GCU COM 451 Relational Communication Practice Exam 150
Original Questions with Answers and Explanations 2026/2027
Practice Questions
Relational Communication Foundations
1. Which definition best describes relational communication?
A. the process through which messages create, define, maintain, and change
relationships
B. the literal information or topic conveyed by a message
C. the message cues that define connection, power, affection, or identity between
communicators
D. communication about the meaning, pattern, or process of communication itself
2. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this situation:
a conversation communicates both information and what the partners mean to
one another?
A. content dimension
B. relational communication
C. relational dimension
D. metacommunication
3. Which definition best describes content dimension?
A. the message cues that define connection, power, affection, or identity between
communicators
B. communication about the meaning, pattern, or process of communication itself
C. the literal information or topic conveyed by a message
D. the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information about other
people
4. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this situation:
the statement identifies the time and place of a meeting?
A. relational dimension
B. metacommunication
C. interpersonal perception
D. content dimension
5. Which definition best describes relational dimension?
COM 451 Original Practice Exam 1
, A. the message cues that define connection, power, affection, or identity between
communicators
B. communication about the meaning, pattern, or process of communication itself
C. the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information about other
people
D. the organized set of beliefs a person holds about personal identity and qualities
6. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this situation:
the tone implies closeness and equality beyond the literal words?
A. metacommunication
B. relational dimension
C. interpersonal perception
D. self concept
7. Which definition best describes metacommunication?
A. the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information about other
people
B. the organized set of beliefs a person holds about personal identity and qualities
C. communication about the meaning, pattern, or process of communication itself
D. an evaluation of one’s own worth or competence
8. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this situation:
partners discuss why their conversations become defensive?
A. interpersonal perception
B. self concept
C. self esteem
D. metacommunication
9. Which definition best describes interpersonal perception?
A. the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information about other
people
B. the organized set of beliefs a person holds about personal identity and qualities
C. an evaluation of one’s own worth or competence
D. forming self-views partly from perceived judgments of significant others
10. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a person forms an impression from a partner’s words and behavior?
A. self concept
B. interpersonal perception
C. self esteem
COM 451 Original Practice Exam 2
, D. reflected appraisal
11. Which definition best describes self concept?
A. an evaluation of one’s own worth or competence
B. forming self-views partly from perceived judgments of significant others
C. the organized set of beliefs a person holds about personal identity and qualities
D. evaluating oneself by comparing abilities or qualities with others
12. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: someone sees oneself as independent, loyal, and conflict avoidant?
A. self esteem
B. reflected appraisal
C. social comparison
D. self concept
13. Which definition best describes self esteem?
A. an evaluation of one’s own worth or competence
B. forming self-views partly from perceived judgments of significant others
C. evaluating oneself by comparing abilities or qualities with others
D. an explanation assigned to the causes of another person’s behavior
14. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a person feels valuable and capable in close relationships?
A. reflected appraisal
B. self esteem
C. social comparison
D. attribution
15. Which definition best describes reflected appraisal?
A. evaluating oneself by comparing abilities or qualities with others
B. an explanation assigned to the causes of another person’s behavior
C. forming self-views partly from perceived judgments of significant others
D. overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational causes of
another’s behavior
16. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a child comes to see herself as creative because family members
repeatedly communicate that belief?
A. social comparison
B. attribution
C. fundamental attribution error
COM 451 Original Practice Exam 3
, D. reflected appraisal
17. Which definition best describes social comparison?
A. evaluating oneself by comparing abilities or qualities with others
B. an explanation assigned to the causes of another person’s behavior
C. overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational causes of
another’s behavior
D. understanding another person’s perspective and emotional experience
18. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a person judges relationship success by comparing it with friends’
relationships?
A. attribution
B. social comparison
C. fundamental attribution error
D. empathy
19. Which definition best describes attribution?
A. overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational causes of
another’s behavior
B. understanding another person’s perspective and emotional experience
C. an explanation assigned to the causes of another person’s behavior
D. communication that recognizes, acknowledges, and validates another person
20. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a partner decides whether lateness reflects traffic or lack of
concern?
A. fundamental attribution error
B. empathy
C. confirmation
D. attribution
21. Which definition best describes fundamental attribution error?
A. overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational causes of
another’s behavior
B. understanding another person’s perspective and emotional experience
C. communication that recognizes, acknowledges, and validates another person
D. communication that ignores, dismisses, or invalidates another person
COM 451 Original Practice Exam 4
Original Questions with Answers and Explanations 2026/2027
Practice Questions
Relational Communication Foundations
1. Which definition best describes relational communication?
A. the process through which messages create, define, maintain, and change
relationships
B. the literal information or topic conveyed by a message
C. the message cues that define connection, power, affection, or identity between
communicators
D. communication about the meaning, pattern, or process of communication itself
2. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this situation:
a conversation communicates both information and what the partners mean to
one another?
A. content dimension
B. relational communication
C. relational dimension
D. metacommunication
3. Which definition best describes content dimension?
A. the message cues that define connection, power, affection, or identity between
communicators
B. communication about the meaning, pattern, or process of communication itself
C. the literal information or topic conveyed by a message
D. the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information about other
people
4. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this situation:
the statement identifies the time and place of a meeting?
A. relational dimension
B. metacommunication
C. interpersonal perception
D. content dimension
5. Which definition best describes relational dimension?
COM 451 Original Practice Exam 1
, A. the message cues that define connection, power, affection, or identity between
communicators
B. communication about the meaning, pattern, or process of communication itself
C. the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information about other
people
D. the organized set of beliefs a person holds about personal identity and qualities
6. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this situation:
the tone implies closeness and equality beyond the literal words?
A. metacommunication
B. relational dimension
C. interpersonal perception
D. self concept
7. Which definition best describes metacommunication?
A. the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information about other
people
B. the organized set of beliefs a person holds about personal identity and qualities
C. communication about the meaning, pattern, or process of communication itself
D. an evaluation of one’s own worth or competence
8. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this situation:
partners discuss why their conversations become defensive?
A. interpersonal perception
B. self concept
C. self esteem
D. metacommunication
9. Which definition best describes interpersonal perception?
A. the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information about other
people
B. the organized set of beliefs a person holds about personal identity and qualities
C. an evaluation of one’s own worth or competence
D. forming self-views partly from perceived judgments of significant others
10. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a person forms an impression from a partner’s words and behavior?
A. self concept
B. interpersonal perception
C. self esteem
COM 451 Original Practice Exam 2
, D. reflected appraisal
11. Which definition best describes self concept?
A. an evaluation of one’s own worth or competence
B. forming self-views partly from perceived judgments of significant others
C. the organized set of beliefs a person holds about personal identity and qualities
D. evaluating oneself by comparing abilities or qualities with others
12. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: someone sees oneself as independent, loyal, and conflict avoidant?
A. self esteem
B. reflected appraisal
C. social comparison
D. self concept
13. Which definition best describes self esteem?
A. an evaluation of one’s own worth or competence
B. forming self-views partly from perceived judgments of significant others
C. evaluating oneself by comparing abilities or qualities with others
D. an explanation assigned to the causes of another person’s behavior
14. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a person feels valuable and capable in close relationships?
A. reflected appraisal
B. self esteem
C. social comparison
D. attribution
15. Which definition best describes reflected appraisal?
A. evaluating oneself by comparing abilities or qualities with others
B. an explanation assigned to the causes of another person’s behavior
C. forming self-views partly from perceived judgments of significant others
D. overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational causes of
another’s behavior
16. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a child comes to see herself as creative because family members
repeatedly communicate that belief?
A. social comparison
B. attribution
C. fundamental attribution error
COM 451 Original Practice Exam 3
, D. reflected appraisal
17. Which definition best describes social comparison?
A. evaluating oneself by comparing abilities or qualities with others
B. an explanation assigned to the causes of another person’s behavior
C. overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational causes of
another’s behavior
D. understanding another person’s perspective and emotional experience
18. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a person judges relationship success by comparing it with friends’
relationships?
A. attribution
B. social comparison
C. fundamental attribution error
D. empathy
19. Which definition best describes attribution?
A. overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational causes of
another’s behavior
B. understanding another person’s perspective and emotional experience
C. an explanation assigned to the causes of another person’s behavior
D. communication that recognizes, acknowledges, and validates another person
20. Which relational communication concept is best illustrated by this
situation: a partner decides whether lateness reflects traffic or lack of
concern?
A. fundamental attribution error
B. empathy
C. confirmation
D. attribution
21. Which definition best describes fundamental attribution error?
A. overemphasizing personal traits and underestimating situational causes of
another’s behavior
B. understanding another person’s perspective and emotional experience
C. communication that recognizes, acknowledges, and validates another person
D. communication that ignores, dismisses, or invalidates another person
COM 451 Original Practice Exam 4
