Question 1

Face-to-face communication is the richest form of communication because the receiver observes multiple cues in the message.

Accepted Answer

Media richness indicates how well a particular medium conveys information and promotes learning. Face-to-face communication is the richest form of communication because the receiver observes multiple cues in the message.

Question 2

Communication is

Accepted Answer

Communication is the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another.

Question 3

Generally people retain about 75 percent of what they hear.

Accepted Answer

Researchers estimate that typical listeners retain only about 20 percent to 50 percent of what they hear.

Question 4

Noise is any disturbance that interferes with the transmission of a message, and it can occur in any medium.

Accepted Answer

Noise is any disturbance that interferes with the transmission of a message. It can occur in any medium, as when you have static in a radio transmission, fadeout on a cell phone, loud music when you're trying to talk in a noisy restaurant, or even in the encoding or decoding, as when people from different cultures stumble over each other's languages.

Question 5

Which of the following is the most appropriate medium for a manager advising employees of a revision to the company's bonus structure?

Accepted Answer

A rich medium like a face-to-face meeting is more effective with non-routine situations. This provides an opportunity for feedback and prevents information oversimplification in which the receiver does not get enough information.

Question 6

________ is the process of translating a message into understandable symbols or language.

Accepted Answer

Encoding is translating a message into understandable symbols or language.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT an example of noise in the communication process in a typical classroom?

Accepted Answer

Noise is any disturbance that interferes with the transmission of a message. Answering questions would be promoting communication.

Question 8

A(n) ________ form of media allows receivers to observe multiple cues, such as body language and tone of voice, and allows senders to get feedback. Face-to-face communication is an example of this form of media.

Accepted Answer

Face-to-face communication, also the most personal form of communication, is the richest form of communication. It allows the receiver of the message to observe multiple cues, such as body language and tone of voice. It allows the sender to get immediate feedback, to see how well the receiver comprehended the message.

Question 9

If you must tell an employee that he is facing a sexual harassment investigation, you should use a rich medium of communication.

Accepted Answer

A rich medium is more effective with nonroutine situations. Informing staff of such an investigation is best done using a rich medium such as a face-to-face meeting because the receiver is likely to want additional information.

Question 10

When a supervisor is afraid to voice an idea because she or he fears criticism, the result is a receiver barrier.

Accepted Answer

In this case, there is a sender barrier, because no message gets sent.

Question 11

When the band came out on stage and the lead singer shouted, "Hello, Philadelphia!" the crowd roared with applause. The crowd's response is an example of

Accepted Answer

Feedback occurs when the receiver (the audience members) expresses his or her reaction (applause) to the sender's (the lead singer's) message (the greeting).

Question 12

Formal channels of communication are typically faster than the grapevine.

Accepted Answer

The grapevine is the unofficial communication system of the informal organization. The grapevine is faster than formal channels, is always operating, but is not always accurate.

Question 13

The sun was shining directly into Luca's eyes, so he looked away and missed the coach's demonstration of a defensive technique. In this case, the sun acts as feedback in the communication process.

Accepted Answer

Noise is any disturbance that interferes with the transmission of a message, such as the sun interfering in one's ability to watch a demonstration.

Question 14

An order taker who has a thick accent, and someone who speaks too fast at a fast-food drive-through, are examples of communication barriers.

Accepted Answer

If you have ever been served the wrong drink because the server couldn't hear you in a noisy bar, clicked on a broken web link, missed your boarding call because the airport's public address system was full of static, or taken offense at a text you later found you misinterpreted, you've experienced a barrier to communication.

Question 15

Sylvie had many spelling and grammar mistakes in her report, some of which made the content difficult to understand. Sylvie's report is an example of poor encoding.

Accepted Answer

True, Sylvie did a poor job of encoding the message. The receiver does the decoding, which is interpreting and trying to make sense of the message.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT an element of the communication model?

Accepted Answer

The elements of the communication model are sender, receiver, message, noise, and feedback.

Question 17

When using text messages for important workplace communications, use abbreviations and emojis to streamline the communication.

Accepted Answer

Abbreviations like "omw" and "btw" look unprofessional in a business message and can confuse some readers. Save emojis for texts with family and friends.

Question 18

Thinking about the communication process, which of the following would be an accurate description of one of the steps?

Accepted Answer

The communication process includes (1) sender encodes message, selects medium, (2) message is transmitted through a medium, (3) receiver decodes the message, and (4) receiver expresses reaction.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is NOT true about communication in the workplace?

Accepted Answer

Many managers have discovered that a simple phone call can cut through many layers of misinterpreted e-mails, which often fail to convey nuances through tone of voice and body language.

Question 20

You are a(n) ________ communicator when your intended message is sent accurately in the least amount of time.

Accepted Answer

You are an efficient communicator when you can transmit your message accurately in the least amount of time.

Quiz 15: Interpersonal and Organizational Communication: Mastering the Exchange of Information