Chapter 2: Nonverbal Communication Features

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. The receiver-based perspective of communication suggests ______.

A. senders should only think about the receiver whenever they send a nonverbal message

B. the role of the sender in a communication is less important than the role of the receiver

C. even unintended behaviors can be perceived to have some communicative value

D. only intentional behaviors should be perceived as having communicative value

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Ubiquitous

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Nonverbal messaging is “ubiquitous” which means it is ______.

A. unique

B. everywhere

C. isolated

D. individualistic

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Ubiquitous

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. On most days after class, Zoe and Maya walk together to the cafeteria for a snack and to review the class assignment. Today, Zoe heads toward the cafeteria as usual, but Maya heads in the opposite direction. When Zoe realizes that Maya isn’t walking beside her, she stops short, turns toward her friend and yells, “Where are you going?” Maya stops, turns toward her friend, points at her watch, and yells, “I’m late for an appointment with my advisor!” In their messaging, Zoe and Maya both demonstrate the principle that nonverbal messages ______.

A. often occur alongside verbal messages

B. are more difficult to decode when they are conveyed with verbal messages

C. convey more meaning than verbal messages

D. convey less meaning verbal messages

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Functions in Many Ways

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Why is the relationship between nonverbal messaging and culture significant?

A. There is a wide range of possible interpretations of facial expressions across cultures, demonstrating each culture’s uniqueness.

B. There is a wide range of possible interpretations of gestures across cultures, demonstrating each culture’s uniqueness.

C. In every culture people use more verbal messages than nonverbal messages, suggesting the importance of different languages.

D. In every culture people use a variety of nonverbal behaviors to send messages, suggesting the universality of nonverbal messaging.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Widely Used

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. When Milo offered to help Jamal study for their chemistry final exam, Jamal was grateful because he did poorly on his midterm whereas Milo breezed through. However, at the end of their first study session Milo reached out and gave Jamal an extended hug and Jamal wondered whether Milo wanted something more from their friendship. Milo’s hug caused Jamal to reassess their friendship because nonverbal messaging ______.

A. usually reflects hidden intentions

B. impacts meaning-making

C. is ubiquitous

D. is interactive

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Impacts Meaning-Making

Difficulty Level: Hard

6. When a receiver is attempting to interpret nonverbal behaviors to decode a sender’s message, what effect do those nonverbal behaviors have on the sender’s meaning?

A. They can either clarify or confuse the meaning.

B. They can obscure the meaning.

C. They have no effect when delivered through multiple channels.

D. They have no effect when delivered by the sender through only one channel.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Impacts Meaning-Making

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. Chloe had been hinting to her mother for months that she wanted a new iPhone for her birthday. On the big day, she opened her present only to find a red leather purse. Chloe’s facial expression dropped immediately, reflecting her disappointment, but she forced a smile and said, “I love it.” However, her mother, influenced by ______, was not convinced.

A. receiver-based perspective

B. cultural bias

C. interactional primacy

D. multiple channels

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Has Primacy

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Which of the following statements accurately reflects the application of the principle “nonverbal message is ambiguous” to everyday communication situations?

A. Senders do not have to be concerned about the meaning of their nonverbal behaviors.

B. Senders can use nonverbal behaviors to get a message across without being held accountable for verbal content.

C. Receivers can encode verbal content with the support of nonverbal behaviors.

D. Receivers are accountable to decide what nonverbal messages mean.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Ambiguous

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Sarcasm works effectively because the sender’s nonverbal messages ______ the sender’s verbal messages.

A. take longer to deliver than

B. require more skill to deliver than

C. intentionally reinforce

D. intentionally negate

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Accepted

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. When nonverbal communication is in direct contradiction to verbal messages in the same interaction the ______.

A. receiver tends to believe the messaging implied by the nonverbal message

B. receiver tends to disregard both the nonverbal and verbal message

C. sender is deliberately being deceptive

D. sender lacks skill in encoding messages

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Accepted

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. Analog and digital are two terms used to clarify the distinction between

nonverbal and verbal behaviors. What is the primary distinction between the two?

A. Analog expresses a direct link, while the digital expression is arbitrary

B. Analog is associated with verbal communication, while digital is associated with nonverbal communication.

C. Analog is an outmoded type of communicating while digital is contemporary

D. Analog is most often used for things we’re familiar with, while digital is most often used for things that are new.

Learning Objective: 2-2: Distinguish between digital and analog messages.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Digital vs. Analog Representations

Difficulty Level: Hard

12. In Jesse’s text message to her friend Olivia, she writes “Day off tomorrow. Can you join me at yoga?” At the end of the message, she adds an emoji of a figure in a meditation pose. The verbal part of Jesse’s message is ______ and the emoji sign off is ______.

A. digital; analog

B. analog; digital

C. digital; digital

D. analog; analog

Learning Objective: 2-2: Distinguish between digital and analog messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Digital vs. Analog Representations
Difficulty Level: Medium

13. When Germaine was playing a game of pickup basketball in his neighborhood park, he gave a thumbs-up gesture to a new teammate who made a 3-point shot. Much to his surprise, the teammate’s response was a nasty look. Unbeknownst to Germaine, his teammate is visiting from Greece where the gesture means, “Up yours!” In this case, Germaine’s nonverbal message was ______.

A. digital, not analog

B. analog, not digital

C. a mixture of digital and analog

D. neither digital nor analog

Learning Objective: 2-2: Distinguish between digital and analog messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Digital vs. Analog Representations

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. When you’re thinking of the right words to say or making sure that your facial expression matches your emotion, you’re exhibiting ______ behavior.

A. decoding

B. encoding

C. nonverbal

D. interaction

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Message Processing

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. When Kyle’s English professor handed his essay, he saw lots of red writing and a big D across the top. Without thinking, Kyle blurted out, “That s_cks!” When he thought about it later, Kyle wished that he’d spent more time ______ his message.

A. deciphering

B. elevating

C. decoding

D. encoding

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Message Processing

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. In which of the following scenarios was Denise engaged in decoding?

A. When she tried to think of the right words to use to tell her doctor how she’d been feeling.

B. When Denise showed her doctor a rash that had recently appeared on her abdomen.

C. When she tried to understand the technical term her doctor used to describe her condition.

D. When Denise experienced psychological noise due to her fear of medical professionals.

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Message Processing

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. Manual started taking yoga classes because his girlfriend kept asking him to go with her. He enjoys it but finds many of the poses a challenge. No matter how attentively he watches the instructor, he is not able to ______ what he is supposed to do.

A. encode

B. decode

C. describe

D. intuit

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Message Processing

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. During the attention stage of human processing, it’s important to ______.

A. screen out uninteresting parts of the message

B. pay more attention to nonverbal messages than to verbal messages

C. pay attention to psychological and physiological noise

D. listen and observe while engaging with another person

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Attention Stage

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. Penelope and Matthew have been caring for their elderly grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Penelope feels it’s time for their grandmother to move in a care facility. Matthew feels strongly that they can find a way to continue to care for her at home. They stay up all night listening to each other’s point of view and feelings. Happily, by morning they reach a compromise solution as a result of their ______ comprehension.

A. empathic

B. dialogic

C. nonverbal

D. analytic

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Comprehension Stage

Difficulty Level: Medium

20. Jorge had a good job that he enjoyed, so he could never understand why his father was adamant that he continue going to college. Then at the dinner table one night his father shared how he had been passed over for a promotion because he was still 30 credits short of completing his degree. When Jorge saw the disappointment in his father’s face and felt his pain, he gained new insights as a result of ______ comprehension.

A. empathic

B. dialogic

C. nonverbal

D. analytic

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Comprehension Stage

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. Sunita wanted to purchase a used car that was within her budget. At the dealership, the salesperson tried to convince her to take out a loan and purchase a new car. Sunita listened carefully, asked good questions, and detected verbal and nonverbal signs of deception. As a result of ______ comprehension, Sunita stuck with her original plan and decided to go to another dealership.

A. empathic

B. dialogic

C. nonverbal

D. analytic

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Comprehension Stage

Difficulty Level: Medium

22. The ______ stage of message processing focuses on not only information about the content of the interaction, but also information about the context in which the interaction occurred and the relational information implied by the manner of interaction.

A. attention

B. comprehension

C. memory

D. relational

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Memory Stage

Difficulty Level: Easy

23. After they had an argument, Nathan kept seeing the image of his girlfriend covering her face with her hands and quietly crying going around and around in his mind. He retained this image as a result of the ______ stage of message processing.

A. memory

B. attention

B. comprehension

D. emotional

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Memory Stage

Difficulty Level: Medium

24. Social intelligence enables adults to ______.

A. score higher on intelligence tests

B. display fewer learning disabilities

C. perceive a wide variety of subtle nonverbal behaviors to identify character traits

D. adapt their nonverbal behaviors to effectively deceive others

Learning Objective: 2-4: Explain how nonverbal communication is innate.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication--Our Innate Ability

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. Self-disclosure is the process of ______.

A. co-constructing meaning with another person

B. decoding verbal and nonverbal messages

C. interpreting analogic messages

D. revealing personal information through verbal conversation

Learning Objective: 2-4: Explain how nonverbal communication is innate.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication--Our Innate Ability

Difficulty Level: Easy

True/False

1. Every single interaction between humans contains some nonverbal component.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Ubiquitous

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Nonverbal messages almost always occur alongside verbal messages.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Functions in Many Ways

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Across the world, people understand some common nonverbal messages regardless of their background.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Widely Used

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. We don’t have to be aware of our nonverbal messaging because we rarely send a nonverbal message other than the one we intended.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Impacts Meaning-Making

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. The ambiguous nature of nonverbal messages increases our accountability for the verbal content that was substituted for the nonverbal message.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Ambiguous

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. People tend to trust nonverbal messages over the verbal messages that may accompany them.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Accepted

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Nonverbal messaging is the first way we learn to communicate and can be referred to as “interactional primacy.”

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Has Primacy

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. Once a sender’s message is decoded, it is sent through a channel to the receiver, who then begins the process of trying to interpret meaning from a communication act or behavior.

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Message Processing

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. In any given situation, human beings tend to only give attention to a small subset of verbal and nonverbal messages.

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Attention Stage

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. The attention stage of message processing involves a listener’s attempt to understand the verbal or nonverbal messages, rather than just hear or see them.

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Comprehension Stage

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Dialogic comprehension occurs when both the sender and receiver seek to co-construct shared meaning and understand each other’s thoughts and feelings.

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Comprehension Stage

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. Empathic comprehension is a form of active comprehension in which one party seeks to critique the message in order to determine the truth of the verbal and nonverbal messages.

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Comprehension Stage

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. The memory stage of comprehension focuses only on information about the content of the interaction.

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Memory Stage

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. Because nonverbal abilities are innate, scholars have observed that learning difficulties associated with poor nonverbal skills are generally easier to remediate than those associated with verbal skills.

Learning Objective: 2-4: Explain how nonverbal communication is innate.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication--Our Innate Ability

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. Individuals who display high levels of social intelligence rely solely on information available through self-disclosure.

Learning Objective: 2-4: Explain how nonverbal communication is innate.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication--Our Innate Ability

Difficulty Level: Medium

Essay

1. To explain the principle nonverbal communication is ubiquitous, Jonathan Bowman cites the commonly used saying, “One cannot not communicate.” Using an example from your own experience, illustrate the meaning of this saying.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Is Ubiquitous

Difficulty Level: Hard

2. Identify and compare factors that might determine whether a sender’s nonverbal behaviors positively reinforce the meaning of their message or send a negative or confusing message.

Learning Objective: 2-1: List the main principles of nonverbal messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Nonverbal Messaging Impacts Meaning-Making
Difficulty Level: Hard

3. To receive a message you must first attend to the sender, which requires engaging with them through listening and observing. Describe a situation when you failed to attend to the sender, including any factors that caused you to fail to attend as well as any consequences that occurred from your lack of attending.

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Attention Stage

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. What are the three main forms of active listening identified by Stewart and Huston and how do they differ?

Learning Objective: 2-3: Describe how humans process messages.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: The Comprehension Stage

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. What nonverbal perceptual abilities differentiate an individual who possesses a high degree of social intelligence from individuals who do not possess the same degree of social intelligence?

Learning Objective: 2-4: Explain how nonverbal communication is innate.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication--Our Innate Ability

Difficulty Level: Hard