Introduction
Multiple-Choice Items
1. The field of communication can be traced to:
A. ancient Greece.
B. medieval England.
C. the Norman Conquest.
D. South Africa.
E. none of the above
2. The study of communication is more than ___ years old.
A. 200
B. 100
C. 1,000
D. 2,000
E. 50
3. ____ wrote the personal introduction.
A. Abraham Maslow
B. Marshall McLuhan
C. Hillary Rodham Clinton
D. Harold Laswell
E. Julia Wood
4. Generalizations of social groups are used in the textbook to:
A. stereotype members of particular groups.
B. essentialize groups.
C. serve as useful starting points to help students understand how to interact with
others
D. be blanket statements about a group
E. describe how all members of a specific social group interact.
5. If current immigration trends in the U.S. continue as predicted, by 2043:
A. non-Hispanic whites will make up the majority of the population.
B. those of Asian and Pacific Islander decent will compose 50% of the
population.
C. cities and towns in the Midwest will be as ethnically diverse as those on the East
and West coasts.
D. there will be no single majority group.
E. African Americans will make up the largest part of the population in the
United States.
6. Recent studies show that students who encounter diversity
A. score higher on critical thinking than students who do not
B. score lower on critical thinking than students who do not
C. generally lack the strong interpersonal communication skills essential to success
in higher education.
D. often fail to recognize the importance of understanding a range of cultures.
E. have no further need to improve their understanding of other countries and
cultures.
7. Research in communication contributes to and draws from work in such fields as:
A. psychology
B. business
C. sociology
D. anthropology
E. all of the above
8. Which of the following is an example of
A. Always open an email or text with a polite greeting line.
B. It is essential to send « thank you » messages via text or email
C. If you call someone who answer their cell phone, it is not necessary to
leave a m
D. You should always close an email or text with a « good-bye » message.
E. All of these answers are examples of « digitally polite » behavior.
9. Which of the following is NOT one of the projected changes in U.S. demographics from
2005 to 2050?
A. The Asian population is projected to increase slightly.
B. The Hispanic population is projected to increase slightly.
B. The Hispanic population is expected to double in size.
C. The Caucasian population is expected to drop significantly.
D. The African American population is expected to remain static.
10. A survey of students who entered colleges and universities in the fall of 2009 showed that
___ believe that it is essential or very important to improve their understanding of other
countries and cultures.
A. 54.8 %
B. 76.2 %
C. 12.2 %
D. 37.8 %
E. 49.4 %
True-False Items
1. Great philosophers taught rhetoric as a skill for participating in civic life.
2. Since the communication field originated, it has not been expanded to encompass many
kinds of interactions.
3. Diversity is part of interpersonal communication.
4. Interacting with people who are different from us not only teaches us about them; it also
gives us insights about ourselves.
5. Disciplines such as psychology, business, and counseling contribute research that aids in
our understanding of interpersonal communication.
6. Between 2005 and 2050, the Hispanic population in the United States is expected to
double.
7. By 2050, the number of Asian and Pacific Islanders in the United States is expected to
decrease in the United States.
8. In recent years, interest in interpersonal communication has declined, making it a
specialized and small discipline.
9. The U.S Census Bureau predicts that by 2060, 1 in 5 Americans will be age 65 or over.
10. This book emphasizes personal learning, which occurs when we interact on a personal
level with the subject matter we are studying.
Essay Items
1. According to the introductory chapter, social diversity fosters insight into others and insight
into ourselves. Describe each kind of insight and provide an example of how learning about
social diversity encourages each.
2. Communicating via social media, like communicating face to face, is most effective when we
adapt our communication to the people with whom we are interacting. How might you
modify your communication when using social media to communicate with a parent? With a
grandparent? With your professor? With your best friend? Explain.
3. The author of your textbook states that generalizations are useful starting points in efforts to
understand and interact with others. Discuss the opportunities and limitations of using
generalizations, and explain how they should be used.
4. Describe three ways that social diversity offers opportunities and challenges to those who
study interpersonal communication.
5. The author discusses four features to this book to make it more interesting and helpful to the
reader. Discuss how she has written this book differently from other textbooks.
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Rejoinders
Multiple-Choice Items
True-False Items
Essay Items