Chapter 1 An overview of Communication

Question 1

Symbols

Answer 1

arbitrary representations of ideas, objects, people, relationships, cultures, genders, races, and so forth

Question 2

Sign

Answer 2

a consequence or an indicator of something specific, which cannot be changed by arbitrary actions or labels
(e.g., “wet streets are a sign of rain”)

Question 3

Meaning

Answer 3

What a symbol represents

Question 4

Social construction

Answer 4

the way in which symbols take on meaning in a social context or society as they are used over time

Question 5

Medium

Answer 5

Means through which a message is conveyed

Question 6

Frames

Answer 6

basic forms of knowledge that provide a definition of a scenario, either because both people agree on the nature of the situation or because the cultural assumptions built into the interaction and the previous relational context of talk give them a clue

Question 7

Communication frame

Answer 7

a boundary around a conversation that pulls one’s attention toward certain things and away from others

Question 8

Representation

Answer 8

describes facts or conveys information (contrast with presentation)

Question 9

Presentation

Answer 9

one person’s particular version of, or “take” on, the facts or events (contrast with representation)

Question 10

Communication as action

Answer 10

the act of sending messages—whether or not they are received

Question 11

Communication as interaction

Answer 11

an exchange of information between two (or more) individuals

Question 12

Communication as transaction

Answer 12

the construction of shared meanings or understandings between two (or more) individuals

Question 13

Constitutive approach to communication

Answer 13

communication can create or bring into existence something that has not been there before, such as an agreement, a contract, or an identity