Purpose of Communication Quiz

The primary goal of communication is to share information clearly and effectively, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

Informative communication aims to enhance the audience's understanding of a topic, issue, or process.

The primary goal of informative communication is to convey information factually. It aims to give rather than ask, enhancing or confirming prior knowledge, and making complex concepts easier to understand.

Osborn (2009) suggests informative communication arises from three fundamental human drives: the desire to expand our understanding of the world, to become more competent, and to learn how things work.

When preparing an informative presentation, ask yourself these questions: Is your topic worth sharing? What does your audience already know? Are you knowledgeable enough to explain it clearly? What more do they need to know?

Persuasive communication aims to motivate your audience to agree with your point of view.

Richard M. Perloff defines persuasion as "a symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other people to change their attitudes or behavior regarding an issue through the transmission of a message, in an atmosphere of free choice.

"Persuasive communications contain a variety of attributes intended to enhance persuasion, which could include an attractive source, a message containing convincing arguments, or efforts to make the topic seem personally relevant to the audience.

Reciprocity is based on the expectation of mutual exchange of services or value. You build in a moment making people feel urged from social norms and standards to reciprocate once you take the lead and give.

Scarcity highlights the allure of rare and exclusive things. It leverages limited supply or inadequate resources to increase demand.

Authority emphasizes credibility based on expertise and trustworthiness. It involves referencing experts and showcasing your knowledge to gain trust.

Commitment and Consistency emphasizes respecting one's word and staying true to commitments. It leverages the social norm of honoring promises to influence behavior.

Consensus highlights the tendency of individuals to follow the lead of the group, especially when uncertain. It leverages the herd mentality to influence decisions.

Liking suggests that we are more likely to be influenced by people we like and feel safe with. It emphasizes building rapport and connecting with your audience.

Ethos focuses on establishing credibility and character to build trust with the audience.

Pathos focuses on appealing to emotions to create a connection and resonate with the audience.

Logos focuses on using logic and reason to convince the audience by presenting facts, stories, and information in a clear and compelling way.

Persuasive communication aims to stimulate, convince, and call your audience to action.

Intrapersonal persuasive communication happens when you try to convince yourself to do something.

Interpersonal persuasive communication occurs between two individuals who already have a close bond.

Group persuasive communication occurs between individuals who may not have a close pre-established bond. It often happens in larger settings with multiple people.

Mass communication is public communication transmitted through media to a larger audience. This includes persuasive reading materials, advertisements, newscasts, and radio programs.

Argumentative communication relies heavily on sound proof and reasoning to demonstrate that your idea is better than others.

Argumentative communication can be time-consuming, emotionally charged, inflexible and may not be suitable for all situations or personalities.

Public speaking, also known as oration or oratory, is the process of conveying information to a live audience. The information is structured to inform, persuade, and entertain.

Public speaking originated in ancient Greece and Rome, with a focus on rhetoric for praise or persuasion. Romans adopted Greek methods for senate sessions. After WWII, a shift toward conversational styles emerged. The modern era uses tools like PowerPoint for enhanced presentations.

Great public speaking is a combination of style, substance, and impact.

Public speaking is more structured, uses more formal language, and has a different delivery method compared to everyday conversations.

Read/Manuscript: Delivering a speech word-for-word from a written manuscript.

Memorized Speech: Reciting a written message that the speaker has memorized.

Impromptu Speech: A short, unrehearsed presentation delivered without prior preparation.

Extemporaneous Speech: A planned and rehearsed speech using minimal notes.

The Diffusion of Innovation Theory, developed by Everett M. Rogers (1962), explains how an idea or product gains momentum and spreads throughout a specific population or social system.

The Propaganda Theory, developed by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky (1962), examines how systemic biases shape news content disseminated by mass media.

The Agenda Setting Theory, developed by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw (1968), explains how media influences what people think about by determining the importance of issues.

The Framing Theory, developed by Goffman and Erving (1974), focuses on how the media presents information and influences how people interpret it.

The ability to clearly and effectively convey a message, leaving no room for confusion.

Communication where the main goal is to convince someone to agree with your point of view or take a specific action.

The act of presenting arguments, ideas, or information to move, motivate, or change an audience's beliefs and behavior. Think of a sales pitch.

The style or manner of delivery used by a speaker. Think of how the speaker's words are spoken and how they interact with the audience.

The central theme or idea that a speaker wants to convey. Think of the message that the speaker wants to leave with the audience.

The effect a speech has on the audience. Think about how the speech moves, inspires, or changes the audience.

The act of presenting arguments to move, motivate, or change your audience's beliefs or behavior. It's about creating change.

A strong connection between the communicator and the audience. The audience feels connected to the speaker and the message.

A logical and reasoned approach to presenting arguments. It supports ideas with evidence and facts.

The use of stories, examples, or anecdotes to illustrate a point. It makes the message more relatable and memorable.

A communication style that focuses on emphasizing the strengths and positive aspects of an idea or product. Think of advertising.

A communication style that focuses on highlighting the weaknesses or negative aspects of an idea, product, or competitor. Think of negative political ads.

A communication style that uses rhetorical techniques to engage the audience and create a memorable impact. These techniques make a speech more interesting.

The practice of emphasizing the positive aspects of a situation while downplaying or omitting negative information. It can be used to create a more favorable impression.

The level of vocal volume used by a speaker to convey their message. It helps a speaker be heard.

The rise and fall of a speaker's voice to emphasize certain points. It adds interest to a speech.

The speed at which a speaker delivers their words. It can impact the feel of a speech.

The use of pauses during a speech to emphasize certain points or give the audience time to process information. It provides good rhythm to a speech.

The practice of using a variety of vocal qualities, such as pitch and volume, to keep the audience engaged. It keeps a speech from being monotonous.