WGU COM101 First Exam Chapters 1-4

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. 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 hairstylist 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.

Which of the following statements about distance is FALSE? a. Women exhibit discomfort at the small space they are allowed by others. b. Woman and children are given little space in our American culture. c. Woman 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"? 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.

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. an illustrator b. an emblem c. a regulator d. an adaptor

a. an illustrator

The tendency to fill in missing information to complete an otherwise incomplete figure or statement is called a. closure b. proximity c. verbal communication d. perception checking

a. closure

Upon walking into a crowded bar on a Friday night, Daniel begins to get uncomfortable because it is so crowded. There are many people very close to him and some even bumping into him as they pass. These people are in Daniel's a. intimate space. b. personal space. c. social space. d. public space.

a. intimate space.

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 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? 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

Semantics can be defined as the 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

Communication begins with the a. self b. other c. dyad d. group

a. self

Communication by touch is called a. tactile communication b. affect display c. territoriality d. kinesics

a. tactile communication

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

a. technological convergence

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

b. 4 years old

Which statement about clothing and the perceptions of others is NOT, verified by research? a. Clothing affects others' impression of status. b. Clothing and artifacts are unrelated to how acceptable we find other people to be. c. Clothing is often cited by women as the most important characteristic when describing another's popularity. d. Brightly colored clothing is associated with sophistication, immorality, and physical attractiveness.

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

Which of the following is an example of indexing? 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? 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.

The "systematic arrangement of symbols to create meaning in the mind of another" is known as a. feedback b. code c. meaning d. context

b. code

The study of nonword sounds that communicate meaning is called a. kinesics. b. paralinguistics. c. objects. d. artifacts.

b. paralinguistics.

Semantics is: a. considered persuasive messages when engaging in conversation b. the study of the way humans use language to evoke meaning in others c. the practice of describing observed behavior instead of offering personal reactions or judgments d. the idea that we need to select our friends and loves ones from people who demonstrate positive interest in us e. words or phrases specific to a particular region to particular part of the country

b. the study of the way humans use language to evoke meaning in others

The word communication comes from the Latin communicare, which means a. "to speak with understanding." b. "to make common." c. "to form a community of believers." d. "to care for others."

b. to make common

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 a. use a variety of cues to communicate the same thing. 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 NOT an example of a cliche? 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."

Which of the following best typifies the meaning of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis? a. The thought is the father to the deed. b. If you can say it, you can't think it. c. Your language shapes your perception. d. Your perceptions shape your language.

c. Your language shapes your perception.

Paralinguistic cues can indicate all of the following EXCEPT a. emotional states. b. personality characteristics. c. intelligence d. physical characteristics.

c. intelligence

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

c. organization

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

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

c. dyadic communication

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

d. action

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

d. ageist language

In reference to chronemics, polychronic people might____, whereas monochronic people might ____. 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 does NOT relate to the term public communication? a. formality b. structure c. planning d. spontaneity

d. spontaneity

Understanding what aspects of communication will make a significant difference in your life and in the lives of people from around the world? a. historical elements b. communication habits c. traditional communication elements d. theory, research, and application e. nonverbal communication

e. nonverbal communication

According to the textbook, first impressions 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 a. closure b. figure and ground c. proximity d. filtering

a. closure

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

a. dyadic communication

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

a. exploration

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

a. feedback

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 b. selective retention c. cultural selection d. stubbornness

a. perceptual constancy

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 b. stereotyping c. sexual discrimination d. selective attention

a. selective retention

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

Knowing how communication affects self-perception can lead to greater: a. apprehension b. communication competency c. awareness and appreciation of the self d. breakdown of communication messages e. communication breakdown

c. awareness and appreciation of the self

Which of the following is the best example of how role affects perception? a. I am a Cuban American whose parents fled Havana in 1906. b. I am an honor student and president of the student body. c. I am a biracial person. d. Although few know it, I am a former Baptist.

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

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

With whom are you likely to stand the closest? a. a state senator from another state b. a person of the same race c. a person who is obviously physically handicapped d. stranger

b. a person of the same race

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

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? a. persuasive b. dialogic c. transmission d. failure

b. dialogic

Erving Goffman's theory of self-presentation is based on what type of perspective? a. psychology b. dramaturgy c. statistics d. definitional

b. dramaturgy

If Anu was unable to control his communication in a way that presented an "idealized" version of himself, he would be lacking in a. self-accrual b. impression management c. interaction control d. symbolic portrayal

b. impression management

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

b. nonverbal code.

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

b. regionalism

Which of the following statements is descriptive as opposed to evaluative? a. That test was the toughest torture I've ever 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.

Personal identity is a. a message designed to strategically induce change in an audience b. the advertiser's message of persuading an audience with fast-paced and dazzling visualization of product c. a perception of what makes an individual unique with regard to various personality characteristics, interests, and values d. a web of contacts and relationships that can help you gain job leads and can provide job referrals e. a group of people excluded from another group with a higher status

c. a perception of what makes an individual unique with regard to various personality characteristics, interests, and values

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 a. illustrator b. emblem c. affect display d. adaptor

c. affect display.

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

c. angry

Nonverbal codes: 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

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

c. liking

The idea that your past experiences lead you to see the world in a way that is difficult to change is referred to as: a. personal experience b. personal identity c. perceptual constancy d. persuasive imagery e. persuasion

c. perceptual constancy

Public communication is commonly referred to as a. small group communication b. interpersonal communication c. public speaking d. mass communication

c. public speaking

As a communicator, what are the three separate activities you engage in during the perception process? a. verbal, non-verbal, engagement b. selective, verbal, engagement c. selection, organization and interpretation d. engagement, perspective, non-verbal e. perspective, verbal, engagement

c. selection, organization and interpretation

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

c. social distance

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

c. sound

Public communication is best defined as: a. the process of using messages to generate meanings in a mediated system, between a source and a large number of unseen receivers. b. the process of using messages to generate meaning in a small group of people. c. the process of using messages to generate meanings in a situation in which a speaker transmits a message to a number of receivers. d. two-person communication e. the process of using messages to generate meaning between at least two people in a situation that allows mutual opportunities for both speaking and listening.

c. the process of using messages to generate meanings in a situation in which a speaker transmits a message to a number of receivers.

Your role(s) affect your communication: a. only during non-verbal communication b. only during verbal communication c. to whom you talk to, how you talk to them, what language to use, and how you respond to feedback. d. only during intrapersonal communication e. just in organization and selection within messages

c. to whom you talk to, how you talk to them, what language to use, and how you respond to feedback

Which statement about nonverbal use of space is FALSE? a. Strangely enough. people tend to stand close together in a large space like an auditorium. b. Strangely enough, people tend to stay farther apart in small places like elevators. c. Middle-class suburbanites in the United States tend to have open backyards, but people in Latin America tend to have walls. d. Americans tend to stand much closer to each other than do people from most other countries.

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

Which of the following statements about language is FALSE? 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 does NOT accurately describe what we mean when we say that language is personal? a. We each have different vocabularies. b. We develop our own expressions to describe our own reality. c. We have different levels of experience that limit or expand our capacity to communicate ideas and things. d. We each have developed language without the influence of our age, gender, or personality.

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

When you meet someone for the first time, you are forming: a. an in group b. an impression management assessment c. a negative relationship d. a first impression e. an assesment

d. a first impression

Juan who is majoring in political science, is giving a speech in class about the Electoral College. During his speech, he often talks very intimately about the legal functions and rules of the Electoral College. Justin ultimately bores his audience and does not get a very strong grade. What error might Justin have committed with his language usage? a. irony b. paraphrase c. colloquialisms d. jargon

d. jargon

Technical language that has been developed by a professional group is known as 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? 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, newspaper, Internet, etc.) into one medium is called a. technological convergence b. organizational convergence c. inherent convergence d. media convergence

d. media convergence

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

d. message

Communication that is used to establish a mood sociability rather than to communicate important information or ideas is referred to as: a. political correctness b. persuasion c. positive thinking approach d. phatic communication e. pathos

d. phatic communication

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

d. static

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

d. syntax.