Deck 8: Communication in Developing Relationships

Full screen (f)
exit full mode
Question
According to uncertainty reduction theory, people are eager to reduce uncertainty under which of the following conditions?

A) When we anticipate future interactions with other people.
B) When an individual possesses resources that we desire.
C) When an individual's behavior conforms to our expectations.
D) All of the above.
E) A and B only.
Use Space or
up arrow
down arrow
to flip the card.
Question
Which of the following strategies for coping with uncertainty is the most direct?

A) Active strategies
B) Interactive strategies
C) Passive strategies
D) Hedging
E) Planning
Question
Relational uncertainty stems from which of the following sources?

A) Self uncertainty
B) Partner uncertainty
C) Relationship uncertainty
D) All of the above
E) A and B only
Question
All of the following claims about relational uncertainty are true, EXCEPT:

A) When experiencing relational uncertainty, romantic partners are more likely to confront each other about unexpected events.
B) When experiencing relational uncertainty, romantic partners are less likely to discuss controversial topics such as religion.
C) Relational uncertainty increases the difficulty of planning messages.
D) People who are experiencing relational uncertainty are less likely to express feelings of jealousy.
E) People experiencing relational uncertainty may lack confidence in their understanding of social situations.
Question
After meeting Taylor for the first time at a party, Greg decides to reduce his uncertainty about Taylor by looking at her social media sites (e.g., Facebook and Instagram) and by talking to some of the friends that they have in common. According to uncertainty reduction theory, the former is referred to as a(n) ____________ strategy for coping with uncertainty, whereas the latter is referred to as a(n) ___________ strategy.

A) Active; interactive
B) Passive; interactive
C) Passive; active
D) Interactive; passive
E) Active; passive
Question
When asking Dr. Garner for extra credit, Myranda uses humor to soften the request: "I bet you're really losing sleep over which extra credit opportunity to provide." According to uncertainty reduction theory, Myranda is using which strategy for coping with uncertainty?

A) Hedging
B) Planning
C) An active strategy
D) Seeking information
E) A passive strategy
Question
We can experience relational uncertainty on a(n) _________ level when we have a general sense of ambiguity about involvement in a relationship, whereas we can experience relational uncertainty on a(n) ___________ level as a result of a specific event that has occurred within a relationship.

A) Relationship; episodic
B) Episodic; global
C) Global; relationship
D) Global; episodic
E) Relationship; contextual
Question
Even though Gatlan feels his relationship is somewhat stagnant, he doesn't see anyone else around that he wants to date and he doesn't like being alone, so Gatlan decides to stay with Denise for now. This decision is based on Gatlan's:

A) Comparison level
B) Comparison level of alternatives
C) Net outcome
D) Costs-rewards
E) Relational uncertainty
Question
According to equity theory, inequity in relationships is:

A) Uncomfortable for the person who is over-benefited.
B) Uncomfortable for the person who is under-benefited.
C) Uncomfortable for both partners.
D) Uncomfortable only if rewards are low.
E) Uncomfortable only if costs are high.
Question
Uncertainty reduction theory assumes all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) People try to gain certainty so they can understand the world around them.
B) We are motivated to reduce uncertainty about people when we anticipate future interaction with them.
C) We are motivated to reduce uncertainty when an individual's behavior violates our expectations.
D) We typically feel motivated to alleviate uncertainty when an individual possesses resources we desire.
E) Getting to know people increases the uneasiness and anxiety associated with uncertainty.
Question
After spending 6 months getting to know Ethan, Kaylee decided that her relationship with Ethan really wasn't worth all the time and energy she was investing in the relationship. Which theory best explains the decision-making process that Kaylee went through in her relationship with Ethan?

A) Uncertainty reduction theory
B) Relational uncertainty theory
C) Social penetration theory
D) Social exchange theory
E) Attribution theory
Question
Which theory best explains the questions people ask, and their motivations for asking them, during the initial stages of making an acquaintance?

A) Uncertainty reduction theory
B) Relational uncertainty theory
C) Social exchange theory
D) Social penetration theory
E) Equity theory
Question
According to interdependence theory:

A) When perceived rewards overshadow costs, a positive outcome value results.
B) We compare our relational outcomes with our comparison levels to determine relational satisfaction.
C) Our comparison levels (CLs) predict relational stability.
D) All of the above are true.
E) A and C only.
Question
People who are underbenefited in their personal relationships tend to experience all of the following emotions, EXCEPT:

A) Anger
B) Resentment
C) Guilt
D) Depression
E) Sadness
Question
Greg and his colleague Brian talk about a variety of things related to work, sports, and current events, but they haven't really had any personal discussions about their families or their personal affairs outside of work. According to Altman and Taylor's Social Penetration Model, Greg and Brian have developed ___________ intimacy based on the ____________ dimension of self-disclosure.

A) High; depth
B) High; breadth
C) Low; breadth
D) Moderate; breadth
E) Moderate; depth
Question
Social penetration theory uses which of the following metaphors to describe how people self-disclose?

A) A boundary metaphor
B) An onion metaphor
C) A popcorn metaphor
D) The metaphor of balancing scales
E) A bicycle metaphor
Question
Social penetration theory makes all of the following assumptions, EXCEPT:

A) Relationships generally develop in a linear way as partners move through stages of relationship development.
B) Relational development is characterized by changes in interpersonal communication.
C) Relationships deteriorate in a process that is identical to how they formed and developed in the first place.
D) Relationships change over time as interpersonal communication shifts from superficial forms of talk to more intimate forms of talk.
E) Self-disclosure enhances intimacy in relationships.
Question
After hearing her friend Stacee disclose what it was like growing up with divorced parents, Marlee felt a desire to share her experiences growing up with parents who fought all the time. According to social penetration theory, Marlee's decision to disclose her experiences with Stacee best illustrates:

A) Breadth of disclosure
B) Depth of disclosure
C) Being equitable in a friendship
D) The norm of reciprocity
E) The stable exchange stage
Question
According to social penetration theory, which of the following stages characterizes close friendships and romantic relationships, as partners use increasing amounts of disclosure at the intermediate and core areas of their personalities to unite them to each other?

A) The affective exchange stage
B) The stable exchange stage
C) The exploratory affective exchange stage
D) The equitable exchange stage
E) The orientation stage
Question
Social exchange theories advance all of the following claims, EXCEPT:

A) When the perceived costs of a relationship exceed the rewards, people are motivated to change or end the relationship.
B) People who are over-benefited in relationships tend to experience guilt.
C) Relational partners will seek to restore equity rather than remain in an inequitable relationship.
D) Some individuals may have partners who exceed their expectations, but because they perceive a greater alternative in someone else, they may choose to end an otherwise satisfying relationship.
E) The comparison level of alternatives determines how satisfied a person is with the relationship.
Question
Uncertainty is low when several outcomes are equally likely to occur.
Question
Active strategies for reducing uncertainty include any actions you take to gather information about someone without directly talking to the person.
Question
When we experience relational uncertainty as a result of a specific event, we are experiencing relational uncertainty on a global level.
Question
When applied to self-disclosure, the norm of reciprocity provides one example of a universal law.
Question
According to interdependence theory, your comparison level predicts your satisfaction with a relationship.
Question
Uncertainty reduction theory is grounded in the ______ paradigm.
Question
The degree of confidence people have in their perceptions of involvement within interpersonal relationships is referred to as ________.
Question
_____ describes the range of topics you talk about, whereas ______ measures how personal or intimate your disclosures are.
Question
Social exchange theories assume that humans are motivated by _______.
Question
According to interdependence theory, we use our ______ to assess how good or bad our current relationship is compared to our other options.
Unlock Deck
Sign up to unlock the cards in this deck!
Unlock Deck
Unlock Deck
1/30
auto play flashcards
Play
simple tutorial
Full screen (f)
exit full mode
Deck 8: Communication in Developing Relationships
1
According to uncertainty reduction theory, people are eager to reduce uncertainty under which of the following conditions?

A) When we anticipate future interactions with other people.
B) When an individual possesses resources that we desire.
C) When an individual's behavior conforms to our expectations.
D) All of the above.
E) A and B only.
E
2
Which of the following strategies for coping with uncertainty is the most direct?

A) Active strategies
B) Interactive strategies
C) Passive strategies
D) Hedging
E) Planning
B
3
Relational uncertainty stems from which of the following sources?

A) Self uncertainty
B) Partner uncertainty
C) Relationship uncertainty
D) All of the above
E) A and B only
D
4
All of the following claims about relational uncertainty are true, EXCEPT:

A) When experiencing relational uncertainty, romantic partners are more likely to confront each other about unexpected events.
B) When experiencing relational uncertainty, romantic partners are less likely to discuss controversial topics such as religion.
C) Relational uncertainty increases the difficulty of planning messages.
D) People who are experiencing relational uncertainty are less likely to express feelings of jealousy.
E) People experiencing relational uncertainty may lack confidence in their understanding of social situations.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
5
After meeting Taylor for the first time at a party, Greg decides to reduce his uncertainty about Taylor by looking at her social media sites (e.g., Facebook and Instagram) and by talking to some of the friends that they have in common. According to uncertainty reduction theory, the former is referred to as a(n) ____________ strategy for coping with uncertainty, whereas the latter is referred to as a(n) ___________ strategy.

A) Active; interactive
B) Passive; interactive
C) Passive; active
D) Interactive; passive
E) Active; passive
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
6
When asking Dr. Garner for extra credit, Myranda uses humor to soften the request: "I bet you're really losing sleep over which extra credit opportunity to provide." According to uncertainty reduction theory, Myranda is using which strategy for coping with uncertainty?

A) Hedging
B) Planning
C) An active strategy
D) Seeking information
E) A passive strategy
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
7
We can experience relational uncertainty on a(n) _________ level when we have a general sense of ambiguity about involvement in a relationship, whereas we can experience relational uncertainty on a(n) ___________ level as a result of a specific event that has occurred within a relationship.

A) Relationship; episodic
B) Episodic; global
C) Global; relationship
D) Global; episodic
E) Relationship; contextual
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
8
Even though Gatlan feels his relationship is somewhat stagnant, he doesn't see anyone else around that he wants to date and he doesn't like being alone, so Gatlan decides to stay with Denise for now. This decision is based on Gatlan's:

A) Comparison level
B) Comparison level of alternatives
C) Net outcome
D) Costs-rewards
E) Relational uncertainty
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
9
According to equity theory, inequity in relationships is:

A) Uncomfortable for the person who is over-benefited.
B) Uncomfortable for the person who is under-benefited.
C) Uncomfortable for both partners.
D) Uncomfortable only if rewards are low.
E) Uncomfortable only if costs are high.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
10
Uncertainty reduction theory assumes all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) People try to gain certainty so they can understand the world around them.
B) We are motivated to reduce uncertainty about people when we anticipate future interaction with them.
C) We are motivated to reduce uncertainty when an individual's behavior violates our expectations.
D) We typically feel motivated to alleviate uncertainty when an individual possesses resources we desire.
E) Getting to know people increases the uneasiness and anxiety associated with uncertainty.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
11
After spending 6 months getting to know Ethan, Kaylee decided that her relationship with Ethan really wasn't worth all the time and energy she was investing in the relationship. Which theory best explains the decision-making process that Kaylee went through in her relationship with Ethan?

A) Uncertainty reduction theory
B) Relational uncertainty theory
C) Social penetration theory
D) Social exchange theory
E) Attribution theory
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
12
Which theory best explains the questions people ask, and their motivations for asking them, during the initial stages of making an acquaintance?

A) Uncertainty reduction theory
B) Relational uncertainty theory
C) Social exchange theory
D) Social penetration theory
E) Equity theory
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
13
According to interdependence theory:

A) When perceived rewards overshadow costs, a positive outcome value results.
B) We compare our relational outcomes with our comparison levels to determine relational satisfaction.
C) Our comparison levels (CLs) predict relational stability.
D) All of the above are true.
E) A and C only.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
14
People who are underbenefited in their personal relationships tend to experience all of the following emotions, EXCEPT:

A) Anger
B) Resentment
C) Guilt
D) Depression
E) Sadness
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
15
Greg and his colleague Brian talk about a variety of things related to work, sports, and current events, but they haven't really had any personal discussions about their families or their personal affairs outside of work. According to Altman and Taylor's Social Penetration Model, Greg and Brian have developed ___________ intimacy based on the ____________ dimension of self-disclosure.

A) High; depth
B) High; breadth
C) Low; breadth
D) Moderate; breadth
E) Moderate; depth
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
16
Social penetration theory uses which of the following metaphors to describe how people self-disclose?

A) A boundary metaphor
B) An onion metaphor
C) A popcorn metaphor
D) The metaphor of balancing scales
E) A bicycle metaphor
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
17
Social penetration theory makes all of the following assumptions, EXCEPT:

A) Relationships generally develop in a linear way as partners move through stages of relationship development.
B) Relational development is characterized by changes in interpersonal communication.
C) Relationships deteriorate in a process that is identical to how they formed and developed in the first place.
D) Relationships change over time as interpersonal communication shifts from superficial forms of talk to more intimate forms of talk.
E) Self-disclosure enhances intimacy in relationships.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
18
After hearing her friend Stacee disclose what it was like growing up with divorced parents, Marlee felt a desire to share her experiences growing up with parents who fought all the time. According to social penetration theory, Marlee's decision to disclose her experiences with Stacee best illustrates:

A) Breadth of disclosure
B) Depth of disclosure
C) Being equitable in a friendship
D) The norm of reciprocity
E) The stable exchange stage
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
19
According to social penetration theory, which of the following stages characterizes close friendships and romantic relationships, as partners use increasing amounts of disclosure at the intermediate and core areas of their personalities to unite them to each other?

A) The affective exchange stage
B) The stable exchange stage
C) The exploratory affective exchange stage
D) The equitable exchange stage
E) The orientation stage
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
20
Social exchange theories advance all of the following claims, EXCEPT:

A) When the perceived costs of a relationship exceed the rewards, people are motivated to change or end the relationship.
B) People who are over-benefited in relationships tend to experience guilt.
C) Relational partners will seek to restore equity rather than remain in an inequitable relationship.
D) Some individuals may have partners who exceed their expectations, but because they perceive a greater alternative in someone else, they may choose to end an otherwise satisfying relationship.
E) The comparison level of alternatives determines how satisfied a person is with the relationship.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
21
Uncertainty is low when several outcomes are equally likely to occur.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
22
Active strategies for reducing uncertainty include any actions you take to gather information about someone without directly talking to the person.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
23
When we experience relational uncertainty as a result of a specific event, we are experiencing relational uncertainty on a global level.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
24
When applied to self-disclosure, the norm of reciprocity provides one example of a universal law.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
25
According to interdependence theory, your comparison level predicts your satisfaction with a relationship.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
26
Uncertainty reduction theory is grounded in the ______ paradigm.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
27
The degree of confidence people have in their perceptions of involvement within interpersonal relationships is referred to as ________.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
28
_____ describes the range of topics you talk about, whereas ______ measures how personal or intimate your disclosures are.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
29
Social exchange theories assume that humans are motivated by _______.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
30
According to interdependence theory, we use our ______ to assess how good or bad our current relationship is compared to our other options.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
locked card icon
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 30 flashcards in this deck.