Oral Communication 101 - Unit 1 Test

Blue pages, chapter 1, chapter 6

Source

The sender or originator of the message

Receiver

The recipient of the message

Symbols

Anything representing or standing for something else; such as words, images, gestures, action, objects, etc

Message

Collections of both verbal and nonverbal symbols that stand for the meaning intended by the person communicating; two people perceiving it may assign different meaning to it

Meaning

The entire set of reactions called to mind in relationship to the symbols being presented; the ___ of the message is in the source and receiver, not the symbols or message; no one correct ___ can be assigned or attributed to a message

Verbal Communication

Spoken or written words used to create meaning between people

Nonverbal Communication

Nonword symbols used to create meaning between people; includes eye contact, facial expressions, body language, objects, actions, spatial relationships, how we speak, our environment, etc; less precise than verbal communication

Channel

The means by which ,essays are sent and received by communicators; people have five of these which are our five senses

Encoding

Action of assigning symbols to thoughts or feelings to express it to ourselves or others; sending verbal or nonverbal messages

Decoding

Assigning meaning to received symbols; receiving verbal or nonverbal messages from others or the environment

Feedback

Response to a received message; impossible to withhold; can serve to improve the accuracy of communication

Hearing

Passive, physical, auditory process in which sound waves strike the eardrum, sending vibration to your brain

Listening

Active, perceptual, deliberate process; when doing this, we assign meaning to sounds we have decided to pay attention to

Perception

The selective process of gathering and interpreting sensory data; with this, we can create a personal reality that is either similar to or different than the reality of the people around us

Frame of Reference

One’s life orientation; the uniqueness of any one person’s “point of view”; shaped by different factors such as age, gender, self-concepts, needs, knowledge, experiences, etc

Context

All human and environmental factors present during the actual exchange of messages; how, when, where, why, and the individual(s) involved; encompasses both the physical and psychological “setting” of the communication

Content

The “what” of the message, information or topic being discussed; communicators only focusing on content miss a lot of the communication process

Roles

Indicates the behavior a person expects from him/herself as well as others; expectations are based on notions of social, gender, and vocational categories; associated with an individual’s rights and responsibilities; influences the perceptions of an individual within a given communication situation

Self-Disclosure

When a person sends intentional verbal/nonverbal messages about themselves that reveals information the other person likely didn’t know; can be risky since the sender does not know how the receiver will react

Barriers

Anything that blocks or inhibits accurate communication

External Noise

A type of communication barrier; environmental interference in the communication process; ie. traffic sounds, crying baby, etc

Internal Noise

A type of communication barrier; a psychological or physiological interference in the communication process; ie. daydreaming, worrying, headache, etc

Perceptual Differences

A type of communication barrier; involves two communicators perceiving the same stimulus in different ways; this is due to different perspectives created by values, religion, age, etc; probably the most common barrier

Inappropriate Choice

A type of communication barrier; choosing the wrong verbal and nonverbal symbols

Overlooking Nonverbal Symbols

A type of communication barrier; overlooking or missing nonverbal symbols used by others which can communicate something you should know

Communication Overload

A type of communication barrier; too much information

Communication Underload

A type of communication barrier; not enough information

Defensiveness

A type of communication barrier; occurs when a message is perceived as threatening to the communicators; can greatly reduce the chance for effective communication because it builds walls between people

Communication Is a Process

A principle of communication; creating shared meaning in order to understand and exchange ideas, information, and feelings; observing it is giving your full attention to all of the interdependent ingredients like communicator interaction, relationships, and the content and context of the communication

Communication Is Dynamic

A principle of communication; involves action, interaction, reaction, and change inside a person and between people

Communication Is Circular

A principle of communication; involves communicators constantly changing and making corrections as they interact (feedback)

Communication Is Complex

A principle of communication; many variables involved in the communication process; ie. choice of symbols, perceptions, intellect, frame of reference, etc

Communication Is Irreversible

A principle of communication; what has been communicated cannot be taken back

Communication Is Transactional

A principle of communication; we are simultaneously encoding and decoding, and we are both sender and receiver at the same time

Communication Is Unrepeatable

A principle of communication; what has been communicated in a particular situation cannot occur in the same identical way again

Communication Can Be Unintentional

A principle of communication; since we are always communicating nonverbally, others can assign unexpected meaning to our words, actions, and physical appearance; groups that we associate with can receive inaccurate interpretations from others

Communication Involves Risk

A principle of communication; all communication has the potential for rejection, ridicule, or any unwanted reaction

We Cannot Not Communicate

A principle of communication; all observable behavior has symbolic possibilities; we cannot control when others will or will not give meaning to our behaviors; communication cannot be turned off

Intrapersonal Communication

The first level of communication; communicating within one’s self; we are always communicating this way

Interpersonal Communication

The second level of communication; the sharing of information, meanings, and feelings between two or more people

Small Groups

The third level of communication; a group of people interacting over time to accomplish a goal; includes interpersonal and intrapersonal communication

Public Speaking/Communication

The fourth level of communication; the process of creating meaning between one person (the speaker) and a large number of people (the audience); can include using media

Mass Communication

The last level of communication; messages sent and received through some form of media, and the feedback is delayed for most of the audience; ie. television, radio, film, journalism, streaming, newspapers, etc

Major Purpose of Communication

The survival of ourselves, our relationships, and of society

Psychologist William Schutz

Communication serves universal human needs, and our human and social needs that communication satisfies is the giving and getting of inclusion, control, and affection/trust

Communication and Person Perception

How we behave around someone is large influenced by the way we see ourselves, the way we view the other person, and the way in which we think the other person views us

“Every communication message conveys ____ and defines the ____”

information; relationship

“Relationship” Messages

Can include tone of voice, facial expressions, responsiveness, asking vs. telling, politeness, etc; this is how we determine if the other person views the relationship in a similar or different fashion than we do

How Most Communication Problems Occur

Disagreements on defining relationships are the cause

Complementary Relationships

Relationships that are viewed as unequal in certain areas like knowledge, responsibility, power, affection, control, economics, respect, skills/abilities, etc; one person has a higher status than the other

Symmetrical Relationships

Relationships that are equal in any or all areas

“Our relationship with any one person has the potential for being ____ depending upon the situation”

both complementary and symmetrical

Myths of Communication

• “Communication is simply speaking.”

• “The speaker is active and the listener is passive.”

• “Because I speak, you understand.”

• “Words have meaning.”

• “Communication will solve all your problems.”

• “Communication is always a good thing.”