COM Test Questions

Wisdom, freedom, and security are all examples of

A. values

A person who gets so involved in the particulars that she misses the main point is demonstrating an example of a

B. factual distraction

Focusing on main points is a method of avoiding

B. factual distractions

The best definition of decoding from the choices below is the

B. interpretation, assignment of meaning, and conversion of the words into thoughts of our own

Saying "uh huh" to indicate that you understand is classified as a

B. nonverbal code

The study of nonword sounds that communicate meaning is called

B. paralinguistics

The same bottom-feeding fish known as bullheads in Minnesota are called catfish in Ohio. This language phenomenon is classified as

B. regionalism

Paraphrasing is the act of

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

Which concept listed below is one in which evaluation (positive or negative judgment) plays an important role?

B. self-esteem

If your mother thinks that you walk on water, then you might try to live up to her expectations. This tendency is called

B. self-fulfilling prophecy

Of what two parts does self-concept consist?

B. self-image and self-esteem

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

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

Which of the following is NOT recommended in the book as a way to select a topic?

D. psychic review

Which of the statements below is an example of euphemism?

D. rest room

Maslow's pyramid has as its highest level the concept known as the

D. self-actualized person

The characteristic listed below that is NOT true of active perception is that it is

D. simple

Which of the following are NOT paralinguistic features?

D. sounds with meaning and words without meaning

Which of the following does NOT relate to the term public communication.

D. spontaneity

Which of the following does NOT relate to the term process?

D. static

The term that refers to the arrangement of words is

D. syntax

Communication begins with

A. the self

Dean Barnlund uses a model in which each two-person interaction really involves

A. six persons

Communicating by touch is called

A. tactile objectives

Semantics can be defined as the

A. science of meaning in language (study of the way humans use language to evoke meaning in others)

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

A. selective retention

Which two concepts seem most closely related?

A. self-focus and egocentrism

College students spend approximately what proportion of their time listening to others and the mass media?

A. 50 percent

Which of the following is an operational definition?

A. A friend is someone who likes to be with you, who stands by you in time of trouble, and who listens to you when you need an ear.

Which of the following statements about touch is false?

A. Men value touch more than women do.

Which of the following is the best example of selective attention?

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

Which of the following is an observation about an audience?

A. The audience is meeting in a sorority house at one of their regular Monday night meetings.

Which of the following statements about distance is false?

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

Which of the following ideas is NOT conveyed by expressions like "the word is not the thing" and "the map is not the territory?"

A. Words are abstractions of that for which they stand

Which of the following does NOT mean that "words are arbitrary?"

A. Words have inherent meaning

Deductive arguments must be checked for validity and

A. accuracy

If I notice that Bill and Yolanda are often together and I "fill in" my inference that they are now lovers, then I am illustrating the perception concept called

A. closure

You know you are a marginal student, your grades show it, and your family and friends do not expect anything better from you. The responses you receive from others are examples of

A. confirmation

If one member of the gang is a murderer, then they all are" is an example of which fallacy?

A. division

Which term refers to communication between two people?

A. dyadic communication

Which of the following activities does NOT occur in perception?

A. exploration

Which of the following is NOT a context of communication.

A. feedback

As the woman shaded her eyes with her open hand on her brow, she said, "Wow, is it ever bright out here." The nonverbal cue here is a(n)

A. illustrator

When you look at yourself in the mirror and decide that you need to comb your hair, you are using what context of communication?

A. intrapersonal communication

The idea that our past experiences lead us to see the world in a particular way that is difficult to change is called

A. perceptual constancy

Which of the following is NOT an example of a cliché?

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

The word communication comes from the Latin "communicare," which means

B. "to make common"

Which of the following statements about syllogisms is false?

B. A syllogism has a generalization

Which of the following examples best depicts the denotative meaning of a word?

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

Which of the following statements about active listening is false?

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

Which statement about clothing and the perceptions of others is NOT verified by research?

B. Clothing and artifacts are unrelated to how acceptable we find other people to be.

Which of the following is NOT required for individual brainstorming?

B. Critically evaluate every choice before listing.

Which of the following is the best example of how role affects perception?

B. I am an honor student and president of the student body.

Which of the following statements about inductive arguments is false?

B. Inductive arguments include a major and minor premise.

Which statement about co-cultures and perception is true according to chapter 2 of the textbook?

B. Men see talk as instrumental, as something done for a specific purpose.

Which of the following is the best example of concreteness?

B. My hometown is Isle, Minnesota, population 521.

Which of the following is an example of hearing rather than listening:

B. The sound of firecrackers filled the nighttime air.

Which of the following best describes an instance of disconfirmation of a person's self-concept?

B. You believe yourself to be very smart in math; but because you are a woman, no one else acknowledges your math ability.

Who is more likely to use touch as a means of communicating?

B. a black woman from Puerto Rico

To whom are you the most likely to stand the closest?

B. a person of the same race

An attitude is

B. a predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably

Which of the following would be the reason why an individual looking at a class picture might see his or her own face first?

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

The term that includes the use of language in communication is known as

B. code

Which of the following is NOT one of the four levels of audience analysis?

B. determining whether the audience is heterogeneous or homogeneous

Which of the following statements is descriptive as opposed to evaluative?

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

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of passive perception?

C. People create meanings.

Which of the following is an inference?

C. The road appears dangerous for ordinary travel.

Which of the following is an example of a physical distraction to listening.

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

Which of the following is NOT a research cited in the textbook regarding gender and self-concept?

C. Women tend to have higher self-esteem than do men in our society.

Which of the following best typifies the meaning of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

C. Your language shapes your perception.

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, both arms and hands extended and fingers beckoning as if to say, "Cooome Heeeer." The latter fellow is using a nonverbal signal that is best described as being an

C. affect display

Sandeep Shukla was fishing far from shore when his friend on shore appeared to be vigorously signaling him to return. Unfortunately, he came back a long distance before he realized that his friend was not even facing the water and that he was simply doing his morning exercises. This episode is an example of which kind of intentionality in nonverbal communication?

C. an unintentional cue perceived as intentional

Empathic listening differs from active listening in that

C. empathic listening adds the goal of understanding

You can accept the governor's plan or his opponent's, but the opponent's plan will bankrupt the state" is a statement exemplifying what fallacy?

C. false alternatives

Which of the following CANNOT be used to indicate paralinguistic cues?

C. intelligence

Which of the following nonverbal characteristics does NOT illustrate positive feedback?

C. neutral expression

When you do not listen well because you are daydreaming, it is because of

C. noise

The evaluative part of self is

C. self-esteem

A distance of ten feet between two people talking is what Edward T. Hall referred to as

C. social distance

Which of the following is NOT included in the study of proxemics?

C. sound

The concept referring to the idea that messages and feedback from others shape you into what you are today is called

C. symbolic interactionism

The model of communication is which senders and receivers simultaneously send and receive verbal and nonverbal messages is the

C. transaction model

Which statement about nonverbal use of space is false?

D. Americans tend to stand much closer to each other than do people from most other countries.

Which of the following statements about deductive arguments is false?

D. Deductive arguments require an inference.

Which of the following arguments illustrates the fallacy called the hasty generalization?

D. I was jilted by a woman once, so I'll never trust women again.

Which of the following findings is true of the relationship between dress and personality?

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

Which of the following is NOT a true statement about slang and jargon?

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

Which of the following statements about language is false?

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?

D. The receiver responds with a return message.

Which of the following is NOT one of the ways of determining if the topic is narrow enough?

D. The topic will appeal to the audience.

Which of the following statements about listening is false?

D. Two months after listening to a message, the receivers will not remember the message at all.

Which of the following is a logical proof?

D. Use Ivory soap because it is inexpensive, antibacterial, safe and effective.

Which of the following does NOT accurately describe what we mean when we say that language is personal?

D. We each have developed language without the influence of our age, gender or personality

He acts very interested in her, stands close, looks deep into her eyes, and brings her drinks during the party. She observes his words and actions and dares to believe that he is falling in love with her on this first meeting. Which of the following questions would an expert on nonverbal communication NOT ask?

D. Why shouldn't I just go home with this guy? All the nonverbal cues indicate interest and sincerity.

Which of the following best exhibits critical thinking?

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 would be an example of a physiological factor that affects perception?

D. a woman who weighs ninety-seven pounds

Which of the following is NOT a component of communication?

D. action

Which is easier to change in an audience?

D. an attitude

Which of the following terms is NOT part of the definition of communication?

D. codes

Of the contexts that include two or more people, the one that permits the least opportunity for feedback is

D. mass context

Which of the following is NOT cited in the book as one of the three reasons why differences in perception occur?

D. present eating habits