Exam 7: Creating a Positive Communication Climate

Name at least five of the eight defense mechanisms listed in this chapter.

Annie has worked her way to the top at a major city newspaper and is now a top columnist. During her career she experienced almost abusive treatment from supervisors who wanted to "put her in her place." Now that she is in a position of authority, she feels it is important to treat others with respect. What Gibb pairing does Annie's two experiences describe?

The defense mechanism called _____ occurs when individuals judge the behavior of others; they compare the accomplishments of others to their own feelings of inadequacy and believe that by criticizing others, their own self-esteem will be enhanced.

Although defensiveness is an understandable reaction to an uncomfortable situation, learning how to cope with defensive communication, both our own and that of others, can lead to greater confidence as a communicator.

Discuss, in two or three sentences, how stepping back can help when we encounter someone else's defensive communication.

According to the Gibb study, it is better to say what you feel than to prepare a script when trying to resolve a conflict. This pairing is known as

Amy is furious! She has just found out that her boyfriend went to the car show on Valentine's Day instead of taking her out for a romantic dinner. She wants to confront him and call him a good-for-nothing jerk. Instead, she calms down and explains to him how his actions hurt her. Amy used which Gibb pairing to communicate to her boyfriend?

People who know Paul always think he is mean spirited and arrogant. Little did they know that his cold and aloof attitude is a defense mechanism because he is insecure and is afraid of being criticized. To protect himself, Paul is using the defense mechanism called

By keeping his commitment to usher at his ex-brother-in-law's wedding but not mingling or socializing, Donald is using a defense mechanism known as psychological withdrawal.

When we do not confront a problem and are convinced it will just go away by itself, then we are using avoidance.

Identify all six of the "pairings" of behaviors that contribute to a defensive/supportive climate from the Gibb study, and explain three of the pairings in relation to their contribution to climate.

Gorhan is in love with Cassandra and wants to move to her city, eight hours away from his hometown. Knowing his mother will react badly to this move, he writes out exactly what he wants to say. His plan backfired in part because he delivered his message in a stiff and unconvincing manner. According to Gibb, this defensive behavior is called control.

Now that Lindsey has a boyfriend, she has stopped making an effort to keep her female friends. Her best friend, Eileen tried to speak with Lindsey about this, but Lindsey has made it clear that she will spend all of her time with her boyfriend. Since Lindsey is no longer comfortable associating with Eileen, she will not answer her phone or accept text messages. What defense mechanism is Lindsey displaying?

The emotional atmosphere relating to the state of mind we bring with us when we engage in the act of communicating is known as

Debbie is Melanie's age. Like Melanie, she went through a rebellious stage during her teens. There was considerable tension in her household, yet Debbie's family did not assume that the problem was entirely hers. Instead, the whole family participated in counseling sessions. This is an example of taking what approach in Gibb's pairings instead of control?

An email that is insulting, mean spirited, offensive, or makes the reader angry is called a(n)

Outdoing others happens when you compete in a way that says you are better or when you are trying to top the achievement of another.

Talking about the weather, the color of paint, or whether the Bulls basketball team is in for a good season are examples of topics used in formula communication.

Using a one-sided solution to make another person conform to your way of thinking is

Define distancing, avoidance, and psychological withdrawal. Give an example of each.