Deck 3: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of direct perception checking?

A)looking for cues in a person's voice to confirm your perception
B)listening more attentively
C)asking someone if your perception is accurate
D)ignoring unimportant details about a person's appearance or behavior

Answer 1

C

Question 2

When Lori got an A on her music history paper, she concluded that she was indeed smart.The next week, however, when she failed her biology test, she blamed the professor's "confusing" questions for her poor result.Lori is using what barrier to accurate perception?

A)fundamental attribution error
B)implicit personality theory
C)self-serving bias
D)horn effect

Answer 2

C

Question 3

When we perceive elements of our environment simply because our senses are operating, we are engaged in ________ perception.

A)interpersonal
B)active
C)selective
D)passive

Answer 3

D

Question 4

After watching a few minutes of a new sit-com, Will determined that the comedians on the show were not particularly funny and they made the show turn out to be a waste of his time.In order to determine whether the actors were funny or not, Will used

A)uncertainty reduction theory.
B)a construct.
C)punctuation.
D)implicit personality theory.

Question 5

Peter noticed that Bill came to class late one day.When he met Bill later at a party, he turned to one of his friends and remarked, "Yeah, Bill's the guy I told you about who comes to class late all the time." The perceptual barrier Peter is exhibiting is

A)ignoring information.
B)overgeneralizing.
C)stereotyping.
D)imposing consistency.

Question 6

A woman observes what she believes is her husband flirting with the waitress at a restaurant where the couple is having dinner.The woman decides to ask her husband what he was doing.The husband claims he only smiled at the waitress.In this case, the wife decided to use which of the following to be clearer on the situation?

A)punctuation
B)indirect perception checking
C)direct perception checking
D)attribution

Question 7

You shake hands with someone and notice that the hands are hard and callused.You might infer that this person worked with his hands.And since he is wearing coveralls, you assume he is a farmer.Which stage of the perceptual process would be reflected in this example?

A)selecting or simplifying stimuli
B)organizing or imposing structure
C)interpreting or attributing meaning
D)responding or expressing understanding

Question 8

Mary goes to the gym to exercise after work because she says her husband, John, comes home late every night.John stays at work late because he says Mary works out every night anyway.Which principle of organizing and imposing structure is involved?

A)patterning
B)punctuating
C)superimposing
D)closure

Question 9

What process is involved when we focus our attention on specific elements of our environment and ignore others?

A)interpersonal perception
B)selective attention
C)perception
D)selective recall

Question 10

Uncertainty reduction theory suggests that we seek information in order to

A)reduce anxiety about what we see and experience.
B)achieve closure and control.
C)better understand our own motives.
D)help us be open to others.

Question 11

The theory that helps explain why Nabil's view and account of Shawna's behavior differs dramatically from Benjamin's view and account of that same behavior is known as ________ theory.

A)implicit personality
B)impression formation
C)standpoint
D)attribution

Question 12

Morgan creates categories by applying a familiar structure to information she has selected so she can interpret that information.Morgan is

A)imposing consistency.
B)superimposing.
C)direct perception checking.
D)becoming other-oriented.

Question 13

Which process of perceptual organization and interpretation is being used when we use information we think we know about a person to make assumptions about things we don't know about the person?

A)impression formation
B)implicit personality theory
C)causal attribution theory
D)correspondence inference theory

Question 14

Maria is sitting in a study area in the library trying to study a lesson in which she really isn't interested.All of a sudden, she smells cologne, which causes her to look up.Which of the following processes is Maria most likely employing?

A)interpersonal perception
B)active perception
C)selective perception
D)passive perception

Question 15

Our tendency to put ourselves in situations that reinforce our attitudes, beliefs, values, or behaviors is known as

A)intuitive reinforcement.
B)situational control.
C)memory enforcement.
D)selective exposure.

Question 16

When we categorize individuals and attribute a set of qualities to them because of their membership in that category, what perceptual process are we using?

A)selective perception
B)patterning
C)standardizing
D)stereotyping

Question 17

What is the proper ordering of the stages by which we come to make sense of the various stimuli around us?

A)selecting, interpreting, organizing
B)organizing, selecting, interpreting
C)organizing, interpreting, selecting
D)selecting, organizing, interpreting

Question 18

After the first day of classes Hadya has already decided that her economics professor is strict ("He said he doesn't tolerate cell phones"), her art professor is flaky ("She came in late because she couldn't find the room"), and her communications professor is fun ("He sat on the desk and started to learn all of our names").What process has Hadya used in forming her perceptions?

A)selective perception
B)thin slicing
C)superimposing
D)punctuation

Question 19

According to the causal attribution theory, which of the following is NOT a potential cause for a person's actions?

A)the person himself or herself
B)a stimulus
C)a circumstance
D)impressions

Question 20

Sarah has been a faithful member of your study group all semester.But tonight she not only didn't show up, but she couldn't be reached on her cell phone.You remembered that her father has been seriously ill and inferred that Sarah probably had to rush home to tend to him.Which process of perceptual organization and interpretation did you use in arriving at this conclusion?

A)impression formation
B)implicit personality theory
C)attribution theory
D)use of personal constructs

Question 21

Rex likes Karl, in part, because he thinks Karl is fun, smart, and energetic.When Paul points out to Rex that Karl is a terrible driver, Rex refuses to believe it.Perhaps Rex's perception is clouded by the ________ effect.

A)horn
B)consistency
C)pattern
D)halo

Question 22

A construct is a bipolar quality that we use to classify people.

Question 23

Rebecca is nervous and fidgets during her job interview with Calder.She is hired anyway, but Calder is surprised when he sees her at work on her first day and she is calm and collected.Calder may be guilty of the perceptual mistake of

A)ignoring information.
B)oversimplifying.
C)stereotyping.
D)imposing consistency.

Question 24

When we stereotype others, we do so to fulfill our needs for power, authority, and structure.

Question 25

When we look for nonverbal cues to help us understand how a person is feeling about something we did, we are engaging in

A)mindfulness.
B)indirect perception checking.
C)direct perception checking.
D)intuitive perception.

Question 26

If we assume a person's behavior was caused by an internal factor or personality characteristic, then we attribute his or her behavior to a stimulus.

Question 27

The three stages of the interpersonal perception process are: selecting, organizing, and integrating.

Question 28

Selective exposure is the process of focusing on specific stimuli.

Question 29

Interpersonal perception is the process by which we decide what people are like and give meaning to their actions.

Question 30

People tend to give more weight to positive information than to negative information about others.

Question 31

Meghan is engaged in perception, but is not consciously trying to do so.She is engaged in passive perception.

Question 32

The two ways to check the accuracy of your perceptions are objectively and subjectively.

Question 33

When Beth first met Katie at work, Katie was impatient, stressed out, and irritable.For quite a while, Beth had a negative impression of Katie and tried to avoid her.In reality, Katie is kind and even-tempered.Which of the following best describes why Beth persisted in seeing Katie in a negative light?

A)self-fulfilling prophecy
B)primacy effect
C)horn effect
D)implicit personality theory

Question 34

A recency effect occurs when we pay attention to the first pieces of information we receive about a person or situation.

Question 35

Rob met Frank in an online chat group for race car enthusiasts.Based on briefly looking over Frank's online profile, Rob decided that Frank is a typical show off, know-it-all race car owner.This tendency to stereotype someone based on the few cues online interactions provide is known as

A)social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE).
B)attribution theory.
C)impression formation theory.
D)implicit personality theory.

Question 36

Fritz Heider says all people are "naive psychologists" because we try to explain the motives behind another's actions.

Question 37

Roberta told her parents that she earned an "A" on her psychology exam because she had studied hard and knew the material.She told her parents that she only received a "C" on her history exam because, although she also knew that material, her history professor doesn't like her.This is an example of the self-serving bias.

Question 38

Imposing consistency is an effective tactic for improving your perception skills.

Question 39

When looking at Josie's LinkedIn page, Amy notices that some of the information is misspelled and that Josie's photo is blurred and poorly defined.In Amy's several meetings with Josie, these do not appear to be how Josie REALLY is.In order to keep her perceptions in line, Amy needs to

A)reduce uncertainty.
B)apply the self-serving bias.
C)consider self-fulfilling prophecy.
D)link details with the big picture.

Question 40

You see your friend Hernando sitting quietly, leaning forward with his head in his hands.As you approach him, you say, "Hernando, you look like you are really tired." Your statement is an example of a direct perception check.

Question 41

Explain what the fundamental attribution error is, and give an example of how it might affect a relationship.

Question 42

List and describe the three stages of the interpersonal perception process.

Question 43

Discuss the difference(s)between the halo effect and the horn effect.

Question 44

Paula and Gary are divorcing after eight years of marriage.Paula cites Gary's infidelity as the primary cause of the divorce, but Gary says his affair was simply a symptom of a marriage that had been empty for years, ever since Paula's career became more demanding and her time at home scarce.Use causal attribution theory to explain their differing attributions for the demise of their marriage.

Question 45

Explain how the impression formation theory, implicit personality theory, the use of mental constructs, and attribution theories are related.

Question 46

Explain the difference between direct perception checking and indirect perception checking, and give an example of each.

Question 47

Define perception and interpersonal perception, and give an example between active perception and passive perception.

Question 48

Explain how stereotypes can help us.

Question 49

Alyce knows that her classmate, Ginny, has unusually stringy hair.While this may be due to a genetic issue, Alyce assumes that Ginny doesn't wash her hair and skin regularly, and is an overall unclean person.She further assumes that Ginny isn't very smart.Alyce is engaging in the horn effect.

Question 50

What is standpoint theory, and how does it explain why people with differing cultural backgrounds have different perceptions of others' behaviors? Give an example.

Question 51

Dr.Smith, a university professor, finds that one of his colleagues, Dr.Tompkins, is difficult to deal with professionally.However, once you get Dr.Tompkins away from the office, he can be one of the nicest and most caring people you would want to know.Dr.Smith decides that while Dr.Tompkins can be difficult to work with, he is still an admirable man.Which of the processes of perceptual organization and interpretation (impression formation, implicit personality theory, attribution theory, or use of personal constructs)did Dr.Smith most likely employ in arriving at this conclusion?