An approach to managing organizations that likens organizations to machines, with a
focus on maximizing efficiency, is called the
A) human resources approach.
B) classical management approach.
C) human relations approach.
D) systems approach.
The conflict style that leads to a win-win resolution of the conflict is the
A) indirect fighting style.
B) direct fighting style.
C) compromising style.
D) collaborating style.
“A learned system of thought and behavior that belongs to and typifies a relatively large
group of people; a composite of shared beliefs, values, and practices” represents which
of the following terms?
A) society
B) religion
C) culture
D) group-think
What do we call the atmosphere surrounding how we feel about our communication in
different relationships?
A) mood
B) power dynamics
C) identity management
D) communication climate
In individualist cultures, conflict is viewed as negatively affecting relational harmony.
A) True
B) False
Which of the following types of speeches goes into depth by providing reasons or
causes and demonstrating relationships?
A) explanatory speech
B) definition speech
C) demonstration speech
D) description speech
The phrases “make time” and “buy time” are indicative of a polychronic time culture.
A) True
B) False
The demographic categories a speaker should analyze include audience members’
attitudes, values, behaviors, and interests.
A) True
B) False
Speaking from manuscript gives the speaker more opportunities to communicate
nonverbally than other styles.
A) True
B) False
Achievement-oriented leadership works best when group members see themselves as
competent and are motivated to excel.
A) True
B) False
You see a friend across the room at a crowded party, but it’s too loud for you to say
hello from this distance. Instead, you make eye contact with him and nod your head as
an acknowledgment and greeting. Which term best fits the function of your nonverbal
behavior?
A) accenting
B) substituting
C) contradicting
D) repeating
The classical management approach emphasizes open communication among the
divisions of labor.
A) True
B) False
Individuals are only able to identify with one co-culture at a time, making this aspect of
their cultural identity less meaningful than others.
A) True
B) False
Although grammar is important in written communication, the transactional nature of
oral communication means that using correct grammar is not required to communicate
effectively.
A) True
B) False
An informative speech about “how to download music without having to pay for it”
would be ethically questionable.
A) True
B) False
Work-life balance programs often include onsite child care and paid vacations.
A) True
B) False
Peter feels frustrated because he and his girlfriend, Julie, seem to have fallen into a rut.
Although the relationship is comfortable, he feels that it’s too predictable. He says to
her, “I feel like we do the same things day after day, and I feel like we’re getting old and
boring.” Peter’s frustration is related to which tension?
A) autonomy”connection
B) openness”closedness
C) predictability”novelty
D) growth’stability
_________ is the communication between people from different cultures who have
different worldviews.
A) Intracultural communication
B) Intercultural communication
C) Cultural communication
D) Diversity communication
Responding is an important part of the listening process.
A) True
B) False
Which of the following terms refers to how physically near another person is to us,
which influences how attractive they are to us as a relational partner?
A) proximity
B) availability
C) locus
D) intimacy
A gatekeeper is a group member who
A) seeks to smooth over tension in the group by settling differences among members.
B) works to ensure that each member of the group contributes to conversations.
C) expresses group feelings, moods, or relationships.
D) makes sure that no single member of the group dominates the conversation.
The shared beliefs, values, and practices of a group of people is their
A) communication relationship.
B) culture.
C) norms.
D) co-culture.
Communication scholars consider competing styles of conflict to be a form of
aggression.
A) True
B) False
“Your body is an engine and water is its oil” is an example of a simile.
A) True
B) False
Decoding messages over the telephone often requires more effort than would be
required in a face-to-face interaction because we lack nonverbal cues such as facial
expression, body movement, and eye behavior.
A) True
B) False
On the abstraction ladder discussed in the text, the word “fork” would be more abstract
than the word “utensil.”
A) True
B) False
Although plagiarism is emphasized as a part of most colleges’ academic honesty
policies, there are rarely consequences for not crediting one’s sources in the real world.
A) True
B) False
_____________ is the process by which we use symbols and behaviors to exchange
information.
A) Encoding
B) Decoding
C) Communication
D) Perception
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
A) self-esteem.
B) self-actualization.
C) self-worth.
D) self-efficacy.
The term behavior refers to what we do in response to our attitudes and beliefs.
A) True
B) False
Media convergence may be a good thing in that a greater variety of voices are
contributing to the public conversation about various ideas and subjects. Society
benefits when more of these voices are included in the public dialogue. These
statements reflect which concept?
A) social capital
B) marketplace of ideas
C) digital disparities
D) piracy
The reconciliation tactic that involves partners agreeing to be polite and nice to one
another in the hope that they will remember what they found attractive about one
another is called
A) spontaneous development
B) tacit persistence
C) high affect
D) mutual interaction
Appreciative listening offers no benefit to the listener besides the enjoyment he or she
receives from the activity.
A) True
B) False
Employment interviewers will usually ask questions to explore all of the following
areas of information, except for
A) ability.
B) age.
C) character.
D) personality.
Naoko’s American friends sometimes get frustrated with her because she prefers to use
subtle clues to communicate that she disagrees or is uncomfortable in a particular
conversation. What her friends may not realize is that her communication pattern
reflects the ___________ Japanese culture in which Naoko was raised.
A) indirect
B) shy
C) high-context
D) low-context
List and briefly describe two of the responsibilities of an interviewer.
Dan is seventy-five years old and recently got his first personal computer. He has
discovered the world of chatting online and is excited about the opportunity to make
friends with similar interests throughout the world. Unfortunately, he’s also discovered
that it’s tricky to navigate this new communication world because of the lack of
nonverbal cues. He often finds himself being misunderstood by others and is confused
about how to interpret what others communicate to him. What advice do you have for
Dan about how to encode and decode or interpret subtle nonverbal cues when
communicating online?
Why do communication researchers believe peer relationships and peer communication
are important in organizations?
Provide an example of a television program you think embodies narrative complexity.
List two cooperative strategies that can be used to effectively manage conflict.
Consider the place where you work: What are its organizational stories? Describe how
it tells these stories. Are there organizational heroes who feature prominently in your
workplace’s organizational stories?
*If most of your students do not work, this question can be adapted to focus on the
organizational stories of the college they attend.
Grammar is made up of ____________ that dictate how words should be pronounced
and ___________ that dictate the placement of words in sentences.
Define leadership.
Gossiping, ignoring members of the group, harsh criticism, and slander are all examples
of which unethical leadership tactic?
Describe how using schemas assists us in the perception process.
What role does self-disclosure play in the development and maintenance of an
interpersonal relationship? Discuss the ways that inappropriate disclosure might hinder
the relationship as well as how appropriate disclosure enhances the relationship.
Your roommate is researching a presentation for one of his classes but is having a tough
time with it. He tells you that he just can’t find any information. Based on what you
learned in this chapter, what advice would you give to help him gather good
information?
List the five steps in the motivated sequence.
Define and provide an example of politically correct language.
Define chronemics and provide an example of a time you have used it to communicate
with someone.
In your own words, define a quasi-scientific explanation.
What is the difference between a friendship and a social relationship?
“People” is just one category of informative speech topics. List four of the remaining
categories of informative speeches discussed in your text.
Describe the criteria that make for a good persuasive speech topic. Provide an example
of a poor topic and one that is suitable for a persuasive speech, and explain your
evaluation of each topic.
How would you define interpersonal communication?