communication midterm

what is dyadic communication

communication between 2 people

what is Small-Group Communication

Communication among a small number of people

what is Public Communication

One person communicates with a group or audience

What is mass communication

Messages are communicated to a large, dispersed
audience through media.

why do we communicate

express needs;
• establish relationships;
• seek safety;
• express emotions;
• develop our identity;
• learn;
• teach;
• influence others;
• obtain support;
• entertain ourselves.

why is physical communication important

socially isolated people are sicker, more prone to early death, develop depression easier

what is intrinsic motivation in the context of communicating

We communicate because communication itself is satisfying.

what is extrinsic motivation in the context of communicating

We communicate to obtain another outcome.

what is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

its a 5 tiered pyramid that proves that individuals generally must satisfy lower-level deficiency needs before higher-level growth needs fully motivate their behavior

what does the communication model look like

what are some insights from the communication model

Sending and receiving are
usually simultaneous, Meanings exist in and
among people, Environments affect
communication, Noise affects
communication, Channels make a difference.

what is a quantitative interaction

Any interaction between two people.

what is a qualitative interaction

When people treat one another as unique individuals, regardless of the context in which the interaction occurs or the number of people involved

what is happening in the transactional model

People are simultaneously sending, receiving and interpreting messages.

what are the eight key elements of communication

meaning, signs, encoding, decoding, feedback, channel, noise, context,

Media richness/leanness describes:

the amount of non-verbal cues conveyed through a communication channel that add clarity to a message

when does asynchronous communication occur

when there is a time gap between when the message was sent and
when it is received, while synchronous communication occurs in real time (i.e. email).

what is permanence

how long the message endures

what is culture

“The language, values, beliefs, traditions, and customs people share and learn.”

what are in-groups

groups with which we identify

what are out-groups

those we view as different

what is a co-culture

A subgroup part of an encompassing culture

why is adjustment necessary in communication

like in a hospital a doctor should not explain medical terminology in a really advanced way to a patient because you want them to completely understand and not be confused by legal jargon

what do interpersonal messages contain

information about both: the content of the message, and the relationship between the communicators

what are the four characteristics of communication

inevitable, irreversible, unique, and ephemeral

is communication always desirable

no not always, and the goal is not always more communication

what is communication competence

the balance between effective and
appropriate communication.

define ethnocentrism

Belief that one’s own culture is superior to others.

define prejudice

Unfairly biased and intolerant attitude toward others who belong to an out-group.

define stereotyping

exaggerated generalizations about a group

what is language

A system of vocal signs—and, potentially, graphic signs—shared by a community of individuals

explain how words are just arbitrary signs

A word does not inherently resemble the concrete object or idea it represents.
Example: the word “apple” has no natural physical connection to the fruit itself.
Meaning comes from shared linguistic conventions.

how does meaning vary across people

The same word can evoke different meanings or associations for different people.
Personal experience, knowledge, culture, and context can influence interpretation.
Effective communication therefore requires attention to the other person's meaning—not only our own.

how does meaning vary according to context

The same expression may communicate different meanings in different situations.
Example: “The carrots are cooked!” can be interpreted literally or idiomatically depending on context. Context helps receivers determine which meaning is intended.

define denotive meaning

The more literal or dictionary-associated meaning of a word.
•Focuses on what a word refers t

define connotive meaning

Associations, feelings, or ideas connected to a word. Can vary according to people,
experiences, and context. Example: “He is a real baby”

how does meaning vary in abstraction

Words can refer to highly specific entities or increasingly broad categories

how is language governed by rules

Grammar is the set of rules used to organize words in meaningful ways.
•These rules belong to a particular language.
•Rules vary from one language to another

how does language influence thought

•Language can impose or encourage particular ways of seeing the world.
•Words are not reality itself.
•Words can mask differences and nuances.
•Words can express both facts and deductions.
•Static evaluations can distort how we perceive changing realities.

how does language shape attention

The words we learn can focus our attention on some aspects of reality while
making other aspects less noticeable. Culture can teach us to emphasize certain concepts over others. We use vocabulary according to our needs. Example: a sommelier may use more than 100 words to describe characteristics of wine.

what’s a fact

A statement describing what is directly occurring

what is a deduction

An interpretation or inference that goes beyond the directly observed information.

what are static evaluations

A tendency to maintain preconceived opinions or earlier evaluations even when reality has
changed.
•Our evaluations of ourselves and others should adapt as situations and people evolve.
•Static evaluations can distort our perception of reality.
•“That’s just the way he operates”; etc...

what is Negation of another person

denying the other person within an interaction

what is recognition of another person

showing that we have noticed the person and accept how they define themselves and the relationship they wish to establish

what’s a euphemism

A way of presenting a harsh or hurtful reality
by softening its expression to avoid shocking
others

Exaggeration & lying

Exaggeration amplifies the meaning of a statement to create a greater
effect.
A lie is an assertion contrary to reality made with the intention of
deceiving