Chapter 4: Key Terms (MEDA 100)

Active listening

Received message is paraphrased back to the sender to verify the correct message was decoded

Bias

Slant toward a particular belief

Closed questions

Questions answered with a yes or no

Clustering

A grouping together of nonverbal messages into statements or conclusions

Culture

Attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization

Defense Mechanisms

Behaviors that protect the psyche from guilt, anxiety or shame

Denial

Rejection of or refusal to acknowledge

Masking

Attempt to conceal or repress true feelings or the message

Open-ended questions

Questions that encourage verbalization and response; questions that seek a response beyond a simple yes or no

Regression

Moving back to a former stage to escape conflict or fear

Repression

Occurs when one copes with an overwhelming situation by temporarily forgetting it; temporary amnesia

Suppression

Occurs when one deliberately refuses to acknowledge something that causes mental pain and suffering

Therapeutic communication

Use of specific and well-defined professional communication skills to create a feeling of comfort for patients even when difficult or unpleasant information must be exchanged

Displacement

Displacing negative feelings onto something or someone else with no significance to the situation

Hierarchy of Needs

Needs that are arranged in a specific order or rank; sequential arrangement