. interference (noise) any stimulus that interferes with the process of sharing meaning.

. participants individuals who assume the roles of senders and receivers during an interaction.
semantic noise distractions aroused by certain symbols that take our attention away from the main message.

communication setting the different communication environments within which people interact, characterized by the number of participants and the extent to which the interaction is formal or informal; also called communication contexts. intrapersonal communication the interactions that occur in a persons mind when he or

she is talking with himself or herself. interpersonal communication informal interaction between two people who have an identifi able relationship with each other. small group communication two to 20 people who participants come together for the specifi c purpose of solving a problem or arriving at a decision. public communication one participant, the speaker, delivers a prepared message to a group or audience who has assembled to hear the speaker.
spontaneous expressions messages spoken without much conscious thought. scripted messages phrasings learned from past encounters that we judge to be appropriate to the present

situation. constructed messages messages put together with careful thought when we recognize that our known scripts are inadequate for the situation. immediacy the degree of liking or attractiveness in a relationship. control the degree to which one participant is perceived to be more dominant or powerful.

ethics a set of moral principles that may be held by a society, a group, or an individual. ethical dilemma a choice involving two unsatisfactory alternatives. communication competence the impression that communicative behavior is both appropriate and effective in a given situation.

credibility a perception of a speakers knowledge, trustworthiness, and warmth. social ease communicating without appearing to be anxious or nervous. communication apprehension fear or anxiety associated with real or anticipated communication with others.

pattern a set of characteristics used to differentiate some things from others.

interpret assigning meaning to information. incongruence the gap between our inaccurate self-perceptions and reality.

self-fulfi lling prophecy a false perception of a

situation or characteristic or skill that leads to behaviors that perpetuate that false perception as true.
self-talk the internal conversations we

have with ourselves. self-monitoring the internal process of observing, analyzing, and regulating your own behavior based on your analysis of the situation and others responses to you.
uncertainty reduction the process of monitoring the social environment to learn more about self and others. implicit personality theories assumptions about which physical characteristics and personality traits or behaviors are associated with one another. halo effect

to generalize and perceive that a person has a whole set of characteristics when you have actually observed only one characteristic, trait, or behavior. stereotypes generalizations, usually exaggerated or oversimplifi ed and often offensive, use to describe or distinguish a

group. attributions reasons we give for others behavior. perception check a message that refl ects your understanding of the meaning of another persons nonverbal behavior. SapirWhorf hypothesis a theory claiming that language infl uences perception.

speech community a group of people who speak the same language (also called a language community
)..

syntactic context the position of a word in a sentence and the other words around it.

low-context cultures cultures in which messages are direct, specifi c, and detailed. high-context cultures cultures in which messages are indirect, general, and ambiguous.
specifi c words words that clarify meaning by narrowing what is understood from a general category to a particular item or group within that category.

concrete words words that appeal to the senses and help us see, hear, smell, taste, or touch. precise words words that narrow a larger category to a smaller group within that category.

dating information specifying the time or time period that a fact was true or known to be true. indexing generalizations the mental and verbal practice of acknowledging the presence of individual differences when voicing generalizations.
vivid wording wording that is full of life, vigorous, bright, and intense.

linguistic sensitivity

language choices that demonstrate respect for listener(s

).

generic language using words that may apply only to one sex, race, or other group as though they represent everyone.

nonverbal communication behaviors bodily actions and vocal qualities that typically accompany a verbal message. emoticons typed symbols that convey emotional aspects of an online message.

illustrators gestures that augment a verbal message.

emblems gestures can substitute for words.

adaptors gestures that respond to a physical need. oculesics how and how much we look at others when communicati body orientation posture in relation to another person.
haptics what and how touch communicates. vocalics the interpretation of the message based on the paralinguistic features. paralanguage the voiced but not verbal part of a spoken message
..

intonation

the variety, melody, or inflection in ones voice. vocalized pauses extraneous sounds or words that interrupt fl uent speech. proxemics the interpretation of a persons use of space and distance. personal space the distance you try to maintain when you interact with other people
..

physical space the physical environment over which you exert control. artifacts objects and possessions we use to decorate the physical space we control. chronemics the interpretation of a persons use of time. monochronic time orientation a time orientation that emphasizes doing one thing

at a time. polychronic time orientation a time orientation that emphasizes doing multiple things at once.
endomorph round and heavy body type. mesomorph muscular and athletic body type. ectomorph lean and little muscle development.

comprehensive listening listening to learn or remember. empathic listening listening to understand the speakers feelings about the message. critical listening listening to evaluate the truthfulness or honesty of a message.

appreciative listening listening for enjoyment.

discriminative listening listening to understand the meaning of a message.

sympathetic responsiveness feeling concern, compassion, or sorrow for another because of the others situation or plight.

content paraphrase one that focuses on the denotative meaning of the message. feelings paraphrase a response that captures the emotions attached to the content of the message
.

empathic responsiveness experiencing an emotional response parallel to, and as a result observing, another persons actual or anticipated display of emotion. perspective taking imagining yourself in the place of another; the most

common form of empathizing

inferences statements made by the speaker that are based on facts or observations..
evaluation critically analyzing what you have heard to determine its truthfulness..

supportive messages comforting statements that have a goal to reassure, bolster, encourage, soothe, console, or cheer culture the values, attitudes, beliefs, orientations, and underlying assumptions prevalent among people in
a society.

culture shock the psychological discomfort you may feel when you attempt to adjust to a new cultural situation
co-cultures groups of people living within a dominant culture but

exhibiting communication that is suffi ciently different to distinguish them from the dominant culture. ethnicity a classifi cation of people based on combinations of shared characteristics such as nationality, geographic origin, language, religion, ancestral customs, and tradition
religion a system of beliefs shared by a group and that supplies the group with an entity(ies) for devotion, rituals for worship, and a code of ethics.

social class an indicator of a persons position in a social hierarchy, as determined by income, education, occupation, and social habits.

ethnocentrism the belief that ones own culture is superior to others

stereotypes attributions that cover up individual differences and ascribe certain characteristics to a group of people. prejudice a rigid attitude based on group membership
.

altruism a display of genuine and unselfi sh concern for the welfare of others. egocentricity a selfi sh interest in ones own needs, to the exclusion of everything else.
intercultural empathy imaginatively placing yourself in the dissimilar other persons cultural world to attempt to experience what he or she is experiencing. fl exibility the ability to adjust your communication to fi t the other person and the situation..

acquaintances

people we know by name and talk with when the opportunity arises, but with whom our interactions are largely impersonal. impersonal communication interchangeable polite chitchat involving no or very little personal disclosure.
platonic relationship an intimate relationship in which the partners are not sexually attracted to each other or do not act on an attraction they feel. romantic relationship an intimate relationship in which the partners act on their sexual attraction. trust placing confi dence in another in a way that almost always involves some risk
..

self-disclosure sharing biographical data, personal ideas, and feelings that are unknown to the other person. Johari window a tool for examining the relationship between disclosure and feedback in the relationship
..

relationship transformation the process of changing a relationship from one level of intimacy to another. dialectic a tension between confl icting forces. relational dialectics the competing psychological tensions in a relationship.

autonomy the desire to do things independent of ones partner. connection the desire to do things and make decisions with ones partner. openness

the desire to share intimate ideas and feelings with ones partner. closedness the desire to maintain ones privacy in a relationship. novelty originality, freshness, and uniqueness in the partners behaviors or in the relationship. predictability consistency, reliability, and dependability in a relationship. temporal selection the strategy of choosing one dialectical tension and ignoring its opposite for a while. topical segmentation the strategy of choosing certain topics with which to satisfy one dialectical tension and other topics for its opposite. neutralization the strategy of compromising

between the desires of the two partners. reframing the strategy of changing ones perspective about the level of tension. comforting helping people feel better about themselves, their behavior, or their situation by creating a safe conversational space where they can express their feelings and work out a plan for the future. buffering messages comforting messages that are phrased very politely in ways that address another persons face needs. positive face needs the desires to be appreciated and approved, liked, and honored.

disclosure revealing confi dential or secret information about

others as well as yourself. privacy the right of an individual to keep biographical data, personal ideas, and feelings secret. privacy management exercising personal control over confi dential information in order to enhance autonomy or minimize vulnerability.
praise describing the specifi c positive behaviors or accomplishments of another and the effect that behavior has on others
.

passive behavior not expressing personal preferences or defending our rights because we fear the cost and are insecure in the relationships, have very low self-esteem, or value the other

person above ourself interpersonal confl ict when the needs or ideas of one person are at odds with the needs or ideas of another..
withdrawing managing confl ict by physically or psychologically removing yourself. accommodating managing confl ict by satisfying others needs or accepting others ideas while neglecting our own.

interview a planned, structured conversation in which one person asks questions and another person answers them. interview protocol the list of questions prepared to elicit relevant information from the interviewee.
primary questions lead-in questions that introduce one of the major topics of the interview conversation. secondary questions follow-up questions designed to probe the answers given to primary questions.

open questions broad-based probes that call on the interviewee to provide perspective, ideas, information, feelings, or opinions as he or she answers the question. closed questions narrowly focused questions that require the respondent to give very brief (one- or twoword) answers

neutral questions questions that do not direct a persons answer. leading questions questions that guide respondents toward providing certain types of information and imply that the interviewer prefers one answer over another. rsum a written summary of your skills and accomplishments.

bridge a transition you create in a media interview so that you can move from the interviewers subject to

the message you want to communicate

group a collection of three or more people who interact and attempt to infl uence each other in order to accomplish a common purpose group communication all the verbal and nonverbal messages shared with or among members of the group interdependent group group in which members rely on each others skills and knowledge to accomplish the group goals accountability group members being held responsible for adhering to the group norms and working. toward the groups goal.. synergy the multiplying force of a group working together that results in a combined effort greater than any of the parts. storming the stage of group development characterized by confl ict and power plays as members seek to have their ideas accepted and to fi nd

their place within the groups power structure. groupthink a deterioration of mental effi ciency, reality testing, and moral judgment that results from in-group pressure to conform. norming the stage of group development during which the group solidifi es its rules for behavior, resulting in greater trust and motivation to achieve the group goal. performing the stage of group development when the skills, knowledge, and abilities of all members are combined to overcome obstacles and meet goals successfully. heterogeneous group group in which various demographics, levels of knowledge, attitudes, and interests are represented. homogeneous group group in which members have a great deal of similarity. group dynamics the way a group interacts to achieve its goal. problem defi nition a formal written statement

describing a problem.. criteria standards or measures used for judging the merits of proposed solutions.

agenda an organized outline of the information and decision items that will be covered during a meeting.
deliverables tangible or intangible products of work that must be provided to someone else. symposium a set of prepared oral reports delivered sequentially by group members before a gathering of people who are interested in the work of the group. comprehensive report a written document that provides a detailed review of the problem solving process used to arrive at a recommendation. executive summary a one-page synopsis of a comprehensive report demographics data to help you understand basic audience characteristics.

survey a questionnaire designed to gather information from people. general speech goal the overall intent of your speech. specifi c speech goal a single statement of the exact response the speaker wants from the audience. periodicals magazines and journals that appear at fi xed intervals. primary research the process of conducting your own study to acquire information for your speech. . factual statements statements that can be verifi ed. statistics numerical facts. expert a person who has mastered a specifi c subject, usually through long-term study. anecdotes brief, often amusing stories. narratives accounts, personal experiences, tales, or lengthier stories.

comparisons illuminate a point by showing similarities. contrasts highlight differences. plagiarism the unethical act of representing a published authors work as your own.. thesis statement a one- or two-sentence summary of your speech that states your general and specifi c goals and previews the main points of your transitions words, phrases, or sentences that show the relationship between or bridge ideas. signposts short word or phrase transitions that connect pieces of supporting material to the main point or subpoint they address. quotation a comment made by and attributed to someone other than the speaker. story an account of something that has happened (actual) or could happen (hypothetical). suspense wording your attentiongetter

so that it generates uncertainty and excites the audience.

rhetorical question a question seeking a mental rather than a vocal response. direct question a question that demands an overt response from the audience, usually by a show of hands. joke anecdote or a piece of wordplay designed to be funny and make people laugh.

a one- or two-sentence statement that provides a sense of closure by driving home the importance of your speech in a memorable way. appeal describes the behavior you want your listeners to follow after they have heard your arguments. audience adaptation the process of customizing your speech material to your specifi c audience. relevance adapting the information in the speech so that audience members view it as important to them. timely

showing how information is useful now or in the near future. proximity a relationship to personal space personal pronouns we, us, and our: pronouns that refer directly to members of the audience. trustworthiness the extent to which audience members believe that what you say is accurate, true, and in their best interests. personableness the extent to which you project an agreeable or pleasing personality. sensory language language that appeals to the senses. presentational aid any visual, audio, or audiovisual material used in a speech for the purpose of helping the audience understand some point the speaker is making. visual aid a form of supporting material that allows the audience to see as well as to hear information. model

a three-dimensional scaleddown or scaled-up version of an actual object. audio aids a presentation aid that enhances a verbal message through sound. audiovisual aids a presentation aid that enhances a verbal message through sight and sound. public speaking apprehension a type of communication anxiety (or nervousness), is the level of fear you experience when anticipating or actually speaking to an audience. visualization a method to reduce apprehension by developing a mental picture of yourself giving a masterful speech. delivery how a message is communicated orally and visually through the use of voice and body to be conversational and animated. animated lively and dynamic intelligible understandable articulation

using the tongue, palate, teeth, jaw movement, and lips to shape vocalized sounds that combine to produce a word. pronunciation the form and accent of various syllables of a word. accent the articulation, infl ection, tone, and speech habits typical of the native speakers of a language. vocal expressiveness the contrasts in pitch, volume, rate, and quality that affect the meaning an audience gets from the sentences you speak.
pauses moments of silence strategically used to enhance meaning.

impromptu speech a speech that is delivered with only seconds or minutes of advance notice for preparation and is usually presented without referring to notes. intellectually stimulating information that is new to audience members.. description the informative method used

to create an accurate, vivid, verbal picture of an object, geographic feature, setting, person, event, or image. comparison and contrast a method of informing that explains something by focusing on how it is similar. and different from other things. narration a method of informing that explains something by recounting events or stories. demonstration a method of informing that explains something by showing how it is done, by displaying the stages of a process, or by depicting how something works. proposition a declarative sentence that clearly indicates the speakers position on the topic. uninformed not knowing enough about a topic to have formed an opinion. impartial knowing the basics about a topic but still having no opinion about it. apathetic

having no opinion because one is uninterested, unconcerned, or indifferent to a topic. argument the collective reasons and evidence used to support a proposition. logos the logical reasoning a speaker uses to develop an argument. reasons main point statements that summarize several related pieces of evidence and show why you should believe or do something. ethos appeals to credibility. goodwill the audience perception that the speaker understands, empathizes with, and is responsive to them motivation forces acting on or within an organism to initiate and direct behavior. incentive a reward promised if a particular action is taken or goal is reached.