112
Chapter 8: Conversation Messages
Multiple Choice Questions
example of what stage of conversation?
a) opening
b) feedforward
c) business
d) feedback
stage of conversation?
a) opening
b) feedforward
c) business
d) closing
I is an example of __________.
a) feedforward
b) feedback
c) opening
d) gossip
113
4. The defining feature of conversation is __________.
a) enjoyment
b) accomplishing business
c) exchanging speaker and listener roles
d) establishing an effective monologue
5. The goal-oriented and longest part of the conversation is called the __________.
a) focus
b) agenda
c) business
d) closing
6. The five steps in the process of conversation, in sequential order, are __________.
a) opening, closing, middle, business, transitions
b) closing, feedback, business, feedforward, opening
c) feedforward, feedback, business, transitions, closing
d) opening, feedforward, business, feedback, closing
is an example of
114
__________.
a) a conversation closing
b) high-monitored feedback
c) referring to future interaction
d) summarizing the conversation
example of what stage of conversation?
a) opening
b) feedback
c) business
d) closing
__________.
a) opening
b) business
c) feedback
d) closing
10. When Karen and Jena get together for lunch, Karen tends to speak the entire time and
115
communicator.
a) dialogic
b) monologic
c) effective
d) apologetic
11. A speaker avoiding eye contact is signaling that __________.
s turn to speak
b) the conversation is coming to a close
c) the speaker is about to open a new topic
d) the speaker does not want to give up the floor
is an example of a(n) __________.
a) turn-yielding cue
b) interruption
c) turn-requesting cue
d) back-channeling cue
The
students respond by nodding their heads to communicate back to the instructor without
taking on the speaking role. The students are using __________.
116
a) opening cues
b) feedforward
c) turn-requesting cues
d) back-channeling cues
an example of what principle of politeness?
a) maxim of tact
b) maxim of generosity
c) maxim of approbation
d) maxim of agreement
15. What type of unsatisfying conversational partner evaluates and judges everyone and
everything?
a) detour taker
b) egotist
c) complainer
d) moralist
16. Sarah starts to tell you about her spring break activities but then shifts into discussing
problems with her boyfriend. She would be considered what type of conversational
partner?
117
a) detour taker
b) moralist
c) thought completer
d) advisor
plicable to the amount of
information revealed by which type of unsatisfying conversation partner?
a) complainer
b) inactive responder
c) self-discloser
d) advisor
18. Self-disclosure is __________.
a) an act of intrapersonal communication
b) a message that does not need to be understood by the receiver
c) never only a single message
d) best viewed as a process
19. The disinhibition effect, which occurs because of anonymity and invisibility, is
happening in __________.
a) online communication
118
b) intimate relationships
c) classrooms
d) the workplace cafeteria
20. You should self-disclose only if __________.
a) there is no personal risk involved
b) there are no professional risks
c) you have time to devote to an extended relationship
d) you have a desire to increase self-knowledge
21. Recent research shows that people who are able to self-disclose __________.
a) increase their hidden selves
b) are less vulnerable to illnesses
c) may be seen as mischievous or antagonistic
d) do not have to think of the other person s feelings
22. Lack of reciprocity in self-disclosure is __________.
a) deferring to the one who wishes to disclose
b) a natural balance
119
c) important feedback from the other person
d) a desire to hurt or punish
23. When someone discloses to you, __________.
a) it is usually a sign of trust
b) it always imposes a burden
c) it requires you to disclose in return
d) he or she is trying to hurt you
24. The guidelines for responding to self-disclosure include to __________.
b) evaluate the discloser
c) keep the disclosure confidential
d) reveal disclosures to close friends
25. __________ is an example of a noncontroversial topic that is appropriate for small
talk.
a) Politics
b) Religion
12
0
c) Sex
d) Weather
True/False Questions
26. Lengthy feedforward messages can create conversational problems.
27. The defining feature of conversation is that people feel free to say what is on their
minds.
28. Back-channeling cues are generally confirming rather than disconfirming.
29. Telling someone something about yourself that he or she already knows would be
self-disclosure.
121
30. Generally, women disclose more information about past romantic relationships than
men do.
31. Self-disclosure enhances the effectiveness of relationships.
32. Appropriate self-disclosures include honest expressions that will hurt or punish the
other person.
33. On Facebook and Twitter, small talk may actually be an end in itself.
122
34. You should speak to people with aphasia as you would to a child, because they have
difficulty understanding you.
35. A general recommendation for an apology is to admit wrongdoing.
36. Shawnde asks Mark for recommendations about where to go to college. Mark tells
her to use a
suggestion to use a search engine would be considered meta-advice.
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
37. __________ communication is the use of messages to open the channels of
communication rather than to communicate something about the external world.
38. The __________ of a conversation is the first step in the process of conversing. It is
usually a greeting.
39. __________ is a good term for the longest stage of the conversation because it
emphasizes that most conversations are goal-oriented.
40. The __________ stage reflects on the conversation to signal that business is
completed.
41. __________ is communication in which one person speaks and the other listens, with
no real interaction between them.
42. As a speaker, you use __________ to regulate conversation by turn-maintaining and
turn-yielding.
43. __________ cues are used to communicate various types of information back to the
speaker without your assuming the role of the speaker.
44. __________ are attempts to take over the role of the speaker in a way that is not
supportive and is often disconfirming.
45. Self-disclosure promotes __________ health because people who self-disclose are
less vulnerable to illness.
125
46. During your self-disclosures, give the other person a chance to __________ with his
or her own self-disclosures.
47. __________ is social talk that involves making evaluations about a person who is not
present.
Essay Questions
48. Think about an upcoming conversation you will have that follows all five stages in
the process of conversation. What are the stages of the conversation? What will you say
at each stage? What do you predict the other person will do or say? Write out the
statements each of you might make.
126
49. Define back-channeling cues and identify the variety of messages that you can
communicate with these cues.
50. What are the six maxims of politeness that have been identified by linguist Geoffrey
Leech?
51. What are some influences on self-disclosure?
52. Analyze a situation in which someone close to you was disclosing to you. How well
did you apply the guidelines for responding to disclosures?