Basic Interpersonal Communication
“At least two communicators intentionally orienting toward each other as both subject and object whose actions embody each other’s perspectives both toward self and toward others."
Define Metamessags.
The meaning conveyed beyond the words
themselves. Also could be called the Connotative Meaning of a message.
True or false: Body language is the most utilized aspect of human communication.
True.
What is the difference between a cultural 'norm' and a cultural 'rule'?
• Norms: informal guidelines about what is acceptable or proper social behavior
within a specific culture
• Rules: Explicit guidelines (generally written down) governing acceptable or
proper social behavior within a specific culture
True or false: Self-esteem is not impacted by intrapersonal communication.
False.
When we try to eliminate unknowns about a new person that we meet, we are operating under which theory?
Uncertainty Reduction Theory.
Define each of the following kinds of language: Formal Language, Informal Language, Jargon, & Idioms.
•Formal language: Official or academic language
•Informal language: Common, everyday language
•Jargon: Specialized or technical language associated with a specific
group or professional context that may not be understood by outsiders
•Idioms: Figure of speech whose meaning cannot be understood by
interpreting individual words literally
True.
How might stereotyping affect interpersonal interactions?
Stereotypes are problematic
• Categorize people when making snap decisions
• All members of a group are inaccurately viewed as the same
• Many stereotypes are based on ignorance about another’s culture
True or false: You are born with each aspect of your personality that is innate and does not change as you age.
The meaning of a word that is generally understood and shared by individuals in a society is governed by which: Connotative or Denotative definitions?
Denotative
True or false? Hateful language, such as racism, can only be interpreted through verbal means of communication due to its sensitive nature.
False.
Define Chronemics.
Chronemics
• The use of time to communicate
• Culturally defined
• Individual and cultural preferences
• Monochronic time
• Polychronic time
Define Ethnocentrism.
• The degree to which an individual views the world from their own culture’s
perspective
• The evaluation of different cultures according to their own culture’s preconceptions
• Often accompanied by feelings of dislike, mistrust, or hate for cultures deemed
inferior
Name all 5 elements of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in order.
Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Esteem, and Self-Actualization.
What are the 3 strategies used to reduce uncertainty when meeting a new person? Name and define them.
Passive, active, and interactive.
•Semantic rules
Dictionary definition of the word
•Syntactic rules
Grammar, structure, punctuation
•Pragmatic rules
How individuals interpret messages based on the communicative interaction
True or false: Haptics is the study of vocal utterances (other than words) as a form of communication.
False
Define Cultural Intelligence, and why is it important?
•Cultural intelligence is the degree to which an individual is capable of communicating competently in varying cultural situations
What is the difference between hearing and listening?
Hearing:
•A passive, physiological process
•An individual and continuous process
•The perception of sound by detecting vibrations through the ear
Listening:
•A complex psychological process
•The process of physically hearing, interpreting that sound, and
understanding the significance of it
Critical listening:
•Careful, systematic thinking and reasoning
•Used to determine if a message makes sense in light of the factual evidence
Physical, psychological, semantic, and physiological.
Explain Muted Group Theory.
Dominate members of society create a communication system that subverts or
reduces other groups.
1. Complementing
• Nonverbal communication reinforcing verbal communication
2. Contradict
• Nonverbal communication conveying the opposite meaning of verbal communication
3. Accenting
• Nonverbal communication emphasizing a word or portion of the message, rather than
the whole message
4. Repeating
• Nonverbal communication that repeats verbal communication, but could stand alone
5. Regulating
• Nonverbal communication controlling the flow of conversation
6. Substituting
• Nonverbal communication that has a direct verbal transition
• Emblems: Nonverbal communication that is clear and unambiguous with a verbal
equivalent in a given culture
What is the difference between individualism and collectivism?
• Individualism: Characteristics of a culture that values being self-reliant and self-motivated, believes in personal freedom and privacy, and celebrates personal achievement
• Collectivism: Characteristics of a culture that values cooperation and harmony and considers the needs of the group to be more important than the needs of the individual
List and define the 5 types of Human Communication
Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Small-Group, Public Communication, and Mediated.