comm 105a exam 1

ch 1-7, dr amy pierce, fall 2025

What is communication?

The process of creating and sharing meaning through symbolic interaction

What are the 3 models of communication?

-Linear Model
-Interactional Model
-Transactional Model

What is the linear model of communication?

-one-way transmission
-speaker communicates a message to the receiver
-one way

What is the interactional model of communication?

-speaker sends a message to the receiver -> receiver sends feedback -> loops
-adds feedback and context

What is the transactional model of communication?

-different channels are recognized
-continuously ongoing
-senders are receivers
-messages through channels
-receive positive/negative or internal/external feedback
-noise can be a barrier
-context of situation
-effect (emotional

What three parts does communication have?

-It is a process
-it is relational
-it is symbolic

why is communication a process?

-it is dynamic & changing
-context matters
-doesn't have a clear start/end

why is communication relational?

-it is coactive: with another person to create shared meaning
-it is with another person

why is communication symbolic?

-we give shared meaning to words and gestures
-when parties are not in agreement with communication

what is the field of experience?

-backgrounds & experiences that change how we think

what is noise?

-anything getting in the way of the message being sent or recieved
-some sort of interference in commuunicative interaction

what are the 4 types of noise?

-physical noise
-psychological noise
-physiological noise
-semantic noise

what is physical noise?

-external to the speaker & listener
-often beyond our control
-ex: cards

what is psychological noise?

-cognitive or mental interference
-ex: bias

what is physiological noise?

-biological barriers to the speaker or listener(s)
-within the speaker or listener
-ex: visual or hearing impairments

what is semantic noise?

-speaker & listener have assigned different meaning to the message
-ex: jargon

competent communicators embody these qualities:

-have a wide range of behaviors
-choose the most appropriate response
-put the response into practice
-show empathy & try to understand
-cognitive complexity
-high self-monitors
-committed to the relationship

what are the main principles of communication?

-transactional

• has content and relational dimensions
  -irreversible
  -unrepeatable
  -unavoidable

what is communication competence?

the ability to achieve goals in a way that maintains or enhances relationships
-adaptable

cyberia

the syntheric world
-ex: texting

mediated communication

-asynchronous
-noise and culture increase miscommunications through mediated channels
-often permanent (online)
-use emojis

face-to-face communication

-synchronous
-richer and easier
-transitory
-real-time responses (emotions & thought process seen)

what are the functions of communication?

-physical needs (health effects)
-identity needs (shapes who we are)
-social needs (inclusion

what are the 6 types of communication?

-intrapersonal
-interpersonal/dyadic
-small group
-organizational
-public
-mass

symbol

an arbitrary sign we use to represent a thing

sender

-originator of a message
-encodes the message (puts thought into words & symbols)

message

-a sender's planned/unplanned words & non-verbal behaviors
-ideas & feelings

receiver

-one who notices and attends to a message
-decodes (attaches meaning) to the message

channel

the medium through which a message passes from the sender to the receiver

environment

1- physical setting in which communication occurs
2- the personal perspectives of the parties involved

media

communication mechanisms (phones & computers) used to convey messages between people

feedback

a receiver's response to a sender's message

intrapersonal communication

-"communicating with oneself"
-inner voice

interpersonal/dyadic communication

-two-person communication
-most common
-dyadic: banter

small-group communication

communication within a group of a size where every member can participate/interact with all members (teams

organizational communication

interaction among members of a relatively large & permanent structure in order to pursue shared goals (specific roles ie. manager)

public communication

occurs when a group is too large for everyone to contribute
-characterized by an uneven amount of speaking and limited feedback
-has an audience

mass communication

transmission of messages to large & widespread audiences via tv

cognitive complexity

-the ability to understand issues from a variety of perspectives
-can be learned

self-monitoring

paying close attention to one's own behavior & using these observations to make effective choices

gatekeeper

in mass media

social media

dynamic websites & applications that enable individual users to create and share content

uses of social media:

-information
-personal relationships
-sense of personal identity
-entertainment

mass-personal communication

blurred overlap between personal (interpersonal) & public (mass) communication

richness

the degree to which nonverbal cues can clarify a verbal message

leanness

the lack of verbal cues

hyperpersonal communication

the phenomenon in which digital interaction creates deeper relationships than face-to-face communication

polymediation

range of communication channels available to communicators (apps)

synchronous communication

occurs in real time

asynchronous communication

occurs when there's a lag between receiving & responding to messages

benefits of social media:

-opportunities to connect
-sustain & enrich relationships
-social support
-advocacy & fundraising

drawbacks of social media:

-superficial relationships
-social isolation
-relational deterioration
-mental health issues
-deception
-stalking & harassment (survelliance

influences on mediated communication

-men & women communicate differently
-men use distant "we"

trolling

attacking others through online channels

disinhibition

transmitting messages without considering the consequences

self-awarness

the ability to reflect on & monitor one's own behavior

self-concept

the relatively stable set of perceptions individuals hold of themselves

self-image

who you perceive yourself to be

self-esteem

how well you like/value yourself

how does self-concept form?

-external influences (social comparisons & reflected appraisal)
-cultural influecnes
-self-fulfilling prophecy
-other images of you

2 theories: others' images of you that shape self-concept

-looking glass self theory
-attachment style theory

looking glass self theory

others' reveal to you through their behaviors an image of yourself (reflected appraisal

attachment style theory

how caregivers/parents treat their children
-secure household(+

secure household/attachment style

-well-taken care of consistently throughout upbringing
-positive view of self (+)
-positive view of others (-)

dismissive household/attachment style

-project negatively onto others due to lack of trust
-positive view of self(+)
-negative view of others (-)

anxious-resistant household/attachment style

-was not consistently nourished emotionally through childhood and does not want to make someone feel the same way they once felt
-self-blame

fearful household/attachment style

-haven't been treated well by those who mean the most to them
-negative view of self (-)
-negative view of others (-)

pygamalion effect

the principle that we fulfill the expectations of others
-we compare ourselves to the highest level

cultural expectations

the type of culture we are raised in may impact our sense of self

collectivist cultures (co-cultures)

a culture in which group goals are stressed

individualist cultures

cultures where individual goals are stressed

self-fulfilling prophecy

a prediction/expectation that comes true simply because one acts as if it were true

johari window

the model of self-awareness
-open self (known to self and others)
-blind self (known to others

ways to maintain self-image:

-impression management
-self-enhancement
-front-stage behavior
-face

impression management

strategies used by communicators to influence the ways others view them

self-enhancement

strategy used to manage the impressions others have of one's self-image by bolstering one's own image

face

-what we try to present
-socially improved identity that a communicator tries to present

perception

the process by which we make sense out of experience

perceiving stimuli

• the "eye" and the "I"

selective perception

the means of interpreting experience in a way that conforms to one's beliefs

3 stages of perception:

1. selection

2. organization

3. interpretation

selection (#1 in perception stage)

-narrow our attention
-pay attention to what is intense

organization (#2 in perception stage)

-mentally arrange in a meaningful way
-constructivism
-schemata
-proximity (gestalt laws)

constructivism

a theory that explains how we organize & interpret experiences by applying cognitive structures called schemata

schemata

organized knowledge structured (physical

Gestalt Laws

we assume based on proximity

interpretation (#3 in perception stage)

-attach meaning
-psychological influences
-cultural influences
-subjective & based on personal factors

interpretation alone def

attaching meaning to stimuli that have been selected & organized

psychological influences on perception

age

cultural & social influences on perception

sex

what are common tendencies in perception?

-selective
-halo and horn effect
-primary effect/first impression
-stereopes
-self-serving bias

selective exposure

the tendency to expose oneself to information that reinforces thinking

closure tendency

means we use to perceive a complete world

halo effect

when we like or love someone

horn effect

when our perception of another changes for the worse

primary effect tendency

ability of ones first impression to color subsequent impressions

sterotypes

a generalization about people

aliness

erroneous belief that any one person could know all there is to know about anything

blindering

process by which one unconsciously adds restrictions that limit one's perceptual capabilities

self-serving bias

the tendency to interpret & explain information in a way that casts us in the most favorable manner