Please choose one of the topics below, and write a reflective essay in any format you prefer. It should include a title, and should be a minimum of 500 words. Sources are permitted, but not required. If you use sources, they must be
cited. Your essay should have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. If you have any questions, please do not
hesitate to ask!
1) The Cultural Context:
1) Do you feel that you belong to an individualistic or collectivistic culture? Why? What are the signs? 2) What are some of the ways that you use high-context communication? 3) What are some of the ways that you use low-context
communication? 4) Which do you prefer? 5) Is your relationship with your professors indicative of large (collectivistic) or small power distance (individualistic)? Explain. 6) Is your relationship with your friends indicative of large (collectivisitic) or small power distance (individualistc)? Explain. 7) Is your relationship with your parents indicative of large
(collectivistic) or small power (individualistic) distance? Explain. 8) How is decision making influenced by individual,
situational, and cultural factors? 9) What happens when someone from one culture perceives a moral problem but
someone from a different culture does not perceive an issue? For instance, in some cultures, presenting small gifts to
business colleagues is expected. In other cultures, the presentation of gifts is considered bribery.
OR
2) The Environmental Context: 1) How does the information load of your classrooms change throughout the semester? 2) How do you go about securing privacy when you need it? 3) How does your culture facilitate or hinder privacy? 4)
How does your physical environment restrict and enhance your sensation; that is, how does it affect what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell? Give examples. 5) Is your home organized based on a monospatial or polyspatial orientation? Give examples. 6) There are far more desks in your classroom than there are students. On the first day of class, a
student whom you do not know, sits in the empty desk immediately to your left. Where will you sit the next time class meets? Why?
