COMM 1500 EXAM 1 Study Guide Answers PDF

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Tests were multiple choice and short answer concept check. Pay close attention to specific examples given....

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COMM 1500 Possible Topics for Exam 1: Spring 2014 This exam will contain 50 multiple-choice or true/false questions, each worth 3 points each. The following list includes the topics that may be covered on the exam. Note: The readings cover and expand on issues that were not reviewed in detail in lecture—this information is fair game.

The definition of interpersonal communication from a quantitative and qualitative perspective  Book Definition: Interpersonal communication is a dynamic form of communication between 2 (or more) people in which the messages exchanged significantly influence their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and relationships.  Lecture Definition: A process of message transaction between 2 (or more) people to create and sustain shared meaning.  Qualitative Perspective: through careful observations, identify patterns in what they’re seeing, and try to determine the principles behind their observations (Flame Theory). Begin with observation and description and then move to development of theory. o SINGULAR: the people are unique – never going to be replicated between interactions o Irreplaceable – can never capture it again o Interdependent – the aspects of one interaction can lead to and be helpful in other interactions  Well suited for learning the details, nuances, and richness of real-life communication patterns.  Quantitative Perspective: begins with a proposed theory, then a formulated hypothesis based on that theory, and finally test of those hypotheses by conducting an experiment. o Counting behavior o Dyadic - # of people # of moments of behavior (What was decided to be said)  Excellent for determining the frequency of various communication behaviors, as well as systematically testing the influence of various factors on such behaviors  Both are equally valid for the study of interpersonal communication. They both generate valuable and trustworthy knowledge. The four needs that communication meets The definition of encoding, decoding, and feedback  Feedback is comprised of the verbal and nonverbal messages that recipients convey to indicate their reaction to communication. (eye contact, utterances, such as “uh-huh” and “that’s right”, or nodding) o Receivers deliver feedback to let senders know they’ve received and understood the message and to indicate their approval or disapproval.  Encoding – to convert a message into an understandable sign and symbol system o Speaking, writing, printing, and filming a television program  Decoding – after a message is received then the signs and symbols are interpreted o Listening, reading, or watching that TV show. The definition of noise Noise is any factor in the environment that impede messages from reaching their destination.  Anything that causes our attention to drift from messages – such as poor phone reception or the smell of fresh coffee nearby.  A factor in the linear, interactive, and transactional communication models

The conditions by which communication occurs, and does not occur The difference between communication and perception Communication is the process through which people use messages to generate meanings within and across contexts, cultures, channels, and media, whereas perception is the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information from our senses – what we rely on to tell us what’s real and what isn’t The definition of communication competence Means to consistently communicate in ways that are appropriate (follows accepted norms), effective (enables you to achieve your goals), and ethical (treats people fairly) The definitions of and differences between analogic and digital codes Analogic Codes – behaviors that bare resemblance across cultures: smile when your happy (nonvoluntary) Digital Codes – have to know meaning: football plays, field specific jargon, baseball signals The definitions of and differences between content and relational dimensions of communication Content information is the actual meaning of the words you utter.  You convey content directly through spoken or written words Relational information consists of signals indicating how each of you views your relationship.  Communicated primarily nonverbal cues (vocal tone, pitch and volume; facial expression and eye contact; hand gestures; position in relation to the listener, and posture.  Signals may indicate whether you consider yourself superior, equal, or inferior to the other person and whether you see the relationship as intimate, acquainted, or estranged You can communicate the same CONTEXT with very different RELATIONAL dimensions. The distinctions between common sense versus science, as defined in lecture When using common sense we focus on subjective (opinions and feelings) logic, tend to accept preconceived explanations, and focus on specific instances that support our preconceptions.  If you think people from a certain race always smell, you will accept that this is a fact we you come across one of those smelly people. When conducting science we focus on objective (facts and evidence) logic and observation, and the ultimate goal is to understand patterns. Definitions and characteristics of theory, as defined in lecture  General definition of theory: any attempt to explain or represent a phenomenon o A theory is an abstraction – a generalized idea developed from concrete examples of events o A theory is a construction – the act or process of building  Formal definition of theory: a set of concepts that are linked together by relational statements o Covariation Relationships: “the greater your confidence, the more you talk” o Categorical Effects: “women talk more than men”

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COVARIATION MODEL DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE ENTITY – the behavior that only occurs when the entity is present

o High Distinctiveness – a person only goes to the movies when there is a Harrison Ford movie showing. This person makes Harrison Ford movies distinctive of others  CONSENSUS – do most others respond similarly? If most others respond the same way to this entity (laugh), then there is HIGH CONSENSUS. If most others don’t respond this way to this entity, then there is LOW CONSENSUS  CONSISTENCY – does the A act this way in the presence of this entity most of the time (HIGH CONSISTENCY), or only some of the time (LOW CONSISTENCY)? HIGH DISTINCTIVENESS+HIGH CONSENSUS+HIGH CONSISTENCY leads usually to an EXTERNAL attribution LOW DISTINCTIVENESS+LOW CONSENSUS+LOW CONSISTENCY leads usually to an INTERNAL attribution Four values of theory, as defined in lecture  The value of theory: o Explanation o Prediction o Organization and Simplification o Implementation Humanistic versus scientific standards for creating theories The definitions of and distinctions between self-concept and self-esteem Self-concept is your overall perception of who you are (“On the whole, I am a blank person”). Your self-concept is based on the beliefs (convictions that certain things are true), attitudes (evaluating appraisals), and values (representations of enduring principles that guide your interpersonal actions; what you think it’s wrong or right to do) you have about yourself. Three sources of information about the self 1. Self-reflexive acts – moments of inTRApersonal communication (how I want to be seen by others and how well I did that. Am I still this person? Do I see myself in that role? Is that part of me?) 2. Significant others – reflected appraisals, definers (those that know us and reinforce us of who we are) 3. Social comparison – reference groups, models (people we don’t necessarily know but admire The two kinds of information significant others contribute to self-concept The definition of reference group A reference group is a group of which an individual identifies and whose values the individual accepts as guiding principles. The individual dimensions affecting the self The definitions of identity management, the perceived self, and the presenting self  Identity management are the communication strategies people use to influence how others view them  Perceived self (“backstage”) in private: VALUES, our roles at home  Presenting self (“front stage”) in public around others, who we try to be or the roles we maintain or try to maintain around others. MASK Three goals of identity management

1. Self-glorification – highlight the good things and downplay the bad things 2. Self-consistency – day-to-day routine 3. Accuracy Three reasons why we engage in self-presentation 1. Situational influences 2. Social Acuity 3. Behavioral skills The definitions of perceived and presenting selves, when we use these two concepts, and how they relate to a theatre’s stage The definition and uses of the four common self-monitoring strategies The definition of self-monitoring, and the distinguishing characteristics between high and low self-monitors, according to Snyder Self-monitoring is the process of observing our own communication and the norms of the situation in order to make appropriate communication choices High Self Monitors: individuals who closely monitor their own communication to ensure they’re acting in accordance with situational experiences.  They prefer situations in which clear expectations exist regarding how they’re supposed to communicate  Sensitive to the situation they are in and the context  Pay attention to the behaviors of others in social situations  Prefer to enter situations that provide clear guidelines for behavior  Are adapt at reading other people’s facial expressions  Think about how others are acting in the setting→ what to disclose and what to share Low Self Monitors: individuals that don’t assess their own communication or the situation  Prefer encounters in which they can “act like themselves” rather than having to abide by norms  Behave consistently across a variety of situations  Don’t really change their behaviors from circumstance to circumstance  “wear what and say what you want” The definition of perception Lecture: perception is the process by which we filter and interpret what our senses relay so that we can create a meaningful picture of the world. Book: perception is the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information from our senses. The definitions of and distinctions between active and passive perception  Active Perception – process of seeking out specific information (conscious effort)  Passive Perception – occurs purely because our senses are in operation. (no conscious effort; below level of awareness) The definitions of and distinctions between the stages of perception 1. Selection: influenced by: a. Intensity – stimuli that are intense, attract out (SALIENCE) i. Short or tall, bright colors, someone who is loud b. Contrast – things that are different

i. Someone we know as nice are actually mean c. Motives, expectations – emotional state – if we are happy, we notice happy people i. If you are late for something, you will focus on clocks 2. Organizing (what we prioritize) a. Figure out what is central and dominant i. Perceptual schema – cognitive frameworks that all use to organize the data we have selected 1. Physical Constructs – classify people according to their beauty, attractiveness, weight 2. Role Constructs – use social position – student, attorney, spouse 3. Psychological Constructs – curious, nervous, insecure, outgoing b. Punctuation – who does what in a communication exchange – women nag, men back away – what’s the force 3. Interpretation: “Filling in” information to complete the picture a. Make generalizations for understanding b. We assign meaning to the stimuli we organize; we infer, “fill-in, information to create meaning - information can be added that was never present to make more sense The definition of an attribution Lecture: An attribution is the construction of casual explanations for people’s behavior. Book: An attribution is an explanation that we create for others’ comments or behaviors. The ways that physiological and psychological influences affect our perception The four psychological sex types and how they affect perception The definitions of and distinctions between internal and external attributions Internal Attribution – presume that a person’s communication or behavior stems from internal causes, such as character or personality  Due to the actions of the person; the individual caused the event  They are responsible because they decided to do it o “My professor didn’t respond to my email because she doesn’t care about her students,” or” Janet sent this message because she’s rude.” External Attributions – hold that a person’s communication is caused by factors unrelated to personal qualities  Situational forces causes behavioral acts o “The test didn’t cover the material” “the bus was late, I ran out of time” “My professor didn’t respond to my email because she hasn’t checked her messages yet,” or “Janet sent this message because I didn’t respond to her first message.” The role of stability in defining attributions The definitions of and distinctions between the fundamental attribution error, the hedonic relevance effect, and the defensive attribution bias  Fundamental attribution error – the tendency to attribute other’s behaviors solely to internal causes (the kind of person they are) rather than the social or environmental forces affecting them o All assumptions are INTERNAL causes  Hedonic relevance effect – negative behavior is due to decided acts

o THE ULTIMATE ATTRIBUTION ERRORS o “I hate dishes left in the sink and my roommate knows that, but does it anyway.” “I think they did this to get to me.”  Defensive attribution bias – if we think we are similar to someone we are going to be more likely to be more charitable o Both of us leave dishes in the sink The definition of empathy Empathy is the ability to experience others’ thoughts and emotions. The relationship of emotion to self and perception processes Emotion is an intense reaction to an event that involves interpreting event meaning, becoming physiologically aroused, labeling the experience as emotional, managing reactions, and communicating through emotional displays and disclosures The importance and features of emotions 1. Subjectivity a. Vary from person to person 2. Adaptive responses a. Occur because they are reactions to changes in our environment 3. Physiological Change a. Increased heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline release, sharpened senses 4. Thought Interruption a. Previous thought ceases focus on the emotion, the cause, the reaction b. Can’t focus because you are experiencing the emotion so strongly 5. Behavioral Expression a. Outward evidence 6. Valence a. Continuum of positive or negative 7. Intensity a. Higher or lower degree of an emotion b. Fear > Terror, Sadness > Grief, Annoyed < Anger > Rage 8. Primary or Secondary a. Automatic – almost gone the second they occur b. Most memorable and 1st response to an event Theoretical approaches to emotion  Common Sense: Environmental Influence > Psychological Experience > Emotion  The James-Lange Theory: Environmental Influence > Physiological (visceral) Change > Emotion o Some same visceral changes can yield different emotions and some visceral changes are not due to emotions (exercise > visceral changes but is not an emotion  Cognitive View of Emotion/ The 2 Factory Theory Environmental Influence > Physiological, Non-specific Arousal > Search for Environmental Cues > Label Emotion The definitions and distinctions between feelings, emotions, and moods  Emotions are fundamental feeling states o Observable behaviors, expressed feelings, changes in the body state

Feelings are short-term emotional reactions to events that generate only limited arousal o Do not trigger attempts to manage experience or expressions o Small or mini-emotions that don’t have much of an impact on our day  Gratitude, concern, pleasure, relief, or resentment  Moods are low-intensity states: boredom, contentment, grouchiness, serenity o Not caused by particular events and typically last longer than feelings or emotions The definition and importance of emotional display rules Emotional display rules are the management of feelings for the purpose of creating a public display Expressed (external) vs. Felt (internal) 1. Simulation – saying you like something when you don’t; act the way others around you react even if you don’t feel that 2. Intensification – express stronger than felt to prove a point (parents over react to ensure it doesn’t happen again or underreact in order not to scare the child) 3. Miniaturization - Downplay 4. Inhibition – feel emotion but don’t express it at all POKER FACE a. STRATEGY REFLECTS THE FIRST FOUR 5. Natural and True – cognitively strategically decide how to express “Be Blunt” a. Sometimes we can’t suppress an emotion; sometimes it’s leaky and just usually comes out negatively. How emotions are displayed and regions of the face Emotions are displayed verbally and are most often displayed nonverbally 1. Brows and forehead 2. Eyelids to the bridge of the nose 3. Nose and mouth Listening 

Listening involves receiving, attending to, understanding, responding to, and recalling sounds and visual images 5 Stages of Listening 1. Receiving and Hearing a. Includes seeing: you can’t listen if you don’t “see” or hear the other person b. Noise pollution – sound in the surrounding environment that obscures or distracts our attention from auditory input. (crowds, traffic, construction equipment, music) c. Hearing impairment – the restricted ability to receive sound input across the humanly audible frequency range 2. Attending a. Involves devoting attention the information you’ve received b. If you don’t attend to the information, you can’t go on to interpret and understand it, or respond to it c. The extent to which you attend to received information is determined by its SALIENCE – visually or audibly stimulating, unexpected, or personally important 3. Understanding

a. Involves interpreting the meaning of another person’s communication by comparing newly received information against our past knowledge b. Short-term memory – the part of your mind that temporarily houses the information while you seek to understand its meaning c. Long-term memory – the part of your mind devoted to permanent information storage 4. Responding a. Communicating their attention and understanding to you: convey your attention and understanding to others by clearly and constructively responding through positive feedback, paraphrasing, and clarifying b. Paraphrasing – summarizing others’ comments after they have finished 5. Recalling a. Remembering information after you’ve received, sttended to, understood, and responded to it b. Your recall accuracy depends on the situation i. Were you there to hear the squirrel story originally told or did you hear it secondhand? ii. Mnemonics – devices that aid memory iii. Bizarreness Effect – which causes us to remember unusual information more readily than commonplace information 1. The alliteration in the names of the three sorority girls 2. The old couple saving the squirrel at the end 3. The charges on the girls 4. The old animal right activist hippie FIVE FUNCTIONS OF LISTENING 1. Listening to COMPREHEND a. Work to accurately interpret and store the information you receive, so you can recall it later. 2. Listening to DISCERN a. You focus on distinguishing specific sounds from each other 3. Listening to ANALYZE a. You carefully evaluate the message you’re receiving, and you JUDGE it. i. AMBUSHING 4. Listening to APPRECIATE a. Your goal is simply to enjoy the sounds and sights you’re experiencing and then to respond by expressing your appreciiation 5. Listening to SUPPORT a. You must suspend judgment – taking what someone says without evaluating it, and openly expressing empathy i. ADVISING – THE “KNOW IT ALL”  Selective listening – taking in only those bits and pieces of information that are immediately salient during an interpersonal encounter and dismissing the rest.  Eavesdropping – when people intentionally and systematically set up situations so they can listen to private conversations  Pseudo-listening – behaving as if you’re paying attention though you’re really not o THE “RESPONDER”

Aggressive listening – attend to what others say sole...