CHAPTER 6
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
1. “The Way You Talk Can Hurt You?” reading in Chapter Six insists that it would be beneficial for
men to change their vocal patterns to sound more cooperative and friendly in everyday interactions.
2. According to the text, you cannot avoid communicating.
3. Nonverbal communication is usually specific and clear.
4. Nonverbal communication is not as effective at conveying thoughts or ideas as it is at conveying
attitudes and feelings.
5. According to your text’s definition of nonverbal communication, it follows that the way a person
styles his/her hair is a nonverbal message.
6. In social transactions, the higher status person is generally the more rigid, tense-appearing one,
whereas the one with lower status is usually more relaxed.
7. Information about status can be communicated by not only posture, but also by use of space and
management of time.
8. Gestures can be intentional or unintentional.
9. Research reveals that the use of manipulators is always a sign of discomfort.
10. In many instances, the use of touch increases liking and boosts compliance.
11. Nonverbal messages convey relational information such as respect and friendliness.
12. Generally, facing someone directly signals your interest in that person.
13. Most communication scholars don’t define American Sign Language as nonverbal communication.
14. Nonverbal communication can be very revealing, but it can have so many possible meanings that
it’s foolish to think your interpretation will always be correct.
15. Some people are more skillful than others at accurately decoding nonverbal behavior.
16. Your text defines nonverbal communication exclusively as any type of communication that isn’t
expressed by words.
17. Different emotions show most clearly in different parts of the face.
18. According to your text, some researchers claim that over 90 percent of the emotional impact of a
message comes from nonverbal sources.
19. Scientists use the term paralanguage to describe nonverbal messages conveyed by the voice.
20. Many nonverbal behaviors are governed by cultural rules.
21. Silence or pauses count as nonverbal communication.
22. Patterns of eye contact are fairly consistent across cultures.
23. Emblems are nonverbal behaviors that have the same meaning to all members of a particular culture
or co-culture.
24. It is possible to recognize paralinguistic messages, even if you don’t understand the language being
spoken.
25. According to research cited in your text, touch and health are not related.
26. Researchers have found that the face and eyes are capable of five basic expressions.
27. Pupil dilation can be a sign of deception.
28. According to your text, people usually get more emotional meaning from what others do than from
what they say.
29. If you get within one foot of someone else in U.S. culture, you’ve invaded their intimate zone,
according to researcher Edward T. Hall.
30. Messages about status can be conveyed through clothing and use of time.
31. By making another person wait, you could be sending messages about status, whether you intend to
or not.
32. Nonverbal cues are especially likely to carry a lot of weight when they contradict a speaker’s
words.
33. Deception studies have found that deceivers are more likely to be found out when they don’t feel
very strongly about the information being hidden.
34. If deceivers feel confident and not guilty, their deception is more likely to be found out.
35. Your text defines nonverbal communication as “messages expressed by nonlinguistic means.”
36. Those with good nonverbal communication skills benefit in a number of areas, including career
success and popularity.
37. Nonverbal communication plays a less important role in identity management than verbal
communication.
38. Nonverbal behavior has a powerful effect in reflecting and shaping the kinds of relationships we
have with others.
39. Most text, instant, and e-mail messages are now able to present nonverbal cues about a speaker’s
feelings that are equivalent to face-to-face encounters in terms of their clarity.
40. Verbal and nonverbal communication are interconnected elements in every act of communication.
41. Accenting nonverbal behaviors match the thoughts and emotions the communicator is expressing
verbally.
42. Signals of deception are called leakage.
43. Nonverbal messages are less ambiguous than verbal messages.
44. Since the face and eyes are probably the most noticed parts of the body, their nonverbal messages
are easier to read than other parts of the body.
45. Smiles and laughter are signs of positive emotions in all cultures.
46. A smile always means a person is happy.
47. Illustrators can stand on their own and often function as replacements for words.
48. Using too few gestures does not indicate a mixed message like using too many gestures does.
49. Paralanguage can influence the way a speaker is perceived by others.
50. Communicators who pause and speak quietly are viewed just as confident as those who speak
loudly and without hesitations.
51. The far range of social distance is usually the distance used when salespeople and customers talk.
52. Our territory is the invisible bubble we carry with us wherever we go.
53. Since “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” physical attractiveness is not a general factor in how
people are perceived.
54. Studies show that most people have about a 75% chance of accurately identifying someone who is
lying.
55. Pupil dilation is a more reliable leakage clue than are facial expressions, which can be better
monitored by the deceiver.
56. The old adage “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” does not really apply to
job interviews.
57. Both emblems and illustrators can stand on their own, substituting for spoken messages.
58. In the “Looking At Diversity” reading, Annie Donnellon explains her belief that sighted people
learn traditional expressions of anger (such as clenched fists) by watching others.
59. In office cubicles, occupants who face out (rather than in) send the message that they’re open to
communication.
60. The amount of time it takes for you to return your boss’s email sends a nonverbal message, whether
it is intentional or not.
61. Nonverbal displays of affection are strongly connected to satisfaction and commitment in romantic
relationships.
62. Emoticons may serve to accent or complement a mediated verbal message, but don’t serve as an
adequate substitute for the richness of nonverbal messages that occur in face–to-face exchanges.
63. A smile is one nonverbal behavior that never can be misinterpreted.
64. Adopting the nonverbal behaviors of a higher-status person can actually make you feel more
powerful.
65. People who fidget with their hair or fingernails are almost always hiding something.
66. According to research, when searching for a job, there are no downsides to being physically
attractive.
67. It is possible in increase your physical attractiveness through posture, gestures, and facial
expressions.
68. Which of the following is an accurate statement about the way some women’s voices rise in pitch at
the end of a sentence?
a. Women who speak this way are perceived as timid and lacking in self-confidence.
b. Women who speak this way are perceived as cooperative.
c. Women who speak this way to convey a cooperative tone might be perceived as hesitant.
d. All of the above.
e. None of the above.
69. Which of the following is one of the suggestions Annie Donnellon makes to the sighted for
improving communication with the visually impaired?
a Mention your name when starting a conversation with people who are blind.
b. At the end of the conversation, say you are leaving.
c. Clue in visually-impaired people when something is going on that they can’t see.
d. All of the above.
e. None of the above.
70. Which of the following nonverbal behaviors is least important in a job interview?
a. smiling
b. handshaking
c. clothing
d. eye contact
e. Any of these behaviors may be equally important.
71. Which if the following is not true of deception detection?
a. We accurately detect deception only slightly more than half the time.
b. We underestimate our abilities to detect others’ lies.
c. We’re not as good at catching lies as we think we are.
d. Wanting to believe people wouldn’t lie to us biases our ability to detect deceit.
e. All of the above are true.
72. “The Look of a Victim” story in this chapter points out that victims of assault may set themselves
up as easy targets because of
a. their friendly facial expressions.
b. the way they walk.
c. their hairstyles.
d. eye contact with the attacker.
e. All of these choices are correct.
73. Status can be conveyed nonverbally through
a. time.
b. touch.
c. clothing.
d. posture.
e. All of these choices are correct.
74. Amber wants to make a sale. According to the nonverbal information presented in Chapter 6, to get
compliance from a customer she might try
a. speaking in a rate much faster than her customer’s.
b. lightly touching her customer.
c. avoiding direct eye contact with her customer.
d. keeping her facial expression as neutral as possible.
e. None of these are advisable to gain compliance.
75. Studies of nonverbal communication across cultures reveal that
a. smiles and laughter are a universal signal of positive emotions.
b. sour expressions convey displeasure in some cultures and pleasure in others.
c. a direct gaze is considered appropriate in most cultures.
d. classes usually start and end on time in most cultures.
e. all of the above are true.
76. The design and environment of rooms
a. communicate information about the owner’s personality.
b. shape the interaction that takes place there.
c. communicate information about the interests of the owner.
d. b and c above
e. All of these choices are correct.
77. Kinesics is the study of
a. personal distances.
b. verbal and nonverbal behavior.
c. body position and motion.
d. environmental stress.
e. clothing and color.
78. Proxemics is the study of
a. the way people and animals use space.
b. the way people use words to transmit messages.
c. the way people use facial expressions.
d. the way people use silence.
e. the way people use vocal cues.
79. The many ways the voice communicates—including tone, speed, pitch, number and length of
pauses, volume, etc.—are called
a. paralanguage.
b. vocalics.
c. noncommunicators.
d. nonvocals.
e. proxemics.
80. Nonverbally, women __________ more than men.
a. make less eye contact
b. smile less
c. are less vocally expressive
d. use more head, hand, and arm gestures
e. require more personal space
81. Studies of nonverbal posture behaviors have found that
a. we are generally unaware of posture.
b. different facial expressions help posture interpretation.
c. we should use unambiguous postural cues.
d. tension and relaxation of muscles can indicate status differences.
e. posture is not important to body image.
82. All of the following statements are true except which one?
a. The eyes can communicate positive and negative attitudes.
b. Nonverbal messages of the face and eyes are the easiest to read.
c. The use of eye contact can increase compliance.
d. The eyes can indicate dominance and submission.
e. The eyes send involvement messages.
83. All of the following are characteristics of nonverbal behavior except which one?
a. Nonverbal skills are important.
b. Nonverbal behavior is clear and unambiguous.
c. Nonverbal communication is primarily relational.
d. All nonverbal behavior has communicative value.
e. Nonverbal communication serves many functions.
84. All of the following are true about touch except which one?
a. Touch can have a significant influence on health and well-being.
b. Touch can signal a variety of relationships.
c. Touch can be a way to communicate both negative and positive feelings.
d. Touch can increase compliance.
e. Touch in any of its forms can have positive effects.
85. When our nonverbal behavior is unintentional,
a. others disregard it.
b. others attach more significance to it.
c. others can’t make interpretations based on it.
d. others respond with their own unintentional behaviors.
e. others recognize it and make interpretations based on it.
86. Edward T. Hall’s Distance Zones are
a. personal, impersonal, social, public.
b. intimate, personal, social, public.
c. intimate, non-intimate, social, public.
d. open, blind, hidden, unknown.
e. None of these are correct.
87. Adaptors are
a. unconscious.
b. signs of deception.
c. excitement cues.
d. attempts to attract others.
e. signs of vulnerability.
88. If you see someone smiling, you could interpret this communication to mean
a. the other is friendly.
b. the other is happy.
c. the other wants to communicate.
d. the other is faking something.
e. any of the above
89. Facial expressions are
a. the easiest nonverbal messages to decode accurately.
b. often difficult to understand because of their rapid rate of change.
c. rarely genuine and therefore impossible to decode.
d. limited; relatively few emotions are shown in the face.
e. usually more sincere if they last more than 10 seconds.
90. Nonverbal communication serves the functions of
a. repeating and substituting.
b. complementing and accenting.
c. regulating and contradicting.
d. All of these choices are correct.
e. None of these are correct.
91. When Kenji nods his head up and down rather than saying “Yes,” he is using a nonverbal behavior
known as a(n)
a. facilitator.
b. interlocutor.
c. emblem.
d. nonverbalator.
e. encoder.
92. All of the following are true about nonverbal communication across cultures, except that
a. distance patterns vary across cultures.
b. patterns of eye contact vary around the world.
c. emblems have precise and distinct meanings within cultural groups.
d. interpretations of acceptable touch does not vary across cultures.
e. smiles, laughter, and sour expressions are universal signals of positive or negative emotion.
93. Research reveals that use of manipulators is often a sign of
a. discomfort.
b. power.
c. shyness.
d. dogmatism.
e. inferiority.
94. Nodding, looking away, or moving toward the door are nonverbal behaviors that illustrate the
nonverbal function of
a. substituting.
b. regulating.
c. accenting.
d. repeating.
e. complementing.
95. All of the following are true about the voice and communication except which one?
a. Communicators who speak loudly and without hesitations are viewed as more confident than
those who pause and speak quietly.
b. Paralinguistic cues help us identify the strength of an emotion being expressed, unless it’s being
expressed in a language we don’t speak.
c. Some vocal factors influence the way a speaker is perceived.
d. Accents that identify a speaker’s membership in a group lead to more positive evaluations of
that person if the group is a prestigious one.
e. People with more attractive voices are rated more highly than those with less attractive voices.
96. Nonverbal regulators can signal
a. turn-taking.
b. the desire to end a conversation.
c. an invitation to respond.
d. All of these choices are correct.
e. None of these are correct.
97. Nonverbal evidence of lying is most likely to occur when the deceiver
a. has no strong feelings about the deception.
b. has not rehearsed the deception.
c. does not feel anxious or guilty about the lies.
d. has lack of emotional involvement with the deception.
e. doesn’t know people are watching.
98. In nonverbal communication, studies of leakage deal with
a. innate behaviors.
b. illness behaviors.
c. environmental issues.
d. deception signals.
e. perceptions of illness.
99. All of the following are true about nonverbal communication except which one?
a. Nonverbal communication is universal for all cultures.
b. Nonverbal communication may function to contradict verbal messages.
c. Nonverbal communication is more ambiguous than verbal communication.
d. Nonverbal signals are much more powerful than verbal messages when they are delivered at the
same time.
e. Nonverbal messages aren’t as deliberate as verbal messages.
100. Nonverbal communication plays an important role in
a. conveying emotions.
b. identity management.
c. defining the kinds of relationships we want to have with others.
d. None of these are correct.
e. All of these choices are correct.
101. The function of influencing the flow of verbal communication is called
a. repeating.
b. complementing.
c. substituting.
d. accenting.
e. regulating.
102. Althea shrugs her shoulders in response to Nicole’s question. Althea is using a function of
nonverbal communication known as
a. regulating.
b. accenting.
c. substituting.
d. complementing.
e. repeating.
103. The lawyer pounded his fist on the table for emphasis. He is using a function of nonverbal
communication known as
a. regulating.
b. accenting.
c. substituting.
d. complementing.
e. contradicting.
104. An indicator of deception is
a. shorter periods of speaking.
b. low rate of speech.
c. more speech errors.
d. higher vocal pitch.
e. All of these choices are correct may be indicators of deception.
105. All of the following statements are true about nonverbal gender differences except which one?
a. Women use more facial expressions.
b. Women stand closer to others.
c. Women are more vocally expressive.
d. Women are more likely to lean forward in conversations.
e. Women use more head, hand, and arm gestures.
106. Gina looked annoyed when she walked into the classroom and saw Megan sitting in the chair she
usually sits in. The nonverbal communication Gina is demonstrating is
a. kinesics.
b. personal space.
c. territoriality.
d. chronemics.
e. regulation.
107. Edward T. Hall defines social distance as
a. 0 to 18 inches.
b. 18 inches to 4 feet.
c. 4 feet to 12 feet.
d. 12 feet to 25 feet.
e. 25 feet and beyond.
108. Edward T. Hall defines personal distance as
a. 0 to 18 inches.
b. 18 inches to 4 feet.
c. 4 feet to 12 feet.
d. 12 feet to 25 feet.
e. 25 feet and beyond.
109. Students who were shown interior home photos accurately identified that the homes communicated
a. the homeowners’ politeness.
b. the homeowners’ tenseness.
c. the homeowners’ artistic interests.
d. family orientations.
e. All of these choices are correct.
110. According to research, which of the following statements is true about touch?
a. A food server’s fleeting touch on a customer’s shoulder might get her a bigger tip.
b. A patient is more likely to take his medicine if his doctor accompanies the prescription with a
slight touch.
c. A student is twice as likely to participate in class if she has received a supportive touch on the
back or arm from her teacher.
d. Culturally appropriate touch can enhance your success.
e. All of the above statement are true.
111. Ernesto’s boss perceives him to be untrustworthy because he waits a week to reply to an important
email. This behavior falls into the nonverbal category of
a. paralanguage.
b. chronemics.
c. haptics.
d. kinesics.
e. proxemics.
INSTRUCTIONS for questions 112–117: Match each description below with the term it best describes.
a. chronemics
b. paralanguage
c. disfluencies
d. proxemics
e. kinesics
112. Study of use and structure of time
113. Waving, shaking head, or finger
114. Arriving early for an appointment
115. A strong accent or husky voice
116. “Uh,” “um,” “er”
INSTRUCTIONS for questions 118–124: Match each nonverbal function with the description below it best
describes. You will use some letters more than once.
a. substituting
b. contradicting
c. regulating
d. accenting
e. repeating
118. Richard fell silent and looked expectantly at Maricel.
119. Sonia snapped her fingers and shouted, “Hurry up! Get a move on!”
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120. Levi suppressed a yawn and slumped in his chair while saying, “Sure I’m interested in hearing
about your trip. I’m all ears.”
121. When asked if she wanted a refill on her coffee, Aliyah covered the cup with her hand and shook
her head.
122. When he was asked how old he was, Rueben held up four fingers and announced proudly, “I’m
four!”
123. “Angry? No, I’m NOT angry!”
124. Isabela rolled her eyes while her mother complained about her messy room.
125. Imagine that you have been commissioned to design a new campus center. What sort of
communication should take place there? What kinds of furnishings and decorations would you
suggest to increase the likelihood of this communication occurring? What messages would your
choice of designs and decorations communicate?
Answer: will vary Type: E Page: 210 Evaluation
126. One characteristic of nonverbal communication is “all behavior has communicative value.”
Describe two incidents from your experience which illustrate both deliberate and unintentional
meaning derived from nonverbal communication in these two incidents. Identify the nonverbal
behaviors that occurred. Identify the meanings you did/did not intend to convey and the meanings
that were conveyed from your perspective and that of your partner in each incident.
Answer: will vary Type: E Page: 189 Analysis
127. Using at least two of the types of nonverbal communication described in your text, and referring to
your own experience, describe an incident that illustrates how nonverbal behavior can be
ambiguous. How could you or the other person involved have reduced the ambiguity of that
situation?
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: 193-194, 198-211 Application
128. Nonverbal communication reveals attitudes about status. Using examples, describe how status
might be communicated through four different types of nonverbal messages.
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: 199,208-210 Synthesis
129. One characteristic of nonverbal communication is that it serves many functions. Explain the
functions of substituting, accenting, and regulating using specific examples for support.
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: 190-192 Analysis
130. One characteristic of nonverbal communication is that it is primarily relational. Discuss the three
ways this occurs as explained in your text, using specific examples.
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: 189-190 Analysis
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131. Gender has a strong influence on nonverbal communication. Explain the differences between men
and women in this area. Include your personal experiences in your discussion.
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: 195-196 Analysis
132. Give examples from your life of each type of nonverbal behavior explained in the chapter, and
describe how it reflects or shapes the kinds of relationships you have with others.
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: 189-190, 198-211 Analysis
133. After reading Chapter Six, explain how you can improve your own nonverbal communication in
ways that meet your interpersonal goals.
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: all Evaluation
134. What advice would you give to others about how they can appropriately share their interpretations
of others’ nonverbal behaviors?
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: all Evaluation
135. Explain whether and why we should be cautious about a book titled “How to Read a Person Like a
Book.”
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: 192-194 Analysis
136. Give examples of ways in which nonverbal relational messages are conveyed through social media
and other mediated communication channels.
Answer: will vary Type: E Pages: 190 Application