Deck 3: Communication

Question 1

The "father of the communication satellite" is

A) Sir Jimmy Wales.
B) Sir Lawrence Essjay.
C) Sir Arthur C. Clarke.
D) Sir Larry Sanger.

Answer 1

Sir Arthur C. Clarke.

Question 2

Which of the following does NOT pertain to Wikipedia?

A) launched by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger.
B) least popular general reference site on the Internet.
C) fastest-growing general reference site on the Internet.
D) depends on "correctors" to edit its copy.

Answer 2

least popular general reference site on the Internet.

Question 3

First and foremost, the public relations practitioner is

A) a professional communicator.
B) respected management.
C) a supervisor who depends on e-mail to communicate.
D) a trusted adviser.

Answer 3

a professional communicator.

Question 4

Which of the following is critical to the communication process?

A) to send as many messages as time will allow
B) to make oneself understood
C) to exchange information
D) to impart ideas

Question 5

Which of the following describes communication?

A) One person has to send a message to another and the message is not read or regarded.
B) One person has to send a message to another and the message is not understood.
C) One person sends a message to another and the message is regarded and understood.
D) All of the above

Question 6

Before public relations practitioners can earn the respect of management and become trusted advisors, they must:

A) be adept at accounting.
B) be one of the best communicators in the organization.
C) be competent at one of the following: writing, speaking, listening, promoting or counseling.
D) be able to convert personal thoughts into words.

Question 7

Typical goals for communication include

A) to command.
B) to challenge accepted precepts.
C) to persuade, inform, and motivate.
D) to seek understanding.

Question 8

The communication goal that relates to understanding a group in opposition idea is:

A) to build mutual understanding.
B) to motivate.
C) to persuade.
D) to inform.

Question 9

The communication goal that relates to educating a particular public is:

A) to build mutual understanding.
B) to motivate.
C) to persuade.
D) to inform.

Question 10

________ is a typical goal of communication when someone seeks to explain benefits the opposition can gain from reconsidering an i

A) To inform
B) To manipulate
C) To gainmutual understanding
D) To strategize

Question 11

The theory of communication that states an organization beams a message first to mass media outlets, which then deliver the message to mass receivers (readers, listeners and viewers) for their response is:

A) dissonance theory
B) SEMDR theory
C) concentric-circle theory
D) two-step flow theory

Question 12

Pat Jackson's models of communication for public relations emphasized

A) building awareness.
B) triggering an event.
C) adapting to new behaviors.
D) setting clear strategic goals and identifying key stakeholders.

Question 13

The theory of communication that states people seek out massages that they agree with and avoid messages they disagree with is:

A) dissonance theory
B) SEMDR theory
C) concentric-circle theory
D) two-step flow theory

Question 14

In the S-E-M-D-R the S and M, respectively, stand for

A) sender; mode.
B) source; medium.
C) source; message.
D) sender; message.

Question 15

The spiral of silence suggests:

A) communications that work well depend on silence and nonparticipation of a huge, silent majority
B) people seek out messages that are consonant to their own attitudes and avoid messages that are dissonant to their own attitudes
C) public relations comes into play in the encoding and decoding stage of the communications process
D) ideas evolve gradually to the public at large by moving in concentric circles from great thinkers to great disciples to great disseminators to lesser disseminators to politically active to politically inert.

Question 16

The overall study of how communication is used to direct and control is called

A) cybernetics.
B) two-step flow.
C) mass targeting.
D) concentric-circle adaptation.

Question 17

Which of the following does NOT pertain to the spiral of silence theory of communication?

A) originated with Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann
B) the "silent majority" can isolate others to prevent them from communicating
C) a "silent majority" may go along with ideas they otherwise might not have believed
D) how well communication works depends on nonparticipation of a huge majority

Question 18

Professor Everett Rogers predicted the unprecedented ________________ of the Internet as a communications vehicle that spans cultures and geographies.

A) constructivism
B) coordinated management of meaning
C) diffusion
D) convergence

Question 19

Which of the following is true about public relations models introduced by Grunig & Hunt?

A) the press agent/publicity model focuses on two-way communication.
B) the public information model focuses on two-way communication.
C) the asymmetric and symmetric models focus on one-way communication.
D) the asymmetric and symmetric models focus on two-way communication.

Question 20

Constructivism suggests that knowledge is constructed. Which of the following statements is NOT true under constructivism?

A) The cognitive process that precedes communication is more important than the communication.
B) It is important to have knowledge of the receiver and his or her beliefs.
C) The sender should transmit or dispense information and expect receivers to act on it.
D) The sender should challenge preconceived notions in order to persuade audience members to alter their views.

Question 21

Which of the following describes the coordinated management of meaning theory?

A) Communication is the simple transmission of ideas.
B) Communication is a complex, interconnected series of events with each participant affected by the other.
C) Communication is beamed one-way from a source to a receiver with the express intention of winning favorable media attention.
D) Communication is propaganda that is used to inform the receivers.

Question 22

The study of what words really mean is called

A) dictionation.
B) semantics.
C) transmission.
D) adaptation.

Question 23

Public relations professionals who encode a client's message must understand

A) the significance of words on the message conveyed to the ultimate receiver.
B) words and phrases quickly change meaning and drop out of favor.
C) the true meaning of words that make up the message.
D) all of the above.

Question 24

The "content is the message"

A) says the content is most important.
B) says the medium chosen to convey the message is more important than the content of the message or the person delivering the message.
C) is associated with the communication theorist Marshall McLuhan.
D) says the speaker's words, face, body, eyes, attitude, timing, wit and presence form a composite that influences the listener.

Question 25

The "medium is the message"

A) says the content is most important.
B) says the medium chosen to convey the message is more important than the content of the message or the person delivering the message.
C) is associated with the communication theorist Elmo Roper.
D) is why public relations people insist on accuracy and truthfulness.

Question 26

Believing the smooth, confident speaking style of Barack Obama helped him win the presidency is acknowledgement of the theory that

A) the "medium is the message."
B) the "content is the message."
C) the "person is the message."
D) "political correctness is the message."

Question 27

How a receiver decodes a message depends greatly on the receiver's

A) precognitions, predilections and perceptions.
B) use of social media.
C) charisma.
D) credibility.

Question 28

In decoding, which of the following does NOT influence translation of a message?

A) stereotypes
B) semantics
C) symbols
D) symmetry

Question 29

When the media use terms, such as Gen-Xers, policy wonks, bankers, and feminists, they are resorting to using

A) semantics.
B) stereotypes.
C) peer pressure.
D) symbols.

Question 30

Andy picked up a brochure at the checkout counter in a sporting goods store because the cover had what appeared to be a logo for his favorite team. Upon a closer look, he realized the logo was for a team in a different sport, a sport he did not follow. He interpreted the message incorrectly because of

A) a stereotype.
B) a symbol.
C) peer pressure.
D) media.

Question 31

The two basic assumptions that underlie most research on ____________________ include: (1) the press and the media do not reflect reality; they filter and shape it; and (2) media concentration on a few issues and subjects leads the public to perceive those issues as more important than other issues.

A) agenda setting
B) trend setting
C) peer pressure
D) media

Question 32

Feedback is critical to communication because from it

A) the source can learn whether a receiver understands a message.
B) the receiver can learn how to avoid future messages.
C) the source learns how to avoid messages from the receiver.
D) the source canlearn what type noise to include in a message.

Question 33

Which of the following occurs if a message is clearly understood?

A) A public changes its attitude.
B) A public does nothing.
C) A public crystallizes its attitude.
D) Any of the above.

Question 34

Rajiv kept forgetting to e-mail his family back home, even though he felt he should email them when he was on his computer every evening. Finally, his wife scanned a photograph of his mother and father. Now, the photo pops up every time he starts the computer. The first time Rajiv sees the photo, he goes right to his e-mail and sends his folks a quick message. The photo

A) created a wedge of doubt.
B) crystallized an attitude.
C) changed an attitude.
D) did nothing.

Question 35

The professor listened to the student explain why the paper was late. The student claimed that the campus-wide computer system crashed overnight. Upon checking, the professor confirmed what the student had said, illustrating that a message initially

A) can create a wedge of doubt.
B) can change an attitude.
C) may do nothing.
D) motivates someone to take a desired action.

Question 36

Public relations practitioners' knowledge, training, and ability to communicate well should set them apart from other employees in an organization.

Question 37

Planned communication requires a goal, objective, and purpose.

Question 38

To achieve the various goals associated with communication, Pat Jackson emphasized the need to have an integrated, strategically planned approach.

Question 39

The only communication goal in public relations is to inform.

Question 40

The two-step flow theory in communication credited the mass media with being the dominant influence on public opinion.

Question 41

Pollster Elmo Roper developed the concentric-circle theory of communication.

Question 42

How communication is used for direction and control is called cybernetics.

Question 43

From the S-E-M-D-R communication process, practitioners should realize the critical role of encoding and decoding in their efforts to communicate a message to a public.

Question 44

To understand semantics, you should know the difference between words that connote and words that denote.

Question 45

The proponent most often associated with the "medium is the message"
is Fraser Seitel.

Question 46

Charisma is a key component that helps give credence to the idea that "the person is the message."

Question 47

Stereotyping, symbols, semantics, peer groups, and the media influence personal biases.

Question 48

Most people are susceptible to stereotypes, which can influence communication.

Question 49

If used properly, symbols can effectively help persuade.

Question 50

If a word you choose in a presentation has a contrasting meaning for different people in the audience, your problem is one of semantics.

Question 51

You're communicating even when there is no receiver who might hear and understand your message.

Question 52

Communication that changes attitudes is very difficult to achieve and rarely occurs.

Question 53

Identifying the amount of sales, the number of letters to editors, or the number of votes obtained can determine whether communication objectives have been met.

Question 54

Describe why knowing about and how to communicate is critical for public relation practitioners.

Question 55

List the typical goals public relations professionals see for communication.

Question 56

Define and discuss what semantics is and how it can affect a message.

Question 57

Communication theorists differ on what exactly constitutes a message. Name the most popular explanations and describe them.

Question 58

Name and describe three factors that nurture personal biases.