Question 1

Much of what we learn about people are thinking or feeling comes not through listening to their words but through observing their body language and other behaviors. Body language is an example of what kind of communication?

Accepted Answer

Body language is a form of nonverbal communication, which includes gestures, postures, and facial expressions, rather than spoken or written words.

Question 2

_____________ communication refers to those behaviors and characteristics that convey meaning without the use of words.

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication includes all the ways you can communicate without using words, such as facial expressions, gestures, and body language.

Question 3

Which statement is the LEAST true about nonverbal communication?

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication actually constitutes a large portion of our messages, often conveying more than the verbal part. It includes gestures, facial expressions, body language, and other cues that can significantly influence the interpretation of the message being communicated.

Question 4

Susan meets Bryant on an online dating web site. They e-mail back and forth until Susan feels comfortable with Bryant; she especially enjoys his use of emoticons. She agrees to speak with him on the phone, and she finds herself liking him more and more. He is soft-spoken, quick to laugh, and gives her plenty of time to state her opinions without interrupting. Even though Susan and Bryant have yet to meet, they have discovered which principle of nonverbal communication?

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication is present in most communication contexts, including online and phone interactions where cues like emoticons and tone of voice play significant roles.

Question 5

In electronically mediated communication such as e-mail or instant messaging, we can introduce nonverbal cues through textual representations of facial expressions called

Accepted Answer

Emoticons are textual representations of facial expressions used in electronically mediated communication to introduce nonverbal cues, often created using keyboard characters to represent emotions or convey tone.

Question 6

According to research, which type of communication conveys the most information in the messages we send?

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication, including body language, facial expressions, and other visual cues, conveys the most information in the messages we send, often more than the words spoken.

Question 7

The various behavioral forms that nonverbal communication takes are referred to as nonverbal

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication is expressed through various behavioral forms known as channels. These channels include body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and eye contact, among others.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT an example of a nonverbal channel?

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal channels refer to ways of communicating without using words. Hearing is not a channel of nonverbal communication; instead, it is a sense that allows us to receive verbal and nonverbal signals. Facial expressions, vocal characteristics (like tone, pitch, loudness), and touch are all examples of nonverbal communication channels.

Question 9

Rita's boyfriend can be moody after a particularly bad day at work. Before trying to speak to him, Rita has learned to observe him for a few moments, paying attention to his tone of voice, facial expressions, and willingness to kiss her hello. Rita is using multiple _____________________ to help her determine her boyfriend's mood.

Accepted Answer

Rita is observing nonverbal behaviors such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and physical gestures (like willingness to kiss hello), which are all examples of nonverbal channels of communication.

Question 10

Patricia is in the car with her niece Cara and notices she is quiet and not participating in the conversation. Patricia asks Cara what's wrong, and Cara says while rolling her eyes, "Nothing, everything is perfectly fine". Despite what Cara says, Patricia is sure something is wrong and decides to speak with her privately when they get to their destination. What principle of nonverbal communication is at play?

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal cues, such as eye-rolling, often convey more about a person's feelings than their words do. Patricia believes something is wrong based on Cara's nonverbal behavior, despite her verbal assurance that everything is fine.

Question 11

Your preference for believing nonverbal signals even when they conflict with spoken words is especially critical for detecting ________________, when someone is leading you to believe something that they know to be untrue.

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal signals are crucial for detecting deception because they can reveal inconsistencies or hidden emotions that contradict spoken words, indicating that someone may be lying.

Question 12

Which statement best reflects why experts believe we put our trust in nonverbal communication over verbal communication?

Accepted Answer

Experts believe we put our trust in nonverbal communication over verbal communication because people have a harder time controlling nonverbal signals than verbal ones, making nonverbal cues seem more genuine and revealing of true feelings.

Question 13

John is able to tell when his mother is annoyed with his behavior just by the look she gives him because nonverbal communication

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication is the primary means of expressing emotion, such as annoyance, which can be conveyed through facial expressions, body language, and other nonverbal cues.

Question 14

What are two channels of nonverbal behavior that are particularly important in the communication of emotion?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are two channels of nonverbal behavior...

Question 15

Out of all forms of communication, research shows that _____________________ of our most basic emotions are interpreted similarly around the world.

Accepted Answer

Facial expressions are universally recognized indicators of basic emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust, making them a common language across different cultures.

Question 16

Lawrence and Sophia are on a double date with Sophia's cousin and his girlfriend. As the discussion turns to Sophia's mother, Lawrence gets a bit nervous, as he knows Sophia's mother does not like him dating her daughter. When Sophia's cousin asks how it is going, Sophia says, "Oh, she adores him and wants to know when the wedding is". She pats Lawrence's leg and winks at him as she says this, to let him know she is joking. Lawrence understands how Sophia wants him to interpret her message because nonverbal communication

Accepted Answer

Sophia's pat on Lawrence's leg and her wink are forms of nonverbal communication that serve to metacommunicate, or communicate about the communication itself, indicating to Lawrence that her statement about her mother's feelings is not to be taken at face value but as a joke.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a function of nonverbal communication?

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication does not serve to avoid impressions; rather, it plays a significant role in creating and managing impressions among individuals.

Question 18

When you deceive others, making your voice higher than normal and using fewer gestures, what is the purpose of your nonverbal communication?

Accepted Answer

The purpose of altering your voice and reducing gestures when deceiving others is to conceal information. This nonverbal behavior is aimed at hiding the truth or misleading the other person.

Question 19

We can use nonverbal signals, such as raising a hand in class to indicate we wish to speak, because nonverbal communication helps us to

Accepted Answer

Raising a hand in class is a form of nonverbal communication specifically used to manage the flow of conversation, indicating when someone wishes to speak without interrupting verbally.

Question 20

AJ sees a group of teenagers outside of a local mall. They are dressed in all black, and even the boys in the group are wearing heavy eyeliner. He decides they must be into Twilight and vampires and are not the kind of people he would want to know. AJ is relying on nonverbal communication to do what?

Accepted Answer

AJ is using the nonverbal cues of the teenagers' appearance (dressed in all black and wearing heavy eyeliner) to form impressions about their interests and whether he would want to know them.

Quiz 5: Communicating Nonverbally