SPCH 1321 EXAM 1 (CH 1-4)

Define and give examples of relational needs, identity needs, informational needs, and instrumental needs that communication can help us meet

Relational needs: talking to best friend about traumatic event
Identity needs: More bubbly w/ friends and more serious w/ professor
Informational needs: studying and getting info from A&P muscular system
Instrumental needs: making travel arrangements

What is the difference between an explicit rule & an implicit rule? What are examples of explicit & implicit communication rules that you might encounter or have encountered, in the professional world?

Difference - not everyone knows the explicit rules and they expect you to know it. Implicit, on the other hand, everyone knows these rules and you are not expected to know and you may not know that they are inappropriate

Examples: your university gives out rules banning hate speech on campus (explicit) an unspoken implicit rule is that it is considered impolite to share salary pay info to your coworkers

What is the defining characteristic of verbal communication?

The use of words to communicate/spoken language

What makes a form of communication nonverbal? Why do we sometimes call nonverbal communication body language?

1. How we express ourselves through actions rather than words

2. It is referred to as body language bc it reflects the idea that we can “talk” through our gestures and expressions

What is metacommunication, and how do people metacommunicate with one another?

1. Communication about communication

2. We metacommunicate by sending messages related to other messages

Give examples of various communication channels you might use when sending a message in the workplace

face to face, text, email, facetime, phone call etc.

What types of noise are we likely to encounter in a professional environment? Are they physical, psychological, or physiological? 

Static on the telephone line (physical)
Concerns distracting your manager (psychological)
Fatigue or hunger (physiological)

What does it mean to say that communication is dynamic? How can two people in a conversation be both senders and receivers simultaneously?

1. Communication is constantly changing and evolving because people send, receive, and interpret messages from many sources

2. Because people are constantly sending signals or mixed messages as everyone is trying to interpret it

With whom might we have downward communication, upward communication, and lateral communication in the workplace? What are the differences among these?

1. Peers, colleagues, superiors, and subordinates

2. The differences among these is that downward goes from superior to subordinate, upward goes to subordinate to superior, and lateral is equally among all colleagues.

In what ways does communication differ in formal and informal professional networks?

In formal networks, communication is more professional and serious among coworkers, while informal is being friendly and forming friendships with coworkers.

What does it mean to say that excellent networkers are givers rather than takers?

They don’t view networking as simply an instrumental activity. Rather, they take the initiative to share information and resources, and to support network members’ personal and professional needs

What do networkers do to make their communication successful?

Good networkers maintain a healthy balance between strong ties (close relationships) and weak ties (acquaintances) inside and outside their organizations.

What is meant by the term post-trust era?

People overwhelmingly view businesses as operating against the public’s best interests, and the majority of employees view their leaders and colleagues skeptically

Why is building rapport advantageous? What are some behaviors that help establish rapport?

1. Building rapport is advantageous because you build more trust easily among your peers

2. caring, cultivating a sense of community, and giving to others with generosity