Chapter 1: Nonverbal Communication Origins

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Jessica’s best friend forgot her birthday. She wants to share how disappointed she feels but doesn’t want to start a fight, so she is struggling to choose the best words. Before she can send her message, Jessica needs to complete the process of ______.

A. encoding

B. decoding

C. modeling

D. receiving

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. While Kyle is listening to his friend Pete talk about his recent mountain biking adventure, he becomes distracted by a new text message on his phone. Kyle’s shift in attention has interrupted the process of ______ his friend’s message.

A. sending

B. modeling

C. encoding

D. decoding

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Which of the following is the means by which a message is conveyed from one person to another?

A. context

B. sender

C. channel

D. semantic noise

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. When he’s at home, Benjamin continuously monitors his favorite social media platform on his smartphone. When he attends classes on his college campus, Benjamin changes his behavior and puts his phone away. He is adapting to the ______.

A. channel

B. sender

C. noise

D. context

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Which of the following is a form of physical noise?

A. anxiety or worry

B. the whir of a ceiling fan

C. the main points of a professor’s lecture

D. mental fatigue

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Miles skipped breakfast this morning. Now he is hungry and having trouble listening to his professor giving instructions for a major class project. Miles is experiencing ______ noise.

A. physical

B. psychological

C. physiological

D. semantic

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. The first day at a new job, Caitlin’s supervisor gives her instructions about a task using a word she has never heard before. Caitlin is confused about what to do because her supervisor’s message includes ______ noise.

A. physical

B. psychological

C. physiological

D. semantic

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Unlike physical noise, semantic noise ______.

A. is part of the message which needs to be decoded

B. only happens on rare occasions

C. only happens in English-speaking countries

D. is determined solely by the sender

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Hard

9. On the way to attend class, Juan notices an unfamiliar rattling sound in his car’s engine. Once in class, Juan spends his time worrying whether he will be able to drive home and finds it difficult to listen. Juan is experiencing ______ noise.

A. physical

B. psychological

C. physiological

D. semantic

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. ______ noise is often present in the words that bullies choose to demean and intimidate other people.

A. Physical

B. Psychological

C. Physiological

D. Semantic

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. One-way messaging is also called ______.

A. transactional

B. unidirectional

C. omnidirectional

D. interactive

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Transactional Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. One of the main differences between the linear model and the transactional model of communication is ______.

A. the linear model includes only senders while the transactional model includes both senders and receivers

B. the linear model focuses primarily on noise while the transactional model primarily focuses on feedback

C. linear model messages travel from sender to receiver while transactional model messages go back and forth simultaneously

D. linear model feedback is verbal while transactional model feedback is both verbal and nonverbal

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Transactional Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Hard

13. Josh and Erin are both fine art majors who sit next to each other in their Drawing I class. When Josh asks Erin if she is free after class to go to the cafeteria for lunch, Erin nods and smiles. Erin is ______.

A. sending Josh feedback

B. responding to feedback Josh is sending

C. creating semantic noise

D. creating physical noise

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Transactional Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Hard

14. Gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice and eye contact are considered nonverbal because they ______.

A. can convey authentic feelings

B. can convey contradictory meanings

C. do not require encoding to convey meaning

D. do not use language to convey meaning

Learning Objective: 1-3: Define nonverbal communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Defining Nonverbal Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. Which of the following is an example of unintentional nonverbal communication?

A. covering your mouth when you cough in pubic

B. laughing at a friend’s joke so they will feel appreciated

C. yawning when you’re bored with a conversation

D. shaking hands when you first meet someone

Learning Objective: 1-3: Define nonverbal communication.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Nonverbal Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Which of the following is an example of intentional nonverbal communication?

A. squinting when the sun is in your eyes

B. giving a thumbs up signal to a friend’s choice

C. using “ums” and “likes” in a conversation

D. losing your voice when you have laryngitis

Learning Objective: 1-3: Define nonverbal communication.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Nonverbal Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. Why do communication scholars say that nonverbal communication has “primacy?”

A. Nonverbal messages need to have verbal messages to be complete.

B. Nonverbal messages are the first ones we pay attention to.

C. Verbal messages require more education to understand than nonverbal messages.

D. Nonverbal messages contain more important information than verbal messages.

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain types of nonverbal primacy.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Primacy

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. The theory that our prehistoric ancestors communicated first using nonverbal gestures is referred to as ______ primacy.

A. phylogenetic

B. ontogenetic

C. interactional

D. transactional

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain types of nonverbal primacy.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Primacy

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. Which of the following is an example of ontogenetic primacy?

A. Young adults holding hands in the early stages of a romantic relationship.

B. A baby waking up in the middle of the night and crying for his parents’ attention.

C. A police officer at a detour gesturing with his arms to redirect traffic.

D. A school-age child holding their stomach while complaining of not feeling well.

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain types of nonverbal primacy.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Primacy

Difficulty Level: Medium

20. When Ali meets Jamie at a friend’s party, he immediately notices that she is about the same height and has similar facial features as his old girlfriend. That relationship did not end well. For the rest of the night Ali avoids Jamie, demonstrating the impact of ______ primacy.

A. phylogenetic

B. ontogenetic

C. interactional

D. transactional

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain types of nonverbal primacy.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Primacy

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. In contrast to phylogenetic and ontogenetic primacy, understanding the role of interactional primacy in everyday communication requires ______.

A. knowledge of human evolution

B. awareness of our first impressions

C. recalling preverbal childhood memory

D. the ability to encode messages

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain types of nonverbal primacy.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Primacy

Difficulty Level: Hard

22. Jacques hasn’t seen his childhood friend Bill for several years. When they run into each other at a sporting event, Jacques notices Bill has buzz cut his hair and wonders if he has joined the military. Which sense is Jacques using to receive this nonverbal message?

A. hearing

B. touching

C. seeing

D. smelling

Learning Objective: 1-4: Understand the impact of channel on messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Channels

Difficulty Level: Medium

23. Lily is in the habit of giving her best friend Jenna a hug whenever they meet. Today, when Lily reaches out to Jenna, Jenna stiffens up and pulls slightly away. Lily notices and wonders if Jenna is upset with her. Which sense is Lily using to receive this nonverbal message?

A. hearing

B. touching

C. seeing

D. smelling

Learning Objective: 1-4: Understand the impact of channel on messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Channels

Difficulty Level: Medium

24. Whenever Cynthia sends a text message she likes to sign off with one of her favorite emoticons. Although Cynthia might not be aware of it, her typed message includes ______.

A. physical noise

B. unnecessary drama

C. nonverbal communication

D. ontogenetic primacy

Learning Objective: 1-4: Understand the impact of channel on messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Channels

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. What does “channel reliance” refer to?

A. the breadth of your digital bandwidth

B. the tendency to return to the same social media platform

C. the tendency to focus on nonverbal messages instead of verbal messages

D. the tendency to rely on specific channels for specific types of messages

Learning Objective: 1-4: Understand the impact of channel on messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Channel Reliance

Difficulty Level: Easy

True/False

1. The linear model of communication focuses on the one-way transmission of a verbal or nonverbal message to another person or persons.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. In the linear model of communication, the sender converts his or her thoughts into a specific message that he or she hopes an audience will understand through a process called “decoding.”

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. The linear model of communication only allows for the message to be sent along one channel.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Context refers to the communication setting where the message takes place, including the physical location, the time, and the social situation.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Psychological noise refers to a receiver’s physical state, such as hunger or sleepiness, which might interrupt his or her ability to decode a message.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. Barriers to communication due to specific words or pronunciations are known as “semantic noise.”

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. In the transactional model of communication, feedback occurs only through nonverbal responses that someone gives in reaction to a message they have received.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Transactional Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Unidirectional messaging refers to messages and feedback sent and received simultaneously throughout most communication interactions.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Transactional Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. Because nonverbal communication can be both intentional and unintentional, what we don’t say nonverbally doesn’t matter.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Define nonverbal communication.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Nonverbal Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. Sign languages, such as American Sign Language (ASL), are considered verbal communication because each sign has a direct verbal meaning attached to the sign, one that is codified and made formal.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Define nonverbal communication.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Why Isn’t ASL Considered Nonverbal?

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. The idea that nonverbal communication came before spoken, verbal language over the course of our species’ evolution is known as “phylogenetic primacy.”

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain types of nonverbal primacy.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Primacy

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. The idea that nonverbal communication comes before any other form of communication in each individual experience is known as interactional primacy.

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain types of nonverbal primacy.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Primacy

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Mediated communication channels include phone conversations, text messages, emails, television, film, and radio, as well as digital face-to-face communication on Skype or FaceTime.

Learning Objective: 1-4: Understand the impact of channel on messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Channels

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. Because they’re written in type, messages sent in the form of text messages, emails, emoticons, and emojis are not considered to be part of nonverbal communication.

Learning Objective: 1-4: Understand the impact of channel on messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Channels

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. Channel reliance refers to the reliability of any digital signal or platform.

Learning Objective: 1-4: Understand the impact of channel on messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Channels

Difficulty Level: Easy

Essay

1. Recall a recent conversation you had with a friend or family member. Designate yourself as the “sender” and write a summary of your conversation, identifying and explaining each of the following elements of Shannon and Weaver’s linear model of communication: sender, encoding, message, receiver, decoding, and channel.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Hard

2. Imagine a hypothetical conversation you might have with a friend or family member in an informal context, such while eating dinner at home. Then, imagine having the same conversation in a formal context, such as at a restaurant with other tables nearby. How might the change in context affect the other elements of the conversation, including various forms of noise? Cite specific changes as they relate to the elements of Shannon and Weaver’s linear model of communication.

Learning Objective: 1-2: Compare models of communication.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Linear Model of Communication

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. Give an example of a time when you sent an intentional nonverbal message, including a description of who you sent the message to, how you sent the message and how you knew that your message was successfully received by the other person.

Learning Objective: 1-3: Define nonverbal communication.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Defining Nonverbal Communication

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. How might you apply what you’ve learned about the impact of interactional primacy to help you prepare and perform at a job interview? Give three examples and be specific.

Learning Objective: 1-1: Explain types of nonverbal primacy.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Primacy

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. When you need to deliver an important message through a mediated channel of communication, such as a phone call, text messages, or FaceTime, which channel do you prefer? Explain why you chose this mediated channel, including a description of the elements of nonverbal communication expressed through that channel and how those nonverbal elements affect how you encode and send your message.

Learning Objective: 1-4: Understand the impact of channel on messaging.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Nonverbal Communication Channels

Difficulty Level: Hard