Communication Theory – Comm 300 F’14 Task 4 – Mid-point Test – Week 5 (6 pages) Due in your Assignment folder by 11:59 p.m. ET Sunday, Week 5 Save the test as an MS Word document with the following filename:  Test_Yourlastname Your name:  ____________________________ Part I. Match the term to its definition . The terms come from Chapters 1-4 of the course textbook. (20 points – 1 point each) Answer Term Definition symbol 1.positivistic, value-neutral study of phenomena environment 2.  transmitter of a message public communication 3. studying cause-effect relationships feedback 4.  term often used in organizational communication to show rankings among people semiotics 5. Research moving from theory to specific cases narrow theory 6.  arbitrary label or representation of phenomena Socio-psychological research 7. tries to explain all aspects of communication behavior in a manner that is universally true mediated communication 8. verbal and nonverbal responses to a message nominal concept 9  Research moving from specific cases to theory channel 10. looking broadly at the systematic processes of communication validity 11. Usually, a speech given by a person to a live, present audience. critical scholarship 12. research observations and measurements accurately capture and report on a real-world phenomenon deduction 13. Rapidly changing context for communication grand theory 14. ideas or phenomena that are not directly observable source 15.  study of signs and how they change meaning over time cybernetic tradition 16.  a person talking to him or herself inductive 17.  studies certain people in certain situations hierarchy 18.  questions social power relationships empirical 19.  situation or context where communication occurs Intrapersonal communication 20.  visual, aural, tactile, etc. pathways of communication Page 2 Part II. Multiple Choice Questions. These questions relation to your assigned reading in Weeks 2, 3 & 4 (5 points – 1 point each). Highlight the correct answer. 1. Which of the following is an assumption of Cognitive Dissonance Theory? a. human beings desire inconsistency in their cognitions b. dissonance is created by physiological discomfort c. dissonance is an aversive state that drives people to change attitudes and/or behaviors d. none of the above 2. All of the following are assumptions about Uncertainty Reduction EXCEPT a. it is unreasonable to attempt to predict people's behavior in a lawlike fashion b. uncertainty is an aversive state, generating cognitive stress c. people experience uncertainty in interpersonal settings d. when strangers meet, they want to reduce their uncertainty and increase their predictability 3. At the heart of Social Penetration Theory is self-disclosure.  All of the following statements about self-disclosure are true EXCEPT a. nonintimate relationships typically progress to an intimate level without engaging in self disclosure b. self-disclosure can be st.

1. Communication Theory – Comm 300 F’14
Task 4 – Mid-point Test – Week 5 (6 pages)
Due in your Assignment folder by 11:59 p.m. ET Sunday, Week
5
Save the test as an MS Word document with the following
filename:
Test_Yourlastname
Your name:
____________________________
Part I. Match the term to its definition
.
The terms come from Chapters 1-4 of the course textbook. (20
points – 1 point each)
Answer
Term
Definition
symbol
1.positivistic, value-neutral study of phenomena
environment
2. transmitter of a message
public communication
3. studying cause-effect relationships
feedback
4. term often used in organizational communication to show
rankings among people
semiotics
5. Research moving from theory to specific cases

2. narrow theory
6. arbitrary label or representation of phenomena
Socio-psychological research
7. tries to explain all aspects of communication behavior in a
manner that is universally true
mediated communication
8. verbal and nonverbal responses to a message
nominal concept
9 Research moving from specific cases to theory
channel
10. looking broadly at the systematic processes of
communication
validity
11. Usually, a speech given by a person to a live, present
audience.
critical scholarship
12. research observations and measurements accurately capture
and report on a real-world phenomenon
deduction
13. Rapidly changing context for communication
grand theory
14. ideas or phenomena that are not directly observable
source
15. study of signs and how they change meaning over time
cybernetic tradition
16. a person talking to him or herself

3. inductive
17. studies certain people in certain situations
hierarchy
18. questions social power relationships
empirical
19. situation or context where communication occurs
Intrapersonal communication
20. visual, aural, tactile, etc. pathways of communication
Page 2
Part II. Multiple Choice Questions.
These questions relation to your assigned reading in Weeks 2, 3
& 4 (5 points – 1 point each).
Highlight
the correct answer.
1.
Which of the following is an assumption of Cognitive
Dissonance Theory?
a.
human beings desire inconsistency in their cognitions
b.
dissonance is created by physiological discomfort
c.
dissonance is an aversive state that drives people to change
attitudes and/or behaviors

4. d.
none of the above
2.
All of the following are assumptions about Uncertainty
Reduction EXCEPT
a.
it is unreasonable to attempt to predict people's behavior in a
lawlike fashion
b.
uncertainty is an aversive state, generating cognitive stress
c.
people experience uncertainty in interpersonal settings
d.
when strangers meet, they want to reduce their uncertainty and
increase their predictability
3.
At the heart of Social Penetration Theory is self-disclosure. All
of the following statements about self-disclosure are true
EXCEPT
a.
nonintimate relationships typically progress to an intimate level
without engaging in self disclosure
b.

5. self-disclosure can be strategic, which means that disclosures
are planned
c.
self-disclosure can be nonstrategic, which means that
disclosures are spontaneous
d.
stranger on the train refers to instances in which people reveal
personal information to complete strangers in public places
4.
According to Social Exchange theory, we are likely to stay in
relationships when our satisfaction is __________ and our
comparison level for alternatives is __________.
a.
low, high
b.
low, low
c.
all of the above
d.
none of the above
5.
According to Relational Dialectics Theory, all of the following
statements are true about dialectical tensions EXCEPT
a.

6. people are not always able to resolve the contradictions they
experience and may become comfortable believing inconsistent
things about relationships
b.
partners in a relationship experience ongoing tensions between
contradictory impulses
c.
dialectical theorists support the idea that there is typically one
point of view that should dominate a relationship.
d.
researchers Baxter and Montgomery are associated with
Relational Dialectics Theory
Page 3
Part III. Multiple Choice Questions.
These questions focus on your Week 5 work.
Groupthink
(5 points).
Highlight
the correct answer.
1.
Cohesiveness of the group may emerge as a problem because
a.
cohesiveness is generally experienced in the same manner
across groups, and the results of cohesion can be generalized
from one group to another

7. b.
in highly cohesive groups, members generally feel dissatisfied
with the group experience and other group members
c.
highly cohesive groups sometimes exert great pressure on their
members to conform to the group's standards.
d.
cohesiveness typically results in group members resisting the
temptation to conform
2.
All of the following are conditions that may lead to groupthink
occurring EXCEPT
a.
the ability of all members to step into the role of group leader at
a given time
b.
stressful internal and external characteristics of the situation
c.
high cohesiveness among group members
d.
lack of decision-making procedures established within the group
3.
Group members who shield the group from adverse information
are

8. a.
conscientious objectors
b.
self-appointed mindguards
c.
dissenters
d.
opinion leaders
4.
As the decision whether to launch a new product to prevent
tooth decay was being debated, one of the product development
specialists commented, "What a great product! We have created
something that will help Americans maintain the enamel on
their teeth. I don't know why those health critics are accusing us
of putting a potentially harmful product out on the market. After
all, our goal is to help people, not to hurt them. We're interested
in doing what is in the best interest of the public." She has
demonstrated which of the following symptoms of groupthink?
a.
illusion of invulnerability
b.
out-group stereotypes
c.
belief in the inherent morality of the group
d.

9. collective rationalization
Page 4
5.
According to your text, vigilant decision makers
a.
focus mostly on the benefits associated with a decision
b.
avoid addressing all possible solutions for a decision
c.
create plans for implementing the decision
d.
disregard the purpose of decision making to pursue their own
agenda
Organizational Information Theory
(6 points).
Highlight
the correct answer.
1.
All of the following are assumptions of Organizational
Information Theory EXCEPT
a.

10. equivocality of information is useful for assisting an
organization in achieving its goals
b.
the information an organization receives differs in terms of its
equivocality
c.
human organizations exist in an information environment
d.
human organizations engage in information processing to reduce
the equivocality of information
2.
_______________ are systems or series of behaviors that are
used by an organization in an attempt to reduce the equivocality
of the information it receives.
3.
Rules
4.
Assumption
5.
Cycles
6.
Double interact loops
3.

11. Kendall's project team is reviewing the information that it
received from other teams in the organization. They focus on
assigning meaning and interpreting the information they have
received in order to determine its level of equivocality. Which
stage of the process of reducing equivocality is Kendall's team
experiencing?
a.
selection
b.
enactment
c.
retention
d.
identification
4.
True or False? Organizational Information Theory uses a
Systems Approach to communication theory.
a.
True
b.
False
Page 5

12. 5.
The two options that an organization has for dealing with
equivocality of information are its use of ______________ and
________________ .
a.
rules, communication cycles
b.
enactment, selection
c.
reaction, response
d.
requisite variety, double interact loops
6.
Helena is identified as the person who is most knowledgeable
about the information that her organization has received
regarding sales projections. Therefore, her supervisor decides
that she should serve as the key resource for reducing the
equivocality of new information that the organization receives.
Which of Weick's rules for processing equivocality is being
applied?
a.
duration
b.
personnel

13. c.
success
d.
effort
Organizational Culture Theory
(4 points).
Highlight
the correct answer.
1.
All of the following statements about symbols are true EXCEPT
a.
symbols represent meanings that are held by members of an
organization
b.
symbols include only the nonverbal communication that takes
place in the organization
c.
members of an organization create, use, and interpret symbols
in order to create and sustain a sense of organizational reality
d.
organizational values may be communicated through a variety
of symbols
2.

14. All of the following are methods of investigation used by
ethnographers to examine organizational culture EXCEPT
a.
survey questionnaires
b.
direct observation
c.
interviews
d.
participant observation
Page 6
3.
Renaldo always has a smile on his face when he enters the
workplace. His colleagues comment on how much they
appreciate his taking the time to stop and ask how their day is
going as he passes by their desks. Renaldo is engaging in which
type of communicative performance?
a.
sociality
b.
passion
c.

15. ritual
d.
politics
4.
Organizational _________ are used to inform members about
what standards and principles are viewed as being important by
the organization.
a.
stories
b.
rules
c.
values
d.
performances
Part IV. Symbolic Interaction Theory
– Essay. (30 points)
Analyze this scene from the movie “You’ve Got Mail.” It takes
place in an elevator where Joe Fox (the Tom Hanks character)
and his girlfriend (Parker Posey) and two other people get stuck
in an elevator:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7eMH8QoMZk
Using the list of seven “assumptions” about Symbolic

16. Interaction Theory in the West and Turner textbook (in the 5
th
edition of the book, look on page 81 in Chapter 4; in the 4
th
edition of the book, look on page 85 in Chapter 5), describe
how this scene in the elevator explains four of them. Hint:
Look at nonverbal as well as verbal behaviors. Be specific.