COM110 Lesson 4 Key Terms

Question 1

Polarization

Answer 1

A form of fallacious reasoning in which only two extremes are considered; also referred to as black-and-white thinking or as two-value orientation.

Question 2

Intensional orientation

Answer 2

The failure to see the differences among things or people covered by the same label. Avoid intensional orientation. Look to people and things first and to labels second.

Question 3

Connotative meaning

Answer 3

The emotional, subjective aspect of meaning. Clarify you connotative meanings if you have any doubt that your listeners might misunderstand you; as a listener, ask questions if you have doubts about the speaker’s connotations.

Question 4

Fact-inference confusion

Answer 4

Treating inferences as if they were the fact. A misevaluation in which a person makes an inference, regards it as fact, and acts upon it as if it were fact.

Question 5

Confirmation

Answer 5

A communication pattern of acknowledgment and acceptance; when you wish to be confirming, acknowledge (verbally and/or nonverbally) others in your group and their contributions.

Question 6

Static evaluation

Answer 6

An orientation that fails to recognize that the world is constantly changing; an attitude that sees people and events as fixed rather than ever changing.

Question 7

Indiscrimination

Answer 7

A misevaluation that results when you categorize people, events, or objects into a particular class and respond to them only as members of the class; a failure to recognize that each individual is unique.

Question 8

Ageism

Answer 8

Discrimination based on age; usually against older people.

Question 9

Level of abstraction

Answer 9

The degree of generality or specificity of a term.

Question 10

Netiquette

Answer 10

The rules for polite communication on the Internet.