COM220 Exam 1

Interpersonal Communication Concepts

  • Content Meaning – The literal meaning of what is said in communication.

  • Dual Perspective – The ability to understand both your own and another person’s point of view.

  • Ethics – Principles that guide what is right or wrong in communication.

  • Feedback – Verbal or nonverbal responses to a message.

  • I–It Communication – Treating others as objects rather than individuals.

  • Interactive Models – Communication models that include feedback from both sender and receiver.

  • Interpersonal Communication – The exchange of messages between people to build relationships.

  • Interpersonal Communication Competence – The ability to communicate effectively and appropriately.

  • I–Thou Communication – Deep, meaningful interactions where people are valued as unique individuals.

  • I–You Communication – Treating people based on their social roles rather than as unique individuals.

  • Linear Models – A one-way communication model where a sender transmits a message to a receiver.

  • Metacommunication – Communication about communication (e.g., discussing how we communicate).

  • Model – A representation of how communication works.

  • Monitoring – The ability to observe and regulate your own communication.

  • Noise – Anything that disrupts or distorts communication.

  • Person-Centeredness – Tailoring communication to the unique needs of an individual.

  • Process – The idea that communication is continuous and ever-changing.

  • Relationship Meaning – The deeper message about the nature of a relationship conveyed through communication.

  • Symbols – Words, gestures, or images that represent something else.

  • Systemic – The concept that communication happens within a larger system that affects meaning.

  • Transactional Model – A communication model where people send and receive messages simultaneously.


Personal Identity & Communication Concepts

  • Anxious/Ambivalent Attachment Style – Insecurity in relationships due to inconsistent caregiving in childhood.

  • Attachment Styles – Patterns of how people form emotional bonds based on early experiences.

  • Cyberbullying – Online harassment or bullying through digital communication.

  • Direct Definition – How others explicitly label us and shape our identity.

  • Dismissive Attachment Style – Avoiding close relationships due to early neglect or rejection.

  • Face – The public image we present to others.

  • Fearful Attachment Style – A style where individuals fear rejection and avoid relationships.

  • Generalized Other – Society’s overall beliefs and values that shape self-perception.

  • Identity Scripts – Rules we learn from others about who we are and how we should behave.

  • Impression Management – Efforts to control how others perceive us.

  • Johari Window – A model for understanding self-awareness and disclosure.

  • Particular Others – Important people in our lives who shape our self-concept.

  • Reflected Appraisal – How we see ourselves based on how we think others see us.

  • Secure Attachment Style – A healthy attachment style developed from consistent and loving caregiving.

  • Self – The perception of who we are.

  • Self-Disclosure – Sharing personal information with others.

  • Self-Fulfilling Prophecies – Expectations that influence behaviors to make the expectation come true.

  • Self-Sabotage – Negative self-talk or behaviors that undermine personal success.

  • Social Comparison – Evaluating ourselves by comparing to others.


Perception & Communication Concepts

  • Attribution – Explaining why things happen or why people behave in certain ways.

  • Cognitive Complexity – The ability to understand multiple perspectives and layers of meaning.

  • Constructivism – A theory that we interpret experiences using mental structures called schemata.

  • Culture – Shared beliefs, values, and practices of a group.

  • Empathy – Understanding and sharing another person’s feelings.

  • Fundamental Attribution Error – Overestimating personality traits and underestimating situations when explaining others' behavior.

  • Implicit Personality Theory – Assumptions about what traits go together in a person.

  • Inattention Blindness – Failing to notice something because attention is elsewhere.

  • Interpretation – Assigning meaning to what we perceive.

  • Mind Reading – Assuming we know what someone else is thinking.

  • Müller-Lyer Illusion – A visual illusion that demonstrates perceptual biases.

  • Perception – The process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information.

  • Personal Construct – A category we use to classify people and situations.

  • Prototype – An ideal example of a category (e.g., "perfect boss").

  • Script – A learned sequence of behaviors for particular situations.

  • Self-Serving Bias – Attributing successes to ourselves and failures to external factors.

  • Standpoint – A perspective shaped by social position and experiences.

  • Stereotype – A generalized belief about a group of people.


Mediated Communication Concepts

  • Hyperpersonal Model – The idea that online communication can create deeper relationships due to selective self-presentation.

  • Face Theory – The idea that people work to maintain a positive public image.

  • Self-Selection – Choosing what information to share or engage with.

  • Social Media Self-Concept – How people present themselves on social media.

  • Self-Presentation – Controlling how others perceive us.

  • Masspersonal Communication – Blending personal and mass communication (e.g., a personal message posted publicly).

  • Parasocial Relationships – One-sided relationships with media figures or influencers.

  • Perception – How we interpret and make sense of mediated messages.

  • Influencers – People who affect the opinions and behaviors of others online.

  • Deception – Misleading or false communication online.

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