1. What are interaction scenes? Explain how the scene can differ from one culture to another.
Interaction scenes are made up of the recurring, repetitive topics that people talk about in social conversations.
There are important differences in the ways the conversations of people from other cultures are organized and sequenced, including the types of topics discussed and the amount of time given to each one.
Example #1 (Type of Topic) : in Hong Kong conversations among males often include inquiries about the other person’s health and business affairs. While in Denmark questions about people’s incomes are avoided.
Example #2 (Amount of Time Given): an Asian colleague who was working in the United States was asked one Monday morning, “What did you do over the weekend?” He began on Friday and listed every event that he did that weekend. It was to more than the American wanted to know so the American spread the word around the office to not ask what she did over the weekend because Americans like to get down to business in their conversations.
2. List and Explain the fine components of social episodes.
Cultural Patterns: are shared judgements about what the world is and what it should be, and widely held expectations about how people should behave.
Social Roles: a set of expected behaviors associated with people in a particular position.
Rules of Interaction: provide a predictable pattern or structure to social episodes and give relationships a sense of coherence. (Not written down, and not verbally shared) They operate at the level of unwritten, unspoken expectations.
Interaction Scenes: are made up of the recurring, repetitive topics that people talk about in social conversations.
Interaction Contexts: the settings or situations within which social episodes occur. Contexts impose a frame or reference point around communication experiences by helping people to determine what specific actions should mean, what behaviors