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CHAPTER 2
Interpersonal Communication and Social Media
Objectives
After studying the material in Chapter Two of Looking Out/Looking In, you should understand:
1. Identify the similarities and differences between mediated and face-to-face communication,
and the relational consequences of choosing each possible channel in a given situation.
2. Describe how the benefits and drawbacks of mediated communication affect a variety of your
interpersonal relationships.
3. Comment on how gender and age affect the use of mediated channels, and adapt your use of
those channels to best fit a given recipient.
4. Evaluate your online communication competence for ways that you foster positive
relationships and protect your own interests.
Notes on Class and Student Activities
Activities
1. Mediated Communication Self-Assessment (2.1 in Student Activities Manual)
Objectives
Assess your use of mediated communication and face-to–face communication.
Understand the impact of your use of mediated communication in particular situations and
relationships.
Reflect on the overall effects of your use of mediated communication.
Instructions
Assign students to individually complete Mediated Communication from the Student Activity
Guide. Then, in small or large group discussion have them compare their experiences with
classmates.
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Discussion Questions
1. What percentage of your time do you communicate through mediated channels? What
percentage is face-to-face?
2. In general, do you prefer e-mail, phone, text-messaging, or other mediated communication
or face-to–face communication? Why or why not?
3. Specifically, when and why do you choose e-mail, phone, text-messaging, or other
mediated communication or face-to–face communication with instructors, family, friends, co-
workers, supervisors. How have those choices affected those relationships?
4. Is your use of mediated communication specific to particular situations, such as quick
conversations, sharing pictures, or avoiding uncomfortable conversations? What has been the
impact of your choices in those types of situations?
5. Does your choice of mediated communication or face-to–face communication vary with the
person’s age, gender, relational dynamic? How have those choices affected those
relationships?
6. In general, how do you think your relationships are affected when you use mediated
communication rather than face-to–face communication?
2. Mediated Communication (2.? in Student Activities Manual)
Objectives
Describe the degree to which communication (in a specific instance or a relationship) is
qualitatively impersonal or interpersonal, and describe the consequences of this level of
interaction.
Diagnose the effectiveness of various communication channels in a specific situation.
Use the criteria in the chapter to determine the level of communication competence in a
specific instance or a relationship.
Instructions
Assign students to individually complete Mediated Communication from the Student Activity
Guide. Then, in small or large group discussion have them compare their experiences with
classmates.
Discussion Questions
1. After completing this activity, what in general did you learn about how you use mediated
communication?
2. What are the differences in the quantity, frequency, and quality of mediated
communication you experience with different generations (parents, grandparents)?
3. Do you use mediated communication more frequently with certain age-groups? Why or
why not?
4. Your text cites a study that states that mediated communication encourages greater
offline interaction with close friends. What is your experience? If you text message
more, do you also see each other more?
3. “Social Networking, Survival, and Healing” (MindTap Ch 2: Drawbacks of Mediated
Communication)
Objectives
To understand and reflect on how mediated communication can be an effective tool for offering
social support.
Instructions
During this Special Feature Reading, Brad K. discusses how social media helped him overcome
addictions. These questions can also be assigned separately or used in classroom discussions.
1. How often do you give or receive interpersonal support through social media? Consider
times when you’ve exchanged supportive messages via social networking sites, email, texts,
or tweets.
2. Can you think of a time when you received social support from someone you didn’t know in
person—perhaps in an online forum, blog, or support group? Was that support similar to or
different from the kind you receive from people you know?
5.“Message Richness and Leanness” (2.2 in Student Activities Manual)
Objectives
Create messages reflecting richness and leanness in specific situations
Understand the impact of message richness and leanness
Choose effective message richness or leanness in specific situations.
Instructions
Assign students to individually complete Message Richness and Leanness from the Student
Activity Guide. Then, in small or large group discussion have them compare their experiences
with classmates.
Discussion Questions
1. In general, what have you learned about richness and leanness in communication?
2. When is face-to-face communication more effective?
3. When is mediated communication more effective?
4. What changes could you make to improve your outcomes in most communication
situation?
5. Device Free Zones (2.3 in Student Activity Manual) or Alone Together (MindTap Ch 2:
Drawbacks of Mediated Communication)
Objectives
To understand and reflect on the impact of mediated communication on relationships.
Analyze the pros and cons of creating device-free zones.
Instructions
The Student Activity Manual is designed to be the basis for class discussion groups.
The MindTap Special Feature Reading discusses how digital devices are affecting face–to-face
communication. MindTap includes the following questions for students to complete online.
These questions can also be assigned separately or used in classroom discussions.
Discussion Questions
1. To what extent do you prioritize mediated communication when you’re in face–to–face
encounters with others?
2. How would your important relationships change if you created device-free zones and times?
Sample Quiz
1. Leaner messages are always less effective than richer messages.
2. Synchronicity is the condition when communicators are all connected in real time.
3. “The right to be forgotten” means you don’t have to worry about content that your contribute
to social media.
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4. Telephone calls are asynchronous.
5. Disinhibition refers to the tendency of online communicators to express themselves with less
caution and self-monitoring.
6. A phone message includes which of the cues of a face-to–face conversation:
a. vocal tone
b. eye contact
c. posture
d. facial expression
7. Synchronicity is the condition when communicators are all
a. able to dance together
b. happy to see each other
c. on time for a meeting
d. connected in real time
8. Research shows that when online, communicators express themselves
a. less honestly and with more self-monitoring.
b. more honestly and bluntly, with less caution and self-monitoring.
c. more honestly and with more caution
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d. less honestly and more caution
9. An accelerated discussion of personal topics and relational development beyond what normally
happens in face-to-face interaction is called
a. personal communication
b. impersonal communication
c. hypersonal communication
d. interpersonal communication
10. Warranting value is
a. the degree to which information is controllable by the person editing a publication
b. the degree to which information is controllable by the public
c. the degree to which information is controllable by the person being described.
d. the degree to which information is controllable by the employer of the person being described
Fill in the blanks below with the correct terms chosen from the list below:
asynchronous ,cyberbullying , cyberstalking , disinhibition ,hyperpersonal communication ,
leanness, netiquette , richness , synchronicity , warranting value, virtual community
11. describes messages that are stark from a lack of nonverbal communication.
12. occurs when communicators express themselves will minimal caution and self-
monitoring.
13. set of civil behaviors that apply to social media .
14. refers to the delay between the time from when a message is sent to when it is received.
15. is an accelerated discussion of personal topics and relational development beyond what
normally happens in face-to–face interaction.
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16. the degree to which online information is controllable by the person being described.
17. malicious acts that harass victims online.
18. describes the abundance of nonverbal cues that add clarity to a verbal message.
19. online groups that gather around shared interests.
20. is the condition when communicators are all connected in real time.
TYPE: COMPLETION APPLICATION
ANSWERS: