Q&A Hero

Q: Synthesizing what you have learned throughout this chapter, explain the functions that facial expressions serve in our communication. Explain how we know that some facial expressions are inborn rather than learned behaviors.

Q: For most journalists, the bottom line is ______. A) "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" B) "Fairness first" C) the public's right to know D) "Get the story" E) managing conflicts of interest

Q: How do humans use their eye behavior to communicate with one another? Pulling together information from throughout this chapter, describe how eye behavior functions as part of the communication process. What should we be aware of with respect to eye behavior when we communicate with someone from another culture?

Q: According to the textbook, which of the following is not characteristic of modern journalism? A) It tends to rely on "expert" sources for information. B) It provides little historical context in most front-page stories. C) It provides detailed interpretation and analysis of news events. D) It creates an appearance that the reporter is neutral or detached. E) All of the options are not characteristic.

Q: List and define the categories of body movements, or kinesic behaviors, discussed in your book. Using a detailed narrative example, illustrate how all of these behaviors might be used to communicate within a single conversation.

Q: What types of cues might a police officer look for as a sign of deception in a suspect's behavior? Why would the officer want to be skeptical of assuming that these cues are actually a sign of deception?

Q: The textbook uses the news coverage of urban illegal drug problems as an example of ______. A) how the amount of coverage a social problem gets in the news is tied to the actual severity of that problem B) how journalists overall are good at providing context for ongoing social problems C) how news coverage can fail to offer strong continuing coverage of long-term social problems, considering them old news D) how journalists can go undercover to get information E) how journalists all tend to cover the same topics over and over again

Q: List, describe, and provide an example of the six functions of nonverbal communication discussed in your textbook.

Q: Explain why nonverbal communication is not a language and what is meant when nonverbal communication is described as "often spontaneous and unintentional communication that is ambiguous and more believable than verbal communication."

Q: The textbook suggests that the best way for journalists to reach ethical decisions might be ______. A) dealing with complex issues as they arise on a case-by-case basis B) leaving all decisions to senior management C) taking the time to work through several critical thinking steps D) choosing one ethical model (such as Aristotle's) and sticking with it absolutely E) always assuming that the public's need to know outweighs all other concerns

Q: Which of the following could help a journalist resolve a moral or ethical dilemma? A) The Golden Rule, translated as treating others as you would want to be treated B) Aristotle's ideal of the "golden mean" C) Immanuel Kant's principle that you should at all times stick to universal codes of behavior, such as honesty D) Jeremy Bentham's and John Stuart Mill's principle of doing the greatest good for the greatest number E) All of the options are correct.

Q: The location or environment, the event, and the level of touch are all indicators that might help us determine the informal-formal dimension of the situational context. A) True B) False

Q: Women tend to initiate touch more often than men do. A) True B) False

Q: Which of the following would be okay for a journalist to accept from a news source and still avoid a conflict of interest? A) A train ride B) A meal C) Box seats for a baseball game D) A promise of greater access to an important figure in exchange for positive stories E) None of the options is correct.

Q: The value of favoring the small over the large and the rural over the urban is called ______. A) ethnocentrism B) individualism C) responsible capitalism D) small-town pastoralism E) All of the options are correct.

Q: One problem with journalists assuming the underlying value of responsible capitalism is that ______. A) it can lead to a nave belief that businesses compete to increase the prosperity of all instead of maximizing their own profits B) it can lead to a nave belief that businesses are always evil and put their interests over the prosperity of all C) journalists understand too much about the financial issues related to the companies that employ them D) it can lead to too much critical coverage of the oligopolistic nature of today's economy E) None of the above options is correct.

Q: Making direct eye contact with another person is considered to be a sign of interest and respect throughout the world. A) True B) False

Q: How people perceive the use of time and how they structure time in their relationships is an element of nonverbal communication. A) True B) False

Q: The use of touch can send powerful messages of caring and comfort, as well as control, and can serve a regulating purpose in our interactions. A) True B) False

Q: According to the textbook, which of the following ideas developed into an underlying, subjective value in the culture of American journalism? A) Ethnocentrism B) Individualism C) Responsible capitalism D) Small-town pastoralism E) All of the options are correct.

Q: Herbert Gans studied the newsroom cultures of CBS, NBC, Newsweek, and Time during the 1970s. Which of the following is not one of the enduring values he identified within these newsroom cultures? A) A preference for large-scale, urban settingsa focus on cities rather than rural communities B) A focus on the power of individuals to overcome obstacles and personal adversity C) A relatively procapitalist assumption that businesses compete for the well-being of the community rather than merely to increase profits D) A tendency to judge other nations based on how they live up to American values E) All of the options are correct.

Q: Critics of CNN say it too often engages in ethnocentrism because ______. A) it only covers news about Caucasians B) it tells international stories from a variety of global perspectives C) it centers its news reporting around ethnic issues D) it tells international stories from a largely American point of view E) None of the above options is correct.

Q: A polite handshake between colleagues would be defined as functional-professional touch. A) True B) False

Q: Historically, objectivity became valuable for newspapers and journalists because ______. A) it was highly valued by Joseph Pulitzer B) offending the smallest number of people meant earning the largest profit C) the general public loved the partisan press D) reporters had a desire to be "fair and balanced" for society's sake E) All of the options are correct.

Q: You and your significant other like to revisit the restaurant where you had your first date and always request to sit at the same table where you first sat. On your anniversary, you arrive at the restaurant to find another couple sitting at "your table," and you feel frustrated. Your claiming of the table would be referred to as a proxemic behavior. A) True B) False

Q: One of the main reasons newspaper organizations wanted their reporters to write in a neutral, detached style is that ______. A) it would take less ink than printing stories with lots of adjectives B) it would help reporters determine what is newsworthy C) it would alienate fewer potential subscribers and advertisers D) the tradition of a partisan press had become too old-fashioned E) it made for shorter stories that would mean spending less on ink and paper

Q: Personal space requirements change according to the situational, relational, and cultural context of the communication. A) True B) False

Q: Edward Hall discovered that the most comfortable space for communication within professional contexts, such as business meetings, is the public zone. A) True B) False

Q: Based on the criteria a local broadcaster would use to determine newsworthiness, which of the following stories would most likely be covered? A) Two local city council members get into a heated argument over building a new statue to honor a local celebrity. B) People in a small foreign nation elect a new president. C) Two local city council members agree to spend ten dollars on a new sign for the council chambers. D) A local woman takes in a stray cat. E) A Girl Scout helps an elderly woman cross the road.

Q: Which of the following is not one of the basic criteria of newsworthiness? A) Human interest B) Proximity C) Timeliness D) Conflict E) Consensus

Q: Research cited in your textbook indicates that physical attractiveness is an important factor when it comes to dating but has little impact on other parts of social interaction. A) True B) False

Q: It is recommended that we avoid using back-channel cues because they interrupt the speaker and result in us monopolizing the conversation. A) True B) False

Q: Vocal elements like pitch, rate, and volume are elements of nonverbal communication. A) True B) False

Q: Which of the following is not one of the techniques NBC news president Reuven Frank outlined in 1963 as an effective way to tell a news story? A) A story should have a beginning, middle, and end. B) A story should include colorful descriptions that may or may not be factual. C) A story should have structure and conflict. D) A story should have rising and falling action. E) A story should have a problem and denouement.

Q: Satirical news shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report only seek to entertain, not inform, viewers. A) True B) False

Q: Vocal sounds such as a sigh, a scream, or laughter are considered verbal communication behaviors. A) True B) False

Q: Research indicates that infants tend to smile more when they receive direct eye gaze from another person than they do when the other's eyes are averted. A) True B) False

Q: The public journalism movement asks reporters to remain detached from their communities and avoid involvement that could reveal a point of view. A) True B) False

Q: Masking refers to the intentional concealment of a person's true emotion by displaying a facial expression that is more appropriate in a given interaction. A) True B) False

Q: Many journalists take great pride in asking tough questions and acting as an adversary to the prominent political leaders and major institutions they cover. A) True B) False

Q: By presenting both sides of a controversy, reporters always ensure that the news story is fair and balanced. A) True B) False

Q: Nearly all facial expressions are innate and universal while only a few are learned culturally. A) True B) False

Q: According to modern reporting rituals, journalists must rely on outside expert sources for information, even if they are experts on a subject themselves. A) True B) False

Q: The case of Richard Jewell and the Olympic Park bombing in 1996 demonstrates the danger of journalists not independently verifying what they report. A) True B) False

Q: Affect displays are usually unintentional actions that show a person's emotion. A) True B) False

Q: While you are engaged in a heated telephone conversation with one of your coworkers, your roommate walks up and asks you a question. Without breaking from the telephone conversation, you hold your hand out toward your roommate as if to say, "Not nowI'm on the phone." In this scenario, your nonverbal behaviors serve the adaptive function. A) True B) False

Q: Journalists routinely straddle a line between the public's right to know and a person's right to privacy. A) True B) False

Q: Newspaper editors feel that the public's right to know always outweighs other issues, including national security. A) True B) False

Q: One way that nonverbal communication differs from verbal communication is that nonverbal symbols do not need to be interpreted by the receiver. A) True B) False

Q: Research in nonverbal communication has concluded that it is, indeed, possible to accurately determine if another person is lying just by monitoring that person's nonverbal behavior. A) True B) False

Q: Immediacy cues, such as smiling, nodding in agreement, and pausing to allow others to speak, can foster a closer working relationship between people. A) True B) False

Q: Herbert Gans found that beliefs like ethnocentrism and small-town pastoralism consistently affect American journalists' judgment. A) True B) False

Q: Immediacy refers to how quickly or slowly a communicator responds with feedback. A) True B) False

Q: An inverted-pyramid lead, carefully attributed sources, and limited use of adverbs and adjectives are the hallmarks of a neutral news story. A) True B) False

Q: The set of criteria for deciding what is newsworthy has evolved over time. A) True B) False

Q: Using nonverbal behaviors to contradict one's verbal message may create a sarcastic tone. A) True B) False

Q: According to the textbook, what's wrong with referring to a position as "common sense"? A) It creates a context in which there is less chance for challenge and criticism. B) Social and political leaders use it as a tool to stifle changes to the status quo. C) It is a social construct that shifts over time rather than representing any solid "truth." D) It is a powerful tool of hegemony. E) All of the options are correct.

Q: Gestures that are nonverbal, and not part of an organized sign language, cannot substitute for a verbal message. A) True B) False

Q: The acceptance of the dominant values in a culture by those who are subordinate to those who hold economic power describes ______. A) consolidation B) democracy C) hegemony D) specialization E) synergy

Q: Complementing behaviors mirror the verbal message they accompany. A) True B) False

Q: Which of the following is not a statement that describes the modern concept of hegemony? A) Hegemony is a good tool for encouraging conversation and debate. B) Hegemony was a technique recommended by modern public relations founder Edward Bernays as a way to control public opinion. C) Hegemony's qualities are often defined or reinforced by narratives, or stories, told in various media forms including books, movies, and television. D) Hegemony tends to portray the social, economic, and political status quo as normal and natural ways to see the world. E) Hegemony tends to repel self-scrutiny or critical examination.

Q: When your little sister brings home the MVP trophy from her softball tournament, you say, "Good job!" while simultaneously giving her a "thumbs up" sign. We would say that your nonverbal behavior was repeating your verbal message. A) True B) False

Q: When a person's nonverbal behavior contradicts his or her verbal communication, we tend to believe the verbal message because it is more intentional. A) True B) False

Q: The trend of downsizing ______. A) was spurred by deregulation and a decline in worker protections B) is supposed to make companies more profitable, competitive, and flexible C) has forced many employees to scramble for jobs D) has increased the wage gap between the corporate CEO and the average worker E) All of the options are correct.

Q: Because nonverbal communication is more natural and spontaneous than verbal communication is, it is more easily understood. A) True B) False

Q: In the textbook, the term wage gap refers to ______. A) the growing difference in pay based on gender B) the downsizing of traditional newsrooms, with fewer reporters earning much higher salaries C) the rapidly growing difference in compensation between average wage earners and top corporate executives D) the gap between union salaries in the 1950s and the 2000s E) the shrinking gap in pay between hourly and salaried employees

Q: Which statement best reflects the progress of U.S. labor unions over the last seventy years? A) They have experienced steady growth and now represent 35 percent of workers. B) After being painted as "socialist," they saw their enrollment suffer badly through the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, but they have rebounded strongly in the last thirty years. C) Enrollment seems to rise and fall each decade, but labor unions have overall peaked since the turn of the twenty-first century. D) They have benefited greatly from the steady influx of manufacturing away from other countries. E) They grew steadily following World War II, peaked in the 1950s when about a third of Americans belonged to a union, then have watched their numbers dwindle as more manufacturing jobs move overseas.

Q: Sign language is an example of nonverbal communication. A) True B) False

Q: Contrast the public-private dimension of the situational context with the informal-formal dimension.

Q: According to your textbook, today's flexible media system, in which new products are constantly rushed to the marketplace, favors ______. A) workers who belong to labor unions B) individual entrepreneurs who can tailor a unique media product to meet a niche market C) large companies that can easily absorb losses incurred from failed products D) government-subsidized companies that don't have to be concerned with making a profit E) None of the above options is correct.

Q: What is one example of something people do when sending an e-mail or chatting online to substitute for the lack of nonverbal communication channels?

Q: Given that ______ percent of new media products fail, a flexible economy demands fast product development and market research. A) 10"20 B) 30"35 C) 40"50 D) 80"90 E) over 95

Q: The billion-dollar mergers and takeovers that swept the mass media in the 1990s were possible because of ______. A) speculation on Wall Street B) deregulation C) the collapse of communism D) the rise of the World Wide Web E) tighter legal controls on corporate spending

Q: What is the difference between a contact and a noncontact culture?

Q: By 2013, the average U.S. home received ______ TV channels, but watched only about 17. A) 50 B) 78 C) 133 D) 189 E) None of the above options is correct.

Q: Define chronemics and provide an example of a time you have used it to communicate with someone.

Q: Give an example of functional-professional touch you have either provided to a customer or client or that you have received as a customer or client.

Q: Government deregulation and corporate strategy are leading to a mass media industry controlled by ______. A) hundreds of small companies B) monopolies C) oligopolies D) national conglomerates E) one single parent corporation

Q: The 1996 Telecommunications Act ______. A) placed limits on cable company rate increases B) allowed telephone companies to enter the TV and radio business C) allowed a company in the Top 20 market to own a newspaper and a TV station, as long as there were at least eight TV stations in the market D) used regulation to guard against ownership concentration E) None of the above options is correct.

Q: List four of the five styles of touch that are categorized along the intimacy continuum.