Interaction and Interpersonal Communication Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the Interaction and Communication lecture transcript.

Self-Monitoring

The tendency to observe social cues and regulate one's self-presentation accordingly, ranging from high self-monitors who adjust behaviors to fit situational cues to low self-monitors who act consistently with internal attitudes regardless of the audience.

Interpersonal Communication

The dynamic and transactional exchange of information and messages between two or more people using verbal and nonverbal cues to accomplish personal and relational goals as unique individuals.

Physical Noise

External environmental distractions that interfere with effective communication, such as loud talking, honking cars, illegible handwriting, broken computer screens, or background music.

Physiological Noise

Biological or physical factors inhibiting communication transmission and reception, including hearing or visual impairments, articulation disorders, and illness.

Psychological Noise

Internal cognitive or emotional factors impeding effective communication, such as preconceived ideas, wandering thoughts, close-mindedness, hallucinations, or fear.

Semantic Noise

Communication disruption caused by misunderstood meanings, cognitive confusion, or a lack of interest in the message content.

Reflected Appraisal

The process through which an individual's self-concept is shaped by their beliefs regarding how other people perceive and evaluate them.

Self-Esteem

An individual's subjective evaluation of their overall worth and value as a person, reflecting satisfaction with oneself.

Halo Effect

A cognitive bias wherein attributing a favorable quality or trait to an individual leads to the assumption that they possess other positive qualities.

Horn Effect

A cognitive bias wherein attributing an unfavorable trait or quality to a person leads to the assumption that they possess other negative characteristics.

Charisma

A compelling interpersonal influence defined by two key dimensions: Warmth (friendliness, empathy, approachability) and Competence (confidence, clarity, credibility).

Imposter Syndrome

A common psychological phenomenon among high-achieving individuals characterized by persistent self-doubt, feeling unaccomplished, and fear of being exposed as a fraud.

Dunning-Kruger Effect

A cognitive bias in which individuals with low competence at a task overestimate their ability, contrasted with high-ability individuals who tend to underestimate their relative competence.

Kinesics

The study of body language and movement in communication, including gestures, facial expressions, posture, and eye contact.

Proxemics

The study of physical distance and space usage in human communication, categorized into intimate, personal, social, and public zones.

Haptics

The study of touch as a communicative nonverbal behavior and its situational appropriateness.

Chronemics

The study of how time, timing, punctuality, response speed, and conversational pauses influence communication.

Dr. Albert Mehrabian's 7-38-55% Rule

A rule of personal communication stating that when verbal words and nonverbal cues conflict, meaning is interpreted as 7% spoken words, 38% voice/tone, and 55% body language.

Microexpressions

Very brief facial expressions lasting less than 1/4 second that involuntarily leak concealed emotions through deliberate suppression or unconscious repression.

Illustrators

Intentional gestures that serve to clarify, emphasize, or demonstrate the verbal message (e.g., pointing, showing size or quantity).

Emblems

Nonverbal gestures that translate directly into specific words or phrases within a culture (e.g., a thumbs-up sign).

Affect Displays

Facial and bodily movements that explicitly express emotional states and feelings (e.g., opening arms during a warm greeting).

Regulators

Nonverbal behaviors that control, monitor, or coordinate conversational turn-taking (e.g., nodding to prompt a speaker to continue).

Adaptors

Habitual or self-directed nonverbal actions performed to satisfy a personal physical or psychological need (e.g., scratching or rubbing one's head during stress).

Facial Management Techniques

Strategies used to manage facial emotional displays, including intensifying (exaggerating), de-intensifying (downplaying), neutralizing (hiding), and masking (substituting).

Poise

Maintaining an appropriate, controlled outward demeanor and nonverbal expression despite internal emotional intensity or environmental stress.

Oculesics

The study of eye movement, gaze patterns, and eye contact in nonverbal communication.

Fronting

The act of positioning one's torso and body directly toward a listener to convey warmth, openness, and build rapport.

Mirroring

The subtle nonverbal or verbal copying of another person's posture, pace, volume, or tone to establish social connection and alignment.

Embodied Cognition

The psychological principle stating that abstract judgments (such as friendliness, warmth, or trust) are grounded in sensorimotor experiences and bodily sensations.

Concrete Language

Specific, tangible vocabulary referencing directly observable people, objects, actions, or events (e.g., "You arrived 25 minutes late").

Abstract Language

General vocabulary referencing broad ideas, qualities, feelings, or concepts open to subjective interpretation (e.g., "You're unreliable").

Denotative Meaning

The literal, objective, dictionary definition of a word.

Connotative Meaning

The emotional, personal, social, or cultural associations linked to a word beyond its strict literal definition.

OAFS Model

A conversational framework for starting and sustaining meaningful dialogue: Observe, Ask, Follow Up, and Share.

The +1 Rule

A conversational reciprocity practice of providing one additional detail beyond a direct answer to extend conversational threads.

Pseudolistening

An inattentive habit of giving the outward appearance of listening (nodding, maintaining eye contact) while mentally disengaged.

Rebuttal Tendency

The tendency to listen primarily to formulate a response, counterargument, or defense rather than to understand the speaker's perspective.

Paraphrasing

Restating the essential meaning and content of a speaker's message in one's own words while reflecting basic feelings and attitudes.

Empathic Responding

A active listening response that focuses primarily on validating and reflecting the speaker's emotional state rather than factual content.

Unconditional Positive Regard

An attitude of complete acceptance, support, and nonjudgmental valuation of an individual regardless of what they say or do.

Affective Empathy

The emotional capacity to respond appropriately to another person's feelings.

Somatic Empathy

The physical capacity to experience or mirror the bodily sensations and emotional states of another.

Cognitive Empathy

The intellectual capacity to comprehend and reason about another person's internal perspective or situation.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to attribute other people's behaviors to internal dispositional factors while underestimating external situational influences.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute one's own personal successes to internal dispositional factors and one's failures to external situational circumstances.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A cycle in which expectations influence actions toward others, prompting responses that ultimately validate and reinforce the original beliefs.

Confirmation Bias

The cognitive tendency to seek out, interpret, and recall information that confirms pre-existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.

Schema

A mental cognitive framework that organizes knowledge and relationships between concepts to process new information efficiently.

Perception Checking

A three-step technique for verifying interpretations: 1) describe observable behavior without judgment, 2) offer two or more plausible interpretations, and 3) request clarification.