Communications Exam

Cooper sees Nick and says, "Hey Nick, I haven't seen you in awhile. I've been working overtime at my job, I'm behind in my schoolwork, and my mother wants me to go to my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary in Florida next week." Which would be a suitable empathic response for Cooper?

"Wow! How are all those demands on your time making you feel?"

What percentage of people will get married at least once in their lives?

95 percent

Brian had been recommended by his boss to attend a series of training sessions on computer application design. Brian jumped at the chance to attend the sessions, in part because he hoped the information he would pick up would help him further his career. He went with his colleague, Michaela, who seemed to be interested in not only learning all she could about the topic but also connecting with other attendees. During the first session, the speaker used jargon that Brian had not heard before. He mentioned this to Michaela, but she said she was not having any problems understanding the terminology. She seemed to be following the speaker's message better than he was. At the question-and-answer session after the presentation, Brian raised his hand and asked why the speaker seemed pessimistic about the future of computer application design. Michaela told Brian later that she had not interpreted the speaker's message that way at all, and she did not understand why Brian understood the speaker's message that way. Michaela commented that, in her opinion, prospects for the future in computer application design were promising. As the sessions continued, Brian began to wish he had not agreed to attend. In the second paragraph, which listening misconception did Brian fall prey to?

All listeners hear the same message.

Abby scored much higher than her boyfriend, Julian, on a test of emotional intelligence. Which of the following would support these findings?

All of these choices are correct.

All of the following examples illustrate attraction by proximity except which of the following?

Although Michael and Sam now go to colleges in different states, they have been good friends since they were kids, and whenthey are together, people often comment that they look like brothers.

Which of the following demonstrates the hostile emotion of contempt?

As Kim related her story, Baird rolled his eyes and laughed sarcastically.

Which of the following statements does not accurately represent conflict?

Communication is the solution to any conflict.

Beverly works out at the gym three to four days each week and has developed a slender body shape that most of her male friends think is nearly perfect. When she took a trip to Africa, she was surprised that many of the men thought she was too thin. Some men even suggested that Beverly should put on some weight. After working out so hard at the gym, she could hardly believe her ears. Which of the following best explains Beverly's experience?

Culture can influence perceptions of attractiveness.

Which of the following is true about emotions and communicating online?

Emotions can spread by communicating online, just as in face-to-face communication.

Elizabeth has invited Professor Valdez and her boss, Mr. Sapienza, to coffee on a couple of occasions, but both have turned her invitation down. Elizabeth would really like to have these two people as friends but has been unable to do so. Which characteristic of friendships does Elizabeth apparently not understand?

Friends are usually peers.

Charlie and Lily have been friends since they were five years old. As neighbors, they grew up doing everything together. They shared the same social network all through high school and now they attend college together. Everyone, including their families, wonder why Charlie and Lily have not started dating. But they remain "just friends" because they are not physically attracted to each other, and they want to protect their existing friendship, since they cannot imagine being without it. However, there are things that Charlie does that upset Lily and vice versa. For example, Charlie tends to get jealous if Lily spends too much time with someone new. Lily gets upset when Charlie jokes with their friends and shares personal things to embarrass her. Still, they understand that it is impossible not to upset each other sometimes, and they try to be good friends to each other. When Charlie gets upset with Lily for spending time with another friend, and Lily gets upset with Charlie for revealing personal things about her, which of the following aspects of friendship is being violated?

Friendships are governed by rules.

Which of the following statements about relationship satisfaction is most accurate?

Happy couples are more likely than unhappy couples to express positive emotion with each other.

Kai works for a large, international consulting firm in Japan. His company is sending him to New York to work with a team of consultants on a joint venture. This will be Kai's first time working in the United States, and he's admittedly nervous about it. On the flight over, he feels queasy the whole time and cannot eat anything. But rather than focusing on his anxiety for the entire flight, he decides to spend the time preparing for the meeting with the consultants and brushing up on American culture. When he arrives at the office for the first time, his palms feel sweaty and he can feel his heart thumping. His nerves quickly dissipate, though, when he realizes how friendly everyone is. His new colleagues welcome him with warm smiles, firm handshakes, and pats on the back. He feels genuinely happy when he gets to his first meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, Kai's colleagues start talking about a big contract they recently lost. Kai is shocked they are even talking about it. In Japan, such a failure would never even be discussed. Instead of being ashamed, the team seems to accept the loss and resolves to do better next time. Once the meeting starts, Kai is surprised to hear his American colleagues speak their minds and show their disapproval of others' ideas with nonverbal cues like rolling their eyes and shaking their heads. Why did Kai think it was strange that the team did not feel shame about the loss of the contract?

In Asian cultures, it is common to feel shame when people do not meet expectations.

Juan and Crissy met on an online dating Web site. They began e-mailing back and forth at least three times per week. After a few weeks of exchanging e-mails, they began calling each other on the phone, and eventually they agreed to meet face-to-face. After meeting, they dated a few more months, and then Juan proposed. The couple will be getting married later this year.

It likely followed the same steps as forming a relationship face-to-face.

Jesse and Jen, a same-sex couple, have been in a relationship for about two years. When comparing themselves to their heterosexual friends who are in relationships, they notice they tend to act in which of the following ways in conflict situations?

Jesse and Jen are less likely than their heterosexual friends to take conflict personally.

Cliff and Lew are a same-sex couple who share a home together. Based on research relating to heterosexual and same-sex couples and instrumental tasks, which of the following is most likely true about Cliff and Lew?

Lew and Cliff share both the masculine and feminine instrumental tasks.

Brian had been recommended by his boss to attend a series of training sessions on computer application design. Brian jumped at the chance to attend the sessions, in part because he hoped the information he would pick up would help him further his career. He went with his colleague, Michaela, who seemed to be interested in not only learning all she could about the topic but also connecting with other attendees. During the first session, the speaker used jargon that Brian had not heard before. He mentioned this to Michaela, but she said she was not having any problems understanding the terminology. She seemed to be following the speaker's message better than he was. At the question-and-answer session after the presentation, Brian raised his hand and asked why the speaker seemed pessimistic about the future of computer application design. Michaela told Brian later that she had not interpreted the speaker's message that way at all, and she did not understand why Brian understood the speaker's message that way. Michaela commented that, in her opinion, prospects for the future in computer application design were promising. As the sessions continued, Brian began to wish he had not agreed to attend. In the first paragraph, which listening myth did Brian experience?

Listening is natural and effortless.

Which of the following describes the attitude toward listening of a person from a culture that values social harmony over efficiency?

Mai paid close attention to her professor's nonverbal cues to better understand his meaning.

Which of the following statements about men and emotional expression is true? (Ch.8)

Men's lack of emotional expressiveness can be advantageous in some circumstances.

Which of the following is true of the relationship between environment and emotional expression?

People living in warmer climates are more emotionally expressive than those living in colder climates.

Which of the following is the most accurate statement?

Romantic relationships occur between other-sex and same-sex couples.

Rosie and Jackie are good friends. Jackie has always been there for Rosie, and Rosie really leaned on Jackie when she was going through a hard breakup. Jackie is also really funny, and she makes Rosie laugh. Since becoming friends, Rosie realized she rarely gets colds, and when she does, they tend not to last long. Rosie recently helped Jackie move to her new apartment. Unfortunately, Jackie just moved across town, so now it takes Rosie forty-five minutes to get to Jackie's house. Rosie does not mind the drive, though, since she and Jackie are such good friends.

Rosie has to drive forty-five minutes to get to Jackie's house.

A few months ago, Magalie left her relatively small town to attend her first year of college in a major city. She considered herself to be an easy-going, happy person. However, when Magalie arrived at school, she experienced a series of awkward moments that left her feeling very self-conscious. She went to her first class to find that it had been moved to a different building. By the time she got to the new location, she was late and was forced to walk to the front of the class to take a seat. Although she normally considered herself to be quite savvy, she kept making mistakes, such as getting on the wrong bus and leaving her cell phone in the library. Each time something like this happened, she felt sick to her stomach and flushed. Magalie began to look forward to the weekends, when she could go home to see her family and hang out with her friends from high school. As the weeks passed, Magalie adapted to life at the university and did not have any more mishaps. However, Magalie started to feel reluctant to meet new people. This continued for several weeks and she became increasingly withdrawn. What emotion(s) was Magalie most likely feeling that led her to make so many mistakes and to feel sick to her stomach?

She felt anxious.

Which of the following is not a good way to improve empathic listening?

Tell the speaker how you are feeling.

Kim and Dan have worked together for nearly one year in the same area of the office. They have gone to lunch at approximately the same time each workday and have eaten lunch at the same diner near the office building. Recently, they have begun to see each other socially after work. Which of the following is the best explanation for their emerging dating relationship?

They are attracted by proximity.

Deion is attracted to Kendra, whom he perceives as very physically attractive. Which of the following is the most likely reason we are attracted to those who are physically attractive?

They often have superior genes.

Which of the following is an example of an intimate relationship whose primary dialectical tension is probably openness versus closedness?

Tyra longs to tell her parents that school has not been going well this semester, but she also thinks she shouldn't have to tellthem everything.

Your boss e-mails you to make sure you are working over the weekend on the big project that is due next week. Your daughter is having a birthday party that weekend and you are furious with your boss for checking in with you this way and for his unreasonable expectations. If you express your emotions in this situation with the de-intensification display rule, how would you most likely respond?

You would tell him it is a little frustrating to have to work on an already busy weekend.

Which of the following examples illustrates the uncertainty reduction theory?

Your new lab partner revealed that, like you, he is from California. You are intrigued and eager to get to know your lab partner better.

George lives with his biological father, biological sister, step-mother, and step-brother. How would you describe George's family?

a blended family

Dion enjoys the feeling of fear he gets when he watches horror movies. His enjoyment is an example of

a meta-emotion.

Alejandro feels sad, but he doesn't know why he feels this way, nor can he remember any event that caused him to feel sad. His feeling is an example of

a mood.

Jeremy and Allison work together at Logic Software Tech. They began working together as part of a peer team and became fast friends. After spending a lot of time together both at work and socially, they began to date. At first, this was great, as they were able to share ideas and lunches. Eventually, Allison was promoted to project manager, which meant she had oversight of Jeremy's team and others. This did not bother Jeremy, though. He was happy for Allison, as he knew she had worked hard for the promotion. However, after Allison got promoted, she began to distance herself from Jeremy at work. Initially, this hurt Jeremy's feelings, but Allison explained that she had to be careful so no one would think she was showing favoritism toward Jeremy. Although they continued dating, they agreed just to be cordial at work. Once Allison was promoted, her relationship with Jeremy became harder to maintain most likely due to which of the following?

a power imbalance

While listening critically to Professor Thompson one day, you hear him state, "If you continue to smoke cigarettes for many years, you will reduce your longevity." Professor Thompson's statement is an example of which of the following?

a probable statement

In order to achieve high-quality electronic communication in the workplace, you should

adjust the tone of your electronic communication to the audience to whom you are writing.

Gerald has a lot of trouble expressing his emotions and is often referred to as "cold" by his friends and family. He feels emotions, but is baffled by them. This makes it difficult for Gerald to meet women and maintain a relationship. Which personality trait most likely inhibits Gerald's level of emotional intelligence?

alexithymia

uan and Crissy met on an online dating Web site. They began e-mailing back and forth at least three times per week. After a few weeks of exchanging e-mails, they began calling each other on the phone, and eventually they agreed to meet face-to-face. After meeting, they dated a few more months, and then Juan proposed. The couple will be getting married later this year.

bonding

Brent constantly puts down his wife, Trina. He tells her she is rude and selfish for taking up pottery as a hobby because the pottery class causes her to be gone two evenings a week. Brent also sometimes makes fun of Trina in front of her friends to make her look stupid. When Trina tries to defend herself and tells Brent that he spends too much time at work, he says that he cannot help that he works that much because his boss makes him. As a result, Trina and Brent have been talking less and spending less time together. Trina has begun to consider the possibility that her life might be better without Brent in it. Trina and Brent have begun talking less in order to avoid potential conflict. Which one of the following stages of relationship dissolution is illustrated by this?

circumscribing

Nancy is the manager of a local, large chain restaurant that sells food and alcohol. Recently, the sales representative for one of the beer distribution companies asked Nancy if she and a friend would like to attend a major league baseball game and sit in the party suite owned by the distribution company. Nancy jumped at the chance, attended the game, and enjoyed the experience immensely. Surprisingly, a week or so later, the sales representative stopped by and wanted to "introduce" Nancy to a new beverage the company was selling. The representative pressured Nancy to add the new, unknown item to her menu, and he reminded her of his company's generosity in inviting Nancy to the baseball game. This issue illustrates a potential problem in social relationships with which of the following?

clients

Tiffany's uncle Robert has very firm opinions on whom he would like to see become mayor of their city. In fact, whenever any candidate other than the one he wants to win is profiled on television, he quickly changes the channel. Robert's behavior is an example of which of the following?

closed-mindedness

Joe and Karina depend on both of their salaries to afford their mortgage. Karina recently lost her job and they are worried that they may have to sell their house. Joe wants to talk about their situation with their family and friends, but Karina is still sensitive about losing her job and possibly her house, and wants to keep it between them. After much discussion, they jointly decide to just tell their immediate family. What communication concept does this demonstrate?

communication privacy management (CPM) theory

Marcus just met Isiah at the gym, and he is hoping they will become friends. Isiah is more outgoing and is more dedicated to daily workouts than Marcus is—in a way that Marcus would like to be. This is an example of attraction by which of the following factors?

complementarity

Marcus refuses to converse with the checkout person at the grocery store because he feels he is better than checkout personnel. This is an example of

contempt.

Alicia did not pretend she knew what it was like to take care of a baby. Instead, she validated Charlotte's feelings and experiences as important even though the two women's experiences were different. If Alicia had said to Charlotte, "How much time can a baby really take? Don't they sleep all day? Let's review your day to determine how you might be spending your time unwisely," she would have been engaging in which of the following?"

critical listening

Brent constantly puts down his wife, Trina. He tells her she is rude and selfish for taking up pottery as a hobby because the pottery class causes her to be gone two evenings a week. Brent also sometimes makes fun of Trina in front of her friends to make her look stupid. When Trina tries to defend herself and tells Brent that he spends too much time at work, he says that he cannot help that he works that much because his boss makes him. As a result, Trina and Brent have been talking less and spending less time together. Trina has begun to consider the possibility that her life might be better without Brent in it. Brent used to think that Trina's hobby of pottery was endearing, as it showed her crafty side. Now he thinks it is stupid and takes up too much of her time. Which one of the following stages of relationship dissolution illustrates this shift in Brent's perception of Trina's hobby?

differentiating

The Aranda family was having a particularly heated discussion about whether to sell the property that abuts their home to a local developer. Some members of the family wanted to sell the land and pay off their parent's mortgage. Others thought that losing the privacy that the property afforded them wasn't worth the price the developer was offering. Uncomfortable with the conflict, Alexa launched into a funny story about how she spilled ice cream all over herself on a blind date last week. Which of the following describes Alexa's family role?

distracter

Patrice has the ability to understand and express emotions accurately and to manage her emotions. This represents her

emotional intelligence.

Which of the following listening techniques allowed Alicia to listen attentively to Charlotte without judging or interrupting her?

empathic listening

In the 1990s hit sitcom Seinfeld, George Costanza and his family celebrate an unusual winter holiday called Festivus. Festivus traditions include celebrating around an aluminum pole, a feast, feats of strength, and the airing of grievances. Because Festivus is not a commonly celebrated holiday, George and his father, Frank, must explain the holiday to their friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. Celebrating Festivus is an example of which of the following?

family rituals

Ever since the Bradley children were small, their family has taken an annual trip to Disneyland. Even as the kids have gotten older, the family still meets at the theme park every summer. The family even made the annual trip after Ben had just returned from military duty. They tell everyone about these trips, including about difficulties they encounter in getting all the family members to the park—yet also about how proud they are that no member of the Bradley family has ever missed one of the trips. The family is engaging in which of the following aspects of family communication?

family rituals and family stories

Which of the following is not a hostile emotion?

fear

Which one of the following barriers to effective listening does Tyler experience in class?

glazing over

Sandra is in the process of dealing with emotions associated with the loss of her grandmother. Which of the following is she most likely experiencing?

grief

he closer we are with our coworkers, the more likely we are to experience which of the following?

happiness at work

In the workplace, with whom is it easiest to form and maintain relationships?

immediate co-workers

Carla wants to tell Don about her day at work. However, she sees he is on the computer. When she walks into the room, he exclaims, "Look at all these e-mails we have. After working at the computer all day today, I don't have the patience to wade through them all." Carla is aware that Don is suffering from which of the following?

information overload

Teresa wants to attend graduate school, so she decides to attend a seminar on how to get accepted to the graduate school of one's choice. She attends the seminar and pays close attention to what is being said. Teresa is using which type of listening at the conference?

informational

Although Drew was saddened by his grandfather's death, he acted indifferent during the funeral. Which of the following display rules is governing Drew's behavior?

inhibition

It is the middle of exams week, and you still have three exams left to take. You also have to work a long shift tonight and you feel a cold coming on. You're stressed to the max, but when your mom calls and asks how you are doing, you just say, "I'm hanging in there." This is an example of

inhibition

Genuine friendship with a boss usually adds to which of the following?

job satisfaction

Carl smiled at Katarina before he sat down next to her at a party. He then proceeded to converse with her and touched her arm occasionally during the interaction. Which of the following best describes what Carl is feeling?

liking

Rew really enjoyed spending time with Chris and hoped that someday their relationship would grow deeper. What joyful/affectionate emotion does this illustrate?

liking

Which of the following describes informational listening?

listening to the salesman explain the features of the car you like

Amanda made sure she cried in front of all of her friends and did not go to work for a few days after her boyfriend dumped her, even though she actually felt relieved she was no longer in the relationship. Which of the following display rules does this demonstrate?

masking

Candice realized when she went to the snack area at the student union that she had left her wallet in her book bag, which was in the trunk of her car for safekeeping. Candice's friend Kayla paid for Candice's lunch and told Candice she could pay her back later. Candice has benefited from which reward of social relationships?

material

Scott and Mary are in a committed relationship with each other and do not have any romantic or sexual involvement outside of their relationship. Which of the following best describes their relationship?

monogamy

Ali and Saachi met in math class. After going out for coffee a few times after class, they have begun to share more personal information about themselves and now consider themselves friends. In what stage of friendship are Ali and Saachi?

nascent friendship

Which barrier to effective listening did Tyler experience when he missed his phone call?

noise

Which of the following family forms is traditionally thought of as the most common family type? (Ch.10)

nuclear family

Lijiang feels joy, surprise, excitement, and attraction when she sees or thinks about Chen. Which of the following describes Lijiang's emotion?

passion

For some reason, your roommate often becomes friends with muscular people with tattoos. This is an example of which of the following types of attraction?

physical attraction

Kai works for a large, international consulting firm in Japan. His company is sending him to New York to work with a team of consultants on a joint venture. This will be Kai's first time working in the United States, and he's admittedly nervous about it. On the flight over, he feels queasy the whole time and cannot eat anything. But rather than focusing on his anxiety for the entire flight, he decides to spend the time preparing for the meeting with the consultants and brushing up on American culture. When he arrives at the office for the first time, his palms feel sweaty and he can feel his heart thumping. His nerves quickly dissipate, though, when he realizes how friendly everyone is. His new colleagues welcome him with warm smiles, firm handshakes, and pats on the back. He feels genuinely happy when he gets to his first meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, Kai's colleagues start talking about a big contract they recently lost. Kai is shocked they are even talking about it. In Japan, such a failure would never even be discussed. Instead of being ashamed, the team seems to accept the loss and resolves to do better next time. Once the meeting starts, Kai is surprised to hear his American colleagues speak their minds and show their disapproval of others' ideas with nonverbal cues like rolling their eyes and shaking their heads. Kai's upset stomach and sweaty palms are examples of which kind of component of emotions?

physiological

In the TV show Big Love, the main character, Bill Henrickson, has three wives. This practice is best known as which of the following?

polygamy

Thom and Angie usually go out to dinner on Friday nights to relax after the work week. This past Friday night, Thom came home from work and told Angie to pack a suitcase. Angie was not particularly excited about changing their usual Friday night routine, but once they were packed, Thom drove them to the airport. There he had tickets waiting for a surprise flight to Reno, and a rental car reserved so they could drive up the mountain to Lake Tahoe for the weekend. What dialectical tension is apparent in this scenario?

predictability versus novelty

What theory suggests that we form relationships when we think the effort will be worth it?

predicted outcome value theory

Joy, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust are all examples of which of the following types of emotion?

primary

Anthony enjoys watching the World Series immensely, so when it is on, he is completely focused on the TV. When his partner, Jenna, tries speaking to him about some household bills during the World Series, Anthony keeps saying, "Uh-huh," but Jenna can tell he is not really listening. This is an example of which of the following barriers to effective listening?

pseudolistening

Carrie's mother asked her to sweep the kitchen floor, put the dishes away, and clean the oven before guests arrive later that evening. Even though Carrie nodded her head in agreement, her mother's instructions went in one ear and out the other. Carrie was engaging in which of the following?

pseudolistening

When people feel overloaded with electronically mediated communication, they tend to

reduce the number of incoming messages.

You are at the grocery store standing in line to pay for your items when you suddenly realize your roommate asked you to purchase oranges. Which stage of the listening process is this?

remembering

What do men tend to value most in their same-sex friendships?

shared activities and interests

When faced with conversational overload from electronically mediated communication, people are more likely to attend and respond to which of the following? (Ch.7)

simple messages rather than complex ones

Max and Alex are romantic partners who interact on a daily basis. Their interactions have allowed their love and passion for each other to grow. Love and passion are examples of which of the following components of emotion?

social

Which of the following careers might be preferred by a relational-oriented listener?

social worker

Drew and Anna have grown so far apart that they only talk about mundane topics like the weather or what is on television--if they even talk at all. In what stage of relationship dissolution is Drew and Anna's relationship?

stagnating stage

Martha and Jeff are meeting with their accountant to talk about the business they own jointly. Their accountant is explaining the tax implications of several options they are considering for the coming year. When the accountant asks Martha and Jeff if they have any questions, Martha does not respond and shows no facial expression. This is an example of what type of listening response, according to the HURIER model?

stonewalling

Being attracted to someone because he or she possesses certain abilities and is dependable is known as which type of attraction?

task attraction

The definition of listening includes which of the following?

the active process of making meaning out of another person's spoken message

Leo and Kara have dated all through college. They have decided to get married after they graduate and have announced to their friends and family that they are now engaged. Which stage of relationship development have they reached?

the bonding stage

When ending a relationship, at which stage do partners begin to decrease the quality and the quantity of their communication with one another?

the circumscribing stage

An elderly relative has a tendency to pay attention only to information that supports his political beliefs, ignoring information that does not. What is this tendency called?

the confirmation bias

If you are someone whose primary dialectical tension is autonomy versus connection, you likely experience tension between which of the following in your intimate relationships?

the desire to be close to others while maintaining a sense of independence

In which stage of relationship development do people form a deep commitment and share a strong sense that the relationship has its own identity?

the integrating stage

With regard to ending a relationship, at which stage do partners feel that they are "just going through the motions" and no longer growing together?

the stagnating stage

When a cashier is listening to a customer order from a menu, what is the cashier's listening goal?

to understand the customer's message

Brandon, a native English speaker, enrolls in an introductory Mandarin class. On the first day of class, the professor speaks exclusively in Mandarin. Brandon might have problems with which stage of the HURIER model?

understanding

Which of the following is not an element of the definition of conflict?

unrealistic expectations

What is the primary strategy used by college students to reduce uncertainty in the beginning of a relationship?

using Facebook to gather information about the other person

A few months ago, Magalie left her relatively small town to attend her first year of college in a major city. She considered herself to be an easy-going, happy person. However, when Magalie arrived at school, she experienced a series of awkward moments that left her feeling very self-conscious. She went to her first class to find that it had been moved to a different building. By the time she got to the new location, she was late and was forced to walk to the front of the class to take a seat. Although she normally considered herself to be quite savvy, she kept making mistakes, such as getting on the wrong bus and leaving her cell phone in the library. Each time something like this happened, she felt sick to her stomach and flushed. Magalie began to look forward to the weekends, when she could go home to see her family and hang out with her friends from high school. As the weeks passed, Magalie adapted to life at the university and did not have any more mishaps. However, Magalie started to feel reluctant to meet new people. This continued for several weeks and she became increasingly withdrawn. Which of the following is an example of Magalie being in a mood?

when she felt reluctant to meet new people

Because of the desire to produce healthy children, men across cultures tend to be attracted to which of the following? (Ch.9)

women who appear young