Question 1

Define three aspects of communication contexts and discuss how each affects interpersonal communication.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define three aspects of communication contexts and...

Question 2

Competent communication depends on _______________.

Accepted Answer

Credibility, or the perception of one's expertise or trustworthiness, is essential for effective communication. Social ease, or the ability to navigate social situations and interact with others in a comfortable and respectful manner, is also important. Having a friendly personality or avoiding noise may be helpful, but they are not as essential as credibility and social ease in achieving competent communication. Learning how to give strong feedback may be helpful in certain situations, but it is not a necessary component of competent communication.

Question 3

What is competent communication in one culture may not be competent in another culture.

Accepted Answer

Competent communication is based on cultural norms and values, therefore what is considered competent in one culture may not be in another culture. It's important to learn about a culture's communication norms to be effective in cross-cultural communication.

Question 4

According to scholar Brian Spitzberg, motivation is an important aspect of communication competence because ____

Accepted Answer

Motivation plays a crucial role in communication competence because individuals will only improve their communication skills if they are motivated to do so. Without motivation, people are unlikely to put forth the effort needed to develop their communication abilities.

Question 5

If a friend declares that she will plan your upcoming vacation and you agree that she should take this responsibility because she has more authority on the matter, the relationship most likely has an understood degree of ____

Accepted Answer

The relationship has an understood degree of control because one friend (the one planning the vacation) has been given more authority and decision-making power over the other (the one entrusting the planning to her).

Question 6

Synchronicity is the extent to which a channel allows you to get immediate feedback.

Accepted Answer

Synchronicity is the degree to which communication occurs in real time, enabling immediate feedback.

Question 7

Diana takes a work phone call while she's in the car. She tries to pay attention to the call, but she also has to focus on traffic and driving. What kind of context is affecting Diana's communication?

Accepted Answer

The physical context, or the physical environment, is affecting Diana's communication because she is driving a car while on the phone call. She must focus on the traffic around her while also trying to pay attention to the conversation. This physical context can impact her ability to convey her message effectively or to understand the information being shared with her on the phone call.

Question 8

Your textbook notes that culture affects communication and that (1) perception, (2) patterns of cognition, (3) verbal behaviors, (4) nonverbal behaviors, and (5) context are affected by culture. Choose two of these five and for each, give a specific example of how culture can affect these aspects of communication.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Your textbook notes that culture affects communication...

Question 9

In asynchronous channels, message exchanges are separated by either time or space.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In asynchronous channels, message exchanges are separated...

Question 10

Which of the following statements about communication is true?

Accepted Answer

Ethical communication is based on truthful and honest messages that are intended to inform, convey emotion, build relationships, and persuade the audience. The dark side of messages, which includes deception, manipulation, coercion, and exploitation, are unethical and inappropriate. The interpretation of a message can be influenced by many factors, including one's mood, culture, values, beliefs, and experiences. Communication is a fundamental human activity that serves a variety of purposes, such as exchanging information, expressing emotions, establishing social bonds, and satisfying needs.

Question 11

You're at the mall shopping for clothes. In one of the fitting rooms, you find a wallet with an ID and $500 cash. You have the option of taking the money and leaving the wallet, or leaving everything at the service desk. Define the five ethical standards that influence communication and apply them to this moral dilemma.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You're at the mall shopping for clothes....

Question 12

The main role of feedback is to avoid semantic noise.

Accepted Answer

The main role of feedback is to ensure that the message has been understood as intended, improve communication effectiveness, and facilitate ongoing dialogue, not specifically to avoid semantic noise. Semantic noise can be a concern in communication, but feedback serves broader purposes including clarification, confirmation, and engagement.

Question 13

Write a short dialogue that includes a spontaneous expression, a scripted message, and a constructed message. Label each.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Write a short dialogue that includes a...

Question 14

The process of transforming feelings and concepts into symbols and organizing them into a message is called decoding.

Accepted Answer

Decoding is the process of translating or interpreting symbols or messages into meanings or ideas. Encoding is the process of transforming feelings and concepts into symbols and organizing them into a message.

Quiz 1: Communication Perspectives