The selection committee is looking over the résumé of Abdul Ishtar, an applicant for the Dean of the College position. His records show he was born and raised in South Yemen, but has lived in the U.S. for the past 25 years. He has chaired the psychology department of a regional university for the past 12 years and his letters of recommendation are excellent. Some committee members express concern about the ability of a man raised in an Islamic culture to treat women fairly and objectively. Their resistance results in his exclusion as a finalist. Which barrier to effective interpersonal communication does this example reflect?

We decide whether to incorporate others’ comments into our self-concept by evaluating the feedback using three criteria: frequency of the message, __________, and how consistent the message is with our own experiences and other feedback we’ve received.

Uncertainty reduction can be used to reduce partner, relational, and __________ uncertainty.

What elements distinguish interpersonal communication from other forms of human communication?

Lotan lives in a culture in which members value things like caring for the less fortunate, being sensitive toward others, and enhancing the quality of life for everyone. To which type of culture does Lotan most likely belong?

When Gladys says, “I’m sorry, Pete. I take it back. Your new haircut isn’t really atrocious,” she seems to be forgetting that communication __________.

Elvira felt worthless after losing the chess tournament, so she reached out to her friend Lexi to help, Lexi offered her empathy, concern, and positive words, which immediately put Elvira back in good spirits. Which strategy did Elvira use to repair her self-esteem?

Alyce assumes that her classmate, Ginny, does not wash her hair and skin regularly because she always looks oily. Alyce thinks it is gross that Ginny is so unclean, and further, assumes that she is unintelligent and unfriendly. What can be used to explain Alyce’s perception of Ginny?

Communication author Virginia Satir calls __________ “the largest single factor determining the kinds of relationships with others.”

While sitting at a coffee shop, you overhear somebody say, “I don’t understand why some people from Latin America kiss me on the cheek when they greet me. We don’t do that here in Ohio.” Which theory can help explain this statement?