Communications Midterm

Which of the following statements about distance is FALSE? Select one: a. Women exhibit discomfort at the small space they are allowed by others. b. Women and children are given little space in our American culture. c. Women and children desire more relational closeness than do males in our society. d. Men tend to take more room because they are usually bigger in height and weight.

a. Women exhibit discomfort at the small space they are allowed by others.

Which of the following does NOT mean that "words are arbitrary"? Select one: a. Words have inherent meaning. b. Words are created by people. c. The meaning of words is decided by listeners. d. Things are named by people.

a. Words have inherent meaning.

Which of the following is a reason people terminate relationships? Select one: a. aggressiveness b. compliance-gaining c. personal idioms d. behavioral flexibility

a. aggressiveness

According to the textbook, first impressions Select one: a. are based on comparisons to ourselves. b. provide accuracy in our perceptions of others. c. involve group communication among different groups. d. occur independent of the communication context.

a. are based on comparisons to ourselves.

If I notice that Heng and Yolanda are often together and I "fill in" my inference that they are now lovers, then I am illustrating the concept of perception called Select one: a. closure. b. figure and ground. c. proximity. d. filtering.

a. closure.

Which term refers to communication between two people? Select one: a. dyadic communication b. intrapersonal communication c. small-group communication d. synthetic communication

a. dyadic communication

Which two concepts seem most closely related? Select one: a. egocentrism and personal bias b. defensiveness and self-focus c. experiential superiority and defensiveness d. personal bias and defensiveness

a. egocentrism and personal bias

Which of the following activities does NOT occur in perception? Select one: a. exploration b. interpretation c. organization d. selection

a. exploration

Which of the following is NOT a context of communication? Select one: a. feedback b. intrapersonal c. interpersonal d. public

a. feedback

Children with higher levels of language development are more likely to Select one: a. have more efficient working memory. b. have less efficient working memory. c. develop better hearing skills. d. develop less effective hearing skills.

a. have more efficient working memory.

Which of the following is the least public form of communication? Select one: a. intrapersonal b. interpersonal c. group d. organizational

a. intrapersonal

When you look at yourself in the mirror and decide that you need to comb your hair, you are using what context of communication? Select one: a. intrapersonal communication b. interpersonal communication c. dyadic communication d. public communication

a. intrapersonal communication

Which of the following would NOT be an example of an identity factor that affects perception? Select one: a. mental distractions such as daydreaming b. a transgender identity c. a background in Roman Catholicism d. a woman who weighs ninety-seven pounds

a. mental distractions such as daydreaming

The idea that our past experiences lead us to see the world in a particular way that is difficult to change is called Select one: a. perceptual constancy. b. selective retention. c. cultural selection. d. stubbornness.

a. perceptual constancy.

Semantics can be defined as the Select one: a. science of meaning in language. b. study of transformational grammar. c. discipline devoted to creating words. d. systematic examination of spelling and syntax.

a. science of meaning in language.

When you remember how wonderful your mother was but forget how often she made you feel inadequate, then you are exhibiting the perception concept called Select one: a. selective retention. b. stereotyping. c. sexual discrimination. d. selective attention.

a. selective retention

Which of the following is NOT one of the three stages in interpersonal relationships? Select one: a. social penetration b. relational development c. relational deterioration d. relational maintenance

a. social penetration

Communication by touch is called Select one: a. tactile communication. b. affect displays. c. territoriality. d. kinesics.

a. tactile communication.

The integration of e-mail, calendars, Internet, and voice communication into devices like smartphones is called Select one: a. technological convergence. b. organizational convergence. c. inherent convergence. d. media convergence.

a. technological convergence.

Perception checking is a skill that helps us Select one: a. understand another person and his or her message more accurately. b. view everyone as equals. c. compare our behaviors with others' behaviors. d. ignore damaging or harmful information.

a. understand another person and his or her message more accurately.

Which of the following is NOT an example of a cliché? Select one: a. "You only get out of it what you put in it." b. "Our country is more of a banquet than a melting pot." c. "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer." d. "No pain, no gain."

b. "Our country is more of a banquet than a melting pot."

At what age do people, on average, begin receiving specialized attention based on physical attractiveness? Select one: a. 1 year old b. 4 years old c. 7 years old d. 10 years old

b. 4 years old

Which of the following examples best depicts the denotative meaning of a word? Select one: a. Abortion is the murder of a fetus. b. Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy in the first trimester. c. Abortion is the last-ditch birth control. d. Abortion is the death of a human soul.

b. Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy in the first trimester.

Which of the following statements about active listening is FALSE? Select one: a. Active listening is "involved listening with a purpose." b. Active listening and empathic listening are exactly the same thing. c. Active listening is characterized by movement, change, and responsiveness on the part of the listener. d. Active listening implies feedback to the speaker.

b. Active listening and empathic listening are exactly the same thing.

Which of the following is an example of indexing? Select one: a. Fords get great gas mileage. b. My Shih Tzu chews on everything. Does yours do that as well? c. Everyone in the Midwest farms. d. All landlords are unhelpful.

b. My Shih Tzu chews on everything. Does yours do that as well?

Which of the following is the best example of concreteness? Select one: a. I'm from the States. b. My hometown is Isle, Minnesota, population 409. c. Sure, I'm from the Midwest. d. The place where I'm from is the friendliest town in America.

b. My hometown is Isle, Minnesota, population 409.

Which of the following is a good example of a complementary relationship? Select one: a. She likes him a lot, but he doesn't think much of her. b. She is shy, and he likes to speak for both of them. c. She and he are both good at math, so together they do the family budget. d. She and he like food, so they both enjoy every meal.

b. She is shy, and he likes to speak for both of them.

Which statement about stereotyping is true? Select one: a. Stereotyping occurs when we have had a long time to form an informed opinion about someone. b. Some stereotypes are positive. c. Our stereotypes of people from different groups are often positive. d. We try to find similarities between ourselves and the people we stereotype.

b. Some stereotypes are positive.

Who is more likely to use touch as a means of communicating? Select one: a. a white American from Salt Lake City, Utah b. a black woman from Puerto Rico c. an English gentleman from London d. a Frenchman from Paris

b. a black woman from Puerto Rico

A relationship in which the two people are very similar is called Select one: a. a complementary relationship. b. a symmetrical relationship. c. a cost-benefit relationship. d. an independent relationship.

b. a symmetrical relationship.

Which type of need can only be fulfilled through interpersonal interaction? Select one: a. safety b. affection c. security d. information

b. affection

Which of the following would be the reason an individual looking at a class picture might see his or her own face first? Select one: a. because of its proximity to the other faces b. because it is figure and the rest of the class is ground c. because it is the image that allows closure d. because it is ground and the rest of the class is figure

b. because it is figure and the rest of the class is ground

"The ability to alter behavior in order to adapt to new situations and to relate in new ways when necessary" is a definition of Select one: a. androgyny. b. behavioral flexibility. c. passages. d. complementary relationships.

b. behavioral flexibility.

When you paraphrase the speaker's message and intent, ask questions, or invite corrections, you are Select one: a. encountering a barrier to listening. b. checking your understanding or perception of the speaker. c. engaging in listening for enjoyment. d. employing nonverbal listening behaviors.

b. checking your understanding or perception of the speaker.

Iakopa is good at writing and understanding literature; Marian is a whiz at math and statistics; together they make a great pair. The concept of friendship illustrated here is Select one: a. symmetry. b. complementarity. c. responsiveness. d. proximity.

b. complementarity.

Li, Sarena, and Elini are having an in-depth conversation about a previous relationship that was abusive. Each of the women is participating equally. What type of descriptor most accurately describes this conversation? Select one: a. persuasive b. dialogic c. transmission d. failure

b. dialogic

Grayson doesn't talk about his parents' divorce with his girlfriend because it is still a painful subject to discuss. What factor affecting self-disclosure can be identified here? Select one: a. Disclosure might be avoided for a variety of reasons. b. Disclosure tends to be reciprocal. c. Disclosure helps build relationships. d. Relational satisfaction and disclosure are curvilinearly related.

a. Disclosure might be avoided for a variety of reasons.

Which of the following is the best example of selective attention? Select one: a. She immediately spotted the guy with the earring who looked so much like someone she had known before. b. They agreed with each other because they both liked the idea of government ownership of basic industry. c. He was an expert "body man" in a chop shop; she was a hair stylist in the low-rent district. d. They fought constantly over how the children should be disciplined.

a. She immediately spotted the guy with the earring who looked so much like someone she had known before.

Dialogic communication is best described as Select one: a. persuasion. b. discussion. c. transmission. d. failure.

b. discussion

Raymond and Terry have a strong relationship and share many things with each other. At times, however, Raymond feels that Terry wants to know what he is doing at all times. Which dialectical tension is Raymond most likely experiencing? Select one: a. integration and separation b. expression and privacy c. stability and change d. old and new

b. expression and privacy

A person who gets so involved in the particulars that she misses the main point is demonstrating an example of a Select one: a. semantic distraction. b. factual distraction. c. mental distraction. d. physical distraction.

b. factual distraction.

In which stage of how friends develop do people determine that they have mutual interests or other common ground? Select one: a. role-limited interaction b. friendly relations c. nascent friendship d. stabilized friendship

b. friendly relations

"You need to remember this because it will be on the quiz." What type of lecture cue is this statement? Select one: a. semantic b. importance c. nonverbal d. organizational

b. importance

Saying "uh huh" to indicate you understand is using what is classified as a Select one: a. verbal code. b. nonverbal code. c. language code. d. linguistic code.

b. nonverbal code.

Kelly is listening intently to her friend, Sheri, talk about her boyfriend who is leaving for a year to serve in the Army. Kelly says "mmm-hmm" during the conversation to show Sheri that she is listening. She is communicating using Select one: a. kinesics. b. paralinguistic features. c. objectics. d. artifacts.

b. paralinguistic features.

The study of nonword sounds that communicate meaning is called Select one: a. kinesics. b. paralinguistics. c. objectics. d. artifacts.

b. paralinguistics.

The same bottom-feeding fish known as bullheads in Minnesota are called catfish in Ohio. This language phenomenon is classified as Select one: a. slang. b. regionalism. c. euphemism. d. colloquialism.

b. regionalism.

Paraphrasing is the act of Select one: a. repeating what you think you heard. b. repeating what you think you heard in your own words. c. reporting what you think you heard in the same words you think you heard. d. responding to what you think you heard with a creative interpretation of what you think you heard.

b. repeating what you think you heard in your own words.

Dante was walking across campus in a hurry. On the way he saw his friend Aarav, who he hadn't seen in quite some time. Dante stopped and told Aarav his cell phone number and told him to call him later. Just a few seconds after Dante left, Aarav already had forgotten the number. This would be because the information only went as far as Aarav's Select one: a. schema. b. short-term memory. c. long-term memory. d. automatic attention.

b. short-term memory.

Which of the following terms is NOT part of the definition of communication? Select one: a. process b. signs c. meaning d. messages

b. signs

The opposite of defensive communication is Select one: a. descriptive communication. b. supportive communication. c. provisional communication. d. neutral communication.

b. supportive communication.

Rashi and Anita marry because they are of the same cultural background. This is most likely what type of relationship? Select one: a. asymmetrical b. symmetrical c. co-cultural d. ethnocentric

b. symmetrical

As he drove out of the driveway, he saw his wife waving but did not realize that she wanted him to stop to avoid running over the tricycle. He thought she was just waving good-bye. The problem in this nonverbal episode is that we Select one: a. use a variety of cues to communicate the same meaning. b. use the same cue to communicate a variety of meanings. c. have a one-to-one relationship between signal and meaning, so that one cue has one meaning. d. have many ways to say good-bye, including handshakes, hugging, and waving.

b. use the same cue to communicate a variety of meanings.

Which of the following is an example of a physical distraction to listening? Select one: a. "I didn't know what he said because I was so worried about what the kids were doing in my absence." b. "Are you kidding? All I could think about was my vacation that starts tomorrow." c. "The two people talking in the row ahead of me kept me from catching very much of his lecture." d. "I could not pay attention to anything she said after she mentioned feminist theory."

c. "The two people talking in the row ahead of me kept me from catching very much of his lecture."

Which of the following statements is descriptive as opposed to evaluative? Select one: a. That test was the toughest torture I've experienced. b. The test made my hair stand on end. c. I counted twenty questions of which I was uncertain. d. I think I flunked the test because it was unfair.

c. I counted twenty questions of which I was uncertain.

What is one strategy for appropriate self-disclosure in interpersonal relationships? Select one: a. Gradually decrease disclosure as your relationship develops. b. Disclose all information, even if it might cause you personal harm. c. Reveal information to others as they reveal information to you. d. Remember that disclosure is the same across all cultures.

c. Reveal information to others as they reveal information to you.

Which of the following is an inference? Select one: a. I see that road is narrow and curvy. b. There is no shoulder, and there is no centerline. c. The road appears dangerous for ordinary travel. d. The trees grow close to the road, thus reducing light.

c. The road appears dangerous for ordinary travel.

Small-group communication occurs in: Select one: a. large groups b. mass communication c. a small group of people d. interpersonal communication e. mass audiences

c. a small group of people

Two men are arguing at the bar when the smaller one says something unkind about the other's mother. The bigger fellow glares straight ahead at his opponent. He is using a nonverbal signal that is best described as being an Select one: a. illustrator. b. emblem. c. affect display. d. adaptor.

c. affect display.

Which type of facial expression will likely receive the most attention? Select one: a. neutral b. happy c. angry d. sad

c. angry

Tinnitus is something that would be most likely to affect your Select one: a. nonverbal gestures. b. listening. c. hearing. d. speaking.

c. hearing

Dyadic and small-group communication are two subsets of: Select one: a. intrapersonal communication b. mass communication c. interpersonal communication d. public communication e. digitally mediated communication

c. interpersonal communication

When a person leans forward and has a positive facial expression, he or she is exhibiting the concept of Select one: a. status. b. chronemics. c. liking. d. responsiveness.

c. liking.

In which stage of how friends develop do people think of themselves as friends and begin to establish their own private ways of interacting? Select one: a. role-limited interaction b. friendly relations c. nascent friendship d. stabilized friendship

c. nascent friendship

Three basic interpersonal needs that are satisfied through interaction with others, according to psychologist William Schutz, are: Select one: a. wants, needs and perceptions b. analysis, reasoning and assessment c. need for inclusion, affection and control d. assessment, control and analysis e. control, evaluation and assessment

c. need for inclusion, affection and control

When you do not listen well because you are daydreaming, it is because of Select one: a. encoding. b. semantic distractions. c. noise. d. channeling.

c. noise.

Decoding is the process: Select one: a. of arrangement of symbols used to create meanings b. of any interference in the encoding and decoding processes that reduces the clarity of a message c. of assigning meaning to an idea or thought d. of verbal and nonverbal responses to a message e. is where communication ends

c. of assigning meaning to an idea or thought

Encoding is the process: Select one: a. of assigning meaning to an idea or thought b. and location where communication takes place c. of translating an idea or a thought into a code d. of any interference in the encoding and decoding processes that reduces the clarity of a message e. of arrangement of symbols used to create meanings

c. of translating an idea or a thought into a code

A person groups stimuli into meaningful units during which part of perception? Select one: a. selection b. interpretation c. organization d. interactionism

c. organization

A distance of 10 feet between two people talking is what Edward T. Hall referred to as Select one: a. intimate distance. b. personal distance. c. social distance. d. public distance.

c. social distance.

Which of the following is NOT included in the study of proxemics? Select one: a. distance b. space c. sound d. territoriality

c. sound

Which relational dialectic involves tensions surrounding the need for consistency in a relationship as well as "newness and novelty"? Select one: a. integration and separation b. expression and privacy c. stability and change d. old and new

c. stability and change

The process of development of the self through the messages and feedback received from others is called: Select one: a. perception b. perception checking c. symbolic interactionism d. personal identity e. first impression

c. symbolic interactionism

Which of the following is true about men's listening behaviors as compared to women's listening behaviors? Select one: a. Women interrupt more often. b. Men like more complex information that requires careful evaluation. c. Women like short, concise communication. d. Men listen in order to take action and solve problems.

d. Men listen in order to take action and solve problems.

Which of the following is essential to demonstrating active listening? Select one: a. Lean back in your chair. b. Keep a tense body posture. c. Sit without crossing your arms or legs. d. Sit or stand so you are directly facing the speaker.

d. Sit or stand so you are directly facing the speaker.

Which of the following is NOT a true statement about slang and jargon? Select one: a. Jargon is likely to be used by technical/professional people. b. Slang is likely to be used in the neighborhood and on the streets. c. Jargon is most likely to be used in the workplace. d. Slang is not understood or used by most people.

d. Slang is not understood or used by most people.

Which of the following statements about language is FALSE? Select one: a. Words only have meanings that people give them. b. Words also have connotative meanings. c. The context in which a word occurs helps us determine which of the possible meanings is intended. d. The meaning of a word does not change once it is included in the dictionary.

d. The meaning of a word does not change once it is included in the dictionary.

Which of the following is not necessarily part of the process of listening? Select one: a. The stimuli are picked up by the ear. b. The nerves transmit sensations to the brain. c. The brain assigns meanings to the stimuli. d. The receiver responds with a return message.

d. The receiver responds with a return message.

Which of the following findings is true of the relationship between dress and personality? Select one: a. People who dress with comfort in mind tend to be low in self-control and introverted. b. People who dress in a decorative style tend to be unsociable and intellectual. c. People who are conformist in dress are expressive, dominant, and unrestrained in social situations. d. People who conform to current styles seek to be accepted and liked.

d. People who conform to current styles seek to be accepted and liked.

Nonverbal codes: Select one: a. consist of symbols and their grammatical arrangement. b. are a systematic arrangement of symbols used to create meanings in the mind of another person or persons. c. are all symbols that are not words, including bodily movements, the use of space and time, and sounds other than words. d. are any interference in the encoding and decoding processes that reduces the clarity of a message. e. are the location where communication takes place.

c. are all symbols that are not words, including bodily movements, the use of space and time, and sounds other than words.

Carmella and Jésus are sitting in a coffee shop having a friendly conversation. What descriptor of their communication interaction is most accurate? Select one: a. group communication b. intrapersonal communication c. dyadic communication d. linguistic communication

c. dyadic communication

Relationships in which the two people are not romantically involved but have a sexual relationship are called Select one: a. nascent friends. b. stabilized friendships. c. friends with benefits. d. diminished friendships.

c. friends with benefits.

Which of the following best exhibits critical thinking? Select one: a. You are able to memorize what you hear. b. You are able to recall most of what you listen to. c. You are able to interpret what you hear and apply it to other knowledge. d. You are able to use what you know to apply standards to what you hear and decide the merits of the message.

d. You are able to use what you know to apply standards to what you hear and decide the merits of the message.

Which of the following is NOT a component of communication? Select one: a. feedback b. message c. code d. action

d. action

Language that puts down people for being young or old is Select one: a. gender-biased language. b. racist language. c. heterosexist language. d. ageist language.

d. ageist language.

In reference to chronemics, polychronic people might ________, whereas monochronic people might ________. Select one: a. arrive early; leave early b. arrive and leave early; arrive and leave late c. leave early; arrive late d. arrive and leave late; arrive and leave on time or early

d. arrive and leave late; arrive and leave on time or early

Which of the following is a limitation of short-term memory? Select one: a. automatic attention b. inability to access schema c. lack of stimulus cues from working memory d. can only hold five to nine "bits" of information on average

d. can only hold five to nine "bits" of information on average

Which of the following body movements would most likely be used to indicate liking? Select one: a. spontaneous gestures b. less eye contact c. rigid posture d. close proximity

d. close proximity

Technical language that has been developed by a professional group is known as Select one: a. irony. b. paraphrase. c. colloquialisms. d. jargon.

d. jargon.

James is at home watching a politically oriented discussion show on cable TV. One of the commentators is making arguments that are faulty, which makes James very angry. But James cannot express that to the commentator on TV. James is feeling the frustrations of which context of communication? Select one: a. intrapersonal context b. interpersonal context c. public context d. mass context

d. mass context

The accumulation of various types of mass communication (radio, television, newspapers, Internet, etc.) into one medium is called Select one: a. technological convergence. b. organizational convergence. c. inherent convergence. d. media convergence.

d. media convergenc

The component of communication that consists of facial expressions, words, and phrases is the Select one: a. channel. b. nonverbal code. c. verbal code. d. message.

d. message.

Which of the following is NOT cited in the book as one of the three reasons differences in perception occur? Select one: a. identity factors b. past experience c. present feelings and circumstances d. present eating habits

d. present eating habits

Which of the following are NOT paralinguistic features? Select one: a. pitch, rate, and inflection b. volume, voice quality, and silence c. pronunciation, enunciation, and articulation d. sounds with meaning and words without meaning

d. sounds with meaning and words without meaning

Which of the following does NOT relate to the term process? Select one: a. continuous b. ongoing c. dynamic d. static

d. static

The term that refers to the arrangement of words is Select one: a. grammar. b. code. c. encoding. d. syntax.

d. syntax.

One of the suggestions for being a better listener in the workplace is to "plan for nuggets." The strategy recommended for doing this involves Select one: a. being empathetic when listening to others. b. asking others to provide you with feedback. c. considering the source of the message. d. using a separate column in your notes.

d. using a separate column in your notes.

Words and phrases specific to a particular region of the country are called: Select one: a. listening habits b. concrete languages c. verbal appeal languages d. nationwide languages e. regionalisms

e. regionalisms