COM 325—Study Guide for Exam 1—Fall, 2012
Terms & Concepts for Multiple-Choice Questions
Chapter 1
Role, interpersonal, and close/intimate relationships
Characteristics of relational communication
Basic interpersonal needs
Seven types of relational themes (e.g., dominance/submission, level of intimacy, similarity, etc.)
Distinguish between sex and gender
Types of communication in terms of “success” (attempted, accidental, successful, etc.)
Types of goals in relationships (e.g., self-presentational, relational, instrumental)
Chapter 2
Self-esteem and Identity (self-concept—hierarchy from fringe to core)
Four frames of identity in the Communication Theory of Identity
Social identity theory
Self-expansion theory
Rules of the MySpace Generation
Looking glass self
Affinity seeking behaviors
Face (Goffman)--heartless and shameless
--front stage and back stage
Corrective facework (e.g., avoidance, humor, apologies, accounts—excuse & justification, etc.)
Preventive facework (e.g., disclaimers)
Positive and negative face needs (Brown & Levinson)
Politeness strategies (bald-on-record, positive politeness, etc.)
Chapter 3
Types of attraction: (Big 3 and Secondary)
Fatal attraction
Halo effect
Hard-to-get phenomenon
Assimilation Effect
Microenvironmental features of attraction
Reinforcement Affect Model
Excitation transfer
Influence from social networks
Romeo and Juliet effect
Chapter 4
Uncertainty: self, partner, relationship
Passive, active, and interactive strategies from Uncertainty Reduction Theory
Uncertainty increasing behaviors (e.g., competing relationships, unexplained loss of contact or
closeness, etc.)
Secret tests
Tolerance for uncertainty
Predictive vs. prescriptive expectancies (expectancy violation theory)
Types of expectancy violations in close relationships
Predicted outcome value theory
Chapter 5
Relationship initiation skills (initiation, self-disclosure, emotional support, negative assertion, conflict
management)
Dimensions of self-disclosure
Types of Turning Points
Goals for a first date
Three types of opening lines
Short Answer Questions
Chapter 1
1.
2.
Be able to explain briefly at least five of the eight characteristics that distinguish relationships (e.g.,
voluntary-nonvoluntary, platonic-romantic, etc.).
Be able to distinguish relational communication from interpersonal communication.
Chapter 2
3.
4.
Be able to explain Self Expansion Theory.
Know the three factors that affect the severity of a face threat (PDR). Use the class notes for this, not the
book.
Chapter 3
5.
6.
Be able to describe any three personal qualities or preferences that seem to influence early attraction
processes.
Why is it the case that sometimes opposites are attracted to each other? When is this type of attraction
not likely to work out?
Chapter 4
7.
8.
What does rewardingness have to do with reactions to expectancy violations?
Be able to define Predicted Outcome Value Theory.
Chapter 5
9.
10.
11.
Be able to list and describe three barriers to the initiation of a relationship?
Be able to describe three of the six risks associated with self-disclosure.
Be able to list the 5 stages of coming together in Knapp and Vangelisti’s Staircase Model and give two
characteristics for each.