Chapter 8: Vocalics: Engaging the Voice and Other Vocalizations

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. We often make attributions about another person, imagining that their vocal characteristics like rate and loudness are probably the cause of ______.

A. an underlying physical condition

B. improper vocal training

C. some underlying personality trait

D. cultural differences

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Vocal Characteristics

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Those characteristics of an individual’s voice that can be intentionally manipulated or altered to influence understanding in another person are known as ______.

A. vocalics

B. vocal properties

C. vocalizations

D. vocal preparations

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. When he was a young boy, Luca moved with his family from Romania to the United States. While he was excited to be living in the same country where the Disney movies that he knew and loved were made, he was disappointed when he had trouble fitting in at this new school where the other kids made fun of him due to his ______.

A. accent

B. articulation

C. emphasis

D. pronunciation

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. The difference between a speaker who display effective articulation and a speaker who displays ineffective articulation is articulate speakers ______.

A. speak in a relatively loud volume with low pitch, as opposed to inarticulate speakers who speak in a relatively soft volume with high pitch.

B. use words or sounds in a clear manner, where each syllable is distinct and easily understood, as opposed to inarticulate speakers whose words are unclear, indistinct and hard to understand.

C. use appropriate pauses and silence, as opposed to inarticulate speakers who use inappropriate pauses and refrain from using silence.

D. talk at a fast rate and place emphasis on every word, as opposed to inarticulate speakers who talk at a slow rate and vary the emphasis they place words within a sentence.

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. At home, Dahlia relaxes and talks for hours with friends, often sharing detailed and amusing stories featuring her pet rabbits, Peter and Cottontail. However, in class where Dahlia experiences high levels of stress, she has trouble putting words together in a sentence. Her professor often says, “Dahlia, will you repeat that. I can’t understand what you’re saying.” Dahlia clearly has an issue with ______.

A. volume

B. accent

C. articulation

D. pronunciation

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Pause is the empty space between words which is ______.

A. always intentional

B. primarily unintentional

C. primarily intentional

D. either intentional or unintentional

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. When Peter shared stories with his friends, they enjoyed the way he added drama by saying some words louder and holding them longer than others. However, when he used this same vocal characteristic in his public speaking class, his instructor pointed out that he needed to adapt his use of ______ when delivering a speech.

A. accent

B. emphasis

C. pronunciation

D. pitch

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. What is pitch?

A. the way that a word or words are spoken out loud

B. the sound of a voice that gives it either a “high” or “low” quality

C. the speed at which people speak

D. is the degree of loudness of speech

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. ______ volume describes the degree of loudness of speech as compared to the other sounds in the environment or to the other speakers.

A. Required

B. Regional

C. Relative

D. Reductive

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. At work, Saul had fallen behind on an important assignment that was due the following week. When Saul’s supervisor asked him to report on his progress, Saul answer him in slow, halting speech putting him at risk of receiving ______ from his supervisor

A. a negative attribution

B. a lack of attention

C. extra help

D. additional questions

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. Those characteristics of the voice that are relatively stable within an individual person, even though those same characteristics may vary widely from person to person are known as ______.

A. vocal properties

B. vocal qualities

C. vocalizations

D. vocalics

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Qualities

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. A voice that has an ethereal or airy quality to it has the vocal quality of ______.

A. breathiness

B. airiness

C. raspiness

D. resonance

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Qualities

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Jody, a cheer leader in high school, brought her enthusiasm for sports to college. No matter what the season, Jody could be counted on to yell louder than anyone else in the stands causing her to have ______ in her vocal quality.

A. resonance

B. breathiness

C. raspiness

D. nasality

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Vocal Qualities

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Nasality is produced by allowing the voice to ______ through the airways into the nasal cavity.

A. redirect

B. resonate

C. accentuate

D. articulate

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Vocal Qualities

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. Communication that occurs during silence is often ______.

A. expressed through nonverbal codes

B. contrary to prior verbal messages

C. difficult to understand

D. unimportant or unnecessary

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Use of Silence

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Scholar Howard Giles developed a theory about how people pick up the expressions or mannerisms of people around them referred to as CAT which stands for______ Theory.

A. communication Articulation

B. communication Accommodation

C. communal Accommodation

D. co-creative Analysis

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Communication Accommodation Theory

Difficulty Level: Easy

17. The first principle of CAT states that communication is influenced by ______.

A. the circumstances of the current context

B. relevant aspects of historical context

C. both the current and historical context

D. both the personal and interpersonal context

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Principles of CAT

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. The second principle of CAT states that when people communicate they exchange both content and ______ information.

A. relational

B. relevant

C. reflective

D. reinforcing

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Principles of CAT

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. How do content messages differ from relational messages?

A. With colleagues at work, we only use content messages; however when we’re with family and friends, we use relational messages.

B. Content messages are about things that matter to us and relational messages are about things that matter to other people who we’re in relationship with.

C. Content messages are about things, processes, and actions and are used more often and are more important than relational messages which are about feelings, status, and quality of connection in relationships.

D. Both types are important but differ in focus. Content messages are about things, processes, and actions, while relational messages which are about feelings, status, and quality of connection in relationship.

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Principles of CAT

Difficulty Level: Hard

20. The third principle of CAT states that we expect people to ______ in conversational style if there is opportunity to do so.

A. coalesce with us

B. connect us

C. complement us

D. converge with us

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Principles of CAT

Difficulty Level: Easy

21. The fourth principle of CAT states that we use ______ and ______ to manage our relationships.

A. articulate voice; resonant voice

B. approach cues; avoidance cues

C. verbal messages; nonverbal messages

D. current context; historic context

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Principles of CAT

Difficulty Level: Easy

22. People engage in strategies which enhance or highlight the ______, depending upon their desire to approach or avoid the other in an interaction.

A. similarities between one another

B. differences between one another

C. similarities or differences between one another

D. current context and historical context

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Strategies of CAT

Difficulty Level: Easy

23. Communication ______ occurs when we adapt our interaction style to portray display ourselves as being more similar to someone we want to have more interaction with.

A. convergence

B. divergence

C. complexity

D. simplicity

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Strategies of CAT

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. Nonverbal divergence occurs when one person uses a strategy of accentuating the differences in communication style between themselves and another person because they want to ______.

A. hurt the other person

B. avoid being in a relationship with that person

C. assert their own unique attributes

D. display their dominance over the other person

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Strategies of CAT

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. When both parties in a relationship are happy with the relationship as it is, they may engage in an unchanging pattern of ______.

A. convergence

B. divergence

C. maintenance

D. mutuality

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Strategies of CAT

Difficulty Level: Medium

True/False

1. The way we use our voices has little impact on how individuals perceive us.

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Articulation is often perceived to be an indicator of a good education.

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Individuals who display a high level of articulation in one setting rarely have difficulty articulating their speech when placed in high-stress situations.

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Pause occurs when a speaker stresses either syllables or whole words in order to make them stand out as important or significant in context of the rest of that utterance.

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. A long drawn-out pause becomes silence.

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. The average woman’s voice typically displays a higher pitch than the average of those of men due to differences in the thickness of their vocal chords.

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Relatively lower speech volume causing audiences to make a variety of negative attributions.

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. The vocal property of resonance is characterized by a deep and reverberating voice, common in television voiceovers.

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Qualities

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. Thinness is a vocal quality most often associated with women who also possess higher pitch.

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Vocal Qualities

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Silence is the dead space that comes before and after an utterance.

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Use of Silence

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. If one person fails to converge with another person’s communication style, it’s often interpreted by the person not receiving that convergence as a negative relational message.

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Principles of CAT

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. Recently, Annabelle had been sending nonverbal message of interest toward Jasper, such a making prolonged eye contact and communicating within intimate distance. Jasper was in a happy relationship and wasn’t looking to connect with someone new, but he didn’t want to hurt Annabelle’s feelings. When out of the corner of his eye he saw her approaching, he quickly pulled out his cell phone and began scrolling in a demonstration of approach cues.

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Principles of CAT

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. People frequently engage in unpredictable communication patterns when they see no reason to change an interpersonal relationship,

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Strategies of CAT

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Unlike convergence which highlights our similarities with someone we want a closer relationship with, divergence highlights our differences with someone we want a closer relationship with.

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Divergence

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. In varying degrees, all relationships actively engage with convergence or divergence behaviors.

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Divergence

Difficulty Level: Medium

Essay

1. Contrast how the use of the vocal property of emphasis might influence another person’s understanding of a message as compared to the use of the vocal property of pause to influence another person’s understanding of a message?

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Hard

2. Using an example from your personal experience, describe a situation when your perception of another person and their message was influenced by their accent. What were the circumstances and what, if any, were the consequences?

Learning Objective: 8-2: Describe the impact of voice on perceptions of identity.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. How do the physical vocal characteristics and associated personality attributions of nasality differ from raspiness?

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Vocal Properties

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. How does the vocal property of pitch differ from the vocal quality of pitch range and how do these differences further our understanding of the impact of vocalics in everyday conversation?

Learning Objective: 8-1: Identify different vocal qualities in audible speech.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Vocal Characteristics

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. What attitudes and behaviors distinguish a relationship expressing convergence from a relationship expressing divergence?

Learning Objective: 8-3: List and characterize factors that influence communication accommodation.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Strategies of CAT

Difficulty Level: Hard