Page 345 - Essentials of Human Communication

324 Glossary

symmetrical relationship. A relation between two or more per- touch avoidance. The tendency to avoid touching and being
sons in which one person’s behavior serves as a stimulus for touched by others. Respect the touch-avoidance tenden-
the same type of behavior in the other person(s). Examples cies of others; pay special attention to cultural and
of such relationships include those in which anger in one gender differences in touch preferences and in touch
person encourages or serves as a stimulus for anger in an- avoidance.
other person or in which a critical comment by the person touch communication. Communication through tactile
leads the other person to respond in like manner. means.
symposium. A small group format in which each member of transactional. A view of human communication characterized
the group delivers a relatively prepared talk on some as- by mutual influence and interdependence; communication
pect of the topic. Often combined with a forum. is a transactional process because no element is indepen-
synchronous communication. Communication that takes dent of any other element.
place in real time; sending and receiving take place at the transfer. A persuasive technique in which a speaker associates
same time (as in face-to-face communication). Contrast an idea with something the audience respects in order to
asynchronous communication. gain approval or with something the audience dislikes in
systematic desensitization. A theory and technique for deal- order to be rejected.
ing with a variety of fears (such as communication appre- transitions. Words or statements that connect what was said
hension) in which you gradually expose yourself to an to what will be said. Use transitions and internal summa-
anxiety-producing stimulus so as to become hardened to it. ries to connect the parts of a speech and to help listeners
remember the speech.
truth bias. The assumption that most people operate under
taboo. Forbidden; culturally censored. Taboo language is lan- that the messages they hear are truthful.
guage that is frowned on by “polite society.” Topics and turn-denying cues. Verbal or nonverbal cues indicating that
specific words may be considered taboo—for example, the listener does not want to assume the role of speaker.
death, sex, certain forms of illness, and various words de- turn-maintaining cues. Verbal or nonverbal signals that com-
noting sexual activities and excretory functions. Generally, municate the wish to maintain the role of speaker.
avoid violating any cultural taboo; the more formal the situ- turn-requesting cues. Verbal or nonverbal behaviors that let
ation, the more important it is to avoid such taboos. the speaker know that you would like to say something
tag questions. Questions that ask for another’s agreement and take a turn as speaker.
and often signal weakness or uncertainty—for example, turn-taking cues. Verbal or nonverbal signals that speakers and
“That dinner was fine, don’t you think?” Avoid these listeners use to comment on their roles in a conversation;
when you want your speech to have power behaviors that help regulate and structure conversation.
team. A particular kind of small group that is constructed for Respond to both the verbal and the nonverbal conversational
a specific task and whose members have clearly defined turn-taking cues given to you by others, and make your own
roles, are committed to achieving the same goal, and are cues clear to them.
content focused. turn-yielding cues. Verbal or nonverbal signals indicating the
template outline. A type of outline that contains the essen- speaker’s desire to give up the speaker’s role.
tial categories of a speech to be filled in during speech
preparation.
temporal communication. The messages communicated by a uncertainty reduction strategies. Passive, active, and interac-
person’s time orientation and treatment of time. tive ways of increasing accuracy in interpersonal
territoriality. A possessive or ownership reaction to an area of perception.
space or to particular objects. uncertainty reduction theory. A theory holding that as rela-
testimonial. A persuasive technique in which the speaker tionships develop, uncertainty is reduced; relationship
uses the authority or image of some positively evaluated development is seen as a process of reducing uncertainty
person to gain an audience’s approval or of some nega- about one another.
tively evaluated person to gain listeners’ rejection. universal of interpersonal communication. A feature of com-
testimony. A form of supporting material consisting of an ex- munication common to all interpersonal communication
perts’ opinions or witnesses’ accounts and may add an au- acts.
thoritative tone to your arguments. unknown self. A part of the self that is unknown to the self as
theory. A general statement or principle applicable to related well as to others, but that is inferred to exist on the basis
phenomena. of various projective tests, slips of the tongue, dream anal-
thesis. The main assertion of a message—for example, the yses, and the like.
theme of a public speech. upward communication. Communication in which the mes-
topical pattern. An organizational pattern for a public speech sages are sent from lower levels to upper levels of an orga-
in which the topic is organized into its subtopics or com- nization or hierarchy—for example, from line worker to
ponent parts. management.