Intro to Communication Exam 1 (Ch 1-8) Flashcards

Communication Basics

• Communication is the exchange of information through signs, symbols, and behaviors.
• Essential for fulfilling physical needs and experiencing relationships, spirituality, and identity.

Relationship Needs

• Relational needs encompass companionship, affection, and the ability to relax.

Communication Models

• Types of Models:
  • Action Model: One-way process of communication.
  • Interaction Model: Communication involving feedback and context.
  • Transaction Model: Simultaneous sending and receiving in communication.

Types of Communication

• Intrapersonal Communication: Self-dialogue or reflection.
• Small Group Communication: Interaction among 3-20 people.
• Public Communication: Directed to large audiences.
• Mass Communication: Relayed to large audiences via media platforms.

Misconceptions in Communication

• Common Communication Myths:
  • Everyone is a communication expert.
  • Communication can solve all problems.
  • More communication is always beneficial.

Communication Competence

• Communication Competence involves effective and appropriate interaction suited to context.
• Self-Monitoring: Awareness of one’s behavior and its impact on others.

Emotional Understanding

• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of another.
• Cognitive Complexity: Viewing situations from multiple perspectives.

Cultural Elements

• Culture: Shared symbols, language, values, and norms distinguishing groups.
• In-Groups: Groups individuals identify with (e.g., MSU).
• Out-Groups: Groups individuals do not identify with.

Cultural Dynamics

• Ethnocentrism: Judging others' practices as inferior.
• Co-Cultures: Sub-groups sharing specific interests beyond nationality.

Communication Codes

• Types of Codes:
  • Jargon
  • Idioms
  • Gestures

Individual vs. Collective Perspectives

• Individualistic Cultures: Emphasize personal responsibility and self-reliance.
• Collectivistic Cultures: Focus on group welfare and interdependence.

Perception Processes

• Stages of Perception:
  • Selection: Paying attention to certain stimuli.
  • Organization: Categorizing selected information.
  • Interpretation: Assigning meaning to organized information.

Attribution and Bias

• Attribution: Explaining observed behaviors through internal or external causes.
• Self-Serving Bias: Attributing successes to internal factors and failures to external ones.
• Fundamental Attribution Error: Analyzing others’ actions primarily from internal perspectives.

Self-Concept and Image Management

• Self-Concept: Perception of oneself; influences identity.
• Image Management: Projecting a desired public image through behaviors.

Face and Facework

• Face Needs: Components crucial for desired public image.
• Facework: Strategies used to maintain public image.

Language and Communication

• Language: A structured set of symbols for meaning.
• Rules of Language:
  • Phonological: Pronunciation.
  • Syntactic: Word order.
  • Semantic: Word meanings.
  • Pragmatic: Interpretations of statements.

Persuasion Techniques

• Persuasion: Convincing individuals to alter thoughts or actions.
• Norm of Reciprocity: Expectation to return favors.

Nonverbal Communication

• Definition: Conveying meaning without words, often more impactful than verbal communication.
• Functions: Managing conversations, forming impressions, conveying emotions.

Channels of Nonverbal Communication

• Facial displays, eye behaviors, gestures, touch, vocalics, use of space, physical appearance, time, and artifacts.

Listening and Its Importance

• Listening: Active interpretation of spoken messages; differs from passive hearing.
• Listening Styles: People-oriented, action-oriented, content-oriented, time-oriented.

Relationship Dynamics

• Need to Belong: Fundamental human inclination to connect.
• Attraction Factors: Proximity, physical attractiveness, similarity, and complementarity.

Relationship Theories

• Uncertainty Reduction Theory: Drives individuals to reduce discomfort through acquaintance.
• Social Exchange Theory: Maintaining relationships when benefits surpass costs.

Maintaining Relationships

• Relational Maintenance Behaviors: Include positivity, openness, assurance, and shared tasks.

Commitment Types

• Emotional Commitment: Responsibility for partner's emotional well-being.
• Social Commitment: Desire to spend time together and resolve conflicts.

Relationship Development

• Stages of Relationship Formation: Initiating, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, bonding.
• Stages of Relationship Dissolution: Differentiating, circumscribing, stagnating, avoiding, terminating.

Dialectical Tensions

• Conflicts between opposing relationship needs, such as connection vs. autonomy and openness vs. closedness.