GE 5: Purposive Communication - Module 1 Review Flashcards

Comprehensive Question and Answer flashcards covering Communication Processes, Principles, Models, Ethics, Media Literacy, and Non-Verbal Dynamics from Module 1.

What is the Latin origin of the word "communication" and what does it translate to?

It originates from the Latin term communicare, which translates to "to share" or "to make common" (Weekley, 1921).

How is communication defined by scholarly consensus?

It is defined as a dynamic, on-going process wherein individuals construct, convey, and interpret meaning through symbolic interactions to establish shared understanding (Barnlund, 1970; Berlo, 1960; Wood, 2017).

What model illustrates communication as a system where an Information source sends a message through an Encoder, Channel (subject to Noise), Decoder, and Receiver, with a Feedback loop?

The Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication.

What are the cognitive processes of encoding and decoding in the communication process?

Encoding is the cognitive process where a sender translates abstract thoughts into transmittable symbols. Decoding is the process where a receiver filters incoming signals through personal schema, language proficiency, and past experiences to reconstruct the message's intent.

According to relational communication theory (Watzlawick et al., 1967), what is the difference between the content dimension and the relational dimension of a message?

The content dimension encompasses explicit verbal statements and factual information, whereas the relational dimension communicates implicit cues (such as tone, posture, and facial expressions) that signal how participants view their relationship dynamic.

How do rich channels differ from lean channels according to media richness theory (Daft & Lengel, 1986)?

Rich channels (e.g., face-to-face meetings) accommodate multiple non-verbal cues simultaneously and allow immediate feedback, whereas lean channels (e.g., text messages, formal memos) carry far fewer visual and auditory cues, increasing semantic ambiguity.

What are the four primary types of noise defined by Shannon and Weaver (1949), along with their mechanisms?

Physical noise (external environment disruptions), Physiological noise (bodily impairment or biological strain), Psychological noise (biases, emotional states, or mental overload), and Semantic noise (mismatch between coding systems and vocabulary).

What are the defining characteristics and limitations of the Linear Model of communication?

Characteristics: Unidirectional one-way pathway from active sender to passive receiver prioritizing technical efficiency and message fidelity. Limitations: Entirely omits feedback mechanisms, disregards context, and ignores real-time non-verbal responses.

What key concepts did Schramm (1954) introduce in the Interactive Model of Communication?

An explicit two-way sequential feedback loop and the concept of "Fields of Experience" (individual background, culture, vocabulary, and mindset), asserting that mutual understanding only occurs where these fields overlap.

How does the Transactional Model (Barnlund, 1970) conceptualize the roles of communicators and message exchange?

It treats participants as simultaneous communicators who continually send and receive verbal and non-verbal signals at the same time, co-constructing meaning within an integrated physical, relational, psychological, and socio-cultural context.

How do the Linear, Interactive, and Transactional models compare across Direction, Role of Participants, and Feedback Mechanism?

Linear: One-way, Active Sender/Passive Receiver, No Feedback. Interactive: Two-way (Sequential), Alternating Sender/Receiver, Delayed/Sequential Feedback. Transactional: Multidirectional (Simultaneous), Simultaneous Communicators, Continuous and Immediate Feedback.

Under the Linear Model, what was the primary cause of miscommunication in the Sarah and Alex project deadline scenario?

Inexact encoding of the message ("Wednesday") by Sarah combined with channel/physical noise (laptop distraction) and Alex's unverified cognitive decoding filter.

How does the Interactive Model explain the breakdown in the Sarah and Alex scenario?

Alex provided low-fidelity, ambiguous feedback ("Got it, I'm on it"), and there was an unaligned Field of Experience between Sarah (client urgency pressures) and Alex (standard sprint cadence).

How does the Transactional Model diagnose the miscommunication between Sarah and Alex?

Misread non-verbal cues (Sarah mistaking Alex's laptop nod for full agreement), unacknowledged power dynamics, competing workplace contexts, and a failure to collaboratively co-construct expectations.

What are the five core principles of ethical communication outlined in the NCA Credo (1999)?

1. Truthfulness and honesty. 2. Respect for the audience. 3. Fairness and justice. 4. Accountability. 5. Safeguarding freedom of expression while establishing boundaries against hate speech and harassment.

What is the difference between ethnocentrism and cultural sensitivity in communication ethics?

Ethnocentrism is viewing one's own cultural norms as superior or "normal" while judging others as abnormal or inferior. Cultural sensitivity involves recognizing and respecting cultural variations without ranking them hierarchically (Gudykunst, 2004).

What are micro-aggressions in the context of intercultural communication ethics?

Subtle, everyday verbal or non-verbal exchanges that convey denigrating messages toward marginalized identities (Sue, 2010).

What ethical challenges do Large Language Models (LLMs) pose regarding accountability, truthfulness, and transparency?

Humans must retain ultimate accountability for published output (Bostrom & Yudkowsky, 2014); unverified machine "hallucinations" violate truthfulness (Ji et al., 2023); and failure to disclose synthetic origin compromises informed consent and audience trust.

Why do hyper-realistic deepfakes represent a severe ethical violation beyond the distortion of truth?

They violate individual privacy and bodily autonomy through non-consensual synthetic media, treating individuals as exploitable data points rather than autonomous ends (Kant, 1785/1993; Chesney & Citron, 2019).

How do algorithmic bias and recommendation echo chambers threaten fairness and justice in communication?

Algorithmic bias automates and amplifies systemic human prejudices present in training datasets (Noble, 2018), while recommendation loops create echo chambers that filter out alternative perspectives, fostering social polarization (Pariser, 2011).

What visual and auditory checks are used in media literacy to identify synthetic video and audio deepfakes?

1. Edge and Boundary Examination (flickering around hair/ears). 2. Lighting and Specular Physics (mismatched eye reflections). 3. Phoneme-Viseme Synchronization (micro-lags on hard consonants P, B, M, F, V). 4. Acoustic Environment Auditing (flat tone, missing breath pauses).

What mechanical patterns distinguish AI-generated text from human writing?

AI text lacks burstiness and variance (maintains uniform sentence length/cadence), heavily relies on predictable buzzwords and symmetrical 3-part hedging structures, and contains fabricated citations/facts (hallucinations) (Ji et al., 2023).

What does the SIFT framework stand for, and what key methodology does it promote?

SIFT stands for Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace claims back to original context (Caulfield, 2017). It promotes lateral reading—opening new browser tabs to check external, independent platforms before trusting a source.

What is the difference between a word's denotative meaning and its connotative meaning?

A word's denotation is its literal, objective dictionary definition, whereas its connotation carries emotional weight, cultural value judgments, or personal associations (positive, negative, or neutral).

What is instructional clarity, and why is it essential in communication?

Instructional clarity means structuring messages with direct action words, measurable criteria, and explicit deadlines/locations so the listener understands the exact action required without filtering out semantic noise or ambiguity.

What are the six primary categories of non-verbal communication identified in educational applications?

1. Kinesics (body movement, gestures, expressions). 2. Proxemics (use of physical space). 3. Paralanguage/Vocalics (tone, pitch, pacing, volume). 4. Haptics (touch). 5. Chronemics (use of time). 6. Artifacts & Appearance (attire, physical setup).

What are the four stages of the real-time teacher-student non-verbal feedback adaptive cycle?

Stage 1: Teacher Instruction. Stage 2: Student Non-Verbal Response (displaying decoding cues). Stage 3: Teacher Assessment & Immediate Reading. Stage 4: Real-Time Feedback Adaptation (adjusting teaching strategy based on non-verbal assessment).