QUESTIONNAIRE ON INTERCULTURAL DIFFERENCES

I prepared this questionnaire as part of my research on cross-cultural relations a few years ago. The answers I received helped me to illustrate the various themes covered in my research and I thought it would be useful to share it with you.

You are more than welcome to use it and forward it to your friends & relatives, whether in your own country or abroad.

1) Preliminary Questions

* Name :
* Native Country (indicate any double citizenship):
* Are you male or female?
* Birth Date (optional):
Country(ies) visited:

2) During your stays abroad, did you notice cultural differences compared to your own country?

*Yes
*No

If so, in which country(ies) did you notice them the most? (explain why):

3) What stereotypes do people in your country generally use to describe the following groups (don't describe your own people if listed below):

* The Americans:

* The British:

* The French:

* The Germans:

* The Italians:

* The Japanese:

* The ...............:

4) When you travel abroad, do you think that these preconceptions are justified (on a scale from 1 to 5)?

1 (In general Yes)
2
3
4
5 (Not at all)

Give examples:

5) According to you, what stereotypes are generally used by foreigners to describe your country and its inhabitants?

6) What adjectives, expressions, etc... would you choose to describe the people of your own country?

7) How would you characterize your culture according to the following criteria (select the most appropriate description - sometimes several answers are possible).

7.1.) LANGUAGE

7.1.1) As far as the rhythm of Speech, in a conversation, people tend to:

* speak without interrupting too much.
* speak at the same time and interrupt a lot.
* leave moments of the silence between speakers.
* other:

7.1.2) Does the grammar of your language use genders?

* Yes
* No

If so, which one(s):
* feminine
* masculine
* neutral
* other:

7.1.3) For non-native English speakers only.

How does your language translate the English pronoun "You"?

If there are several translations what is the difference of meaning between them?

7.1.4) Rank (on a scale from 1 to 5) the importance that your culture gives to gestures, mimics, facial expressions?

1 (very little)
2
3
4
5 (a lot of importance)

7.1.5) Do you think that this non-verbal communication generally has the same meaning everywhere in the world?

*Yes
*No
*__________________

7.2.) RELATION MAN/OTHERS

7.2.1) Would you say that your country is rather turned towards Individualism or Collective/group spirit (on a scale from 1 to 5) :

1 (Individualism)
2
3
4
5 (Collective/group spirit)

7.2.2) Rank the following concepts from 1 (positive) to 5 (negative) depending on their positive or negative value in your society?

* clearness:
* saving one's face:
* frankness:
* working in group:
* personal pride:
* competition:

7.2.3) When people get old, they generally:

* go to a retirement home
* move to the home of their children and live with them
* stay at their own home but receive the help of some people to assist them in everyday life
* other:

7.2.4) In the business world, would you say that:

- The level of responsibility given to people is linked to:
(several answers are possible)
* their position in the company
* the number of years spent in the company
* their age
* their sex
* other:

-The boss of a company:
* is hard to reach
* can be reached easily

* needs to have authority
* doesn't try to appear powerful

- The tendency to change companies or jobs is:
* high
* low
* other:

7.3.) RELATION MAN/SPACE

7.3.1) How can you describe your country's environmental concern?
* Great respect towards Nature / strong ecological movement.
* Indifference.
* Man is more important than Nature and should dominate it / not very powerful ecological movement or none.
* other:

7.3.2) We unconsciously divide the space that surrounds us into 3 zones:

-The "personal territory": there is always a reaction if somebody enters this zone * it is either positive (when the "intruder" is a close friend/relative or in case of mutual affection/seduction), or negative (in crowds for instance).
-The "communication area": this is the normal distance for 2 persons who are not intimately close, to speak to each other.
-The "no-communication area": people are too far from each other to communicate.

The sense of "territory" being highly conditioned by culture, the size of each of these 3 zones may vary from one country to another. Can you make an estimation of their sizes?

-"Personal territory":
* up to 0.5 meters/1.5 feet around the person.
* up to 1 m/3 feet around the person.
* up to 1.5 m/4.5 feet around the person.
* up to____________around the person

-"Communication area":
* up to 1m/3 feet around the person.
* up to 1.5m/4.5ft.
* up to 2m/6ft.
* up to 2.5m/7.5ft.
* up to 3m/9ft.
* up to:

7.4.) RELATION MAN/TIME

7.4.1) In your society, information is generally transmitted:
* directly, through explicit messages, so as not to waste time.
* indirectly, through many unspoken messages.
* other:

7.4.2) As far as time organization, people in your country:

tend to do
* do just one thing at a time
* do several things at once
* other:

tend to be
* very punctual
* rather punctual
* rarely on time
* never on time
* other:

tend to
* strictly follow what they have planned to do
* modify their agenda and therefore postpone what they have planned
* other:

8) Please feel free to add your own suggestions and comments on this topic or on the survey itself?



Thank you very much for taking part. :-)