Deck 9: Conversational Interaction

Question 1

Duncan (1972) observed that the combination of hand gestures and one or more turn-yielding cues signals that:

A) the speaker is finished speaking
B) * the speaker is actively searching for a word or expression, but intends to continue speaking
C) a speaker is searching for the right word or expression and is inviting another speaker to take the floor
D) the speaker does not intend to participate further in the conversation

Answer 1

* the speaker is actively searching for a word or expression, but intends to continue speaking

Question 2

According to the Sacks, Schegloff, and Jefferson (1974) model of conversation, the primary rule is that:

A) * the current speaker is allowed to select the next speaker
B) the first person to speak up during a silence gains the floor
C) the current speaker may continue, although is not obligated to do so
D) the speaker who yields the least number of turns is perceived to be the conversational leader

Answer 2

* the current speaker is allowed to select the next speaker

Question 3

Clark (1996) describes conversation in terms of:

A) a set of unrelated layers, each of which is governed by a specific system of turn-taking rules
B) a set of unrelated layers, whose relationship is understood by virtue of common knowledge of conversational participants
C) a set of related layers which have to clearly connect to each other
D) a set of related, but independent layers, each of which could be comprehended without reference to any other layer

Answer 3

a set of related layers which have to clearly connect to each other

Question 4

In conversation, typically:

A) turn order is decided ahead of time
B) turn length is decided ahead of time
C) both turn order and turn length are decided ahead of time
D) * neither turn order nor turn length are decided ahead of time

Question 5

According to Duncan (1972), which of the following is not a turn-yielding cue?

A) a drop in pitch
B) * continued use of hand gestures
C) use of stereotyped expressions, such as you know
D) completion of a grammatical clause

Question 6

When two people engage in a coordinated activity, they are participating in what Herbert Clark termed:

A) discourse
B) bystanding
C) * joint action
D) eavesdropping

Question 7

An individual who is openly present but does not participate in a conversation is called a(n):

A) eavesdropper
B) participant
C) * overhearer
D) side participant

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a type of discourse?

A) a debate
B) a conversation
C) an award ceremony
D) * a poetry recital

Question 9

An example given in the text is when a diner asks his companion, Could I use one of your forks? when the waitress is within earshot. Although the statement is directly addressed to the dinner companion, it may also be seen as directed to a(n):

A) addressee
B) eavesdropper
C) * overhearer
D) side participant

Question 10

Which of the following typically varies in conversation?

A) the number of people
B) the topic
C) the turn length
D) * all of the above

Question 11

According to Schank (1977), the topic of a conversation may be defined as:

A) what conversationalists agree to in advance
B) a set of preconditions
C) * the intersection of propositions across sentences
D) none of the above

Question 12

Speakers are almost never interrupted when:

A) they look directly into the eyes of participants
B) they drop the pitch of their voice
C) * they look away from participants
D) they close their eyes to signal that they are searching for the right word or expression

Question 13

An individual who listens in on a conversation without the speaker's awareness is called a(n):

A) * eavesdropper
B) participant
C) overhearer
D) side participant

Question 14

The shared understanding of those involved in a conversation (that is, person A knows X and B knows X and A knows that B knows X) is referred to as:

A) conversational conventions
B) informational convergence
C) dyadic empathy
D) * common ground

Question 15

Hornstein (1985) observed that in comparison with talk between acquaintances or strangers, talk between friends:

A) included more filled pauses
B) tended to include a single topic of conversation
C) rarely included profanity
D) * included more laughter

Question 16

When closing conversations, we are likely to signal the end of a conversation by

A) * summarizing the content of the conversation
B) justifying ending contact at this time
C) expressing pleasure about one's conversational partner
D) planning for future contact

Question 17

In their study of common ground, Clark and Krych (2004) found that participants assembled LEGO models more efficiently when:

A) the directors conversed directly with the builders, but neither could see the other
B) * the directors could converse directly with the builders and each could see the other.
C) the directors 'instructions were audiotaped and the builders could repeat them as often as they needed
D) the directors could see the builders, but the builders could not see the directors.

Question 18

In the Sachs et al (1974) model, turn taking:

A) has no rules
B) has rules but the order depends on the personalities of the participants
C) * has three implicit and ordered rules
D) requires that participants agree on turn sequence and turn length before the conversation begins

Question 19

An individual who is present during a conversation but not directly involved in a given conversational exchange is called a(n):

A) eavesdropper
B) participant
C) overhearer
D) * side participant

Question 20

The phrases we use to open conversation serve to:

A) get a listener's attention and establish a conversational leader
B) get a listener's attention and make a reference to the relationship to the conversational partner
C) * get a listener's attention and establish a turn-taking sequence
D) get a listener's attention and justify ending contact

Question 21

Zimmerman and West (1975) observed that in conversations between men and women:

A) * men tend to interrupt women more than vice versa
B) women tend to delay their minimal responses more than men
C) men tend to use overlaps more than women
D) women don't view interruptions as violations of turn-taking rules

Question 22

Studies of therapeutic discourse have found that therapists are unwilling to challenge client statements, because:

A) conflict reduces the rapport needed for therapeutic change
B) the client might think that the therapist was judging them.
C) therapists always need to conceal their own opinions from the client
D) * those statements necessarily set the direction for the therapeutic session.

Question 23

Fishman's (1978) analysis of couples in conversation concluded that women's use of informal phrases (such as d'ya know?):

A) reflects the growing equality between men and women
B) * reflects the asymmetry between men and women
C) reflects a lack of assertiveness in women
D) reflects confidence and boldness in women

Question 24

According to Lakoff (1975), women use tag questions:

A) * more than men
B) the same amount as men
C) less often than men
D) less often than men, but rarely when speaking with other women

Question 25

Therapist responses to unsolicited comments include:

A) ignoring the intrusion
B) responding to the unsolicited responder but steering the conversation back to the intended addressee
C) allowing the unsolicited comment to open up a new conversational topic
D) * all of the above

Question 26

Reformulation in therapeutic discourse refers to:

A) clients rephrasing their thoughts into clearer form
B) * therapists transforming client discourse into a specific problem
C) therapists repeating client statements in psychological jargon
D) therapists applying a specific clinical term to a client's problem or symptoms

Question 27

Which of the following segments of patient-physician discourse tends to be the briefest?

A) patient description of symptoms
B) * physician presentation of diagnosis
C) physician recommendation of course of action
D) patient reiterating understanding of course of action

Question 28

Recent research on gender and language:

A) confirmed that women use tag questions more than men
B) * do not find that women use tag questions more than men
C) found that women used tag questions more when they were the more powerful partner in the relationship
D) found that either party used tag questions more when they were the more powerful partner in the relationship, regardless of gender

Question 29

A conversational setting in which participants engage in speech exchanges that resemble ordinary conversation but are governed by organizational rules is called a(n):

A) personal setting
B) * institutional setting
C) therapeutic setting
D) informal setting

Question 30

Some studies have found that men interrupt women more than vice versa whereas other studies have found no gender differences in interruptions. In looking at patterns of studies, we find that such interruptions were more common when the studies were conducted

A) in social settings as opposed to formal tasks
B) by women
C) * in the 1970s as opposed to later studies
D) in the 1990s and beyond