Communications 101 G. Thomas Midterm Summer 2026

midterm

communication

process of creating meaning through symbolic interaction

symbols

an arbitrary sign used to represent a thing, person, idea, or event in ways that make communication possible

channel

the medium through which a message passes from one person to another

message

information shared via words and nonverbal behaviors

noise

external, physiological, and psychological distractions that interfere with the accurate transmission and reception of a message

transactional model of communication

model suggesting that communication is a two-way process where both people are actively involved in creating meaning, instead of just sending or receiving messages

encoding

process of turning thoughts or ideas into symbols

decoding

process of interpreting and making sense of a message

environment

physical setting in which communication occurs, as well as personal perspectives of both parties involved

intrapersonal communication

self talk, internal dialogue, includes thoughts, reflections and reasoning

interpersonal communication

two-way exchange between people viewing each other as unique individuals

dyadic communication

two person interactions using electronic means

small group communication

communication in a small enough group (3-8) that each member can participate

organizational communication

interaction among members of a relatively large, permanent structure

public communication

communication within a group that is too large for all members to contribute

mass communication

transmission of messages to large, usually widespread audiences via tv, internet, movies, magazines and other forms of mass media

communication competence

the ability to achieve one's goals through communication

self concept

a set of largely stable perceptions about oneself

self esteem

the valuation of self worth

personality

characteristics and behaviors of an individual

reflected appraisal

influence of others on one's self concept

social comparison

evaluating oneself in comparison to others

self fulfilling prophecy

a prediction or expectation of an event that makes the outcome more likely to occur than would otherwise have been the case

perception

a process in which people reach conclusions about others and the world

selection

the process of attending to some stimuli and ignoring others

organization

the process of grouping stimuli into patterns

interpretation

the process of attaching meaning to stimuli that have been selected and organized

attribution

attaching meaning to behavior

stereotypes

a widely held but oversimplified or inaccurate idea about a group of people

negativity bias

the perceptual tendency to focus more on negative indicators than on positive ones

self serving bias

the tendency to judge others harshly but cast oneself in a favorable light

halo

a form of bias that overgeneralizes positive traits

horns effect

a form of bias that overgeneralizes negative traits

emotional intelligence

a person's ability to understand and manage their own emotions and to deal effectively with the emotions of others

perception checking

verifying the accuracy of interpretations by including: 1. an objective description of the behavior 2. two possible interpretations 3. request for confirmation of the interpretations

identity management

strategies used by communicators to influence the way others view them

perceived self

the person we believe ourselves to be

presenting self

the image a person presents to others

face

the socially approved identity that a communicator tries to present

facework

verbal and nonverbal behavior designed to create and maintain a communicator's face

frame switching

adopting the perspectives of different cultures

high self monitor

someone who pays close attention to their own behavior and others' reactions, adjusting their communication to create the desired impression

low self monitor

someone who expresses what they are thinking and feeling without much attention to the impression their behavior creates

metacommunication

communicating about communicating

self disclosure

sharing personal information with others

social penetration theory

relationships deepen as we reveal more personal layers. imbalance can cause tension

dialectic

tension between two opposing forces

relational dialectics theory

relationships naturally experience ongoing tensions

major dialectical tensions

1. integration vs separation 2. stability vs change 3. expression vs non-expression

communication climate

emotional tone of a relationship

conflict styles

1. passive (avoid issue) 2. aggressive (attacking) 3. passive-aggressive (indirect hostility) 4. assertive (direct and respectful)

hearing

physical process of receiving sound

listening

active process of decoding what is heard

types of listening

1. appreciative 2. task oriented 3. empathetic 4. comprehensive 5. critical

appreciative listening

listening for enjoyment. like music

task oriented listening

to complete a task. like instructions for an assignment

empathetic listening

to understand emotions. like a friend complaining about stuff

comprehensive listening

to understand information. like a class lecture

critical listening

to evaluate or judge. like a political debate

verbal communication

uses words and language to create meaning, based on shared rules and agreements

effective verbal communication

1. clear and audience centered 2. avoids biased or loaded language 3. respects culture and diversity

nonverbal communication

use of body language, facial expressions, tone, space, and environment

functions of nonverbal communication

1. repeat - nodding while saying yes 2. substitute - thumbs up instead of saying good job 3. compliment - smiling while giving praise 4. accent - raising voice for emphasis 5. regulate - eye contact to signal someone to speak 6. contradict - saying "I'm fine while frowning 7. deceive - avoiding eye contact while lying

types of nonverbal communication

1. kinesics - body movement 2. haptics - touch 3. chronemics - time 4. proxemics - space 5. scene - environment

small group key points

members participate, develop over time, work toward shared goals

goal

the task or purpose a group is working toward

role

expected pattern of behavior assigned to or assumed by a group member

formal role

officially assigned position

informal role

naturally developed behavior within a group

rule

explicitly stated expectation for group behavior

norm

unstated expectation for group behavior

decision making methods

1. consensus 2. majority 3. minority 4. expertise 5. authority

consensus decision

everyone agrees

majority decision

most votes wins

minority decision

less popular option chosen for balance

expertise decision

most knowledgeable decides

authority decision

leader decides

group advantages

1. resources 2. accuracy 3. commitment 4. diversity

group dangers

1. inequality 2. information imbalance 3. conformity/groupthink

resources (advantage)

combined skills, knowledge, time and tools that group members bring together

accuracy (advantage)

ability of group members to check each other's work and reduce mistakes

commitment (advantage)

shared responsibility and motivation members feel to complete a task

diversity (advantage)

variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives within a group

inequality (danger)

when group members contribute uneven amounts of work

information imbalance (danger)

when some members lack important information needed to make informed decisions

conformity / groupthink (danger)

when members agree with the group to avoid conflict, even if they believe the decision is wrong

culture

circumstances that shape our experiences, built on shared values, language, traditions and beliefs, influencing our relationships and behaviors

technology and communication

tech facilitates global communication, but varying communication styles and cultural norms can lead to misunderstandings

individualism

culture valuing independence and personal goals

collecivism

culture that values teamwork and group harmony

high context

culture that communicates mostly with body language, tone, and situation

low context

culture that communicates mostly with spoken words

uncertainty avoidance

how comfortable a culture is with change, risk, and the unknown

coculture

small group within a bigger culture with a common trait or interest. pretty small

subculture

large group within a larger culture that has its own unique beliefs, behaviors, or interests

power distance

how much a culture accepts that some people have more power than others

intercultural competence

understanding other cultures