COM 101 Exam 1 V1 | COM 101 Intro to
Communication | StraighterLine | Q&A
with Rationale (StraighterLine COM101
Exam 1)
1. Which model of communication views the process as a simultaneous and continuous
exchange where both parties are senders and receivers?
A. The Linear Model
B. The Interactive Model
C. The Transactional Model
D. The Transmission Model
Answer: C
Rationale: The transactional model of communication is the most complex because it
views communication as a dynamic process where participants act as both sender and
receiver at the same time. This model acknowledges that background, experiences, and
social contexts influence how messages are interpreted. It reflects the reality of face-to-face
communication where feedback is immediate and continuous.
2. A distraction caused by a loud jackhammer outside a classroom window is an example of
which type of noise?
A. Physiological Noise
,B. Psychological Noise
C. Semantic Noise
D. Physical Noise
Answer: D
Rationale: Physical noise refers to any external environmental distraction that interferes
with the transmission of a message. This includes sounds such as traffic, construction, or
other people talking in the vicinity. By contrast, psychological or physiological noise
originates from within the individuals involved in the communication.
3. When you interpret a friend’s silence as anger even though they are just tired, which stage
of the perception process are you using?
A. Selection
B. Organization
C. Retention
D. Interpretation
Answer: D
Rationale: Interpretation is the third stage of the perception process where we assign
meaning to the stimuli we have selected and organized. This stage is highly subjective and
influenced by our past experiences, current mood, and relationship with the other person.
, In this scenario, assigning the meaning of ‘anger’ to silence is a classic example of cognitive
interpretation.
4. The dictionary definition of a word is known as its:
A. Connotative meaning
B. Abstract meaning
C. Denotative meaning
D. Subjective meaning
Answer: C
Rationale: Denotative meaning refers to the literal or formal definition of a word as found
in a dictionary. It is intended to be objective and shared by all speakers of a language to
ensure basic understanding. Connotative meaning, on the other hand, involves the
emotional or cultural associations a word carries.
5. Which concept describes the tendency to credit your successes to your own character but
blame your failures on external circumstances?
A. Fundamental Attribution Error
B. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
C. Stereotyping
D. Self-Serving Bias
Answer: D
Communication | StraighterLine | Q&A
with Rationale (StraighterLine COM101
Exam 1)
1. Which model of communication views the process as a simultaneous and continuous
exchange where both parties are senders and receivers?
A. The Linear Model
B. The Interactive Model
C. The Transactional Model
D. The Transmission Model
Answer: C
Rationale: The transactional model of communication is the most complex because it
views communication as a dynamic process where participants act as both sender and
receiver at the same time. This model acknowledges that background, experiences, and
social contexts influence how messages are interpreted. It reflects the reality of face-to-face
communication where feedback is immediate and continuous.
2. A distraction caused by a loud jackhammer outside a classroom window is an example of
which type of noise?
A. Physiological Noise
,B. Psychological Noise
C. Semantic Noise
D. Physical Noise
Answer: D
Rationale: Physical noise refers to any external environmental distraction that interferes
with the transmission of a message. This includes sounds such as traffic, construction, or
other people talking in the vicinity. By contrast, psychological or physiological noise
originates from within the individuals involved in the communication.
3. When you interpret a friend’s silence as anger even though they are just tired, which stage
of the perception process are you using?
A. Selection
B. Organization
C. Retention
D. Interpretation
Answer: D
Rationale: Interpretation is the third stage of the perception process where we assign
meaning to the stimuli we have selected and organized. This stage is highly subjective and
influenced by our past experiences, current mood, and relationship with the other person.
, In this scenario, assigning the meaning of ‘anger’ to silence is a classic example of cognitive
interpretation.
4. The dictionary definition of a word is known as its:
A. Connotative meaning
B. Abstract meaning
C. Denotative meaning
D. Subjective meaning
Answer: C
Rationale: Denotative meaning refers to the literal or formal definition of a word as found
in a dictionary. It is intended to be objective and shared by all speakers of a language to
ensure basic understanding. Connotative meaning, on the other hand, involves the
emotional or cultural associations a word carries.
5. Which concept describes the tendency to credit your successes to your own character but
blame your failures on external circumstances?
A. Fundamental Attribution Error
B. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
C. Stereotyping
D. Self-Serving Bias
Answer: D
