Question 1

During a conflict, one negative comment is often reciprocated with an even more negative comment. When this continues, it is known as a(n)

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is referred to as a "defensive spiral" because each party's negative comments lead to further negative comments from the other party, escalating the conflict.

Question 2

Jackie didn't do well on her first human relations exam and called her mom with her concerns. Her mom responded, "You should have studied more." Jackie responded defensively because her mother used ___________ language.

Accepted Answer

Jackie responded defensively because her mother used evaluative language, which involves making a judgment or evaluation about someone's actions or behavior, often leading to a defensive reaction.

Question 3

Jackie didn't do well on her first human relations exam and called her mom with her concerns. Her mom responded, "It sounds like you are really upset." This response is typical of ___________ language.

Accepted Answer

Jackie's mom's response is typical of descriptive language because she is describing Jackie's emotional state without judging, evaluating, or making assumptions about it.

Question 4

Often when others respond to our fears or our concerns, they imply that their opinion is the last word on the subject. This is known as a(n) _________ response.

Accepted Answer

A certainty response implies that the speaker's opinion is the final and absolute truth on the matter, leaving little room for discussion or alternative viewpoints.

Question 5

When we respond to friends supportively and in a way that signals open-mindedness and interest, we are using a(n) _________ response.

Accepted Answer

Provisional responses are characterized by open-mindedness and show interest in hearing others' perspectives, making them supportive in nature. This contrasts with evaluative, descriptive, or certainty responses, which may not necessarily signal the same level of openness or support.

Question 6

Control orientation is to problem orientation as _________ is to

Accepted Answer

Control orientation involves making decisions for others, while problem orientation involves collaborating with others to make decisions, reflecting a partnership approach.

Question 7

Individuals with hidden agendas are often perceived as communicating in a way that is meant to manipulate the other person. This defense-arousing behavior is called

Accepted Answer

Strategy is the term used to describe communication that is perceived as manipulative or as having a hidden agenda, often leading to defensive reactions from others.

Question 8

The ___________ category for eliciting defensive responses is more difficult to recognize than other strategies because the strategy is often more apparent in the nonverbal element.

Accepted Answer

The strategy vs. spontaneity category is more difficult to recognize because it often relies heavily on nonverbal cues to distinguish between a planned, strategic response and a spontaneous, genuine one.

Question 9

The category of defense-arousing response that deals with listener interest is known as

Accepted Answer

Neutrality vs. empathy deals with listener interest, as empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which can engage the listener more effectively than neutrality.

Question 10

When a respondent seems disinterested in what we have to say, Gibb refers to the behavior as

Accepted Answer

Gibb refers to disinterested behavior as "neutrality," which indicates a lack of concern or involvement.

Question 11

The defense-arousing message that implies the speaker is smarter, knows more, or is somehow better than the listener is a(n) ________ message.

Accepted Answer

Superiority messages imply that the speaker is smarter, knows more, or is somehow better than the listener, which can lead to defensiveness in communication.

Question 12

One of the hardest situations to deal with is when someone criticizes us for something we know is true. In this case, the best response is to ___________ the statement.

Accepted Answer

Agreeing with the statement acknowledges the truth in the criticism, allowing for a constructive response and self-improvement.

Question 13

Suzanne was hurt when her mother unfairly criticized her efforts on a recent exam. Since Suzanne believes the criticism is inaccurate, her best response is to ___________ the statement.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suzanne was hurt when her mother unfairly...

Question 14

One multipurpose, nondefensive response that is most effective in responding to others' criticisms involves

Accepted Answer

Paraphrasing is effective because it shows that you are actively listening and trying to understand the other person's perspective, which can help defuse tension and lead to a more constructive conversation.

Question 15

Which method is not included in the integrative model for resolving conflict?

Accepted Answer

The integrative model for resolving conflict includes identifying the problem, setting a time and place to discuss the issue, and exchanging viewpoints to understand each other better. Avoiding brainstorming and using only safe options is not part of this model, as the model encourages open and creative problem-solving to find mutually beneficial solutions.

Question 16

Janet is paired with George on a work project. As they work together, Janet soon finds out that no matter what concerns she has about how the project is going, George will argue with her until he is satisfied that he won. Also, he takes credit for her ideas whenever they update the boss on their progress. By the end of the project, Janet is left feeling unmotivated because of George's __________________ style.

Accepted Answer

George's behavior is described as dominating because he insists on arguing until he wins and takes credit for Janet's ideas, indicating a desire to control or dominate the situation rather than collaborate or compromise.

Question 17

When the boss needs to make a difficult decision quickly, the _______________ style is most useful.

Accepted Answer

The dominating style is most useful when a boss needs to make a difficult decision quickly because it involves assertive and unilateral decision-making, allowing the leader to quickly impose a solution.

Question 18

When a workplace issue is temporary and the benefit of engaging in conflict is minimal, it is best to use a(n) ______________ style.

Accepted Answer

The avoiding style is best used when the issue is temporary and the potential benefits of addressing the conflict do not outweigh the costs. This approach minimizes the risk of unnecessary confrontation over minor issues.

Question 19

The _______________ conflict style should be reserved for important and long-lasting workplace issues.

Accepted Answer

The integrating conflict style is most suitable for important and long-lasting workplace issues because it involves collaboration between the parties to find a solution that fully satisfies the concerns of everyone involved. This approach is thorough and seeks a win-win outcome, making it ideal for significant matters that will have a lasting impact.

Question 20

Christina is mad at Anna, her close friend at work. When they are assigned to work together on a presentation, she treats Anna the same way she always has and doesn't let her know anything is wrong. But whenever Christina talks to their boss, she lies about Anna not pulling her weight and spending a lot of work time making personal phone calls. Which conflict style best describes Christina's behavior?

Accepted Answer

Christina's behavior is passive-aggressive because she is expressing her negative feelings towards Anna indirectly by sabotaging her reputation with their boss, rather than addressing the issue directly with Anna.

Quiz 10: Conflict and Conflict Resolution