CMS 315 EXAM 1 VERIFIED STUDY GUIDE
Initiating - Answers - Communicators typically try to display themselves as likable during
this stage. Trying to decide if the other person is attractive.
Experimenting - Answers - Small talk is typical here and there are many functions of
small talk. Individuals are seeking more information about the other person.
Intensifying - Answers - Amount of personal disclosure increases; Partners tell some
secrets and they start talking about "we" instead of "I"
Six things that happen verbally during intensifying - Answers - 1. more informal
2. Use word "we"
3. Private symbols
4. Verbal shortcuts
5. Direct expression of commitment
6. Partner is helper
Integrating - Answers - Partners clearly fuse into a couple and engage in a process
called coupling. Dress, talk, and even look and sound alike.
coupling - Answers - the exchange of symbols.
Bonding - Answers - A public ritual occurs that announces to the world that a
commitment has been formally contracted.
Differentiating - Answers - Process of disengaging begins. Partners start to undo some
of the coupling. "we" goes back to "I"
Circumscribing - Answers - In this stage of coming apart, the information exchange is
greatly reduced and some areas of difference are avoided completely as they can lead
to conflict.
Stagnating - Answers - In this stage of coming apart, the relationship is at a standstill.
Partners believe they already know what the outcome of the conversation will be.
Avoiding - Answers - An individual tries to physically avoid their partner, they may also
practice disengagement or hiding information about self. Cognitive dissonance.
Terminating - Answers - stage of romantic relational dissolution in which couples end
the relationship
Movement: In, Out, and Around Stages - Answers - 1. Movement is generally
systematic
,2. Movement may be forward
3. Movement may be backward
4. Movement may occur within stages
5. Movement is always to a new place
Dialectical Theory - Answers - change occurs as we strive to balance the inevitable
tensions in relational life
Integration - Separation
Expression - Nonexpression
Stability - Change
social exchange theory - Answers - the theory that our social behavior is an exchange
process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
Equity rule - Answers - What you get from the relationship is equal to what you put in
Equality rule - Answers - each partner is perceived as contributing equally and
benefiting equally
Communication is irreversible - Answers - Communication is something we can't take
back
Communication is functional - Answers - giving/receiving information,
persuading/influencing, affinity, identity, entertainment
Communication is a tool - Answers - can be used for good or bad
Communication is learned - Answers - no one is born a good communicator
Communication is contextual - Answers - physical context - the place your in
psychological context- frame of reference
communication = relationship - Answers - Cannot maintain relationship without
communication
Interpersonal Communication - Answers - is the process whereby one stimulates
meaning in the mind of another through verbal and/or nonverbal means
Ensuring Message Quality - Answers - organize message, use redundancy, focus on
schemas, ask questions
Selective Exposure - Answers - Get involved, Be in proximity, Utility, and reinforcement
selective attention - Answers - the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular
stimulus
, selective perception - Answers - The phenomenon that people often pay the most
attention to things they already agree with and interpret them according to their own
predispositions.
selective retention - Answers - we remember only what we want to remember
Characteristics of stereotypes - Answers - Over-generalized
Extreme
Negative
Simplistic
Kernel of Truth
Self-confirming
Stereotypes lead to expectations - Answers - actions reflect and create stereotypes.
Stereotypes shape the way we perceive behaviors
Don't Note Disconfirmations - Answers - rather than changing your mind about a
stereotype, you make exceptions
Learning Stereotypes - Answers - family, friends, media, limited observation
Why Stereotype? - Answers - Efficient
Ego defense
Anger and Aggression
Conformity
Reducing Stereotypes - Answers - • They don't go away easily; but you can control what
you think
• Note how people differ, find their uniqueness
• Note inadequacies of generalizations
• Find similarities with you
• Increase contact
• Increase familiarity
Inclusion - Answers - need to be included; we try to maintain a balance of being
together and being alone
Bogies - Answers - negative rumors that reflect fears or anxiety provoking outcomes
wedge drivers - Answers - Rumors intended to divide group loyalties or undermine
relationships
pipedreams - Answers - positive rumors that reflect desires and hopes
Characteristics of Rumors - Answers - • To some degree: Reasonable, Simple, Difficult
Initiating - Answers - Communicators typically try to display themselves as likable during
this stage. Trying to decide if the other person is attractive.
Experimenting - Answers - Small talk is typical here and there are many functions of
small talk. Individuals are seeking more information about the other person.
Intensifying - Answers - Amount of personal disclosure increases; Partners tell some
secrets and they start talking about "we" instead of "I"
Six things that happen verbally during intensifying - Answers - 1. more informal
2. Use word "we"
3. Private symbols
4. Verbal shortcuts
5. Direct expression of commitment
6. Partner is helper
Integrating - Answers - Partners clearly fuse into a couple and engage in a process
called coupling. Dress, talk, and even look and sound alike.
coupling - Answers - the exchange of symbols.
Bonding - Answers - A public ritual occurs that announces to the world that a
commitment has been formally contracted.
Differentiating - Answers - Process of disengaging begins. Partners start to undo some
of the coupling. "we" goes back to "I"
Circumscribing - Answers - In this stage of coming apart, the information exchange is
greatly reduced and some areas of difference are avoided completely as they can lead
to conflict.
Stagnating - Answers - In this stage of coming apart, the relationship is at a standstill.
Partners believe they already know what the outcome of the conversation will be.
Avoiding - Answers - An individual tries to physically avoid their partner, they may also
practice disengagement or hiding information about self. Cognitive dissonance.
Terminating - Answers - stage of romantic relational dissolution in which couples end
the relationship
Movement: In, Out, and Around Stages - Answers - 1. Movement is generally
systematic
,2. Movement may be forward
3. Movement may be backward
4. Movement may occur within stages
5. Movement is always to a new place
Dialectical Theory - Answers - change occurs as we strive to balance the inevitable
tensions in relational life
Integration - Separation
Expression - Nonexpression
Stability - Change
social exchange theory - Answers - the theory that our social behavior is an exchange
process, the aim of which is to maximize benefits and minimize costs
Equity rule - Answers - What you get from the relationship is equal to what you put in
Equality rule - Answers - each partner is perceived as contributing equally and
benefiting equally
Communication is irreversible - Answers - Communication is something we can't take
back
Communication is functional - Answers - giving/receiving information,
persuading/influencing, affinity, identity, entertainment
Communication is a tool - Answers - can be used for good or bad
Communication is learned - Answers - no one is born a good communicator
Communication is contextual - Answers - physical context - the place your in
psychological context- frame of reference
communication = relationship - Answers - Cannot maintain relationship without
communication
Interpersonal Communication - Answers - is the process whereby one stimulates
meaning in the mind of another through verbal and/or nonverbal means
Ensuring Message Quality - Answers - organize message, use redundancy, focus on
schemas, ask questions
Selective Exposure - Answers - Get involved, Be in proximity, Utility, and reinforcement
selective attention - Answers - the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular
stimulus
, selective perception - Answers - The phenomenon that people often pay the most
attention to things they already agree with and interpret them according to their own
predispositions.
selective retention - Answers - we remember only what we want to remember
Characteristics of stereotypes - Answers - Over-generalized
Extreme
Negative
Simplistic
Kernel of Truth
Self-confirming
Stereotypes lead to expectations - Answers - actions reflect and create stereotypes.
Stereotypes shape the way we perceive behaviors
Don't Note Disconfirmations - Answers - rather than changing your mind about a
stereotype, you make exceptions
Learning Stereotypes - Answers - family, friends, media, limited observation
Why Stereotype? - Answers - Efficient
Ego defense
Anger and Aggression
Conformity
Reducing Stereotypes - Answers - • They don't go away easily; but you can control what
you think
• Note how people differ, find their uniqueness
• Note inadequacies of generalizations
• Find similarities with you
• Increase contact
• Increase familiarity
Inclusion - Answers - need to be included; we try to maintain a balance of being
together and being alone
Bogies - Answers - negative rumors that reflect fears or anxiety provoking outcomes
wedge drivers - Answers - Rumors intended to divide group loyalties or undermine
relationships
pipedreams - Answers - positive rumors that reflect desires and hopes
Characteristics of Rumors - Answers - • To some degree: Reasonable, Simple, Difficult
