Comm 121 final
For a behavior to be considered a transgression, it needs to be deliberate. a. True b. False
false
"I like the way we don't discuss our political differences in public" is an example of metacommunication. a. True b. False
true
How do self-disclosure practices in collectivist cultures like Japan's differ from those found in individualistic cultures like that of the United States? a. Members of collectivist cultures tend to self-disclose more often to strangers than to in-group members, whereas people in individualistic cultures tend to self-disclose more often with people from their in-groups. b. Members of collectivist cultures tend to self-disclose more negative aspects of themselves and others from their in-group, whereas members of individualistic cultures tend to self-disclose more positive aspects. c. Members of collectivist cultures tend to self-disclose more often in most situations than do members of individualistic cultures. d. Members of collectivist cultures tend not to self-disclose with new people whereas members of individualistic cultures tend to self-disclose readily with strangers.
Members of collectivist cultures tend not to self-disclose with new people whereas members of individualistic cultures tend to self-disclose readily with strangers.
Which statement best characterizes the stagnating stage of a relationship? a. People begin asserting their individual identities. b. People put an end to the relationship. c. People stop seeing each other by putting physical distance between each other. d. People are unenthusiastic about the relationship, and no growth occurs.
People are unenthusiastic about the relationship, and no growth occurs.
Which statement below best describes a difference between the content and relational dimensions of communication? a. While content messages convey information about how people feel about each other, relational messages convey factual information. b. While there are a huge number of possible content messages, nearly all relational messages fit into one of only four categories. c. While content messages are rarely used, relational messages are used very frequently. d. While most content messages are very important, very few relational messages have an impact on our daily lives.
While there are a huge number of possible content messages, nearly all relational messages fit into one of only four categories.
Which of the following is the best description of provisionalism? a. Acknowledging that you may not always be right. b. Recognizing that other people have equal worth as human beings. c. Being able to put yourself in someone else's place in order to understand their feelings. d. Indifference to the feelings of others.
a. Acknowledging that you may not always be right.
Which statement about intimate relationships is true? a. It is neither possible nor desirable to establish an intimate relationship with most people we meet. b. Nearly all of our encounters with others result in a relationship that has at least one of the four types of intimacy. c. People who forsake other kinds of relationships to focus solely on intimate relationships tend to get more satisfaction from their relationships. d. It is much easier to establish an emotionally intimate relationship than an intimate relationship based on physical contact, intellectual sharing, or shared activities.
a. It is neither possible nor desirable to establish an intimate relationship with most people we meet.
According to author Gary Chapman, what are love languages? a. Our ideas about what counts as an expression of love. b. Ways of communicating about love to people outside our relationships. c. The metacommunicative interactions needed to sustain an intimate relationship. d. The two universal ways of expressing love used by all romantic couples.
a. Our ideas about what counts as an expression of love.
What is a relational conflict style? a. The pattern of managing disagreements that develops in a long-term relationship. b. The way each individual approaches conflict in different contexts. c. The biologically determined way that most men approach conflict. d. The approach to conflict that involves terminating a destructive relationship.
a. The pattern of managing disagreements that develops in a long-term relationship.
Both examples below illustrate which element of the assertive message format?Example 1: "Yesterday, Kristopher promised me he would stop coming over to my house without calling first. Today, he stopped by without clearing it with me."Example 2: "Carla hasn't been asking me to join her for lunch, like she usually does. She also hasn't been hanging out much outside of her office, and hasn't returned any of my emails that weren't directly related to work." a. behavioral description b. interpretation statements c. consequence statements d. feeling statements
a. behavioral description
Which of these conflict styles involves a win-lose situation? a. competing b. compromising c. passive aggression d. collaborating
a. competing
According to research, which two communication patterns are usually most productive? a. consensual and pluralistic b. pluralistic and protective c. protective and laissez-faire d. laissez-faire and consensual
a. consensual and pluralistic
In the Ethical Challenge feature "Dirty Fighting with Crazymakers", a gunnysacker is defined as someone who ___________ a. doesn't respond immediately when angered; instead, a gunnysacker lets conflicts build up until they all pour out at once. b. refuses to face up to a conflict either by giving in or by pretending that there's nothing at all wrong. c. tries to make his or her partners feel responsible for causing their pain, even though they won't come right out and say what they feel or want. d. uses intimate knowledge of his or her partners to get them "where it hurts."
a. doesn't respond immediately when angered; instead, a gunnysacker lets conflicts build up until they all pour out at once.
Messages that seem to challenge the image we want to project are referred to as ________. a. face-threatening acts b. verbally abusive messages c. defensive messages d. assertive formats
a. face-threatening acts
Which kinship position is part of a family suprasystem? a. grandmother b. father c. daughter d. son
a. grandmother
Before you begin conflict management, your textbook suggests that it's important to realize two things about the problem that is causing the conflict. They are _______________ a. the problem is yours, and you have unmet needs. b. the problem is negotiable, and it cannot be avoided. c. the problem is significant, and you care about its resolution. d. the problem is avoidable, and compromise is not really necessary.
a. the problem is yours, and you have unmet needs.
Over twenty years of research shows that both happy and unhappy marriages have conflicts but that they manage conflict in very different ways. The difference between happy and unhappy couples is that ________. a. unhappy couples argue in destructive ways b. happy couples argue evaluatively c. happy couples ignore conflicts d. unhappy couples ignore conflicts
a. unhappy couples argue in destructive ways
Which statement below accurately describes an aspect of attachment theory? a. Children who develop insecure bonds with their family members often compensate by having very successful romantic relationships later in life. b. Children who develop secure bonds with their family members tend to be more confident communicators and have more effective relationships. c. Children who develop secure bonds with their family members tend to have fewer intimate relationships outside their family. d. Children who develop insecure bonds with their family members are typically unable to learn other ways of communicating as adults.
b. Children who develop secure bonds with their family members tend to be more confident communicators and have more effective relationships.
What is the difference between the complementary conflict style and the symmetrical conflict style? a. In the complementary style, one partner uses mutually reinforcing behaviors; in the symmetrical style, one partner avoids conflict, while the other partner initiates conflict. b. In the complementary style, both partners use different but reinforcing behaviors; in the symmetrical style, both partners use the same behaviors. c. In the complementary style, both partners use the same behaviors; in the symmetrical style, partners use different but equally effective behaviors. d. In the complementary style, one partner avoids conflict, while the other partner initiates conflict; in the symmetrical style, both partners use different but mutually reinforcing behaviors.
b. In the complementary style, both partners use different but reinforcing behaviors; in the symmetrical style, both partners use the same behaviors.
In the ________ conflict style, both people involved in the conflict get some of what they want but also have to sacrifice some of their goals. a. accommodating b. compromising c. collaborating d. competing
b. compromising
When a sender seems to be imposing a solution on the receiver with little regard for the receiver's needs or interests, he or she is engaging in which defense-provoking communication? a. strategy b. control c. problem orientation d. evaluation
b. control
Most people become irritated at judgmental statements, which they are likely to interpret as indicating a lack of regard. The supportive counterpart to this evaluative behavior is ________. a. empathy b. description c. equality d. problem orientation
b. description
These examples illustrate which element of the assertive message format?Example 1: "Kristopher must have forgotten about his agreement not to stop by my place without calling first. I know he doesn't mean to inconvenience me; he is just excited to see me."Example 2: "Kristopher is so rude! I can't believe he doesn't understand how annoying it is when people show up unannounced. He just doesn't respect my privacy." a. feeling statements b. interpretation statements c. consequence statements d. intention statements
b. interpretation statements
According to your textbook, for many males the most meaningful part of their same-sex friendships is ________. a. self-disclosure b. shared activities c. small talk d. emotional support
b. shared activities
Any message that suggests "I'm better than you" is likely to arouse feelings of defensiveness in the recipients. What kind of messages are these? a. certain b. superior c. spontaneous d. provisional
b. superior
Which conflict style involves civil conversations in which conflicts are managed openly and cooperatively? a. volatile b. validating c. avoiding d. laissez-faire
b. validating
Which nondefensive response to criticism does Donna's comment illustrate?Cynthia: "You're so critical! It sounds like you don't like anything about this paper."Donna: "But you asked for my opinion. What do you expect me to do when you ask?"Cynthia: "I want to know what's wrong, but I don't just want to hear criticisms. If you think there's anything good about my work, I wish you'd tell me that, too." a. Asking about the consequences of her behavior. b. Guessing about specifics. c. Asking what the critic wants. d. Paraphrasing the speaker's ideas
c. Asking what the critic wants.
Which statement below does not characterize family systems? a. Family systems are more than just collections of individual people. b. Communication connects the members of a family system. c. Family systems are the smallest social unit and cannot be broken down into smaller subsystems. d. Members of family systems are interdependent.
c. Family systems are the smallest social unit and cannot be broken down into smaller subsystems.
Check My Work High-context and low-context cultural styles are important cultural factor shaping attitudes toward conflict. What is the difference between them? a. Low-context cultures prefer accommodation over collaboration. b. Low-context cultures value self-restraint and tend to avoid confrontation. c. Low-context cultures place a premium on being direct and literal during conflict. d. None of these choices is correct.
c. Low-context cultures place a premium on being direct and literal during conflict.
Listening to the ideas and feelings of others is an important part of ________. a. endorsement b. recognition c. acknowledgement d. incongruous responses
c. acknowledgement
What type of disconfirming communication does the following interaction illustrate? Alice: "Would you like to go see a movie with me on Friday night?" Bill: "Uh, maybe. Alice: "OK, well, do you want to call me Thursday to let me know if you're free?" Bill: "Uh, that might work. See you later." a. an interruption b. an irrelevant response c. an ambiguous response d. an impersonal response
c. an ambiguous response
The ________ conflict style involves creating a lose-lose situation. a. collaborating b. competing c. avoiding d. accommodating
c. avoiding
When our authors describe conflict as an expressed struggle, they believe conflict can only occur when ________. a. both parties have the same goals b. both parties verbally tell each other there is a conflict c. both parties are aware of a disagreement d. one party is frustrated or angry
c. both parties are aware of a disagreement
If you want to merge insights with someone who has a different perspective on a problem, which conflict style would be best to use? a. compromising b. competing c. collaborating d. accommodating
c. collaborating
The statements "I wish you would be friendlier," "You are such a slob," and "You need to have a more positive attitude" are examples of ________. a. incongruous messages b. impersonal responses c. complaining d. recognition
c. complaining
One type of defensive behavior, neutrality, involves reacting with indifference to the feelings of others. What is the supportive counterpart to this defensive behavior? a. problem orientation b. equality c. empathy d. provisionalism
c. empathy
Men and women often approach conflicts differently. Even in childhood, ________. a. females are more likely to use competitive conflict management strategies, whereas males are more likely to use avoidance strategies b. females are more likely to be physical, whereas males are more likely to be emotional c. males are more likely to be aggressive, demanding, and competitive, whereas females are more likely to be cooperative d. males are more likely to use collaboration conflict management strategies, whereas females are more likely to use direct aggression strategies
c. males are more likely to be aggressive, demanding, and competitive, whereas females are more likely to be cooperative
Check My Work When a communicator expresses hostility in an obscure or manipulative way, his or her behavior is called ________. a. compromising b. direct aggression c. passive aggression d. accommodating
c. passive aggression
Families that are ________ are low in conversation orientation and high in conformity orientation. a. consensual b. pluralistic c. protective d. laissez-faire
c. protective
Which aspect of friendship is present between friends at any point in the life span? a. social support b. play c. self-disclosure d. commitment
c. self-disclosure
All of the following are characteristics of conflict except ___________. a. perceived incompatible goals b. perceived scarce resources c. suppressed struggle d. interdependence
c. suppressed struggle
In a conflict situation, the process of identifying and defining a conflict, generating a number of possible solutions, evaluating those solutions, and then deciding on the best solution is called ________. a. a conflict solution ritual b. problem solving c. the negotiation of a solution d. parallel solution creation
c. the negotiation of a solution
Social scientists use the term metacommunication to describe what kinds of messages that people exchange? a. communication about emotions b. communication about communication c. communication about nonverbal cues d. communication about worldviews
communication about communication
We seek out involvement with others but, at the same time, we are unwilling to sacrifice our entire identity to even the most satisfying relationship. Which dialectal tension does this illustrate? a. attraction versus attention b. openness versus privacy c. connection versus autonomy d. predictability versus novelty
connection versus autonomy
Researchers have identified five strategies to help keep relationships satisfying, including all of the following except ______________. a. positivity b. assurance c. consistency d. sharing tasks
consistency
Which statement about family roles is true? a. Family roles tend to remain the same throughout the family members' lives. b. Family roles are typically unrelated to kinship positions. c. The family roles typically found in a society remain very stable over time and have changed very little in modern times. d. Communication problems in families often arise when people communicate in ways that do not fit their expected family role.
d. Communication problems in families often arise when people communicate in ways that do not fit their expected family role.
Check My Work In the On the Job feature "Picking Your Workplace Battles", your textbook states that management consultants offer all of the following guidelines for when to consider a retreat during conflict, except which one? a. The issue isn't important to your organization or your ability to work. b. You can't offer a constructive approach to a solution. c. The issue is outside your area of responsibility. d. You are more powerful than those you are in conflict with
d. You are more powerful than those you are in conflict with
What type of disconfirming communication does the following interaction illustrate?Michael: "I'm kind of worried about my grandmother's health. She's been losing so much weight." Sonja: "Yeah, I don't think she's eating enough, and at the rate we're going, pretty soon we won't be eating enough either—we really need to go grocery shopping." a. an interruption b. an impersonal response c. an irrelevant response d. a tangential response
d. a tangential response
Which messages primarily involve using clichés rather than truly responding to a speaker? a. ambiguous responses b. assertive responses c. irrelevant responses d. impersonal responses
d. impersonal responses
Each of the following is considered to be one of the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" for relationships except _______. a. stonewalling b. criticism c. defensiveness d. jealousy
d. jealousy
An event that changes a relationship in a fundamental way, such as a first kiss, is known as a ________. a. relational transgression b. communication pattern c. change in role d. relational turning point
d. relational turning point
A friendship based on shared activities rather than emotional support can be described as ________. a. short term b. high obligation c. low disclosure d. task oriented
d. task oriented
After we have made contact with a new person, the next stage is to decide whether we are interested in pursuing the relationship further. This involves getting to know others by gaining more information about them. This stage is referred to as ________. a. experimenting b. intensifying c. initiating d. bonding
experimenting
In the Ethical Challenge feature "Nonviolence: A Legacy of Principled Effectiveness" your textbook suggests that the proven effectiveness of nonviolence in achieving social change is, sadly, rarely effective in interpersonal situations. a. True b. False
false
In the In Real Life feature "The Assertive Message Format" you textbook offers examples to show that the elements of the assertive message format can vary, and the way they sound will depend on the situation and your personal style. a. True b. False
false
In the Looking at Diversity feature "A Modern Arranged Marriage" Rakhi Singh tells the story of her marriage to Rajesh Punn, including how their parents arranged the match and at their first meeting gave them three hours to decide on an engagement. a. True b. False
false
In the Looking at Diversity feature "Multicultural Families and Communication Challenges," Scott Johnson, father of an adopted biracial family, describes how he was able to plan ahead for many challenges, including how to compensate for differences in skin tone when taking pictures. a. True b. False
false
In the Looking at Diversity feature "Searching for Accord in Troubled Times", FBI director James Comey's studies show that many people in our white-majority culture have unconscious racial biases and react differently to a white face than a black face. Therefore, Comey suggests we're not responsible for our behavior in response to those instinctive reactions. a. True b. False
false
In the On the Job feature "Intellectual Humility at Google" your textbook states that Laszlo Bock, Google's head of people operations, looks for employees who have what he calls "intellectual humility," which is "the ability to fight for your ideas even when someone else has one that you know is better." a. True b. False
false
In the On the Job feature "Romance in the Workplace," your text suggests that dating a coworker is always a good thing because 34 percent of people who said they dated a coworker ended up marrying that person. a. True b. False
false
In the Reading feature "An Unlikely Friendship" Shane L. Windmeyer, a 40-year-old gay man and a lifelong activist for equality, shared the story of his friendship with Chick-fil-A's president and COO, Dan Cathy, a supporter of anti-LBGT groups, because he wants more people to eat Chick-fil-A's sandwiches. a. True b. False
false
In the Reading feature "How to Fall in Love," Mandy Len Catron reports on a study that proves it's not possible to artificially generate the trust and intimacy that love needs in order to thrive. a. True b. False
false
Research suggests that, even when forgiven, transgressors are as likely to repeat their offenses as are those who have not received forgiveness. a. True b. False
false
The Reading feature "Software Tackles Roommate Conflicts", Matt Unger, chief executive officer of Roompact, explains that his digital solutions for avoiding roommate conflict will eventually eliminate the need for face-to-face dialogue. a. True b. False
false
What is considered the first developmental stage of romantic relationships? a. meeting b. experimenting c. initiating d. bonding
initiating
Studies show that relational intimacy may develop ________ through computer-mediated communication than in face-to-face communication. a. in more exciting ways b. more quickly c. more deeply and meaningfully d. with less self-disclosure
more quickly
A strategy to maintain a relationship that involves talking directly about the relationship and disclosing needs and concerns is _______________. a. openness b. segmentation c. forgiveness d. immediacy
openness
The four dimensions of intimacy are ________. a. physical, intellectual, emotional, and shared activities b. emotions, words, love, and sex c. touch, eye contact, closeness, and commitment d. romantic, companionate, platonic, and sexual
physical, intellectual, emotional, and shared activities
Which strategy for managing dialectal tensions involves acknowledging that dialectal tensions are a part of life and accepting the challenges that come with them? a. recalibration b. segmentation c. reaffirmation d. disorientation
reaffirmation
We are attracted to people who we believe are attracted to us. Conversely, we will probably not care for people who either attack or seem indifferent toward us. This kind of attraction is labeled as which of the following? a. mutual attraction b. reciprocal attraction c. complementary attraction d.proximity attraction
reciprocal attraction
Communication theorist Richard Conville views relationships as a constantly changing cycle in which partners move through a series of stages, returning to ones they previously encountered, although at a new level. Conville's stages include all of the following except ________________. a. security b. disintegration c. alienation d. reintensifying
reintensifying
Affinity, immediacy, respect, and control are dimensions of what kind of communication? a. relational b. paralinguistic c. nonverbal d. dialectal
relational
Some social scientists have argued that all relationships—both impersonal and personal—are based on a semi-economic model called social exchange theory. The basis of this model is ____________. a. Outcomes - Liking = Rewards b. Proximity + Availability = Love c. Costs - Rewards = Outcomes d. Rewards - Costs = Outcomes
rewards-costs= outcomes
A large body of research confirms the fact that we like people who are ________ us, at least in most cases. a. opposites of b. exactly like c. similar to d. rather different from
similar to
Disconfirming communication messages are used to convey a lack of value from one person to another, often in ways that threaten the face of the communicators involved. a. True b. False
true
In the In Real Life feature "Win-Win Problem Solving", when Chris practices constructive conflict skills with Terry to address her problems concerning house chores, they both benefit from a new arrangement that is more successful than the old arrangement. a. True b. False
true
In the Looking at Diversity feature "Multicultural Families and Communication Challenges," Scott Johnson, father of an adopted biracial family, describes how he was able to plan ahead for many challenges, including how to compensate for differences in skin tone when taking pictures. a. True b. False
true
In the Looking at Diversity feature "Promoting Understanding" Abdel Jalil Elayyadi, an Arab Muslim who grew up in Morocco, explains how he tries to promote peace and understanding in the world by engaging in conversations with non-Muslims that focus on things in common and shared beliefs. a. True b. False
true
In the On the Job feature "How to Repair a Damaged Professional Relationship" business consultant Dorie Clark suggests that when you have problems with a colleague, you should begin by asking for a fresh start. a. True b. False
true
In the Reading feature "Relfies: Good for You and Your Relationships" Gary Lewandowski suggests that "relfies," relationship selfie photos, help promote healthy relationships. a. True b. False
true