Chapter 01
Introduction to Human Communication
1. Write an essay in which you define communication and the nine components of communication. Explain how those
components function together in the communication process.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
2. Write an essay in which you answer the question “Why should I study communication?” You may use answers based
on the book, but you should also think of some of your own reasons for studying communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Apply
3. Write an essay in which you explain the importance of feeling confident in voicing your opinion, particularly as it
relates to the democratic process.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Apply
4. Explain in an essay why the concept of process is important in understanding how communication works.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
5. Explain what it means to say that “you cannot look at any particular communication behavior as a snapshot.”
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
6. Explain in an essay the idea that communication begins with the self.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
7. Write an essay explaining the role of “others” in communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
8. Explain in an essay the difference between the content and the relational elements of communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
9. Explain the concept of noise and analyze how various types of noise could affect the communication process.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
10. Write an essay in which you define and provide examples of the contexts of communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
11. Discuss reasons why studying communication can improve the way you see yourself.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
12. Explain reasons why the study of communication can help you succeed in your professional career.
Answers will vary.
,Bloom’s level: Apply
13. Write an essay in which you explain the seven principles of communication discussed in this chapter.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
14. Describe the functions of encoding and decoding in the communication process.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
15. Describe the concept of media convergence and explain how it affects the ways we consume mass communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
16. Describe and provide examples of synchronous and asynchronous communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
17. The term dyadic communication refers to the context in which people in a group communicate with each other.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
18. The means by which a message moves from source to receiver is called feedback.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
19. A systematic arrangement of symbols, letters, or words is called nonverbal communication.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
20. Communication scholars believe that people are the product of messages others send to them.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
21. Encoding is assigning meaning to an idea or thought.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
22. The process of using messages to generate meaning within the self is called interpersonal communication.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
23. One strategy for improving your creativity is to develop rituals.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
24. The message that is sent to another person or group of people can be both verbal and nonverbal.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
25. Learning about communication will diminish your self-perception.
FALSE
,Bloom’s level: Remember
26. Communication is the process of using messages to generate meaning.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
27. Communication plays a minor role in fulfilling the purposes of a democratic society.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
28. The context of communication requires the most prestructuring of the message in public communication.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
29. According to the book, the most intimate context of human communication is interpersonal communication.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
30. There are more opportunities for feedback in the dyadic context than in the small group context.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
31. Communication is best understood as a dialogic process.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
32. Communication is the simple transmission of information from one person to another.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
33. An increased quantity of communication promotes more harmony and understanding.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
34. Using your computer to check the voice mail for your office telephone is an example of media convergence.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Understand
35. Having a local newspaper start placing video about news events on its website is an example of media convergence.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Understand
36. The word communication comes from the Latin communicare, which means
A. “to speak with understanding.”
B. “to make common.”
C. “to form a community of believers.”
D. “to care for others.”
Bloom’s level: Remember
37. Which of the following does NOT relate to the term process?
A. continuous
B. ongoing
, C. dynamic
D. static
Bloom’s level: Remember
38. Which of the following terms is NOT part of the definition of communication?
A. process
B. signs
C. meaning
D. messages
Bloom’s level: Remember
39. Communication begins with the
A. self.
B. other.
C. dyad.
D. group.
Bloom’s level: Remember
40. Dialogic communication is best described as
A. persuasion.
B. discussion.
C. transmission.
D. failure.
Bloom’s level: Understand
41. Which of the following is the least public form of communication?
A. intrapersonal
B. interpersonal
C. group
D. organizational
Bloom’s level: Remember
42. Which of the following is NOT a component of communication?
A. feedback
B. message
C. code
D. action
Bloom’s level: Remember
43. When you do not listen well because you are daydreaming, it is because of
A. encoding.
B. semantic distractions.
C. noise.
D. channeling.
Bloom’s level: Remember
44. Which of the following is NOT a context of communication?
A. feedback
B. intrapersonal
C. interpersonal
D. public
Bloom’s level: Remember
45. When you look at yourself in the mirror and decide that you need to comb your hair, you are using what context of
communication?
A. intrapersonal communication
Introduction to Human Communication
1. Write an essay in which you define communication and the nine components of communication. Explain how those
components function together in the communication process.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
2. Write an essay in which you answer the question “Why should I study communication?” You may use answers based
on the book, but you should also think of some of your own reasons for studying communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Apply
3. Write an essay in which you explain the importance of feeling confident in voicing your opinion, particularly as it
relates to the democratic process.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Apply
4. Explain in an essay why the concept of process is important in understanding how communication works.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
5. Explain what it means to say that “you cannot look at any particular communication behavior as a snapshot.”
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
6. Explain in an essay the idea that communication begins with the self.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
7. Write an essay explaining the role of “others” in communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
8. Explain in an essay the difference between the content and the relational elements of communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
9. Explain the concept of noise and analyze how various types of noise could affect the communication process.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
10. Write an essay in which you define and provide examples of the contexts of communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
11. Discuss reasons why studying communication can improve the way you see yourself.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
12. Explain reasons why the study of communication can help you succeed in your professional career.
Answers will vary.
,Bloom’s level: Apply
13. Write an essay in which you explain the seven principles of communication discussed in this chapter.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
14. Describe the functions of encoding and decoding in the communication process.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
15. Describe the concept of media convergence and explain how it affects the ways we consume mass communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
16. Describe and provide examples of synchronous and asynchronous communication.
Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
17. The term dyadic communication refers to the context in which people in a group communicate with each other.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
18. The means by which a message moves from source to receiver is called feedback.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
19. A systematic arrangement of symbols, letters, or words is called nonverbal communication.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
20. Communication scholars believe that people are the product of messages others send to them.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
21. Encoding is assigning meaning to an idea or thought.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
22. The process of using messages to generate meaning within the self is called interpersonal communication.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
23. One strategy for improving your creativity is to develop rituals.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
24. The message that is sent to another person or group of people can be both verbal and nonverbal.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
25. Learning about communication will diminish your self-perception.
FALSE
,Bloom’s level: Remember
26. Communication is the process of using messages to generate meaning.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
27. Communication plays a minor role in fulfilling the purposes of a democratic society.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
28. The context of communication requires the most prestructuring of the message in public communication.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
29. According to the book, the most intimate context of human communication is interpersonal communication.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
30. There are more opportunities for feedback in the dyadic context than in the small group context.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
31. Communication is best understood as a dialogic process.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Remember
32. Communication is the simple transmission of information from one person to another.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
33. An increased quantity of communication promotes more harmony and understanding.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Remember
34. Using your computer to check the voice mail for your office telephone is an example of media convergence.
FALSE
Bloom’s level: Understand
35. Having a local newspaper start placing video about news events on its website is an example of media convergence.
TRUE
Bloom’s level: Understand
36. The word communication comes from the Latin communicare, which means
A. “to speak with understanding.”
B. “to make common.”
C. “to form a community of believers.”
D. “to care for others.”
Bloom’s level: Remember
37. Which of the following does NOT relate to the term process?
A. continuous
B. ongoing
, C. dynamic
D. static
Bloom’s level: Remember
38. Which of the following terms is NOT part of the definition of communication?
A. process
B. signs
C. meaning
D. messages
Bloom’s level: Remember
39. Communication begins with the
A. self.
B. other.
C. dyad.
D. group.
Bloom’s level: Remember
40. Dialogic communication is best described as
A. persuasion.
B. discussion.
C. transmission.
D. failure.
Bloom’s level: Understand
41. Which of the following is the least public form of communication?
A. intrapersonal
B. interpersonal
C. group
D. organizational
Bloom’s level: Remember
42. Which of the following is NOT a component of communication?
A. feedback
B. message
C. code
D. action
Bloom’s level: Remember
43. When you do not listen well because you are daydreaming, it is because of
A. encoding.
B. semantic distractions.
C. noise.
D. channeling.
Bloom’s level: Remember
44. Which of the following is NOT a context of communication?
A. feedback
B. intrapersonal
C. interpersonal
D. public
Bloom’s level: Remember
45. When you look at yourself in the mirror and decide that you need to comb your hair, you are using what context of
communication?
A. intrapersonal communication
