Elizabeth and Derek, a White U.S. American couple

Case Study

The interaction…

Elizabeth and Derek, a White U.S. American couple, decide to host German students as part of a one-month program with the local university. Veronica and Julie, the students from Germany, enjoy their stay, but they are not as fond of the food, and at one point directly ask the couple to prepare food with less fat. The request comes on top of Elizabeth and Derek already having had stressful days at work and feeling inadequate about not spending the time hosting that they should. The request might not be unusual in Germany, because directness is valued; however, Elizabeth and Derek perceive it as rude. In the end, they do not have a good time hosting the Germans, who are more direct and independent than they would like. But this does not surprise them—they already expected that Germans would be “rude”, based on what they saw in the media.

Case Study questions

·         Analyze this case.  Look for aspects that might be interpersonal, intergroup, or intercultural.

·         Can you think of instances in your own life where one of these components has been especially important in a communication breakdown?

·         What are some aspects you would put under each of the main elements of interaction (interpersonal: moods, personal backgrounds, individual differences; intergroup: stereotypes, prejudice, in-/out-group perceptions; intercultural: group-based differences in values, communication norms, etc.)?

·         What are some things the model leaves out (historical, relational, social, and other contexts, etc.)?