Midterm Vocabulary

Question 1

Symbol

Answer 1

a random representation of something else

Ex: words, a picture, logos, or anything else that represents something other than itself.

Question 2

Signs

Answer 2

consequence or an indicator of something specific, that cannot be changed by a random action of label

Ex: wet streets may be a sign that it has rained, and smoke is a sign of fire. There is a direct causal connection between smoke and fire and between wet streets and rain.

Question 3

meaning

Answer 3

what a symbol or something represents

Ex- Smile= happiness

Question 4

social construction

Answer 4

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

Ex- family members may use certain words or phrases that have particular shared meaning

Question 5

Medium

Answer 5

the means through which a message is conveyed will also affect the meaning of a message.

Ex- texting, email, notes

Question 6

Frames

Answer 6

basic forms of knowledge that provide a definition of a scenario

Ex-Think of the frame on a picture and how it pulls your attention into some elements (the picture) and excludes all the rest (the wall, the gallery, the furniture).

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 coveys information

ex- For example, imagine or recall a situation in which a friend has questioned something you have done, but you believed your actions were justified and wanted to explain this justification to your friend. In such cases, you would likely select your words very carefully and thoughtfully, wanting your friend to view the situation from your perspective. Your message is conveying information (representational)

Question 9

presentation

Answer 9

one person’s particular version of, or “take” on, the facts or events

EX- For example, imagine or recall a situation in which a friend has questioned something you have done, but you believed your actions were justified and wanted to explain this justification to your friend. In such cases, you would likely select your words very carefully and thoughtfully, wanting your friend to view the situation from your perspective. While providing a glimpse into your perspective and how you want your friend to view the situation (presentational).

Question 10

communication as action

Answer 10

the act of a sender sending a message to a receiver- whether or not they are received

ex-occurs when someone leaves a message on your voice mail, sends you an e-mail, or puts a message in a bottle in the ocean—that is when someone transmits a message.

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

ex- communication exists between Emalyn and Corban if, through their texts, they both arrive at the shared realization that they understand/know/love/need each other.

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

Question 14

Identity

Answer 14

a person’s uniqueness, represented by descriptions, a self-concept, inner thoughts, and performances

Question 15

Perception

Answer 15

involves how a person views the world, organizes what is perceived, interprets information, and evaluates information

Question 16

selective exposure

Answer 16

more likely to expose yourself to that which supports your beliefs, values, and attitudes.

Question 17

selective perception

Question 18

selective retention/ selective memory

Answer 18

the idea that you are more likely to recall things that support your beliefs, values, and attitudes

Question 19

schemata

Answer 19

mental structures that are used to organize information partly by clustering or linking associated material

ex- information about relationships can be stored and connected in “relationship” schemata and drawn on when needed

Question 20

prototype

Answer 20

the best case example of something

Question 21

personal constructs

Answer 21

are bipolar dimensions we use to measure and evaluate things.

ex-Attractive–Unattractive
Kind–Mean

Question 22

symbolic self

Answer 22

a self that exists for other people and goes beyond what it means to you; it arises from social interaction with other people.

Question 23

Symbolic interactionism

Answer 23

how broad social forces affect or even transact an individual’s view of self.

Question 24

attitude of reflection

Answer 24

thinking about how you look in other people’s eyes, or reflecting that other people can see you as a social object from their point of view

Question 25

self-description

Answer 25

information about self that is obvious to others through appearance and behavior

ex-If you wear your college T- shirt, talk with a French accent, or are tall, these characteristics are available even to strangers.

Question 26

self disclosure

Answer 26

the revelation of information that people cannot know unless a person makes it known to them.

Question 27

dialectic tension

Answer 27

occurs whenever one is of two minds about something because one feels a simultaneous pull in two directions

Question 28

altercasting

Answer 28

how language can impose a certain identity on people, and how language can support or reject the identity of another person

Question 29

performative self

Answer 29

a self that is a creative performance based on the social demands and norms of a given situation

Question 30

front region

Answer 30

a frame where a social interaction is regarded as under public scrutiny, so people have to be on their best behavior or acting out their professional roles or intended “faces”

Question 31

back region

Answer 31

a frame where a social interaction is regarded as not under public scrutiny, so people do not have to present their public faces

Question 32

verbal communication

Answer 32

the use of language to connect with another mind

Question 33

denotative meaning

Answer 33

the identification of something by pointing it out (“that is a cat”)

Question 34

polysemy

Answer 34

recognize that there can be multiple meanings given to the same word, such as bar

Question 35

sapir-whorf hypothesis

Answer 35

the idea that the names of objects and ideas make verbal distinctions and help you make conceptual distinctions rather than the other way around

Question 36

connotative meaning

Answer 36

the overtones, implications, or additional meanings associated with a word or an object

ex- cats are seen as independent, cuddly, hunters, companions, irritations, allergens, stalkers, stealthy, and incredibly lucky both in landing on their feet all the time and in having nine lives.

Question 37

God terms

Answer 37

are powerful terms that are viewed positively in a society

Question 38

devil terms

Answer 38

terms that are viewed negatively in a society.

Question 39

conversational hypertext

Answer 39

coded messages within conversation that an informed listener will understand

Question 40

restricted code

Answer 40

a way of speaking that emphasizes authority and adopts certain community/cultural orientations as indisputable facts

Question 41

elaborated code

Answer 41

speech that emphasizes the reasoning behind a command; uses speech and language more as a way for people to differentiate the uniqueness of their own personalities and ideas and to express their own individuality, purposes, attitudes, and beliefs than as a way to reinforce collectivity or commonality of outlook

Question 42

feminine talk

Answer 42

which is characterized as nurturing, harmonious, and compromising

Question 43

masculine talk

Answer 43

that which is characterized as tough, aggressive, and competitive