KEY
Chapter 2: Perceiving the Self and Others
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. “A cognitive process through which we interpret our experiences and form our own unique understandings” is
best associated with which of the following terms?
2. Communication processing can be defined as
3. People sometimes feel uncertain in new situations where they do not know what to expect. This uncertainty
develops because the person does not have a/an __________ to guide his or her perception of the new event.
4. Reduced cognitive activity, inaccurate recall, and uncritical evaluation are all signs that a state of __________
is challenging one’s perception.
5. Edgar, who is a communication major, finds himself frustrated by the number of times his professors say
“umm,” mispronounce words, and use awkward gestures—so much so that he often misses the point of their
lectures. Edgar’s perceptions are best attributed to which of the following?
6. Brianna is planning a vacation, and even though she really wants to go someplace quiet and relaxing, she has
settled on a trip to Miami because her older sister told her she should go someplace with a great night life.
Which of the following seems to be challenging Brianna’s perception?
7. Which theory helps explain how people change their attributions of someone’s physical appearance as they
communicate with them more?
8. When Joe shows up late to meet his friends for dinner, he explains that he is late because he was held up in
traffic. His friend Maggie reminds him, though, that they all drove in the same traffic, but that everyone else
left early to accommodate the rush hour. The differences in their perception is best associated with
9. What three recommendations have been made for improving perception?
10. Failing to consider other cultural perspectives because of a belief that one’s own culture is appropriate and
relevant in all situations and to all people is associated with which term?
11. Fitting our perceptions of individuals into our existing schemas without adjusting the schema adequately is
referred to as
12. “Politicians lie,” and “young people are lazy” are both examples of
13. Which barrier to intercultural communication competence is considered to be the most severe because it
involves deep-seated feelings of unkindness and ill will toward particular groups?
14. Homophobia is an example of __________ based on negative __________ about gay and lesbian people.
15. Your awareness and understanding of who you are, as interpreted and influenced by your thoughts, actions,
abilities, values, goals, and ideals, is referred to as your
16. While getting ready to go out for a night on the town, your roommate says, “You have a really great sense of
style; you make any outfit look great.” This compliment serves as __________, which you may choose to
incorporate into your self-concept.
17. Our tendency to internalize our admiration for film and TV stars, models, famous athletes, and political figures
by comparing what we like about them to our own self-concept is addressed by which of the following
theories?
18. This term refers to the way a person feels about himself or herself.
19. Jim chooses to invite two people he met in his English class over to watch a movie instead of going to a larger
party with his fraternity brothers. He says, “I feel like I’m better one–on–one than I am in big groups.” Jim’s
decision is based on his sense of
20. Because she believes she is no good at speaking in public, Deanna puts off choosing and researching her topic,
and therefore she doesn’t have adequate time to prepare and practice for her presentation. Ultimately, she earns
a failing grade on her speech, and walks away with her perception confirmed: she’s just not a good speaker.
Unfortunately, Deanna’s __________ set her up for failure.
21. When you feel as though you have negotiated a communication situation as well as you possibly could, you
experience
22. Joe watches other people’s nonverbal behavior carefully for cues to what topics they find interesting and what
personality traits they consider desirable, and he modifies his behavior in order to create a positive impression
on them. We would refer to Joe as a
23. What does research find is true of low self-monitors?
24. Intentional communication designed to show elements of self for strategic purposes is referred to as
25. The act of voluntarily revealing information that is not easily known about oneself, to others, is called
True/False Questions
1. We are presented with so much detailed information that it would be difficult to make sense of it all if we didn’t
2. When Bo gets in line to use the cash machine, he uses a schema to make choices about behaviors such as where
6. A teenage basketball player who purchases the shoes his favorite professional athlete endorses is probably
7. Attributing the success of a rival team to the referees making bad calls during the game may be an example of
8. When Michaela is not asked to interview for the part–time job she wants at her favorite store, she says, “I guess
it’s all about who you know and not what you know.” Michaela’s perception may be challenged by the
10. Communication scholars believe that if we all embrace cultural myopia, we will understand one another better.
14. Communication researchers believe that social interaction is a key aspect in developing one’s self-concept.
15. Social comparison theory helps to explain how media images may contribute to body image problems and
17. Self-esteem may be positive with regard to one attribute and negative when one considers a different attribute.
18. Research cited in the text finds that people who have high self-esteem are more likely than those who have low
19. A student’s choice of a major would probably be related to his or her feelings of self–
21. Self-efficacy can be defined as a prediction that causes an individual to alter his or her behavior in a way that
22. When you assess your communication competence as sufficient or acceptable, you are feeling a sense of self-
23. After a disagreement with his roommate over the cleanliness of their apartment, Dennis feels frustrated because
he agreed to a solution he didn’t find satisfying, and decides that he needs to revisit the discussion and be more
25. Telling your new coworker that you prefer the color blue to red would count as self–
26. It would not be considered self-disclosure if we were coerced or forced into sharing a piece of information
27. Communicators who have a low level of sensitivity to feedback are likely to incorporate others’ feedback into
Short-Answer Questions
1. Briefly describe the process of selecting information as a step in the perception process.
H = Selecting Information (p. 31); C = comprehension; D = 2
2. Define a schema.
H = Schemas: Organizing Perceptions (p. 31); C = knowledge; D = 1
3. Describe how using schemas assists us in the perception process.
H = The Function of Schemas (p. 32); C = comprehension; D = 2
4. Briefly describe three elements of your schema for how people will behave in a college classroom.
H = Schemas: Organizing Perceptions (pp. 31‒33); C = application; D = 2
5. List and define three challenges we face when using schemas.
H = Challenges with Schemas and Perception (pp. 32‒33); C = knowledge; D = 3
6. Briefly state why mindless perception might be described as a benefit to a communicator.
H = Mindlessness (pp. 32‒33); C = knowledge; D = 2
7. Provide a brief example to illustrate how mindlessness can negatively influence our perception.
H = Mindlessness (pp. 32‒33); C = application; D = 2
8. What theory explains why others may become more physically attractive to us after we have had positive social
interactions with them?
H = Attributions: Interpreting Your Perceptions (p. 34); C = knowledge; D = 1
9. Define the term attribution.
H = Attributions: Interpreting Your Perceptions (p. 33); C = knowledge; D =1
10. Describe the fundamental attribution error.
H = Attributions: Interpreting Your Perceptions (p. 34); C = knowledge; D = 2
11. Define the term stereotype.
H = Stereotyping and Prejudice (p. 36); C = knowledge; D = 1
12. Provide an example of a stereotype you or others you know have of police officers.
H = Stereotyping and Prejudice (p. 36); C = comprehension; D = 2
13. Define self-concept.
H = Self-Concept: Who You Think You Are (p. 37); C = knowledge; D = 1
14. Provide an example of indirect evidence that has affected your self-concept.
H = Self-Concept: Who You Think You Are (p. 38); C = application; D = 2
15. In your own words, describe the difference between self-concept and self-esteem.
H = Cognition: Perceiving Ourselves (pp. 37–39); C = comprehension; D = 2
16. In your own words, describe social comparison theory.
H = Self-Concept: Who You Think You Are (p. 38); C = knowledge; D = 2
17. The ability to predict actual success in a communication context from self-concept and self-esteem is referred
to as __________.
H = Self-Efficacy: Assessing Your Own Abilities (p. 40); C = knowledge; D = 1
18. When we evaluate our expectations, execution, and the outcomes of our behavior in a communication
encounter, we may experience a sense of self-actualization, self-adequacy, or self-denigration. Define each of
these three evaluations.
H = Assessing Our Perceptions of Self (pp. 42–43); C = knowledge; D = 2
19. Define self-disclosure.
H = Self-Disclosure (p. 45); C = knowledge; D = 1
20. Provide a brief example of self-disclosure.
H = Self-Disclosure (p. 45); C = comprehension; D = 2
Essay Questions
1. Briefly describe how the use of stereotypes can become a challenge to one’s perception. Provide an example of
a time when your own use of a stereotype prevented you from communicating effectively.
C = comprehension and application; D = 2
2. List and describe the three recommended ways for improving perception in a diverse world. Considering either
a hypothetical cultural misunderstanding or one you have observed, illustrate how using these three steps could
improve communication.
C = comprehension, application, and analysis; D = 2
3. In your own words, explain how the fundamental attribution error impacts our perception. Provide a narrative
example to illustrate how learning to recognize and overcome the fundamental attribution error could help a
person grow.
C = application; D = 2
4. Briefly contrast cultural myopia and prejudice using an example of each to illustrate the difference between
them.
C = comprehension and application; D = 1
5. Discuss a time when challenges to your own perception prevented you from being able to communicate
effectively. What happened? How did you perceive the information presented to you? What specific challenges
did you experience in your perception of the event? If you had the opportunity to go back in time and rewrite
the scenario, what would you do to improve your perception and communicate more effectively?
C = application and evaluation; D = 3
6. Your friend Maria has come to you for advice. She has two children, and she is concerned that playing violent
video games and watching too much television is having a negative impact on them. Jose, who is ten, is getting
into fights at school and is becoming more disrespectful to his parents every day. Christina, who is eight, now
refuses to leave the house without wearing make-up and wakes nightly with nightmares about criminals
breaking into their home. What would you say to Maria to help her make sense of her perceptions and the
changes she sees in her children’s perceptions and behaviors? What advice would you give her to improve her
and her children’s perceptions?
C = analysis, synthesis, and evaluation; D = 3
7. Considering what you have read throughout this chapter, why do you think many teens and their parents have
difficulty understanding one another? How can teens and parents improve their perception skills to enhance
intergenerational understanding?
C = synthesis and evaluation; D = 3
8. Perceptual barriers like stereotyping and prejudice are still common in our culture. Using concepts discussed
throughout the chapter, explain the role the media play in creating these perceptions. Explain how we, as a
culture, can work to overcome these barriers.
C = synthesis and evaluation; D = 3
9. Describe and provide a narrative example to illustrate how self-concept, self-esteem, and self-efficacy come
together to influence a person’s communication choices and competence.
C = comprehension, application, and synthesis; D = 2
10. Explain how social comparison theory illuminates our understanding of why more and more boys and young
men are using steroids today than in the past, and why the number of men choosing to have elective cosmetic
surgery has increased over the past several years. Identify specific examples to illustrate your ideas.
C = application and synthesis; D = 2
11. Jody is terrified of giving oral presentations, and has consequently put off applying for a promotion at work that
would require her to train other employees and deliver quarterly reports to the committee that oversees training
and professional development at her company. Synthesizing information from throughout this chapter, what
would you say to Jody to help her understand how her perception of both the activity as well as herself has
influenced her avoidance of this opportunity for career growth?
C = application and synthesis; D = 2