Com 310 communication: theories and practice final

Communication Quiz Final

Underline the best answers to the following 30 multiple choice questions.

1.     Communication is defined as

a.     the sense that people extract from a message

b.    thesocial process in which individuals employ symbols to establish and interpret meaning in their environment

c.     the perceived rightness or wrongness of an action

d.    the ability to transmit one’s ethical decisions through proper channels

2.     The _______ context of communication is often more constrained and restricted because it is influencedby costs, politics, and other concerns.

a.     Public

b.    Organizational

c.     Mass

d.    Intercultural

3.     All of the following have been identified by the authors as being useful in evaluating theories EXCEPT

a.     parsimony

b.    utility

c.     boundaries

d.    economy

4.     Which research methodology requires researchers to gather data and information that can be converted to numbers for statistical analysis?

a.     qualitative

b.    interpretive

c.     quantitative

d.    critical

5.     Which of the following is NOT a theme associated with theSymbolic InteractionTheory?

a.     the acquisition of language through interaction with generalized others

b.    the importance of meanings for human behavior

c.     the importance of the self-concept

d.    the relationship between the individual and society

6.     Which of the following is NOT an assumption governing Coordinated Management of Meaning?

a.     Human beings live in communication.

b.    Human beings co-create a social reality.

c.     Information transactions depend on personal and interpersonal meaning.

d.    Group interpretation is more influential than interpersonal meaning.

7.     An example of a consonant relationship between beliefs and behaviors is that

a.     you believe in raising the speed limit and lobby against drunk driving

b.    you believe that researchers treat lab animals inhumanely and lobby actively against use of animals in research

c.     you believe in going to church on Sundays and agree to work overtime on Sundays

d.    both b and c

8.     If we like a person, we will _________ evaluate any expectancy violations that are made. If we dislike a person, we will _________ evaluate any expectancy violations that occur.

a.     negatively, positively

b.    negatively, negatively

c.     positively, negatively

d.    positively, positively

9.     The two primary goals of individuals engaged in an initial interaction are _________ and _________.

a.     understanding, disclosure

b.    prediction, explanation

c.     understanding, explanation

d.    prediction, control

10.  Julianne and Ricardo have reached the point in their relationship at which they openly express their thoughts and feelings with one another. Their communication is viewed as being efficient. Which stage of social penetration describes the current state of their relationship?

a.     orientation

b.    exploratory affective

c.     affective exchange

d.    stable exchange

11.  Which of the following assumptions emphasizes the importance of considering the role of diversity in relationships?

a.     Humans seek rewards and avoid punishments.

b.    Humans are rational beings.

c.     The standards that humans use to evaluate costs and rewards vary over time and from person to person.

d.    Relationships are interdependent.

12.  All of the following statements about dialectical tensions are true EXCEPT

a.     people are not always able to resolve the contradictions that they experience and may become comfortable in believing inconsistent things about relationships

b.    partners in a relationship experience ongoing tensions between contradictory impulses

c.     dialectical theorists support a notion that there is typically one point of view that should dominate a relationship

d.    Baxter and Montgomery are the researchers most closely associated with the application of dialectical theory to relationships

13.  Kip has been dating Theresa for less than a month. During a recent date, he discovered that he was uncomfortable because he had revealed a great deal of information about his dysfunctional childhood to Theresa but had not told her about the time he was arrested for driving under the influence. Which dialectical tension was Kip experiencing?

a.     autonomy and connection

b.    openness and protection

c.     novelty and predictability

d.    real and ideal

14.  Which of the following is NOT one of the features of boundaries as discussed in Communication Privacy Management Theory?

a.     Boundaries can be personal

b.    Boundaries are normally set by those in power

c.     Boundaries can be rigid.

d.    Boundaries can change across the life span.

15.  As the decision to launch a new product to prevent tooth decay was being debated, one of the product development specialists commented, “What a great product! We have created something that will help Americans maintain the enamel on their teeth. I don’t know why those health critics are accusing us of putting a potentially harmful product out on the market. After all, our goal is to help people, not to hurt them. We’re interested in doing what is in the best interest of the public.” She has demonstrated which of the following symptoms of groupthink?

a.     illusion of invulnerability

b.    out-group stereotypes

c.     belief in the inherent morality of the group

d.    collective rationalization

16.  Alberto can get his group members to agree to participate in a late-night meeting in order to decide on a plan of action before the deadline set by the client. Although most people typically would not be willing to work such late hours, Alberto’s team agrees because he has always treated the members well, and they have come to respect him as a caring leader and as a colleague. Which of the following types of power is most influential in getting the group to agree to the late-night meeting?

a.     expert power

b.    referent power

c.     legitimate power

d.    reward power

17.  Jokes that are shared, jargon that is understood, and stories that are told by members of an organization represent _________ manifestations.

a.     behavioral

b.    physical

c.     symbolic

d.    verbal

18.  The theory that describes the influence of information that is received from an organization’s external environments as well as the interrelationship among various units in an organization is

a.     The Dialectical Theory

b.    The Uncertainty Reduction Theory

c.     TheGeneral Systems Theory

d.    The Theory of Evolution

19.  Before he creates his speech, Antonio considers the age, sex, and educational level of his audience. Antonio engaging in

a.     the activities associated with the canon known as style

b.    audience analysis

c.     predictive behavior

d.    role playing

20.  Burke argued that some of what people do is motivated by their animal nature (such as thirst and hunger) and some of what they do is motivated by

a.     other

b.    attitude

c.     symbols

d.    reaction

21.  Narratives

a.     are found in all cultures and time periods

b.    provide for the sharing of the practical wisdom that all individuals possess

c.     are affected by history, biography, culture, and character

d.    all of the above

22.  TheCultural Studies Theory argues that media are

a.     powerful tools for those wishing to engage the oppositional-negotiated vantage point

b.    subordinate to interpersonal communication experiences

c.     powerful tools for the elite to use to maintain dominant ideologies

d.    subordinate to the forces known as hegemony

23.  Cultivation analysis

a.     makes a causal argument linking television viewing and perceptions of social reality

b.    makes a correlational argument linking television viewing and perceptions of social reality

c.     considers television to be a minor influence on perceptions of social reality

d.    argues that radio is a more powerful influence on perceptions of social reality than television

24.  TheUses and Gratifications Theory

a.     is associated with theMass Society Theory

b.    focuses on how media producers manipulate individual audience members

c.     concerns itself with second-order effects

d.    asks not what media do to people but what people do with media

25.  Marshall believes anyone caught drinking and driving should lose their driver’s license. He compares his opinion to the results of a recent poll and finds that he holds the minority opinion on this topic. Spiral of silence theorists would predict that Marshall will

a.     forget about the whole issue.

b.    decide to remain silent on the issue

c.     change his opinion

d.    none of the above

26.  “The medium is the message” suggests that

a.     media continue to subordinate the masses

b.    media content is secondary to the channel

c.     people are intoxicated by television over other media

d.    print was the most influential of all media

27.  Which of the assumptions of theFace-Negotiation Theory proposes that we hold a number of self-images about ourselves and that these identities are negotiated in interactions that link self to society?

a.     Self-identity is important in interpersonal interactions, with individuals negotiating their identities differently across cultures.

b.    The management of conflict is mediated by self and culture.

c.     Certain acts threaten one’s projected self-image.

d.    Cultural variability can be used to explain cultural differences in behavior.

28.  TheStandpoint Theory focuses on the central concept of _________ and how it shapes our communication with others.

a.     power

b.    attraction

c.     disclosiveness

d.    uncertainty

29.  One ultimate goal of theMuted Group Theory is to

a.     reduce the amount of anxiety women have in their jobs

b.    change the system of language that serves men more than women

c.     limit the options that men have in perpetuating sexual stereotypes

d.    present women with ways to become more powerful in their jobs

30.  _________ is defined as the ability to adjust, modify, or regulate one’s behavior in response to another.

a.     Adaptation

b.    Accommodation

c.     Reflexivity

d.    Assertion