Deck 9: Technology in Everyday Life

Question 1

Generational differences exist in the use of relational technologies.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Fears about the impact of technology on communication are unique to today's generation.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Explain Reeves and Nass's concept of the 'media equation.'

Answer 3

Reeves and Nass believe that 'media equal life' in a way that makes our interactions with technology social, natural, and essentially the same as interacting with other people.

Question 4

People using screen names on the Internet are not necessarily accurately represented by their screen names.

Question 5

According to the 'diffusion of innovations' theory, technology adoption:

A) Does not vary - everyone adopts at the same rate
B) Does not vary - everyone chooses not to adopt at the same rate
C) Varies - some people adopt new technologies earlier than others
D) Varies - the minority of people adopt at the same time

Question 6

Explain why an Internet user might choose a screen name that does not truly represent himself/herself.

Question 7

Discuss the reasons why people post personal material and information on websites and blogs.

Question 8

Ringtones do not simply inform someone of an incoming call or message; they can be viewed as a method of identity construction.

Question 9

The term 'Luddite' is an historical reference now used to characterize:

A) A person who supports the use of technology
B) A person who opposes the use of technology
C) A person who is indifferent to the use of technology
D) A person who lacks awareness of technology

Question 10

All technologies, regardless of their unique qualities, affect how we interact and relate with others.

Question 11

Discuss the explanation that 'diffusion of innovations' theory gives for why people adopt technologies at different times.

Question 12

Explain Cell Phones and Personal Relationships.

Question 13

The use of relational technologies, such as cell phones, is universally consistent across cultural and co-cultural boundaries.

Question 14

The appropriate use of technology is often determined by location and occasion as well as content.

Question 15

Changes in the uses of relational technologies are often initiated by social networks.

Question 16

E-mail addresses can convey multiple aspects of a person's self because:

A) People can create impressions of their 'self' by choosing a particular name
B) People have multiple selves
C) People always have multiple e-mail addresses
D) People do not pay attention to the domain where a user's email address is based

Question 17

Explain why people from different generations assign different meanings to relational technologies, as well as using them in a different way.

Question 18

Both older and younger people use the Internet for self-expression to the same degree.

Question 19

According to studies cited in your text, young people adopt cell phone technology based only on the quality of the product.

Question 20

Self-disclosure on social networking sites online differs from face-to-face (FTF) self-disclosure because:

A) Much more self-disclosure happens FTF
B) Online self-disclosure happens much more gradually than in FTF interaction
C) Online self-disclosure happens much more quickly than in FTF interactions
D) Self-disclosure rarely happens online

Question 21

Visual symbols used to help substitute for nonverbal cues in online communication are called:

A) Myrmidons
B) Effectidons
C) Emoticons
D) Affecticons

Question 22

Softening of schedules, one form of microcoordinating social interactions through cell phones, typically involves:

A) Adjusting previously-scheduled meeting times
B) Ignoring previously-scheduled meeting times
C) Progressively defining when and where to encounter someone through multiple calls
D) Changing plans once someone has already set out for the encounter

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT one of the three three varieties of microcoordination?

A) midcourse adjustment
B) iterative coordination
C) softening of schedules
D) synchronous communication

Question 24

Your authors claim that it is not fair to judge relational technologies as offering communication that is inferior to face-to-face communication because:

A) Every form of communication has some problems
B) The quality of communication in any medium depends on how it is used/practiced
C) People will get better at online communication over time
D) All of the above

Question 25

Online interactions, which can be close to happening in real time but still have some delay in message sending/receiving, are referred to as being:

A) Synchronous
B) Nonsynchronous
C) Asynchronous
D) Monosynchronous

Question 26

Your authors challenge the research behind the media equation for the following reasons:

A) Most of the studies used to test it come from the field of psychology
B) Most of the studies used to test it come from the field of communication
C) Most people's brains have not evolved enough to treat computers and people similarily
D) Most people's brains have not evolved enough to treat computers and people differently

Question 27

Face-to-face (FTF) interactions, which happen in real time and do not delay message sending/receiving, are referred to as being:

A) Synchronous
B) Nonsynchronous
C) Asynchronous
D) Monosynchronous

Question 28

Online communication is more likely to result in misunderstanding than face-to-face (FTF) interaction because:

A) Online communication has more nonverbal cues than FTF interaction
B) Online communication has fewer nonverbal cues than FTF interaction
C) Online communication has the same number of nonverbal cues as does FTF interaction
D) Neither online nor FTF communication has nonverbal cues

Question 29

According to Reeves and Nass's concept of the 'media equation':

A) People do not treat technology similarly to how they treat people
B) People do not reflect on how they use technology
C) People do treat technology similarly to how they treat people
D) People are more aware of how they treat technology than how they treat people

Question 30

If you believe that spending time using the Internet makes you more productive as a person, you would view this relational technology as a:

A) Time replacer
B) Time monitor
C) Time displacer
D) Time enhancer

Question 31

Iterative coordination, one form of microcoordinating social interactions through cell phones, typically involves:

A) Adjusting previously-scheduled meeting times
B) Ignoring previously-scheduled meeting times
C) Progressively defining when and where to encounter someone through multiple calls
D) Changing plans once someone has already set out for the encounter

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT one of the three characteristics of online communication?

A) Richness
B) Asynchronous
C) Synchronous
D) Quality

Question 33

The part of a social network that includes people with whom you have less close relationships/contact and are less likely to talk about important issues is referred to as:

A) Core ties
B) Weak ties
C) Strong ties
D) Significant ties

Question 34

Midcourse adjustment, one form of microcoordinating social interactions through cell phones, typically involves:

A) Adjusting previously-scheduled meeting times
B) Ignoring previously-scheduled meeting times
C) Progressively defining when and where to encounter someone through multiple calls
D) Changing plans once someone has already set out for the encounter

Question 35

If you believe that spending time using the Internet means that you spend less time on other activities, you would view this relational technology as a:

A) Time enhancer
B) Time displacer
C) Time monitor
D) Time replacer

Question 36

The research on the media equation reveals that:

A) Whether dealing with computers or people, we tend to mistrust authority
B) Whether dealing with computers or people, we tend to mistrust lack of authority
C) Whether dealing with computers or people, we tend to evaluate authority more positively
D) Whether dealing with computers or people, we tend to evaluate authority less positively

Question 37

The use of cell phones can shape and affect relationships because:

A) Giving or denying your cell number to someone does not imply relational boundaries
B) Constant connection through cell calls implies the relationship is not important
C) Cell phones allow people to share experiences even when physically separated
D) Cell phones rarely are used for social coordination

Question 38

The part of a social network that includes people with whom you have very close relationships and are in frequent contact is referred to as:

A) Core ties
B) Weak ties
C) Strong ties
D) Significant ties