Deck 9: Communicating in Families

Question 1

We learn from the communication information that men usually take more initiative in trying to alter relationships.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

When message congruence is low, relationship ambiguity is also low.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Message congruence is inversely related to relationship satisfaction.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Relationship self-disclosure happens when you gain information about a spouse or partner from a third party.

Question 5

Relationship self-disclosure is important for marital satisfaction.

Question 6

Giving in is an effective way to build family strength.

Question 7

Competitive communication destroys a family's ability to meet their goals.

Question 8

Interrupting is always a type of competitive communication.

Question 9

Giving advice or lecturing is not really very helpful in problem solving, however, it is usually thought of as being a cooperative communication style.

Question 10

Communication is most effective when the end result of changing someone is achieved.

Question 11

Men communicate primarily to connect and build relationships.

Question 12

Women communicate primarily to connect and build relationships.

Question 13

In highly fused families, it is common for:

A) Family members to have conflict about the problem solutions and for there to be high amounts of negative emotion expressed as well
B) Family members to have conflict and argue (not about solutions) and for there to be high amounts of negative expressed emotion
C) There to be little conflict

Question 14

Which of the following is not one of the types of competitive/destructive communication styles mentioned in class:

A) Lecturing
B) Silent treatment
C) Surrendering
D) Seeking meaning

Question 15

Which answer below bests describes being a martyr? It means you are giving in:

A) And allowing yourself to become abused
B) But it is a way to have power
C) But you are allowing your spouse to dominate
D) And realizing that a position of least interest means you cannot have power in the decisions

Question 16

According to the text, communication is best described as:

A) A language management procedure
B) A fundamental aspect of personality
C) The way in which we define relationships and discover one another
D) Conversation

Question 17

Communication begins when:

A) Two people meet and begin to establish a relationship
B) Individuals have begun to converse
C) We find information out about a person we are going to meet
D) We are in the womb

Question 18

Messages are comprised of:

A) Content and sublimity
B) Covert and overt content
C) Language and metaphor
D) Interaction and reaction

Question 19

Covert messages are to overt messages as:

A) Peanut butter is to jelly
B) Inside is to outside
C) Implicit is to explicit
D) Closed is to open

Question 20

Which of the following is the best example of a covert message?

A) A wink
B) A nod
C) A smile
D) All of the aforementioned are examples of covert messages

Question 21

The purpose of covert messages is to:

A) Reveal our attitudes toward the sender, topic or situation
B) Convey information about ourselves
C) Handle ongoing interactions with other individuals
D) All of the aforementioned are purposes of covert messages

Question 22

Covert messages are:

A) The report element of the message
B) Less important than the actual words spoken
C) More subtle and less obvious parts of the message
D) The raw data of the message transmission

Question 23

Overt messages are:

A) Always words
B) Obvious and explicit
C) The most powerful part of the message transmission
D) All of the aforementioned characterize overt messages

Question 24

Decoding a message involves:

A) Intent message content only
B) Overt message content only
C) Covert message content only
D) Overt and covert message content

Question 25

Message decoding can be compromised or disrupted when

A) The intended recipient doesn't decode them as we would have hoped they would
B) Neither the sender nor the receiver are able to participate effectively in the communication process
C) We lack practice and skill in communicating with an individual
D) All of the aforementioned will compromise message decoding in communication

Question 26

Research on communication in marriage has discovered that couples communicate most frequently about:

A) Meta-level processes
B) Their own relationship
C) Work, home maintenance and children
D) Sex

Question 27

Research on communication in marriage has discovered that couples communicate least frequently about:

A) Their own relationship
B) Work, home maintenance and children
C) Sex
D) Money

Question 28

The research on communication notes that marital satisfaction is positively related to:

A) More time spent at home
B) More time talking about work, home maintenance and children
C) More time communicating about personal topics
D) A & C

Question 29

Communication in close relationships can be organized into the following types:

A) Small talk, control talk, meta-communication and straight talk
B) Small talk, control talk, empathy talk and competitive talk
C) Small talk, empathy talk, coercive talk and competitive talk
D) Small talk, control talk, meta-communication and competitive talk

Question 30

Small talk is characterized by:

A) Topics that focus on news items, daily routine, the weather or what's for dinner
B) Praise, direction, or suggestions to family members and others to whom we are communicating with
C) Discussion and evaluation of how we participate in certain family processes
D) Intimacy, meaning, appreciation or clarification

Question 31

Control/Competitive talk is characterized by:

A) Topics that focus on news items, daily routine, the weather or what's for dinner
B) Praise, direction, or suggestions to family members and others to whom we are communicating with
C) Discussion and evaluation of how we participate in certain family processes
D) Intimacy, meaning, appreciation or clarification

Question 32

Straight talk is characterized by:

A) Topics that focus on news items, daily routine, the weather or what's for dinner
B) Praise, direction, or suggestions to family members and others to whom we are communicating with
C) Discussion and evaluation of how we participate in certain family processes
D) Intimacy, meaning, appreciation or clarification

Question 33

"You always spend too much money! Do you realize what this is doing to our budget?"
This sentence is an example of:

A) Interrupting
B) Non sequitor
C) Martyring
D) Distancing

Question 34

"Fine, I'll just do it myself!" This sentence is an example of:

A) Interrupting
B) Non sequitor
C) Martyring
D) Distancing

Question 35

Praise messages are to reinforcing messages as:

A) Reward is to dividend
B) Competition is to cooperation
C) Honor is to censure
D) Endorsement is to strengthen

Question 36

The tone and intent of the way we begin a conversation is:

A) Relatively unimportant if we are right
B) A sign of relationship strength
C) Not a significant part of relationship context
D) A & C

Question 37

According to Gottman, intent messages that convey scorn, disdain and censure are examples of:

A) Contempt
B) Withdrawal
C) Defensiveness
D) Criticism

Question 38

According to Gottman, intent messages that convey disinterest, disengagement or indifference are examples of:

A) Contempt
B) Withdrawal
C) Defensiveness
D) Criticism

Question 39

Please categorize the following messages
-Interrupting someone with the phrase, "Yes, but…"

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 40

Please categorize the following messages
-Telling your oldest child, "I have told you to do that a thousand times!"

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 41

Please categorize the following messages
-Interrupting someone to confirm what is being said.

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 42

Please categorize the following messages
-Praising a spouse for unloading the dishwasher.

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 43

Please categorize the following messages
-Criticism of a spouse's choice of clothing.

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 44

Please categorize the following messages
-Sharing appreciation with a child for doing their chores.

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 45

Please categorize the following messages
-Jumping into a conversation with a partner who is running late with a comment like:

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 46

Please categorize the following messages
-"Do you realize that we aren't going to get there on time??!"

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 47

Please categorize the following messages
-Asking someone, "Could you tell me more about that? I'm confused."

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 48

Please categorize the following messages
-Sharing with someone, "You know, there is a great way to do that!" and offering
Them suggestions on how to complete the task.

A) Cooperative communication
B) Competitive communication

Question 49

What are three types of control talk? Provide an example of each type and explain why it is destructive to relationships.

Question 50

Are messages conveying praise cooperative or competitive in family communication? Why?

Question 51

Discuss three types of cooperative communication/straight talk? Provide an example of each.

Question 52

Is message congruency positive or negative in family communication? Why?

Question 53

What is Gottman's 5:1 rule? What are the implications of this rule for a couple who is just beginning their relationship?

Question 54

How do men and women differ with regard to communication? What role do these differences play with regard to self-disclosure in relationships?

Question 55

What are the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?" What does the research say about the impact of these four factors on a couple's relationship?

Question 56

Based on the communication research and information in the text, what are three useful strategies for strengthening relationships with communication?