Interpersonal Communications: Chapter 1

A dyad is composed of _____ people.

2

Which communication myth best explains the statistic that 53% of surveyed American adults believe that lack of effective communication is the primary cause of failing marriages?

Communication will solve any problem

Hans and Minoosh are on the phone, discussing the things each must accomplish this week. Minoosh tells Hans she is going to the doctor. Hans responds by asking, "Is he a specialist or a general practitioner?" How has a perceptual filter influenced Hans' question?

Hans has assumed that Minoosh's physician is male.

Why is meeting instrumental needs important?

Instrumental needs are often prerequisites for meeting other needs.

According to research, the single most important predictor of happiness in life is

a happy marriage

In the action model, a channel can best be described as what?

a pathway

According to a 2013 survey of U.S. college students, how many considered themselves to be "true believers" in a particular religious tradition?

a third

Examples of ethical communication about climate change include

acknowledging that other countries might view solutions differently and explaining complex research results

Leaving a message on a voicemail system is an example of the ______ model of communication.

action

The _______ model starts with a source - you - who comes up with a thought or idea you'd like to communicate.

action

Rank the relative complexity of the three communication models, with the simplest at the top and the most complex at the bottom.

action, interaction, transaction

Physical need

addresses physical and mental well-being

Health can decline quickly when individuals are deprived of communication, such as when they

are in solitary confinement

When we say there has been a breakdown in communication, it usually means that individuals

are still communicating but doing so ineffectively

Which of the following are good ways to avoid communicating anger online?

ask yourself if your communication is based upon a misunderstanding and write a draft version of your communication, but do not send it immediately

Interpersonal communication is

between two people

The transaction model of communication maintains that people in a conversation are

both sources and receivers

Interpersonal communication matters to people because it

can improve people's relationships, health, and is pervasive

Paula sends you a text message asking if you want to go to a music show with her on Friday night. The phone you receive the text on is considered what part of the action model of communication?

channel

Anna doesn't show up for a date she had planned with Claude, and Claude calls her to inquire if she's feeling sick. Which of the following best describes Claude's action?

cognitive complexity

Example of identity need

comparisons between ourselves and others

When 91% of surveyed U.S. adults report that their communication skills are above average, they are

confusing experience with expertise

Identifying good communication requires

defining what a good communicator is

The difference between intentional and unintentional messages is that intentional messages are ________ and unintentional messages are _________.

deliberate; accidental

Example of action model

e-mailing your boss

How well your communication achieves its goals is known as

effectiveness

The ________ of communication is more important than the quantity.

effectiveness

When you put an idea into language or a gesture that someone can understand you are _______ a message.

encoding

Which of the following are components of the transaction model's definition of context?

gender, physical environment, experience, culture

Which of the following illustrates forming an identity through comparison?

graduating with honors

Which three of the following are the general categories which describe why interpersonal communication matters to people?

health benefits, relational benefits, and pervasiveness

A person who is a ______ self-monitor pays close attention to the way she looks, sounds, and acts in social situations.

high

According to the text, research concludes that people with strong ties to family and friends are less likely to suffer from which of the following?

high blood pressure and delayed recovery from illness

Which of the following are examples of spiritual principles?

i believe in destiny and fate and divine beauty is found in nature

The comment "you really make me laugh" is most likely filling what type of communication need for both the speaker and receiver?

identity

Relational need

includes companionship, affection, relaxation, and escape

Spiritual need

includes principles and morals people value

Research has found that communication with friends and confidants

increases a person's life expectancy

Which statement best indicated that metacommunication is taking place?

it's not what you said, it's how you said it that upsets me.

When you practice empathy you are being _______ -oriented.

other

Example of intrapersonal communication

rehearsing how you will request an assignment extension

If you were in charge of a neighorhood committee meeting, examples of communicating appropriately might include which of the following?

scheduling the meeting at a time people would be able to attend and asking your neighbors for advice on the agenda

An example of channel-lean communication context would be

sending a text message to your roommate

Communicator with low self-monitoring who attend a meeting might

speak longer than anyone else

A characteristic that causes a person to seem abnormal or undesirable is called a

stigma or stigmatization

Which of the following statements about spiritual needs is accurate?

they are met when people discuss their spiritual ideas and practices

Shayla is having coffee with Muhammad and has her cell phone on the table, pushed off to the side with her jumble of keys. What is the likely effect of the phone on their conversation?

they will feel less close and connected to each other

Which of the following is crucial to the evolution of interpersonal communication?

time

True or false: Engaging in frequent small talk is a strong predictor of happiness, and having meaningful conversations is correlated with reduced well-being.

False

Which of the following are examples of metacommunication you might share with your academic adviser if you were thinking about dropping a course?

The instructor talks too fast and i don't understand the instructors thick accent

How does a receiver decode a message?

The receiver interprets, or gives meaning to, the message.

Which of the following situations would make you more likely to identify yourself as intelligent?

Your boss assigns you to an important project and your elementary school teacher rewarded your work with gold stars.

Which of the following are examples of explicit rules?

Your father tells you to be home from your date by 11 p.m., your tennis coach posts a flier describing what constitutes appropriate dress for formal tennis matches, and you label your favorite cereal with a "do not eat this!" notice to your roommates.

The interaction model should not be used to evaluate which of the following communication scenarios?

a mom talking to her newborn infant and a heated town meeting with a lot of arguing

What is self-monitoring?

an awareness of one's own behavior and its effects on others

Which of the following best describes noise in a communication model?

anything that interferes with the encoding or decoding of a message

Competent communicators are able to assess what is going on around them and determine an _______ behavior for that context.

appropriate

Unlike relational communication needs, identity needs

are formed by comparing the self to others.

The transaction model recognizes that individuals send and receive messages

at the same time.

Which of the following is the most likely to challenge a person's capacity to empathize?

autism

The action model has been criticized because communication is rarely as simple as the model describes. It is usually more of a _________ process.

back-and-forth

Which of the following is not a characteristic of competent communicators?

cognitive simplicity

Example of relational need

communication between spouses

Which of the following statements about communication is not correct?

communication has no rules

The literal information that is communicated about a subject and its message is its __________ dimension.

content

Example of transactional model

conversing at a party

Because some communication rules are _______, what might be appropriate in one culture could be inappropriate or offensive in another.

culture-specific

If Jeff ignored the issue of the unintended audience in his online-communication, which of the following actions might he take?

emailing his current bank statement to a potential lender for a new car rather than sending it by regular mail and using "reply all" in an email response that was meant for a single co-worker rather than replying to only that co-worker.

Communication supports relational needs by helping to _________ essential human relationships.

establish and maintain

Judging whether something is morally right or wrong is guided by

ethics

If you want to be a competent online communicator, why must you consider the issue of permanence in electronically mediated communication?

everything you say and do leaves behind a record

Interpersonal communication is communication that occurs between two people within the context of their relationship and, as it _______, helps them to negotiate and define their friendship.

evolves

Rules for communication that someone has clearly articulated are called ______ rules.

explici

True or false: Interpersonal communication must take place face-to-face to benefit communicators.

false

True or false: Ultimately, better communication can resolve any problem.

false

True or false: Using emoticons and emoji increase the likelihood for misunderstanding in online communication.

false

Which of the following can illustrate the satisfaction of relational needs?

family vacation, membership in a health club, and dog ownership

Which elements does the interaction model add to the action model?

feedback and context

Communication that focuses on the requirements of day-to-day living serves __________ needs.

instrumental

Which of the following do not describe important reasons for meeting instrumental needs?

instrumental needs maintain quality relationships and we have few instrumental needs

The majority of human relationships are

interpersonal

Which form of communication involves communicating with yourself?

intrapersonal communication

Which of the following best characterizes interpersonal communcation?

it defines the nature of relationships

Kip never pays attention to the clothes he wears, is oblivious of other people and is generally the loudest person in the room. Kip would be described as a _______ self-monitor.

low

Which of the following examples prove the myth "communication is inherently good"? The correct answers should demonstrate that communications can be bad.

lying to an interviewer about your experience in a particular area and leaving a threatening note on your neighbor's door about their barking dog

Which of the following are reasons why meeting instrumental needs is important?

many instrumental needs have to be met before other needs become relevant and we have many instrumental needs

Because words are representations of objects, they have no inherent

meaning

Instrumental need

meets practical, everyday needs

The term used to describe a formal process, such as communication, is called a

model.

Children who come from large families, have many playmates, and attend large schools are ________ likely to have a strong sense of identity than those who do not.

more

If people treat you as intelligent, you will be _______ likely to believe that you have that characteristic.

more

Anything that interferes with the receiver's ability to address a message is called

noise

What does the interaction model not account for?

overlapping communication

Which of the following falls under the umbrella of "spirituality"?

people's morals, the principles one values in life, and people's beliefs about the meaning of life

Elian is an agnostic college student and avid supporter of gay marriage, while his grandmother is devoutly religious and opposes it. They watch an interview with a conservative senator who argues against gay marriage. Elian says the senator is "delusional," but his grandmother says he is "wise and insightful." Which of the following best accounts for their differing opinions?

perceptual filters

The distracting hum of a light fixture is ________ noise.

physical

Identity need

plays a large role in shaping the way individuals see themselves

Which of the following factors contribute to competent online communication?

presume that nothing is secret, be aware of the potential for misunderstanding, presume that everything is permanent, and avoid communicating in anger

Your environment includes both physical and __________ contexts.

psychological

Which of the following are major types of noise in the communication process?

psychological, physical, and physiological

In any conversation, understanding depends on both the content, or literal, dimension of the message as well as its __________ dimension.

relational

You are having lunch with your brother. When the bill arrives, he pays for the entire thing saying "I'm so glad we could catch up, it would be my pleasure to treat." You interpret this to mean "I am happy to see you but since i make more than you, i want to pay." Which of the following is your interpretation an example of?

relational dimension

Example of interaction model

submitting a report at work and getting written feedback

Which of the following best describes the nature of words?

symbolic

What is empathy?

the ability to understand other people's thoughts and actions.

Confusion due to multiple meanings of the term boot in British English and American English demonstrates

the arbitrary nature of language.

Which of the following is likely to occur if you are having a face-to-face conversation and you have your cell phone visible, even if you never touch the phone?

the person with whom you are conversing is reminded that she could lose your attention at any moment.

Which two of the following are reasons why a speaker might prefer to conduct an online video conference rather than posting an online video?

to use multiple communication channels and to receive information from facial expressions and other feedback from the audience.

According to expert Tiffany Fields, recent studies in orphanages and adoption centers have proven that what aspect of human interaction is critical for infants' survival and healthy development?

touch

True or false: If a child is thin but her peers have nicknamed her "chubby", she is more likely to believe that she is overweight

true

Example of interpersonal communication

visiting a friends' facebook page

Perceptual filters can influence how people understand their own

words.

Example of small group communication

working on a class team project

Example of mass communication

writing an electronic newsletter

Which of the following are examples of implicit rules?

you do not push your way into a crowded elevator that is already completely full and you raise your hand in class and wait to be recognized by your professor before speaking