jobs, may struggle with income
Depending on their health, it may be difficult
for them to keep up with young children
- Same-sex Family
There maybe ore money coming into the
household
Children are especially wanted and planned
for an cherished and loved
Children has either no male or female role
model
Children may experience mean comments
about their parents
Children may find it difficult to accept

62. Student participation: active involvement of a student in the learning process, especially in
the classroom.
63. Honor system: the demand that a student be honest in all areas of schoolwork, no cheating of
any kind is allowed.
64. - Cooperative student relationships: relationships characterized by students’ willingness to
work together as a team, and to share knowledge and information.
- Competitive student relationships: relationships characterized by student’ desire to work alone,
and not to share knowledge and information with others.
Advantages Disadvantages
Cooperative - Share ideas - Teachers cannot evaluate
- Learn from others exactly the improvement of
each students.
Competitive - Have new challenges - Some students cannot catch
- Easy for teachers to evaluate up with others and easily give
up

65.
Thang điểm 10 Thang điểm 4
9.0 đến 10 3.6 đến 4
8.0 đến 9.0 3.2 đến 3.6
7.0 đến 8.0 2.5 đến 3.2
5.5 đến 7.0 2.0 đến 2.5

66. Violation of the honor system can result in failing a course, having a permanent record of the
violation in the student’s files, and even being suspended or expelled from the university.
67. Examples of academic dishonesty:
- Plagiarism
- Cheating
- Fabrication
- Aiding…dishonesty
- Falsification of records and official documents
68. Advice for students to manage stress
- Exercise regularly
- Make certain you get enough sleep during stressful time
- Learn to relax your body
- Set priorities; think about one concern at a time
- Learn to accept what you cannot change
- Learn to say “NO”