German Group: Katie Y., Vicky and Daniel P

1) Is there a certain age at which you assume the identity of your spouse?

2) To whom is it appropriate to give advice? Could you advise someone older? Younger? Of the opposite sex?

3) What is the appropriate way to decline an offer for dinner/a movie/hanging out? Do you accept and then just not show up, or do you decline from the start?

4) From whom is it appropriate to accept/decline a meal offer? Would you accept an offer to hang out from your boss?

5) How much alone time is socially acceptable?

6) Would it be acceptable to eat alone, see a movie alone? Could you sit alone in a café and read for pleasure? What about studying?

7) Do you refer to yourself in a group mindset, i.e. “We Germans”?

8) How much of “yourself” is acceptable to show in a social situation? Are there things you can and can’t do? (i.e. humming to yourself, talking to yourself, etc…)

9) When Germans watch TV or movies, do you watch for content of form? Are you viewing the actions of the characters and how they handle themselves or for what they actually do?

10)When dancing, do you dance however you want to dance, or are there set steps you do with a group?

11)When asked a question, is it acceptable to say “I don’t know” or must you have an opinion about the subject? With the lack of interaction Germans exhibit, would they even ask? Who would ask?


12)How do you go about disagreeing with someone’s opinion? Would you say something if you disagreed with your boss? Your grandma? Your spouse?

13)Would you ask someone why they felt the way they do about a subject? Would it depend on the people you’re talking with? What about the subject matter (i.e. touchy subjects)?

14)If your boss asks you a question about your political affiliations, would you respond truthfully? What if your spouse asked? How descriptive would you be? How much passion on the subject is acceptable?

15)If you know someone is embarrassed in a conversation, how do you go about saving their face? Would you redeem them or just ignore it?

16)When someone does decline an invitation, how much detail is usually given? Is it acceptable to probe into why the offer was declined?

17)What is the acceptable level of personal questions allowed? How far can a person delve into someone else’s psyche and ask what they think, feel and do?