TAMU COMM 315 - Exam 1 Questions and Answers Latest Version 2025 Rated A+
stigma - Answers a characteristic that discredits a person, making him or her be seen as abnormal or
undesirable
instrumental needs - Answers practical, everyday needs
physical needs - Answers communication helps us maintain physical and mental well-being
relational needs - Answers communication helps us form social and personal relationships
identity needs - Answers communication helps us decide who we are and who we want to be
spiritual needs - Answers communication lets us share our beliefs and values with others
model - Answers a formal description of a process
action model - Answers communication is thought of as a one-way process
source - Answers the originator of a thought or an idea
encode - Answers to put an idea into language or gesture
message - Answers verbal and nonverbal elements of communication to which people give meaning
channel - Answers a pathway through which messages are conveyed
receiver - Answers the party who interprets a message
decode - Answers to interpret or give meaning to a message
noise - Answers anything that interferes with the encoding or decoding of a message
3 major types of noise - Answers physical noise, psychological noise & physiological noise
physical noise examples - Answers background conversation in the room or static on the telephone
physiological noise examples - Answers fatigue or hunger
interaction model - Answers action model except it also recognizes that is it a two-way process with
feedback & context
feedback - Answers verbal & nonverbal responses to a message
context - Answers the physical or psychological environment in which communication occurs
transaction model - Answers maintains that both people in a conversation are simultaneously sources &
receivers
channel-rich context - Answers a communication context involving many channels at once
, channel-lean context - Answers a communication context involving few channels at once
symbol - Answers a representation of an idea
content dimension - Answers literal information that is communicated by a message
relational dimension - Answers signals about the relationship in which a message is being communicated
metacommunication - Answers communication about communication
explicit rule - Answers a rule about behavior that has been clearly articulated
implicit rule - Answers a rule about behavior that has not been clearly articulated but is nonetheless
understood
interpersonal communication - Answers communication that occurs between two people within the
context of their relationship and that, as it evolves, helps them to negotiate and define their relationship
intrapersonal communication - Answers communication with oneself
mass communication - Answers communication from one source to a large audience (ex. homily :)
small group communication - Answers communication occurring within small groups of three or more
people
dyad - Answers a pair of people
communication competence - Answers communicating in ways that are effective and appropriate for a
given situation
self-monitoring - Answers aware-ness of one's behavior and how it affects others
empathy - Answers the ability to think and feel as others do
cognitive complexity - Answers the ability to understand a given situation in multiple ways
ethics - Answers a code of morality or a set of ideas about what is right
self-awareness - Answers awareness of how your behavior is affecting others
adaptability - Answers ability to modify your behaviors as the situation demands
culture - Answers the system of learned & shared symbols, language, values, and norms that distinguish
one group of people from another
society - Answers a group of people who share symbols, language, values, and norms
in-group - Answers a group of people with whom one identifies
stigma - Answers a characteristic that discredits a person, making him or her be seen as abnormal or
undesirable
instrumental needs - Answers practical, everyday needs
physical needs - Answers communication helps us maintain physical and mental well-being
relational needs - Answers communication helps us form social and personal relationships
identity needs - Answers communication helps us decide who we are and who we want to be
spiritual needs - Answers communication lets us share our beliefs and values with others
model - Answers a formal description of a process
action model - Answers communication is thought of as a one-way process
source - Answers the originator of a thought or an idea
encode - Answers to put an idea into language or gesture
message - Answers verbal and nonverbal elements of communication to which people give meaning
channel - Answers a pathway through which messages are conveyed
receiver - Answers the party who interprets a message
decode - Answers to interpret or give meaning to a message
noise - Answers anything that interferes with the encoding or decoding of a message
3 major types of noise - Answers physical noise, psychological noise & physiological noise
physical noise examples - Answers background conversation in the room or static on the telephone
physiological noise examples - Answers fatigue or hunger
interaction model - Answers action model except it also recognizes that is it a two-way process with
feedback & context
feedback - Answers verbal & nonverbal responses to a message
context - Answers the physical or psychological environment in which communication occurs
transaction model - Answers maintains that both people in a conversation are simultaneously sources &
receivers
channel-rich context - Answers a communication context involving many channels at once
, channel-lean context - Answers a communication context involving few channels at once
symbol - Answers a representation of an idea
content dimension - Answers literal information that is communicated by a message
relational dimension - Answers signals about the relationship in which a message is being communicated
metacommunication - Answers communication about communication
explicit rule - Answers a rule about behavior that has been clearly articulated
implicit rule - Answers a rule about behavior that has not been clearly articulated but is nonetheless
understood
interpersonal communication - Answers communication that occurs between two people within the
context of their relationship and that, as it evolves, helps them to negotiate and define their relationship
intrapersonal communication - Answers communication with oneself
mass communication - Answers communication from one source to a large audience (ex. homily :)
small group communication - Answers communication occurring within small groups of three or more
people
dyad - Answers a pair of people
communication competence - Answers communicating in ways that are effective and appropriate for a
given situation
self-monitoring - Answers aware-ness of one's behavior and how it affects others
empathy - Answers the ability to think and feel as others do
cognitive complexity - Answers the ability to understand a given situation in multiple ways
ethics - Answers a code of morality or a set of ideas about what is right
self-awareness - Answers awareness of how your behavior is affecting others
adaptability - Answers ability to modify your behaviors as the situation demands
culture - Answers the system of learned & shared symbols, language, values, and norms that distinguish
one group of people from another
society - Answers a group of people who share symbols, language, values, and norms
in-group - Answers a group of people with whom one identifies
