Deck 14: Communicating in the Digital Age

Question 1

Communication competence is the ability to effectively use communication behaviors in a given context.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: Communication competence is defined as the ability to communicate effectively in specific situations. Business etiquette, for example, is one component of communication competence.

Question 2

Inflated egos and arrogance act as personal barriers in the communication process.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: Inflated egos can cause political battles, turf wars, and overzealous pursuit of power, credit, and resources. Egos influence how we treat others as well as our receptiveness to being influenced by others. If you have ever been ridiculed or bullied in public, then you know how ego-related feelings can impact communication.

Question 3

Illegible handwriting is an example of "noise" in the communication process.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: Noise represents anything that interferes with the transmission and understanding of a message. Illegible handwriting is an example of "noise" in the communication process.

Question 4

Stereotypes potentially distort communication because their use causes people to misperceive and filter information.

Question 5

The conduit model assumes communication transfers intended meanings from person to person.

Question 6

Little eye contact and downward glances are nonverbal patterns that reveal an aggressive communication style.

Question 7

The location of where you grew up can influence how information is processed and interpreted.

Question 8

The conduit model of communication depicts communication as a pipeline in which information and meaning are transferred from person to person.

Question 9

An assertive communication style is expressive and self-enhancing at the expense of others.

Question 10

Poor listening skills are an example of a personal barrier.

Question 11

A difference in time-zone is a physical barrier to communication.

Question 12

An employee who has an idea about how to increase sales, but is afraid to voice it because he fears criticism is a victim of the decoding barrier.

Question 13

The conduit model of communication takes into account the fact that miscommunication sometimes occurs during the transfer of information.

Question 14

A student who is talking to a friend during a lecture and then asks the professor a question that was just answered is the victim of an encoding barrier.

Question 15

Feedback occurs when the sender gets a reaction from the receiver.

Question 16

After the manager of a store explains the work schedule to a new employee, he is met with a blank stare. This is an example of a feedback barrier.

Question 17

Telephones are an efficient medium for the transfer of nonverbal information.

Question 18

Communication will fail if any step in the communication process is disrupted or blocked.

Question 19

Encoding occurs when the receiver receives a message.

Question 20

Jargon is an example of a personal barrier.

Question 21

Formal communication occurs only through vertical channels.

Question 22

Listening is an active process.

Question 23

Good listeners resist listening to presentations of difficult subject matter.

Question 24

Effective managers monitor the pulse of work groups by regularly communicating with known organizational moles.

Question 25

Informal communication channels include the grapevine and management by wandering around.

Question 26

Leaning forward is a nonverbal cue that communicates immediacy.

Question 27

Horizontal communication is a two-way flow of information between employees and a variety of stakeholders outside the organization.

Question 28

Inconsistencies between nonverbal signals and verbal messages create noise and promote miscommunication.

Question 29

Men are more likely to temper criticism with positive buffers.

Question 30

Vertical communication flows among co-workers and between different work units, and its main purpose is coordination.

Question 31

A good listener spends most of his or her time listening for facts.

Question 32

Listening skills can be improved by allowing others to finish speaking before taking your turn.

Question 33

Hearing requires cognitive attention and information processing.

Question 34

Linguistic style influences perceptions about one's confidence, competence, and abilities.

Question 35

Eye contact regulates the flow of communication by signaling the beginning and end of conversation.

Question 36

Men are more likely to take ideas stated by women and claim them as their own.

Question 37

The nonverbal communication cues associated with facial expressions are consistent across different cultures.

Question 38

Someone with a comprehensive listening style interprets messages by focusing on the emotions and body language being displayed by the speaker.

Question 39

Men and women interpret touching differently.

Question 40

The grapevine is typically faster than formal channels of communication within an organization.

Question 41

E-mail causes a decrease in all other forms of communication among coworkers, including greetings and informal conversations.

Question 42

Martin's boss is an egotistical, arrogant man. Whenever Martin goes to him with new ideas, they are always rejected. Instead the boss implements strategies and plans that further his own self-interests. Which of the following barriers is affecting Martin's communication with his boss?

A)Process barrier
B)Personal barrier
C)Physical barrier
D)Semantic barrier
E)Conceptual barrier

Question 43

Harry is thinking about meeting Connie. He writes a text message to Connie, inviting her for a drink at the local bar. This is an example of _____.

A)decoding
B)feedback
C)noise
D)encoding
E)miscommunication

Question 44

A two-way face-to-face conversation has the lowest media richness.

Question 45

Asynchronous communication occurs when employees in different locations and time zones work simultaneously.

Question 46

_____ consists of translating verbal, oral, or visual aspects of a message into a form that can be interpreted.

A)Medium richness
B)Decoding
C)Transmission
D)Encoding
E)The feedback loop

Question 47

Impersonal static media such as newsletters and bulletin boards have high media richness.

Question 48

The _____ model depicts communication as a pipeline in which information and meaning are perfectly transferred from one person to another.

A)transmission
B)normative
C)garbage can
D)conduit
E)perceptual

Question 49

Rebecca e-mails a wedding invitation to her cousin Shawn. A few days later, she gets a reply saying that he can't make it to the wedding because he will not be able to get any vacation. In the communication process, Shawn's reply is an example of _____.

A)noise
B)feedback
C)encoding
D)decoding
E)jargon

Question 50

Dana is trying to talk to a client from Russia. But his Russian accent is so thick that she can hardly understand what he is saying. In this situation, Dana's communication with her client is hampered due to _____.

A)the use of jargon
B)a semantic barrier
C)noise
D)genderflex
E)low media richness

Question 51

Speech impairments, poor telephone connections, and poor hearing and eyesight are examples of _____.

A)noise
B)miscommunication
C)sender barrier
D)media richness
E)static

Question 52

E-mail is a confidential medium of communication.

Question 53

A desire to experience new and different things typically takes precedence over long-term commitments for the internet generation.

Question 54

Sender barriers, encoding barriers, and decoding barriers are examples of a _____ barrier.

A)process
B)personal
C)physical
D)semantic
E)jargon

Question 55

According to the perceptual model of communication, _____ is anything that interferes with the transmission and understanding of a message.

A)decoding
B)feedback loop
C)conduit
D)grapevine
E)noise

Question 56

Effective communication occurs when the richness of the medium is matched appropriately with the complexity of the problem or situation.

Question 57

Management by walking around is the term used to describe a manager literally walking around the organization and talking to people across all lines of authority.

Question 58

The _____ model of communication is based on the belief that a receiver creates the meaning of a message in his or her mind, and the receiver's interpretation of the message may differ from the message intended by the sender.

A)transmission
B)normative
C)process
D)conduit
E)perceptual

Question 59

Personal written static media (memos and letters) has greater information richness than a telephone conversation.

Question 60

_____ entails translating thoughts into a code or language that can be understood by others.

A)Selecting a medium
B)Decoding
C)Transmission
D)Encoding
E)The feedback loop

Question 61

_____ is a nonverbal body movement that communicates defensiveness.

A)Leaning forward
B)Learning backward
C)Pointing
D)Crossing one's legs
E)Smiling

Question 62

Which of the following is a characteristic of people with an assertive communication style?

A)Slumped posture
B)Threatening gestures
C)Glaring eye contact
D)The use of "I" and cooperative "we" statements
E)Swear words and abusive language

Question 63

A(n) _____ communication style is characterized by inhibition and self-denying behavior.

A)nonassertive
B)confrontational
C)assertive
D)aggressive
E)results-oriented

Question 64

Which of the following statements regarding eye contact and communication is true?

A)People have a tendency to look at others when they begin to speak.
B)Glaring facilitates and monitors feedback because it reflects interest and attention.
C)People have a tendency to look away from others when they finish speaking.
D)Gazing relates to the type of relationship between communicators.
E)People tend to glare when discussing bad news or providing negative feedback.

Question 65

Which of the following verbal patterns is characteristic of an aggressive communicator?

A)Direct and unambiguous language
B)Qualifiers
C)Sexist or racist terms
D)Negators
E)Fillers

Question 66

John, a regional sales manager, made five telephone calls to a potential customer within four days. None of the calls were returned. John finally gave up trying to make the sales call. John is a victim of a _____ barrier.

A)decoding
B)receiver
C)sender
D)encoding
E)feedback

Question 67

Which of the following statements about nonverbal communication is true?

A)Leaning backward conveys defensiveness.
B)A smile conveys the same meaning across the world.
C)Norms for touching are the same across cultures.
D)Folding one's arms is a way of communicating immediacy.
E)Eye contact conveys emotion.

Question 68

A(n) _____ communication style is expressive and self-enhancing at the expense of others.

A)nonassertive
B)assertive
C)timid
D)aggressive
E)non-confrontational

Question 69

Lily is trying to have a long-distance telephonic conversation with her friend. But there is so much static on the line, that she can hardly hear what her friend is saying. Which of the following barriers does the static on the telephone-line refer to?

A)Decoding barrier
B)Personal barrier
C)Physical barrier
D)Semantic barrier
E)Feedback barrier

Question 70

One day Sara's boss storms into her office and tells her, "I'm not at all satisfied with our work on the project, Sara. I'll expect better next time!" Then, he storms out. Sara, who has been working on five projects at the same time, has no idea which one her boss was referring to. She is not even sure if "our work" means Sara's work with the boss, with her co-workers, or just her own work. In this scenario, Sara is a victim of the _____ barrier to effective communication.

A)medium
B)personal
C)physical
D)semantic
E)sender

Question 71

Lauren is on vacation in Italy. While out shopping, she is unable to understand the price of a scarf because the shop-keeper only speaks Italian and Lauren does not understand Italian. In this case, Lauren is facing a _____ barrier in the communication process.

A)encoding
B)medium
C)decoding
D)feedback
E)receiver

Question 72

Which of the following is true regarding touch as a source of nonverbal communication?

A)Men do more touching during conversations than women.
B)Men and women have the same interpretations of touch during conversations.
C)People tend to touch those they like.
D)Norms about touching are remarkably similar across cultures.
E)Touching is a weak nonverbal cue.

Question 73

_____ is the process of actively decoding and interpreting verbal messages.

A)Hearing
B)Listening
C)Nodding
D)Speaking
E)Talking

Question 74

Bill is distracted during class. He cannot even remember what the lecture was about. This is an example of a _____ barrier.

A)sender
B)receiver
C)medium
D)decoding
E)feedback

Question 75

Paul is stranded on a highway because his car has run out of gas. He calls his friend Steven for help, but before he can give Steven directions to reach him, the battery in Paul's cell phone runs out and the call gets disconnected. Which of the following barriers affected Paul's communication with Steven that could not be completed because of his cell phone's battery failure?

A)Medium barrier
B)Decoding
C)Receiver barrier
D)Sender barrier
E)Feedback barrier

Question 76

_____ is (are) an example of nonverbal behavior of someone with a nonassertive communication style.

A)Little eye contact
B)Comfortable but firm posture
C)Selective interruptions
D)Frequent interruptions
E)A strong, steady voice

Question 77

Mark is holding Tom responsible for the company's past performance and wants to discuss the future goals with him. While communicating with Tom, Mark maintains glaring eye contact, talks in a loud voice, uses swear words and threats to let Tom understand that if he does not deliver, he will be fired. Which of the following styles of communication is Mark displaying here?

A)non-confrontational
B)aggressive
C)timid
D)assertive
E)nonassertive

Question 78

Jill asks Jennifer to inform Debra that her job interview has been moved to 2 PM. Jennifer forgets to convey the message and, as a result, Debra misses her interview. In this situation, Debra is a victim of a _____ barrier in communication.

A)sender
B)receiver
C)medium
D)decoding
E)feedback

Question 79

_____ refers to language or terminology that is specific to a particular profession, group, or company.

A)Metaphor
B)Colloquialism
C)Slang
D)Buzzword
E)Jargon

Question 80

A(n) _____ communication style is expressive and self-enhancing without intruding on others.

A)nonassertive
B)assertive
C)confrontational
D)aggressive
E)timid