Interpersonal Communication Test 2

Language Rules

Semantic Rules: Define how meanings are assigned to linguistic symbols, such as words; e.g., "bikes" for riding, "books" for reading.
Syntactic Rules: Govern grammar, including word order and how words combine to produce meaning.
Pragmatic Rules: Direct how language operates in everyday interactions; e.g., casual greetings don't typically seek information.

Semantic Misunderstandings

Equivocation: Use of ambiguous statements that can have multiple meanings, leading to misunderstandings.
Relative Words: Their meanings depend on context; e.g., "big" or "small" is comparative.
Static Evaluation: Treating descriptions as immutable truths, e.g., using "is" as constant.
Abstraction vs. Behavior: Differences in the level of specificity in language used.

Divergence and Convergence

Divergence: Speaking differently from someone else to highlight uniqueness.
Convergence: Adapting speech to be similar to another person to build rapport.

"It," "But," and "We" Statements

"It" Statements: Deflect responsibility; e.g., "It’s a bad idea" vs. "I don’t think…"
"But" Statements: Cancelling out previous positive comments; e.g., "You're great but…"
"We" Statements: Promote unity but should not replace personal feelings expressed as "I."

"You" and "I" Language

"You" Language: Signals other-orientation but can seem evaluative. E.g., "You did a great job!"
"I" Language: Accepts personal responsibility, less defensive. E.g., "I feel disappointed that…"

Powerless Speech Mannerisms

Hedges: Uncertain expressions such as "I kind of think…"
Hesitations: Stalling phrases indicating uncertainty, e.g., "Well, uh…"
Intensifiers: Modifiers that emphasize feelings, e.g., "I’m really happy…"
Polite Forms: Courteous language while speaking, e.g., "Excuse me, sir…"
Tag Questions: Affirmative phrases that invite agreement, e.g., "It's a nice day, isn't it?"
Disclaimers: Prefacing statements with ambiguity, e.g., "I probably shouldn’t say this, but…"
Rising Inflections: Vocal cues that turn statements into questions.

Disruptive Language Types

Fact/Opinion Confusion: Blurring lines between factual statements and personal opinions.
Fact/Interference Confusion: Assuming facts lead to misunderstandings.
Emotive Language: Charged language that can skew perceptions (+/-/neutral).

Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication

Primarily Relational: Focus on creating and maintaining relationships.
Ambiguous: Varying interpretations in different contexts.
Occurs in Mediated Messages: Nonverbal cues in digital or mediated forms.
Rule-Guided: Governed by cultural and social rules; learned through observation.
Functions: Accenting, complementing, contradicting, regulating, repeating, and substituting verbal messages.
Deception Clues: Indicators of untruths, such as changes in speech pattern.

Emblem Definition

Specific nonverbal behaviors with widely understood meanings within a cultural group.

American Smile

Valued for conveying intelligence and professionalism through frequent use.

Nonverbal Communication Types

Kinesics: Body movements, gestures, posture; can indicate emotional state and social status.
Haptics: Communication through touch, showing benefits for relationships.
Proxemics: Use of personal space; varies culturally (intimate, personal, social, public).
Physical Environment: Influences interaction; includes space, security, and social contact dynamics.
Paralanguage: How something is said, including tone and pauses.
Odor Communication: Perfumes and scents as nonverbal signals.
Chronemics: Communication based on time and its management.

Connections Between Verbal and Nonverbal Messages

Nonverbals can accent, complement, contradict, regulate, repeat, or substitute verbal messages, highlighting their integral role in communication.

Listening vs. Hearing

Listening: Active process of receiving and responding; involves comprehension.
Hearing: Passive reception of sound waves without engagement.

Mindful vs. Mindless Listening

Mindful Listening: Engaging thoughtfully with messages for deeper understanding.
Mindless Listening: Automatic reactions to messages lacking substantial thought.

Listening Challenges

Information overload, personal concerns, rapid thought processes, and environmental distractions hinder effective listening.

Poor Listening Habits

Include pseudo-listening, stage hogging, selective listening, and defensive listening.

Components of Listening Stages

Hearing: Initial perception of sound.
Attending: Selecting stimuli for focus.
Understanding: Grasping message credibility and significance.
Responding: Providing feedback to the speaker.
Memory: Retaining important parts of the message; usually, 30-35% retention by the next day.

Effective Questioning Techniques

Use open-ended questions to clarify meanings, encourage elaboration and discovery, focusing on others’ thoughts and feelings.

What Empathizing Doesn't Look Like

Denying feelings, minimizing situations, casting judgment, and defending oneself during conversations.

Least Desired Listening Response

Advising is frequently used but least wanted in emotional discussions.

Listening Styles

Task-Oriented: Efficiency-focused; promotes organization but may alienate.
Relational: Builds emotional closeness; may lead to over-involvement.
Analytical: Evaluates messages carefully; time-consuming but thorough.
Critical: Evaluates information critically; can frustrate others.

Characteristics of Small Talk

Involves safe topics, minimal disagreement, a variety of subjects, and serves as a signal for social availability.

Trivial Talk Dynamics

Small talk constitutes around 50% of all conversations; frequency and depth vary by relationship closeness.

Importance of Small Talk

Acts as a relationship-building tool, essential for networking, and can ease social interactions.

Phatic Communication

Engaging in conversation for its own sake rather than for substantial information exchange.

Guidelines for Small Talk

Gradually increase topic intimacy, share information, balance speaking turns, follow initial rules, use humor, maintain composure, and show interest in others.