Question 1

The ability to speak and listen effectively can mean the difference between succeeding and failing in a job.

Accepted Answer

Effective communication is essential in any job, as it helps build relationships, solve problems, and achieve goals. Without it, misunderstandings, conflict, and mistakes can occur, potentially leading to failure in the task or position. On the other hand, those who can speak and listen effectively are often more successful in leadership, collaboration, and career advancement.

Question 2

According to your text, impersonal communication should always be avoided.

Accepted Answer

Impersonal communication can be appropriate in certain situations, such as formal letters or business emails. However, when communicating with friends, family, or colleagues, it is important to use personal language and show empathy.

Question 3

Shared understanding and clarity are the most important goals in achieving successful communication.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

An older professor who forgets what it was like to be a student when he teaches is an example of how differing environments in the classroom can make understanding difficult.

Accepted Answer

An older professor who forgets what it was like to be a student can create a different environment in the classroom and make it difficult for students to understand. This can lead to a lack of empathy and understanding from the professor towards the students' needs, which can result in a less effective learning environment.

Question 5

We disclose more to people in interpersonal relationships than in impersonal ones.

Accepted Answer

This is because interpersonal relationships involve a deeper level of trust, emotional connection, and mutual understanding, which leads to a greater willingness to disclose personal information and feelings. In impersonal relationships, such as those with acquaintances or strangers, there is often less trust and emotional investment, resulting in a tendency to disclose less personal information.

Question 6

We are not communicating when we remain silent.

Accepted Answer

Silence can be a powerful form of communication, conveying messages, emotions, or reactions without the use of spoken words or written language.

Question 7

Communication competence is a trait that people either possess or lack.

Accepted Answer

Communication competence is not something that people necessarily possess or lack completely; it is a skill that can be improved and developed over time with practice and effort.

Question 8

The major difference between impersonal communication and interpersonal communication is the number of people involved.

Accepted Answer

The major difference lies in the nature of interaction; impersonal communication involves superficial, role-based interactions often with strangers, while interpersonal communication involves deeper, personal exchanges between people who know each other well.

Question 9

Transactional communication may be compared to dancing due to the involvement needed by each partner.

Accepted Answer

Transactional communication involves a back-and-forth exchange of messages between two or more parties, much like the way partners in a dance must coordinate their moves in order to create a cohesive and enjoyable performance. Both forms of interaction require a high level of involvement and responsiveness from all parties involved.

Question 10

Of the communication models described in your text, the linear model most accurately describes the interpersonal communication process.

Accepted Answer

The linear model portrays communication as a one-way process, with a sender who transmits a message through a channel to a receiver. However, the interpersonal communication process is more complex than this, with both the sender and receiver exchanging messages and engaging in feedback and interaction. Therefore, the transactional model more accurately describes interpersonal communication.

Question 11

When people communicate, they are often both senders and receivers of messages at the same time.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. In any communication process, both parties involved are usually sending and receiving messages simultaneously.

Question 12

According to your text, effective communicators are able to establish warm relationships with everyone they encounter.

Accepted Answer

While effective communicators are skilled at building rapport and facilitating positive interactions, it is not necessarily true that they are able to establish warm relationships with everyone they encounter. Some individuals may be more difficult to connect with or have different communication styles that require adapting to establish effective communication.

Question 13

The only way we learn who we are is through communication.

Accepted Answer

Learning who we are involves a combination of introspection, experiences, feedback from others, and communication. Communication is important but not the only way we learn about ourselves.

Question 14

The transactional model represents communication as static-more like a gallery of still photographs than a motion picture film.

Accepted Answer

The transactional model represents communication as dynamic and constantly changing, with both the sender and receiver simultaneously sending and receiving messages. It is not static like a gallery of still photographs.

Question 15

As the text points out, your goal should be to become a perfect communicator.

Accepted Answer

The goal should be effective communication, not perfection, as perfection in communication is unattainable and can hinder genuine and productive exchanges.

Question 16

Just as judges instruct juries to disregard some statements made in court, we can reverse or erase the effects of communication interactions in everyday life.

Accepted Answer

Unlike in a court of law where a judge can instruct a jury to disregard certain statements, in everyday life it is not possible to completely reverse or erase the effects of communication interactions. Once words are spoken and heard, they cannot be unsaid or unheard.

Question 17

Chapter One indicates that effective interpersonal communication is strongly linked to good health, social happiness and career success.

Accepted Answer

Chapter One indeed states that effective interpersonal communication is strongly linked to good health, social happiness, and career success.

Question 18

According to Chapter One, all of the following are attributes needed to communicate successfully with people from different cultures except

Accepted Answer

Although being friendly can certainly make cross-cultural communication smoother, it is not necessarily an essential attribute. The other options listed - motivation, tolerance for ambiguity, open-mindedness, and knowledge and skill - are all important for successfully communicating with people from different cultures.

Question 19

The transactional model of communication suggests that communicators usually send and receive messages simultaneously.

Accepted Answer

The transactional model of communication recognizes that communication is a dynamic process in which both the sender and the receiver are simultaneously sending and receiving messages. It emphasizes that communication is not a one-way process but rather a mutual exchange of information, ideas, and meanings between communicators. Hence, communicators are usually sending and receiving messages simultaneously in this model.

Question 20

All you need to develop good communication skills is common sense.

Accepted Answer

Developing good communication skills is not just about common sense. It also requires practice, listening skills, empathy, cultural awareness, and an understanding of the context and audience.

Quiz 1: A First Look at Interpersonal Communication