Deck 10: Communication: Theory and Modern Media

Question 1

When a receiver decodes a message,he or she is:

A) hearing but not listening to the message.
B) listening to the message.
C) sending feedback.
D) eliminating noise.

Answer 1

B
Explanation: Hearing means the brain is registering sounds. Listening means paying attention to what is being said and trying to understand the full message. This is the meaning of "decoding" a message.

Question 2

In the communication process,encoded messages:

A) are only required when there is noise distorting a communication process.
B) can only be transmitted through writing.
C) can be transmitted through personal contact.
D) always lead to misunderstandings.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: Communication begins when the sender of a message encodes the message. This means the sender translates his or her thoughts and feelings into words, gestures, facial expressions, and so on. The sender then transmits the encoded message by writing, speaking, or other personal contact.

Question 3

Jude loves to play GameCube games.While he is playing,he gets so involved that when someone asks him a question,he answers,"Uh-huh." He is most likely:

A) listening, but not hearing.
B) hearing, but not listening.
C) communicating effectively.
D) using formal communication.

Answer 3

B
Explanation: For a communication process to be effective, the receiver of a message must listen to it rather than just hear it. When Jude gets so involved with playing his games, he only hears the message, which means that he is merely registering sounds instead of listening, which requires him to understand the full message.

Question 4

Communication fails to occur when:

A) the sender encodes the message.
B) the feedback is negative.
C) the receiver fails to eliminate noise.
D) the receiver does not decode the message.

Question 5

The sender of a message can recognize and resolve communication problems by paying attention to _____.

A) noise
B) inference
C) grapevine
D) feedback

Question 6

Researchers,Alex Pentland and Benjamin Waber,determined that the workers who interacted the most with their co-workers:

A) were the most productive.
B) were the least productive.
C) were more prone to the recency effect.
D) were least likely to experience groupthink.

Question 7

Feedback is best defined as:

A) the way the receiver of a message responds or fails to respond to the message.
B) the actions that can distort a message by interfering with the communication process.
C) the way people draw negative conclusions about a category of people based on stereotypes.
D) the path along which informal communication travels in an organization.

Question 8

An important difference between hearing and listening is that:

A) hearing requires full understanding of a message whereas listening is the mere registration of sound.
B) hearing is the mere registration of sound whereas listening requires full understanding of a message.
C) hearing can occur even if there is feedback whereas listening cannot occur in the presence of feedback.
D) hearing cannot occur if there is feedback whereas listening can occur even if there is feedback.

Question 9

In the communication process,noise:

A) always leads to communication breakdowns.
B) only affects the feedback process of communication.
C) occurs because the sender of a message encodes it.
D) distorts communication by interfering with it.

Question 10

Which of the following is a true statement about workplace communication?

A) It merely involves trading of facts.
B) Higher interaction with co-workers leads to increased productivity.
C) Worker productivity is shown to dramatically decrease when communication involves topics not related to work.
D) Effective workplace communication is more about simply talking and writing.

Question 11

If incompatible electronic equipment is used to transmit a message,_____.

A) the message gets encoded by the equipment
B) the receiver will not be able to receive feedback
C) lateral communication is not possible
D) the communication is likely to be distorted by noise

Question 12

The communication process begins when the sender of a message:

A) receives feedback.
B) creates noise.
C) encodes the message.
D) gives feedback.

Question 13

Pentland and Waber's research suggest that effective communication:

A) can never occur in the presence of noise.
B) only occurs at a lateral level.
C) is about more than talking or writing.
D) only occurs when brainstorming.

Question 14

Select the correct statement about the communication process.

A) The sender encodes, but does not do any decoding.
B) The receiver decodes, but does not do any encoding.
C) Noise and feedback do not affect communication.
D) The receiver of a message must listen to it rather than just hear it.

Question 15

Susanna strongly believes in the relationship between workplace communication and employee productivity,and she agrees with Alex Pentland and Benjamin Waber's findings on workplace communication patterns.She finds that two of her employees,Steven and Amy,are talking to each other in Amy's cubicle.She is likely to:

A) subtly hint to Steven that he should be getting back to work.
B) allow them to continue for a reasonable amount of time.
C) ensure that they only talk about work-related topics.
D) ensure that they only talk about non work-related topics.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is true of feedback?

A) Feedback does not take the form of words.
B) Feedback is used to eliminate noise.
C) Feedback is the main source of noise.
D) Feedback may take the form of behavior.

Question 17

Joy is a supervisor at an advertising agency.While conducting performance appraisal meetings with her employees,she instructs her secretary to hold all calls and to prevent any other interruptions.This action of Joy:

A) ensures that distractions which might hamper communication are avoided.
B) increases the likelihood of messages being distorted during the communication process.
C) distinguishes between opinions and facts so that communication is not hampered.
D) shows that she uses the informal mode of communication to make employees comfortable.

Question 18

When the sender of a message encodes a message,it means that the sender is:

A) translating his or her thoughts and feelings into words.
B) encrypting the message based on inferences, leading to misunderstandings.
C) distorting the message by adding noise to it.
D) not focusing on the receiver's viewpoint.

Question 19

The model of the communication process shows that communication works:

A) only when there is no noise.
B) only when there is no feedback.
C) when people decode messages as well as send them.
D) when people hear messages instead of merely listening to them.

Question 20

According to Alex Pentland and Benjamin Waber,the workers who interact the most with their co-workers are the most productive because:

A) workplace communication only involves trading facts.
B) they are more likely to experience groupthink.
C) they are more prepared to make important work-related decisions.
D) workplace communication is always oral.

Question 21

To overcome the barrier of information overload,supervisors should ideally:

A) give employees only the information that will be useful to them.
B) encourage the employees to turn to the grapevine for information.
C) not ask for feedback because employees might get distracted.
D) speak clearly in a loud tone of voice.

Question 22

A conclusion drawn from the facts available is referred to as:

A) prejudice.
B) stereotype.
C) noise.
D) inference.

Question 23

A major type of distraction that hampers active listening is:

A) planning one's own responses.
B) lateral communication.
C) downward communication.
D) decoding the receiver's feedback.

Question 24

Which of the following is a basic guideline for cross-cultural communication?

A) Use the figurative meanings of words.
B) Use the jargon of your industry.
C) Speak loudly and slowly.
D) Stick to simple basic words.

Question 25

When faced with cross-cultural communication,supervisors should avoid:

A) using simple words to refrain from offending the receiver.
B) supplementing words with gestures.
C) using the jargon of his or her industry.
D) talking slowly and maintain a loud tone of voice.

Question 26

Active listening typically involves:

A) always replying promptly with a yes/no answer.
B) decoding the information conveyed rather than the emotion of the speaker.
C) understanding the feelings the speaker is conveying through a message.
D) focusing on cultural differences that can distort communication.

Question 27

Jeff is the owner of a new Indian restaurant.He employs Vijay,an immigrant from India,who mostly speaks Hindi.Vijay recently began learning English and is making good progress.Jeff will be effectively communicating to Vijay if he:

A) talks to Vijay with a loud tone of voice.
B) uses figurative meanings of words.
C) avoids using simple words.
D) supplements his words with gestures.

Question 28

The difference between a fact and an inference is that a(n):

A) fact is a conclusion drawn from statements using the words "never" and "always."
B) inference is a conclusion drawn from the facts available.
C) fact is a conclusion drawn typically from an informal mode of communication.
D) inference is always true.

Question 29

Craig is the manager of a company that is opening a new branch of operations in another country.In a meeting set up to inform his employees of this news,he focuses on how this move is going to make the company more profitable but fails to address the employees' fears for job security.In this case,Craig has communicated ineffectively because he has:

A) ignored his receivers' viewpoint.
B) encoded his message.
C) not eliminated feedback.
D) failed to eliminate noise.

Question 30

When feedback indicates that a message was not received fully and correctly,the sender should better adapt it to the receiver by:

A) eliminating sources of noise.
B) avoiding the receiver's viewpoint.
C) not encoding his message.
D) hearing rather than listening.

Question 31

Which of the following is true of cultural stereotypes?

A) It is only harmful when negative stereotypes are used by supervisors.
B) Both positive and negative stereotypes result in negative emotions.
C) It is acceptable to use positive stereotypes to give feedback.
D) Even negative stereotypes can be used by supervisors to motivate their employees.

Question 32

The technique that involves hearing what the speaker is saying,trying to understand the facts and feelings the speaker is trying to convey and then stating what the listener understands that message to be,is called:

A) upward communication.
B) active listening.
C) downward communication.
D) feedback.

Question 33

Which of the following statements is true about inferences?

A) Statements using the words "never" and "always" are inferences.
B) Inferences can only be used for lateral communication.
C) Making inferences is always a conscious process.
D) Facts are derived from inferences.

Question 34

In the context of barriers to communication,misunderstandings are most likely to occur when:

A) a message is complicated.
B) the sender encodes a message.
C) simple words are used.
D) gestures are used.

Question 35

A common error in cross-cultural communication is the:

A) use of simple, basic words.
B) use of literal meanings of words.
C) assumption that a loud tone of voice is the only way to communicate effectively.
D) assumption that people from other cultures may be unfamiliar with the idioms used in one's own culture.

Question 36

To avoid misinterpreting the words and behavior of others,a supervisor must:

A) speak in a loud tone of voice.
B) be familiar with the communication styles of the various cultures of people with whom he or she works.
C) not supplement his words with gestures as this is considered to be offensive in many cultures.
D) use his or her industry's technical jargon instead of relying on simple words.

Question 37

In the context of barriers to communication,misunderstandings are least likely to occur when:

A) a message is complicated.
B) technical jargon is used.
C) simple words are used.
D) a message is emotional.

Question 38

Which of the following is an effective way to seek feedback from a listener?

A) Asking questions such as "Do you understand?"
B) Asking simple yes-or-no questions
C) Asking questions that require some level of understanding to answer appropriately
D) Asking questions such as "Do you work tomorrow?"

Question 39

Which of the following is most likely to help one in communicating effectively?

A) Ignoring the receiver's viewpoint
B) Learning from feedback
C) Hearing rather than listening
D) Being emotional

Question 40

In workplace communication,active listening is used effectively only when:

A) upward communication is used.
B) a supervisor does not encode his feedback to employees.
C) downward communication is used.
D) a supervisor demonstrates genuine respect for employees.

Question 41

Which of the following is an advantage of sending letters over e-mail?

A) Letters take less time to be prepared and delivered.
B) etters offer a chance for reflection and change.
C) Letters are easier to send.
D) Letters can be used to communicate informally.

Question 42

The negative conclusions about a category of people based on stereotypes are known as:

A) prejudices.
B) perceptions.
C) retrospective biases.
D) reverse biases.

Question 43

We learn the meaning of nonverbal messages:

A) by participating in our culture.
B) by engaging in passive listening.
C) by drawing facts from inferences.
D) by encoding messages.

Question 44

In which of the following situations is it possible to send both nonverbal and verbal cues?

A) A supervisor receiving a memo from his manager
B) A supervisor orally providing instructions to an employee
C) A manager receiving an email from his employees
D) An organization sending a letter to their customers

Question 45

Which of the following statements about nonverbal messages is true?

A) Nonverbal forms of communication work best when a supervisor wants to remove biases in attention.
B) Our facial expression, posture, and even silence provide nonverbal cues.
C) The meanings of nonverbal messages are universal and do not change from culture to culture.
D) Nonverbal messages generally have lesser influence on the receiver than verbal messages.

Question 46

When a person is sending both verbal and nonverbal messages:

A) the probability of noise distorting the communication is very less.
B) the receiver is more likely to not send any feedback.
C) the information is most likely to be misinterpreted.
D) the nonverbal message may have more influence on the receiver.

Question 47

Much of the verbal communication that occurs in organizations is in writing because:

A) writing allows user to communicate nonverbally as well as verbally.
B) writing is the only way to communicate laterally.
C) written communication provides a record of what people tell one another.
D) written communication eliminates any disruptions caused by noise.

Question 48

Which of the following is a difference between letters and memo?

A) Letters are more formal than memos.
B) Letters are used for analyzing problems whereas memos are only for formal communication.
C) Letters cannot be sent electronically whereas memos can be sent electronically.
D) Letters provide a written document for review whereas memos do not provide a written document for review.

Question 49

Both letters and memos:

A) are used primarily to send formal messages to people outside of an organization.
B) provide a written document for the receiver to review.
C) can only be sent electronically.
D) can only be used for lateral communication.

Question 50

Most complications from e-mail communications arise because:

A) they do not provide a written record for review.
B) it takes a long time to write an email.
C) of how easy it is to send an e-mail.
D) two-way communication is not possible.

Question 51

A supervisor can best combat biases in attention by:

A) using statements that phrase inferences as facts.
B) using technical jargon to grab the attention of the listener.
C) phrasing messages carefully to appeal to the receiver.
D) switching to nonverbal forms of communication.

Question 52

One way supervisors can protect themselves and avoid ethical problems that can arise from their public speaking activities is by:

A) letting their employer know about their public speaking activities.
B) refraining from encoding their messages.
C) sticking only to upward forms of communication when speaking in public.
D) sticking only to lateral forms of communication when speaking in public.

Question 53

When perceptions about others are false,_____.

A) messages cannot be encoded
B) prejudices are overcome
C) stereotypes are overcome
D) messages might get distorted

Question 54

Which of the following statements is true of memos?

A) When writing to someone outside the organization, employees usually send a memo.
B) They are an informal way of sending a written message.
C) They take a relatively short time to prepare and deliver.
D) Because of their formality, memos lend themselves to communication within an organization.

Question 55

Which of the following statements about inferences and facts is true?

A) Statements using the words "never" and "always" are less likely to be inferences.
B) A fact is a conclusion drawn from the inferences available for scrutiny.
C) When sending a message, a supervisor should avoid statements that phrase inferences as facts.
D) An inference is a conclusion drawn from observation.

Question 56

Which of the following is an advantage of memos?

A) They take a relatively short time to be prepared and delivered.
B) They are the preferred mode of communication for writing to people outside the organization.
C) They provide a written document for the receiver to review.
D) They allow the supervisors to send out nonverbal messages more effectively.

Question 57

To communicate with employees,supervisors usually depend on:

A) written communication.
B) nonverbal communication.
C) haptic communication.
D) oral communication.

Question 58

The ability to send and receive information from many places,including one's workplace,home,car,and airplane seat,can contribute to:

A) information overload.
B) the recency syndrome.
C) increase in noise.
D) the halo effect.

Question 59

One way to minimize the intrusiveness of modern media is to:

A) convey messages without using complicated words.
B) limit the use of calls and texts to situations where an immediate reply is essential.
C) rely only on oral communication which gives an opportunity to send and receive many nonverbal cues.
D) communicate without the use of feedback.

Question 60

Which of the following is true of bulletin board notices used in organizations?

A) They are never used to supplement personal types of communication.
B) They are highly ineffective.
C) They can only be used for upward communication.
D) They are impersonal ways to send messages.

Question 61

Supervisors can help with the constant interruptions of modern media by:

A) banning the use of memos at work.
B) restricting all emails to lateral forms of communication only.
C) setting aside time when cell phones should be turned off so everyone can concentrate.
D) communicating without the use of feedback.

Question 62

For emotionally charged issues,the supervisor should typically:

A) communicate face-to-face.
B) communicate through e-mail.
C) use the voice mail.
D) use the bulletin board.

Question 63

Steven is the supervisor of a transport company.He feels that he should do something to be more informed about his employees.Which of the following is a way for Steven to be more informed about his employees?

A) He should encourage upward communication.
B) He should discourage diagonal communication.
C) He should rely on rumors.
D) He should shut down all forms of grapevine communication.

Question 64

To be well informed and benefit from employees' creativity,a supervisor should primarily encourage:

A) nonverbal communication.
B) grapevine communication.
C) upward communication.
D) haptic communication.

Question 65

Lateral communication occurs when a message is sent to a person:

A) at a higher level in the organization.
B) at the same level in the organization.
C) outside the organization.
D) at a lower level in the organization.

Question 66

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of formal communication?

A) It is directed toward accomplishing the goals of the organization.
B) It is directed toward meeting people's individual needs.
C) It rarely follows the lines of the organization chart.
D) It is typically used by top management but not employees.

Question 67

When Arianna,the supervisor of the production department of a fertilizer company,asks her counterpart,Brian,the supervisor of the raw materials department,for a meeting,she is using:

A) grapevine communication.
B) lateral communication.
C) upward communication.
D) downward communication.

Question 68

Jeremy is the manager of a supermarket.When he asks all his employees to assemble for a meeting,he is using _____ communication.

A) multidirectional
B) downward
C) lateral
D) upward

Question 69

One method that supervisors can use to encourage upward communication is to:

A) persuade one's boss to ask questions.
B) hear rather than listen to employees.
C) use a suggestion box.
D) use an authoritarian leadership style.

Question 70

Organizational communication in which a message is sent to someone at a lower level is referred to as:

A) diagonal communication.
B) upward communication.
C) lateral communication.
D) downward communication.

Question 71

The supervisor should choose oral communication over written communication when the message is:

A) official.
B) sensitive.
C) factual.
D) complex.

Question 72

Why is knowledge about the directions of communications essential for a supervisor?

A) Supervisors need it to protect themselves from the ethical problems that can arise from public speaking.
B) Supervisors can use that knowledge to be sure that they are communicating in all directions.
C) Without knowing about directions of communications, supervisors cannot engage in cross-cultural communication.
D) Without knowing about directions of communications, supervisors cannot encode messages.

Question 73

When feedback is critical,which of the following is the most effective mode of communication?

A) Telephone conversation
B) Memorandum
C) Face-to-face communication
D) Bulletin board notice

Question 74

When there is a need for a record,which of the following is the most effective mode of communication?

A) Telephone conversation
B) Memorandum
C) Face-to-face communication
D) Conference call

Question 75

The easiest way to get feedback is to:

A) use memos.
B) send an oral message.
C) send an email.
D) use bulletin board notices.

Question 76

Organizational communication in which a message is sent to someone at a higher level is referred to as:

A) upward communication.
B) diagonal communication.
C) lateral communication.
D) downward communication.

Question 77

A supervisor is receiving a(n)_____ communication when an employee reports a problem.

A) diagonal
B) upward
C) lateral
D) downward

Question 78

People will receive a message only if:

A) the message has not been encoded by the sender of the message.
B) it is a lateral form of communication.
C) there is no feedback.
D) it comes through a channel they feel comfortable using.

Question 79

When James,the receptionist of a marketing firm,asks his manager for a raise,he is using _____ communication.

A) upward
B) diagonal
C) lateral
D) grapevine

Question 80

When a supervisor gets a memo from top management describing a new company policy,he or she is receiving a(n)_____ communication.

A) diagonal
B) upward
C) lateral
D) downward