Ethics and Ethical Communication

Ethical dilemmas arise when considering if actions are moral or immoral.

Being truthful is considered optional in ethical communication.

Ethical communicators should disregard cultural differences in their speeches.

Courteousness is an ethical obligation for both speakers and listeners.

Maintaining a free and open expression of ideas means that everyone must agree with those ideas.

Ethics in Communication

Ethics involves determining right and wrong in human interactions, leading to ethical dilemmas regarding fairness, morality, honesty, and justice.

Norms for Ethical Communication

Truthfulness: Essential for effective communication; dishonesty can damage credibility and audience trust.
Power of Words: Recognizes the profound impact words can have; they can shape careers, instigate conflicts, or foster peace.
Participatory Democracy: Emphasizes shared responsibility in communication ethics between speakers and audiences, promoting collaborative discourse.
Cultural Diversity Mindfulness: Ethical communicators take cultural differences into account to avoid offending their audience with inappropriate remarks.
Courteousness and Attentiveness: Speakers should prepare responsibly, while listeners must engage respectfully and attentively during presentations.
Avoiding Prejudgment: Prematurely forming opinions about a speaker's points can hinder effective listening and understanding.
Free Expression of Ideas: Supports a democratic framework where the expression of diverse ideas is encouraged, while recognizing that support for free speech does not equate to agreement with all expressed views.

This quiz explores the concepts of ethics, focusing on the distinctions between fair and unfair, moral and immoral, and honest and dishonest actions. It also delves into the norms for ethical communication as discussed by Brydon and Scott (2008), highlighting the importance of truthfulness in maintaining credibility. Test your understanding of ethical principles and communication standards.