Communication Skills - Glossary

Question 1

a disconfirming response with more than one meaning, leaving the other party unsure of the responder’s position

Answer 1

ambiguous

Question 2

the process correctly pronouncing all the necessary parts of a word

Answer 2

articulation

Question 3

a style in which the receiver listens carefully to gather information to use in an attack on the speaker

Answer 3

ambushing

Question 4

a simple object or ornament representing significant cultural meaning

Answer 4

artifact

Question 5

the process of focusing on certain stimuli from the environment

Answer 5

attending

Question 6

the medium through which a message passes from sender to receiver

Answer 6

channel

Question 7

the emotional tone of a relationship as it is expressed in the messages that the partners send and receive

Answer 7

climate

Question 8

the process of human beings responding to verbal/nonverbal behavior; a human survival skill needed to maintain contact with the world

Answer 8

communication

Question 9

to be clear and brief

Answer 9

concise

Question 10

the emotional associations of a term

Answer 10

connotation

Question 11

agreement between group members about a decision

Answer 11

consensus

Question 12

the believability of a speaker or other source of information

Answer 12

credibility

Question 13

the study of how humans use and structure time

Answer 13

chronemics

Question 14

one who turns the attention of the conversation to themselves

Answer 14

conversation narcissist

Question 15

listening in which the goal is to evaluate the quality or accuracy of the speaker’s remarks

Answer 15

critical listening

Question 16

an intense level of anxiety about speaking before an audience resulting in poor performance

Answer 16

debilitative apprehension

Question 17

taking innocent comments as personal attacks

Answer 17

defensive listening

Question 18

the objective, emotion-free meaning of a term

Answer 18

denotation

Question 19

refers to an assortment of non cognitive skills, capabilities, and competencies that influence a person’s ability to successfully cope with environmental demands and pressures

Answer 19

emotional intelligence

Question 20

the ability to perceive another’s experience and communicate that perception back to the person

Answer 20

empathy

Question 21

listening in which the goal is to help the speaker solve a problem

Answer 21

empathetic listening

Question 22

physical location and personal history surrounding the communication

Answer 22

environment

Question 23

words that have more than one dictionary meaning

Answer 23

equivocal terms

Question 24

a pleasant term substituted for a more direct, less pleasant term

Answer 24

euphemism

Question 25

listening in which the goal is to judge the quality or accuracy of speaker's remarks

Answer 25

evaluative listening

Question 26

a speech planned in advance but presented in a direct, conversational manner

Answer 26

extemporaneous speech

Question 27

a moderate level of anxiety about speaking before an audience that helps improve the speaker's performance

Answer 27

facilitative apprehension

Question 28

incorrect assumptions that lead us to believe that we have heard the message before or that the message is too simple or too complex to understand

Answer 28

faulty assumption

Question 29

the discernible response of the receiver

Answer 29

feedback

Question 30

how touch effects the communication process

Answer 30

haptics

Question 31

a speech given without preparation

Answer 31

impromptu

Question 32

listening to understand another person or idea

Answer 32

informational listening

Question 33

the failure to recognize the thoughts or feelings that are not directly expressed by a speaker, and instead accepting the speaker's words at face value

Answer 33

insensitive listening

Question 34

communication in which the parties involved consider one another as unique individuals

Answer 34

interpersonal communication

Question 35

communicating with oneself

Answer 35

intrapersonal communication

Question 36

special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand

Answer 36

jargon

Question 37

the study of body movement, gestures, and posture

Answer 37

kinesics

Question 38

a speech that is read word-for-word from a prepared text

Answer 38

manuscript speech

Question 39

the transmission of messages to large, usually widespread audiences via broadcast means

Answer 39

mass communication

Question 40

a speech that is learned and delivered by rote without a written text

Answer 40

memorized speech

Question 41

a speaker's words and actions

Answer 41

message

Question 42

excessive written or verbal information

Answer 42

message overload

Question 43

a nonverbal means of communication that emphasizes punctuality in beginning and completing a task

Answer 43

monochronic

Question 44

a force that interferes with the process of communication

Answer 44

noise

Question 45

the highness or lowness of one's voice

Answer 45

pitch

Question 46

a nonverbal means of communication that emphasizes flexibility in beginning and completing tasks

Answer 46

polychronic

Question 47

the study of how people and animals use space

Answer 47

proxemics

Question 48

giving the appearance of listening

Answer 48

pseudolistening

Question 49

the speed at which one speaks

Answer 49

rate

Question 50

decodes the message

Answer 50

receiver

Question 51

words that gain their meaning through comparison

Answer 51

relative terms

Question 52

a listening style in which the receiver responds only to messages that interest him or her

Answer 52

selective listening

Question 53

the relatively stable set of perceptions each individual holds of himself or herself

Answer 53

self-concept

Question 54

the process of deliberately revealing information about oneself that is significant and that would not normally be known by others

Answer 54

self-disclosure

Question 55

the degree of regard a person holds for himself

Answer 55

self-esteem

Question 56

a prediction or expectation of an event that makes the outcome more likely to occur than would otherwise

Answer 56

self-fulfilling prophecy

Question 57

the study of meaning of words and phrases in language

Answer 57

semantics

Question 58

encodes and delivers the message

Answer 58

sender

Question 59

a type of language that consists of words or phrases that are informal

Answer 59

slang

Question 60

personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people

Answer 60

soft skills

Question 61

the arrangement of words in a sentence

Answer 61

syntax

Question 62

a complete sentence describing the central idea of a speech, usually found in the first paragraph

Answer 62

thematic

Question 63

the quality of one's voice

Answer 63

tone

Question 64

the loudness of one's voice

Answer 64

volume