COMMUNICATIONS 121 EXAM #2

According to research, advice is actually unhelpful as often as it is helpful. Which statement below gives a good tip for how to use advising as a listening response?

Give advice on a topic with which you have had successful experience in the past and offer the advice in a sensitive manner.

Which factors have the largest influence on hearing?

Background noise and physiological factors.

In the Ethical Challenge feature "Unconditional Positive Regard" your textbook explains that psychotherapist Carl Roger believed that treating a help seeker with unconditional positive regard meant judging the rightness or wrongness of the help seeker's thoughts and actions.

False

In the On the Job feature "Listening in the Workplace" your textbook states that listening is not as important in careers that involve cold facts as in those that involve a lot of one-on-one interaction.

False

In the Reading feature "How to Help ... and Not Help" Barry Goldman suggests that people who are suffering from trauma often find advice helpful.

False

It's never appropriate to practice mindless listening.

False

Listening is a natural ability, and therefore doesn't require special training.

False

What does the term listening fidelity refer to?

How well the message that a listener understands matches the message that the speaker intended to convey.

Which statement below best describes mindful listening?

It involves consciously and carefully paying attention to a message.

When we move beyond hearing and start to listen, researchers note that we process information in two very different ways. Which terms do social scientists use to describe these ways of processing information?

Mindful and mindless.

In the In Real Life feature "Paraphrasing on the Job" the conversation between two coworkers shows how paraphrasing can help solve problems and sound natural when combined with sincere questions and other helping styles.

True

In the Looking at Diversity feature "Culture and Listening Responses" Austin Lee says that in his country of origin, Korea, people show their connectedness with good-natured interruptions to help the conversation flow, but only when talking to peers or subordinates, not when a higher-up is talking.

True

In the Reading feature "Texting to Save Lives" Alice Gregory states that texting counselors are trained that open-ended questions are good and "why" questions are bad.

True

Choose the least abstract alternative to this high-abstraction statement: "He can never do anything because he's always busy." a. He couldn't take me to dinner last night because he had to work. b. He can never do anything fun because he's always working. c. He doesn't ever take time off to be with me. d. He works too much, so we have a boring life.

a. He couldn't take me to dinner last night because he had to work.

Which of the following gestures is the best example of a North American emblem? a. Nodding your head to mean "yes." b. Shivering when you feel cold. c. Fiddling with your hair when you feel relaxed. d. Moving your hands to emphasize your verbal message.

a. Nodding your head to mean "yes."

Social scientists use the term haptics to describe the study of which aspect of nonverbal communication? a. Touching. b. Physical movement. c. Body positioning. d. Facial expressions.

a. Touching.

According to your textbook, one way to avoid arguments is to separate factual statements from inferential statements. a. True b. False

a. True

In the Looking at Diversity Feature "Speaking the Patient's Language," Pilar Bernal de Pheils suggests that, even when a healthcare provider or trainee can communicate in a patient's language, cultural differences can cause misunderstandings and misdiagnosis of the patient's problem. a. True b. False

a. True

In the Reading Feature "Finding the Words to Talk about Disability," Amy Julia Becker, mother of a child with Down syndrome, discovered that choosing "people-first" language in reference to people with disabilities changed her perceptions of reality. a. True b. False

a. True

In the Reading Feature "Swearing in the Workplace," your textbook cites Stanford University professor Robert Sutton's belief that, on rare occasions, swearing in the workplace can be a good choice. a. True b. False

a. True

In the Reading feature "The Eyes Have It", your textbook states that researchers have found that children and adults who avoid or are denied eye contact are more likely to suffer from depression and feelings of isolation. a. True b. False

a. True

In the Reading feature "The Way You Talk Can Hurt You?", Thomas Hurka suggests that rising intonation harms women, because it encourages salesmen and car mechanics to cheat them when they wouldn't try cheating a man. a. True b. False

a. True

Instead of saying "You're making me angry," say "I'm getting angry." Instead of saying "You hurt my feelings," say "I feel hurt when you do that." These are examples of _________. a. accepting responsibility for your feelings b. negating the self in the interaction c. managing facilitating emotions d. being mindful of the communication channel

a. accepting responsibility for your feelings

Semantic misunderstandings arise when people _______. a. assign different meanings to the same words b. interpret a particular grammatical construction in different ways c. use too much behavioral language instead of abstract language d. use language in ways that are inappropriate for the social context

a. assign different meanings to the same words

The area of nonverbal communication known as kinesics involves ________. a. body position and movement b. eye movement c. the use and meaning of time d. interaction distance

a. body position and movement

Erica feels very nervous in competitive situations ever since a humiliating experience she had during a high school basketball game. This situation provides an example of Erica's ________ affecting her feelings. a. emotional memory b. physiology c. self-talk d. reappraisal

a. emotional memory

The American manufacturers of Pet milk unknowingly introduced their product in French-speaking markets without realizing that the word pet in French means "to break wind." Likewise, the English-speaking representative of a U.S. soft-drink manufacturer naively drew laughs from Mexican customers when she offered free samples of Fresca soda pop, because in Mexican slang the word fresca means "lesbian." These are examples of ________. a. inattention to the impact of culture on language b. American cultural hegemony c. fact-inference confusion d. disruptive language

a. inattention to the impact of culture on language

A facial expression that lasts for only a second is called a(n) ________. a. microexpression b. manipulator c. intimate expression d. accentor

a. microexpression

"Excuse me, sir. I hate to say this, but I . . . uh . . . I guess I won't be able to turn in the assignment on time. I had a personal emergency, and . . . well . . . it was just impossible to finish it by today. I'll have it on your desk on Monday, OK?" This sample of phrases demonstrates ________. a. powerless speech mannerisms b. divergence c. disruptive language d. fact-opinion confusion

a. powerless speech mannerisms

What is reappraisal? a. Rethinking the meaning of emotionally charged events. b. Expressing your feelings in a different way. c. Denying your feelings, and changing the way you talk about the situation. d. Acknowledging your feelings, when thinking about them at a later time

a. rethinking the meaning of emotionally charged events

When a person's nonverbal communication does not match his or her verbal message, we ________. a. tend to believe the nonverbal message b. tend to believe the verbal message c. tend to believe neither the verbal nor the nonverbal message d. typically have a very difficult time understanding the message at all

a. tend to believe the nonverbal message

Which statement below best describes the connection between feelings about self-disclosure and the expression of emotions in mainstream U.S. culture? a. The risks involved in self-disclosure cause many people to choose not to express their emotions very often. b. The joys of self-disclosure cause many people to express their emotions whenever possible. c. The difficulties involved in self-disclosure cause most people to refuse to express any of their emotions. d. The high social value placed on self-disclosure causes most people to express their emotions frequently in order to earn the respect of others

a. the risks involved in self-disclosure cause many people to choose not to express their emotions very often

In the On the Job feature "Emotion Labor in the Workplace", your textbook suggests that firefighters need to mask their emotions of fear, disgust, and stress so they are able to help save people's lives. a. True b. False

a. true

The Reading Feature "Introverts: Thoughtful, Not Shy," suggests that collectivistic societies, such as those in East Asia, value privacy and restraint. These are qualities that are more characteristic of introverts. a. True b. False

a. true

Which of the following statements is not an opinion? a. You're too busy to pay attention to things that matter. b. You forgot my birthday for two years in a row. c. You clearly don't care about me the way you used to. d. You're inconsiderate and not a good friend.

b. You forgot my birthday for two years in a row.

The best predictor of the ability to detect and interpret emotional expressions is which of the following? a. Academic background. b. Biological sex. c. Ethnicity. d. Cultural background.

b. biological sex

In the Ethical Challenge feature "Aristotle's Golden Mean", your textbook states that Aristotle believed that both a passionate person and a dispassionate person should strive for the virtue of moderation in the same way. a. True b. False

b. false

In the Looking at Diversity Feature "A Native American Perspective on Emotional Expression," Todd Epaloose, who was raised on the Zuni pueblo in New Mexico and now lives in Albuquerque, suggests that traditional Zunis have less intense feelings than people in the city. a. True b. False

b. false

In the Reading feature "Critic's Math", your textbook states that successful entertainment personality Larry David uses the following equation to define the impact of criticism: 1 insult + 1,000 compliments = 1,000 insults. a. True b. False

b. false

Not all physical changes that accompany emotions are internal. Feelings are often apparent by observable changes. We call these ________. a. paraverbal reactions b. nonverbal reactions c. evident reactions d. physiological factors

b. nonverbal reactions

It is very important that we ________ in order to give ourselves the best chances for managing our emotions. a. abandon social conventions b. recognize our feelings c. monitor our nonverbal behavior d. know our emotional limits

b. recognize our feelings

Nonverbal communication can serve a variety of functions; however, it is primarily ________. a. content related b. relational c. emotive d. disruptive

b. relational

Which fallacy involves basing a belief on a very limited amount of evidence? a. The fallacy of perfection. b. The fallacy of overgeneralization. c. The fallacy of shoulds. d. The fallacy of approval.

b. the fallacy of overgeneralization

What is an illustrator? a. A gesture that can replace words. b. A gesture that conveys no meaning. c. A gesture that accompanies speech but has no meaning on its own. d. A gesture that signals discomfort

c. A gesture that accompanies speech but has no meaning on its own.

What does it mean for nonverbal communication to regulate conversation? a. It rigidly controls interaction. b. It determines the topics that can be addressed. c. It influences the flow of interaction. d. It keeps interactions honest

c. It influences the flow of interaction.

Choose the letter of the least abstract alternative to this high-abstraction statement: "Jo's constantly complaining." a. Jo whines a lot. b. Jo complains often about the workload. c. Jo told me three times this week that she feels overworked. d. Every time we meet, Jo complains about all the work she does.

c. Jo told me three times this week that she feels overworked.

When is usually the best time to express strong negative feelings? a. Whenever possible, as soon as you feel them. b. When you have other problems to discuss as well. c. When you have cooled off and the other person has time to discuss them with you. d. When you have waited as long as possible and can no longer avoid discussing them

c. when you have cooled off and the other person has time to discuss them with you

Which of the following is a counterfeit expression of emotions? a. "I'm bored." b. "I feel like giving up." c. "My stomach is tied in knots." d. "I feel like going to a show."

d. "I feel like going to a show"

Which gestures involve unconscious body movements made in response to the environment? a. Illustrators. b. Manipulators. c. Emblems. d. Adaptors

d. Adaptors

In some cases, the best response a listener can give is a small nudge to keep the speaker talking. This is called ________.

prompting

Janet appears to be an attentive listener because she looks you in the eye, nods, and smiles while you talk; however, the show of attention is a polite façade because her mind is somewhere else. Janet's behavior suggests that she is __________________.

pseudolistener

One major difference between "I" and "you" language is that ________. a. "I" language forces the speaker to take responsibility for his or her message b. "you" language is more objective than "I" language c. "I" language is more judgmental than "you" language d. "you" language is usually more accurate and less offensive than "I" language

a. "I" language forces the speaker to take responsibility for his or her message

A teenager using current slang to distance herself from her parents' generation provides an example of which linguistic phenomenon? a. Divergence. b. Emotive language. c. Hedging. d. Linguistic relativism.

a. Divergence.

Which statement below best describes the benefits and drawbacks of using "we" language? a. An advantage of "we" language is that it highlights the positive aspects of the other person in particular, but a drawback is that it can be seen as egotistical. b. An advantage of "we" language is that it is inclusive, but a drawback is that it can be seen as presumptuous. c. An advantage of "we" language is that it is behavioral rather than abstract, but a drawback is that it can sound very judgmental in confrontations. d. An advantage of "we" language is that it is abstract rather than emotive, but a drawback is that it usually has little effect on the listener.

b. An advantage of "we" language is that it is inclusive, but a drawback is that it can be seen as presumptuous.

How do facilitative emotions differ from debilitative emotions? a. Facilitative emotions are usually very intense, whereas debilitating emotions are usually much easier to handle. b. Facilitative emotions contribute to effective functioning, whereas debilitative emotions detract from effective functioning. c. Facilitative emotions stem from our emotional memories, whereas debilitative emotions are based on our physiologies. d. Facilitative emotions usually last longer than debilitating emotions

b. Facilitative emotions contribute to effective functioning, whereas debilitative emotions detract from effective functioning.

Because it includes and connects people, "we" language is always the best choice. a. True b. False

b. False

In the In Real Life Feature "'I' and 'You' Language on the Job," Rebecca's choice of "you" language succeeded in reducing Tom's lateness; therefore, your textbook suggests that "you" language is the best way to handle on-the-job issues. a. True b. False

b. False

In the In Real Life feature "Recognizing Nonverbal Cues", your textbook suggests that, because Kim speaks exactly the same words in both examples, changes in her posture, gestures, facial expressions, voice, and use of distance would not change her communication with her new neighbor. a. True b. False

b. False

In the Looking at Diversity feature "Blindness and Nonverbal Cues", Annie Donnellon, a college student who has been blind since birth, says blind people can figure out who you are from your voice. a. True b. False

b. False

In the On the Job feature "Nonverbal Communication in Job Interviews", your textbook suggests that business-appropriate attire should be well-fitting and casual. a. True b. False

b. False

What are the four distances that most North Americans use in their everyday lives, as described by anthropologist Edward T. Hall? a. Intimate, personal, business, public address. b. Intimate, personal, social, public. c. Touching, very close, not so close, distant. d. Inanimate, impersonal, antisocial, private.

b. Intimate, personal, social, public.

Which of the following is not good advice for how to be a better listener?

try to evaluate the message and the speaker as quickly as possible

Which statement below accurately describes the connection between gender and asking questions? a. Men tend to ignore the questions women ask in mixed-sex conversations. b. Women tend to discourage men from asking questions in mixed-sex conversations. c. Women tend to ask more questions in mixed-sex conversations. d. Men and women tend to ask the same amount of questions in mixed-sex conversations.

c. Women tend to ask more questions in mixed-sex conversations.

German, Swiss, and U.S. cultures are monochronic, which means ________. a. people make very little use of nonverbal communication b. people stand very close to each other when communicating c. people emphasize punctuality and more rigid scheduling d. people use only universal forms of nonverbal communication

c. people emphasize punctuality and more rigid scheduling

Why is it important to understand the physiological factors involved in emotions? a. You will frequently be called upon to explain "what you are feeling" in relationships. b. Mastering these cues will assist you if it becomes necessary to deceive someone else. c. Physiological cues can offer a significant clue to your emotions after you become aware of them. d. Physiological cues will allow you to mask emotions you do not want other people to perceive in you.

c. physiological cues can offer a significant clue to your emotions after you become aware of them

"Karen is patient." "You can always count on Wes." Statements that contain or imply the word "is" lead to the mistaken assumption that people are consistent and unchanging. This is an incorrect belief known as ________. a. the straw man fallacy b. the halo effect c. static evaluation d. subscripting

c. static evaluation

In human language, the connection between signs and the things they represent is ________. a. transparent b. rarely arbitrary c. symbolic d. independent of culture

c. symbolic

Which of the following statements is true of nonverbal communication? a. Nonverbal communication has a minimal influence on the total emotional impact of a message. b. Verbal communication and nonverbal communication comprise distinct spheres of interaction and rarely interconnect. c. Most nonverbal messages convey information in lieu of verbal communication. d. Being skilled at nonverbal communication is linked to popularity, attractiveness, and socioemotional well-being.

d. Being skilled at nonverbal communication is linked to popularity, attractiveness, and socioemotional well-being.

________ are usually more nonverbally expressive, and they are better at recognizing others' nonverbal behavior. a. Young children b. The elderly c. Males d. Females

d. Females

________ reflect the ways in which users of a language assign meaning to a particular linguistic symbol, usually a word. a. Linguistic choices b. Symbolic devices c. Linguistic restrictions d. Semantic rules

d. Semantic rules

Choose the letter of the least abstract alternative to this high-abstraction statement: "Shannon is worthless as a roommate." a. Shannon is always gone, so she's really not part of our house. b. Shannon never does her part around here. c. Shannon's jobs seldom get done around here. d. Shannon has attended only one of our six house meetings.

d. Shannon has attended only one of our six house meetings.

When we suggest that culture has an influence on our experiences of emotions, what do we mean? a. While people around the world generally experience the same emotions, some cultures experience emotions more frequently than others. b. While people around the world generally experience the same emotions, some cultures experience more positive emotions than others do. c. While people around the world generally experience the same emotions, there are no universal ways to express emotions nonverbally. d. While people around the world generally experience the same emotions, the same events can generate quite different feelings in different culture

d. While people around the world generally experience the same emotions, the same events can generate quite different feelings in different culture

Sometimes, we communicate in indirect ways. For example, instead of saying "I'm lonesome" one might say "I guess there isn't much happening this weekend, so if you're not busy, why don't you drop by?" This is an example of ________. a. recognizing your feelings b. accepting responsibility for feelings c. expressing counterfeit emotions d. expressing feelings in a coded manner

d. expressing feelings in a coded manner

Social scientists use the term paralanguage to describe ________. a. the use of a second language b. the use of nonstandard speech c. a parallel language understood by only a few people d. nonverbal vocal messages

d. nonverbal vocal messages

Which fallacy involves believing that we feel emotions because of the actions of others rather than because of our own self-talk? a. The fallacy of shoulds. b. The fallacy of helplessness. c. The fallacy of approval. d. The fallacy of causation

d. the fallacy of causation

One of the biggest problems arising from the lack of nonverbal cues in texting, instant messaging, and emailing is ________. a. the use of emoticons b. the use of linguistic short-cuts c. the lack of humor and sarcasm d. the tendency for jokes to be misinterpreted as serious statements

d. the tendency for jokes to be misinterpreted as serious statements

The teenager who perceives her parents' questions about her friends and activities as distrustful snooping uses which of the following types of ineffective listening?

defensive listening

People who are ________ respond to the superficial content in a message but miss the more important emotional information that may not be expressed directly.

insensitive listeners

Whenever a topic arises that listeners would rather not deal with, those who engage in ________ simply fail to hear or acknowledge it.

insulated listening

"That's a good idea," "You're on the right track now," or "An attitude like that won't get you anywhere" are examples of which listening response?

judging