Speech Midterm
True or False? "I gotta be me" might be the motto in a collectivistic culture.
False
True or False? All language is symbolic, and all symbolic systems constitute language.
False
True or False? An allness claim is one in which the speaker intentionally misleads the hearer by arguing that everyone else agrees with his or her position.
False
True or False? Any time you expect something to happen and then it does happen, that's a self-fulfilling prophecy.
False
True or False? Context and feedback are aspects of the action model of communication.
False
True or False? English is the most commonly spoken language in the world.
False
True or False? Fellowship face refers to our need to avoid being imposed upon by others.
False
True or False? Having empathy means feeling sorry for someone else.
False
True or False? If an attribution is internal then it must also be controllable.
False
True or False? In a low-power-distance culture, people are expected to choose friends or mates from within their own social class.
False
True or False? In personal relationships, it's always best to increase the breadth and depth of self-disclosure.
False
True or False? Instrumental needs are the least important needs served by communication.
False
True or False? Most Hispanic, southern European, and Middle Eastern cultures are classified as low-contact cultures.
False
True or False? Most research has shown that femininity is positively related to affectionate communication, whereas masculinity is negatively related to it.
False
True or False? Most research strongly supports the common notion that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
False
True or False? Most research supports the notion that low self-disclosure is the underlying cause of juvenile delinquency and anti-social behavior.
False
True or False? Only false statements can ever qualify as libel.
False
True or False? Organization is the process of assigning meaning to something you have perceived.
False
True or False? Overattribution is essentially the same thing as the primacy effect.
False
True or False? Pennebaker's research shows that verbal communication has little ability to provide comfort and healing.
False
True or False? Research has shown that genes have little or no influence on personality.
False
True or False? Research shows that biology plays almost no role in how we communicate.
False
True or False? Research suggests that women are more likely than men to use self-references, such as "me" and "I."
False
True or False? Scientific studies have confirmed that girls have lower self-esteem than boys.
False
True or False? Self-concept is entirely subjective.
False
True or False? The concept of perceptual filters states that everyone will derive the same meaning from any given message.
False
True or False? The pupil of the eye contracts when we look at someone we find attractive.
False
True or False? The stages of perception happen in a very ordered and linear fashion.
False
True or False? The use of idioms is primarily a North American behavior.
False
True or False? Transsexual individuals are always born with one or more chromosomal abnormality.
False
True or False? Using emotion to persuade is known as an appeal to ethos.
False
True or False? We have a tendency to discount first impressions as untrustworthy.
False
True or False? When it comes to perception-making, it is always best to have the most information possible.
False
True or False? When nonverbal cues conflict with verbal cues, people usually believe the verbal statements.
False
True or False? Words have inherent meanings.
False
Studies involving communication between infants and caregivers have reliably demonstrated which of the following?
Human interaction, specifically touch, is critical for development and health.
Which of the following statements is NOT true about hyper-personal communication?
Hyper-personal communication involves feelings of increased inhibition.
Which of the following statements would be true according to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
If a culture does not have a word for an emotion, its members will not be able experience that emotion.
Which of the following statements about facial or vocal expressions of emotions is factually incorrect?
Infants are unable to respond to pleasant stimuli before they are 12 months old.
Which of the following statements most accurately reflects the attitude of someone from a low-power-distance culture?
It is a person's individual right to question authority.
Why do people tend to believe nonverbal messages even when they contradict verbal messages?
It is harder for most people to control their nonverbal communication than their verbal communication.
According to the text, which of the following is NOT a necessary characteristic of interpersonal communication?
It relates to intimate information.
During a phone conversation, you are able to infer something about the speaker's mood and personality by listening to his or her vocal cues. This fact illustrates which of the following claims about nonverbal communication?
Nonverbal communication is present in most forms of interpersonal communication.
Which of the following statements is NOT true about high-context cultures?
Offering personal opinions is valued.
Among adults, which of the following is true about touch behavior?
Opposite-sex touch is more common than same-sex touch.
Which of the following is true in highly collectivistic cultures?
People take an indirect approach to handling conflict.
According to the textbook, which of the following statements about people with low self-esteem is NOT true?
People with low self-esteem are more likely to engage in antisocial behavior.
Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous encourage people to share about problems they are facing. This type of disclosure is based theoretically on which of the following principles?
Self-disclosure can help others.
When Jon and Ernesto met in their English class, they were both hesitant to share much about their personal lives. As the semester progressed and they became better friends, they felt comfortable sharing more and more with each other. Which element of self-disclosure is reflected in their relationship?
Self-disclosure follows a process.
Regarding self-disclosure, which of the following statements is true?
Self-disclosure is highly reciprocal.
Which of the following statements about slang is FALSE?
Slang is an exception to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
Culture consists of the shared symbols, language, values, and norms that distinguish one group of people from another.
True
True or False? According to the norm of reciprocity, people expect the level of disclosures in their personal relationships to be relatively equivalent.
True
True or False? An I-statement claims ownership of what one is feeling or thinking, whereas a you-statement shifts that responsibility to the other person.
True
True or False? Arousal is an increase in energy.
True
True or False? As articulated by Schutz, the need for affection refers to the need to have people love and appreciate us.
True
True or False? Biological sex is genetically determined, whereas gender roles are socially constructed.
True
True or False? Children who are regularly touched develop stronger immune systems than those who are not.
True
True or False? Competent communication must be both effective and appropriate.
True
True or False? Egocentrism is a normal stage of human development.
True
True or False? Ethical communication generally involves treating people fairly, communicating honestly, and avoiding immoral behavior.
True
True or False? Human interaction is critical for the health of both infants and adults.
True
True or False? Image management is a complex, collaborative process.
True
True or False? In a low-context culture, people are expected to be direct and say what they mean.
True
True or False? In the communication process, noise can be either physical or psychological.
True
True or False? Lack of effective communication is the most commonly cited reason for relationship failure.
True
True or False? Low self-monitors are more likely than high self-monitors to appear unsophisticated or socially awkward.
True
True or False? Men are more likely than women to initiate touch with other adults, but women are more likely than men to initiate touch with children.
True
True or False? Metacommunication occurs when individuals discuss the meaning or subtext of their messages.
True
True or False? Most people in the United States believe they are above-average communicators.
True
True or False? Of all the senses, smell is most strongly tied to memory.
True
True or False? On average, men express more opinions than women do.
True
True or False? Our use of time can send powerful messages about value and power.
True
True or False? People from different cultures sometimes experience difficulty in understanding one another because they think differently.
True
True or False? People tend to be most attracted to others whose natural body odors are different from their own.
True
True or False? Perceptual ability is influenced by social and occupational roles.
True
True or False? Phonological rules deal with the correct pronunciation of words.
True
True or False? Physiology exerts several effects on interpersonal perception.
True
True or False? Profanity is highly context-specific.
True
True or False? Self-fulfilling prophecies that we make for ourselves often affect the behavior of others.
True
True or False? Slang can serve an important social function by helping people distinguish between those who do and do not belong to their social networks.
True
True or False? Social penetration theory uses the metaphor of an onion to illustrate how self-disclosure develops over time in a relationship.
True
True or False? The face communicates more information than any other nonverbal channel.
True
True or False? The self-serving bias is a form of self-delusion.
True
True or False? Verbal communication includes both spoken and written language.
True
True or False? Voices that have low amounts of inflection are said to be monotone.
True
True or False? Your self-concept is made up of the perceptions you have about who you are as a person.
True
True or False? Your senses are unable to attend to every stimulus in the environment at the same time.
True
According to research, a joke must contain what in order to be considered funny?
an expectancy violation
In the United States, most people understand that they are expected to form a line and wait for their turn. That is an example of which type of rule?
an implicit rule
Which gender role combines aspects of masculinity and femininity?
androgyny
Which persuasion strategy takes advantage of the speaker's credibility?
appeal to ethos
Different cultures have different standards that define competent communication. This cultural variation speaks to which element of communication competence?
appropriateness
Which sexual orientation refers to a lack of interest in sexual relationships?
asexuality
Effectively interpreting nonverbal communication includes what?
asking for clarification when necessary
According to your text, the perception-making process consists of three stages. Which of the following is NOT among them?
attribution
An explanation for why something occurred is called a(n)
attribution.
When Sheila asked her friend Tommy to help her move at the end of the semester, she may have threatened his ________ face needs.
autonomy
Which of the following was NOT suggested in your textbook as one of the ways to combat perceptual inaccuracies?
avoiding biased opinions
According to the Johari window, there are aspects of our personalities that others can see in us but that we are unaware of. These are known as the ________ aspects of our self.
blind
Studies of affectionate communication have shown that :
both highly masculine and highly feminine individuals are likely to express affection.
According to social penetration theory, the ________ dimension concerns the number of topics disclosed, whereas the ________ dimension concerns the level of detail in topics disclosed.
breadth; depth
The study of touch behavior is known as
haptics.
According to the text, which of the following characteristics is NOT typically associated with some type of social stigma?
having cancer
Which of the following examples illustrates the idea of reclaiming a phrase?
homosexual men referring to one another as "queer"
Which of the following sequences accurately depicts the process of stereotype formation?
identify group membership recall group generalization apply generalization
A verbal phrase whose meaning is purely figurative, such as "shake a leg" or "kick the bucket," is called what?
idiom
When we consider how we want to be perceived by other people, we are considering our what?
image.
According to the text, your self-concept is NOT influenced by:
impression evaluation.
Which of the following linguistic features was NOT identified in the textbook as affecting a speaker's credibility?
incorrect diction
Which of the following nonverbal cues is commonly associated with deception, according to research?
increased vocal pitch
Some researchers believe women and men grow up in different speech communities. According to that idea, men are taught to do ________ and women are taught to do ________.
instrumental talk; expressive talk
While talking to a friend at a party, you notice that your romantic partner has just arrived. Eager to greet your partner, you angle your posture away from your friend and toward your partner. That movement
is culturally insensitive, especially to members of high-contact cultures.
Which of the following would be considered very specific communication codes, such as those used by doctors and dentists?
jargon
Which of the following emotional states was NOT identified by Paul Ekman as having a universal facial expression?
jealousy
The study of how people use movement is called what?
kinesics
A structured system of symbols used for creating meaning is known as a(n)
language.
Words that evoke strongly positive or strongly negative connotations are known collectively as what?
loaded language.
Which of the following is an example of feedback that someone might provide in response to a message?
looking at her watch anxiously as someone else is talking
The idea that "all people are created equal" would be characteristic of which type of culture?
low-power-distance culture
According to research, what is the most powerful predictor of happiness in life?
marital happiness
The use of a "thumbs-up" gesture to symbolize the statement "good luck"illustrates what?
meaning can be conveyed without the use of words.
Rick's manager, Susan, called him into her office one afternoon to discuss his annual evaluation. As soon as Rick sat down, Susan said, "Rick, your performance is unacceptable and I'm going to have to let you go." After a moment of silence, Susan grinned and winked at Rick, and he knew she was joking. Susan used nonverbal communication to what?
metacommunicate that she was teasing.
When people engage in communication about their communication, they are engaging in a process called what?
metacommunication.
Schutz identified three fundamental interpersonal needs. Which particular need is the most similar in meaning to fellowship face?
need for inclusion
You liked most everything about your new roommate when you first met, but when you found out she smokes, that overshadowed all of her good qualities in your mind. What perception-making process are you displaying here?
negativity bias
Which term is used for anything that interferes with the accurate decoding of a message?
noise
Martin disclosed something personal to his friend Tony. Afterward, Tony felt as though he had to disclose something personal in return. Tony's feelings exemplify which principle?
norm of reciprocity
Which of the following linguistic patterns is associated with powerful speech?
offering opinions
One of your hall-mates, Ling, is an exchange student from Taiwan. Ling never goes out with the other students, goes to bed at 9:30 every night, and studies quietly in her room most of the time. You assume that Ling behaves the way she does because she is Asian. Which of the following attribution errors might you have committed?
overattribution
Vocal behaviors that go along with verbal behaviors to convey meaning are known as
paralanguage.
Angela had just been promoted to department chair at the college where she taught. Although she treated everyone the same, several of the male professors in the department were put off by Angela's requests. As a result, the female professors thought of Angela as fair and equitable in her treatment, but the male professors began resenting her and openly challenging her position on several issues. The male professors probably treated Angela that way because they what?
perceived Angela's professional position as masculine and socially threatening.
Which term refers to the ongoing process of making meaning from what we experience in our environment?
perception
People "see" faces in all sorts of natural phenomena, including clouds, tree bark, and even rocks on Mars. This is an example of which perception-making process?
perceptual set
According to Edward T. Hall, the range of which type of distance is approximately 1½ to 4 feet?
personal distance
A fellow student in one of your communication classes, Rose, starts acting particularly nice to you in the weeks leading up to the first exam. Classmates have frequently treated you this way in the past in the hope that you will help them study. As a result, you are suspicious of Rose's motives. In this scenario, you are likely basing your suspicions on what?
personal experience.
The way you tend to think and act in most situations defines your what?
personality.
What type of language rule deals with the correct pronunciation of words?
phonological
Which type of noise is associated with distractions that result from a loud environment?
physical noise
Many factors affect the likelihood that we will notice a certain object in our environment. Which of the following does NOT lead to increased attention?
plainness
Which of the following processes is at work when we are able to recall only information that confirms our existing stereotypes?
selective memory bias
Your own understanding of who you are as a person comprises your what?
self-concept.
Your subjective evaluation of yourself is known as what?
self-esteem.
Researchers use which term to describe how aware people are of their own behaviors?
self-monitoring
In a low-context culture, people are taught to what?
share personal opinions.
When we evaluate our own merits with respect to certain reference groups, we are engaging in a process known as what?
social comparison.
Which of the following do NOT factor into determining an individual's biological sex?
social differences
When you see someone dressed in very tight, dark clothing with spiky hair and eyeliner, you infer that this person is into emo punk rock. Your impression is based on which set of cues?
sociocultural
Which of the following was NOT identified in your textbook as a demographic characteristic?
socioeconomic status
Your textbook identifies several ways that speakers can use nonverbal communication to increase the persuasiveness of their statements. Which of the following nonverbal behaviors is NOT in line with these prescriptions?
speaking softly, slowly, and calmly
Which of the following terms is onomatopoetic?
splash
To an American, the phrase "How are you today?" sounds correct, whereas the phrase "Today you are how?" sounds incorrect. The second phrase violates which rule of language?
syntactic
According to the distinctions between men's and women's linguistic styles, men are more likely to what?
talk in shorter phrases.
Which of the following is NOT an example of an affiliation behavior?
talking in short phrases
Which of the following vocal behaviors is a dimension of nonverbal communication?
tone of voice, rate of speech, loudness
Which model considers both people in a conversation to be senders and receivers simultaneously?
transaction
Which concept of culture includes judgments about how good, desirable, or beautiful something is?
values
The claim that "4 out of 5 doctors prefer" a certain medication for a headache is an example of which kind of statement?
weasel words
Which of the following best defines stigma?
a pattern of interaction in which one person perpetually criticizes or condemns others
Technically speaking, which of the following is a factual claim?
"Candidate C accepted illegal bribes."
Which of the following techniques can help in the perception-checking process?
generating alternative perceptions
Which of the following is NOT one of the influences on perceptual accuracy addressed in your textbook?
genetic background
The tendency to assume that attractive people also have other positive qualities is called what?
halo effect
Contemporary research suggests that approximately what percentage of meaning is transmitted nonverbally?
65-70%
Which of the statements about touching behavior involving children is true?
Among children, same-sex touching is more common than opposite-sex.
Which of the following is NOT one of the criticisms that have been levied against the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
Children who grow up in a bilingual family experience a great deal of cognitive dissonance because of the conflicting languages.
The research on sex and cultural differences in self-esteem has primarily disputed which of the following claims?
Caucasians report the highest levels of self-esteem of any ethnic group in the U.S.
The fact that some people lie in order to take advantage of others refutes which of the following myths of communication?
Communication is inherently good.
The process by which cultural traditions are passed from one generation to the next is known as what?
Enculturation
Which of the following claims about facial expressions of emotion is FALSE?
Facial expressions are second only to vocal behaviors in their ability to express emotion.
How are interpretations different from facts?
Facts speak to what occurred, whereas interpretations speak to the meaning of what occurred.
Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding feminine cultures?
Feminine cultures emphasize achievement.
Jason went to a party with several of his friends last weekend. While he was there, he made several inappropriate comments and did not notice that people were offended by what he was saying. Afterward, several people at the party commented to Jason's friends that they were surprised and upset by his behavior. Which of the following statements is likely true of Jason?
Jason is a low self-monitor.
The word set has nearly 200 discrete meanings in the English language. Imprecise use of set illustrates which of the following statements about language?
Language can be unclear because of multiple meanings for the same word.
Regarding defamation, which of the following is true?
Libel involves only statements made in print.
Forming an accurate snap judgment of someone else illustrates which of the following truisms of forming attributions?
More information doesn't necessarily lead to better attributions.
According to research, women who take their husbands' name when they marry differ in some ways from women who keep their birth name. Which of the following statements is true?
Name-keepers say their personal concerns are more important than their relationships.
Judy thinks it's going to rain today, so she behaves in ways that are consistent with that prediction (e.g., she wears her raincoat, she carries her umbrella). In fact, it does rain, just as she predicted. Is this an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Pick the correct answer and explanation.
No, because her behaviors did not cause the prediction to come true.
Which of the following statements is true with respect to perceptual accuracy?
Physiological characteristics, including our biological rhythms, affect perceptual accuracy.
Which of the following statements is true with respect to the process of stereotyping?
Stereotypes are sometimes accurate.
Which of the following is true about I-statements?
They allow us to claim ownership of our thoughts and feelings.
Which of the following statements about people with high self-esteem is NOT true?
They score higher on standardized tests.
Which of the following statements about smoking is the best example of an appeal to pathos?
Think about how many lives you're ruining by continuing to smoke.
Regarding the benefits of high self-esteem, which of the following statements has been supported by the research?
Those with high self-esteem are more outgoing and willing to communicate.
Regarding the fundamental attribution error, which of the following statements is NOT true?
We don't usually commit it when we are told that a person's behavior is externally caused.
Which of the following statements about language and culture is true?
When people speak more than one language, their language use is often accompanied by a shift in cultural values.
With respect to sex differences in emotion, which of the following is true?
Women and men report experiencing the same amount of emotion.
Which of the following is true regarding sex differences in verbal communication?
Women are not more talkative than men.
Which of the following claims about self-disclosure is true?
Women disclose more than men.
Research shows that olfactic cues play a role in mate selection. Which of the following statements is true?
Women with more attractive faces smell better to men.
To say that words are symbols accurately reflects which of the following ideas?
Words are representations of ideas.
In which of the following instances might you have committed the self-serving bias?
You attribute all your failures to external, unstable causes.
A group of students who attend the same high school and all belong to the school's computer club would be an example of what?
a co-culture
Which of the following is an example of a channel-rich communication context?
chatting with friends at a party
Imagine that you have just called a friend, but your friend didn't take the call and it went to voicemail. At first, you assume your friend was simply away from the phone or busy, but you start to wonder if he might be angry with you or ignoring you. This exercise is an example of what?
cognitive complexity
Which of the following phrases is an example of doublespeak?
collateral damage
Idioms and gestures are examples of what?
communication codes.
Which face need refers to our need to be respected for our abilities and intelligence?
competence face
Which of the following is part of communication context?
connotation of the message.
Which of the following would be considered an instrumental need that can be met through communication?
convincing your roommate to turn off her music by midnight each night
Your text discussed several potential risks of self-disclosure. Which of the following was NOT among them?
damaging personal health
The literal, "dictionary" definition of a word is its ________ meaning.
denotative
As defined in the textbook, which of the following does not help us grow spiritually?
discouraging the spirituality of others.
Which aspect of communication relates to how well a message meets its goals?
effectiveness
Rick and Jamie recently started dating. To commemorate their first month as a couple, Rick surprised Jamie when he picked her up at work in a rented limousine with floor-level tickets to a concert. After the show, Rick was upset because Jamie would barely speak to him. Jamie was also upset because she had been planning on surprising Rick with a quiet dinner at home. After two days of fighting, the couple broke up. What was likely at the root of this conflict?
egocentrism
When people get excited or aroused, what usually happens to their voice?
elevated pitch
Which type of gesture has a direct verbal translation?
emblem
Which is the term used for textual representations of facial expressions, often used in e-mail messages?
emoticons
According to the text, the face is used primarily to communicate
emotion
The ability to take another person's perspective, and to think and feel as that person does, is called what?
empathy
A sense of morality and the judgment of right and wrong are known as what?
ethics.
According to the textbook, what is a defining elements of culture?
ethnicity.
Saying that someone has been "let go" instead of "fired" is an example of which language behavior?
euphemism
When Rachel saw her neighbor Harold in the hallway, he quickly flagged her down and began to speak with her. Throughout their conversation, Harold maintained steady eye contact, spoke very quickly, laughed frequently, and stood closer to Rachel than he usually would. Harold's nonverbal cues indicate that he was what?
excited.
A sign in the library that reads "No Talking Allowed" would constitute an example of what?
explicit rule
Samantha was a fantastic softball player, but she rarely took credit for her success. Every time a reporter from the school paper would ask her for a quote, Samantha would say, "I just got lucky today," or, "Their pitcher just gave me something I could hit." Which of the following likely factors into Samantha's personality?
external locus
Which of the following pairs of nonverbal channels is particularly useful in communicating emotion?
facial expression and vocal behaviors
Idealizing a romantic partner at the beginning of a new relationship is a common example of the ________ bias.
positivity
When Jesse first met Nicolette, he extended his hand and said warmly, "Nice to meet you." In response, Nicolette sighed, rolled her eyes, and simply said, "Yah," in a very sarcastic tone. Jesse inferred that Nicolette was not excited about meeting him, based on her reaction. On which rule of language did Jesse likely base his decision?
pragmatic rule
Which aspect of facial attractiveness refers to the relative size of facial features, such as the nose or ears?
proportionality
One of the ways we figure out who we are is by seeing who others think we are. The term for that process is what?
reflected appraisal.
When your roommate says "We're out of detergent again" and you take that as a criticism, you are paying attention to which aspect of the message?
relational dimension
During your first session of this class, your instructor introduced him or herself and you probably respected his or her position as an authoritative figure in the classroom. Which of the following classification schema likely helped you organize that information?
role constructs
When competent communicators discover that their perceptions were inaccurate, they will respond by what?
seeking more information.
