Question 1

Which of the following negative communication behaviours is being described below? Carlotta's long-time partner is bringing up her smoking habits... again. Carlotta has tried to quit to please her partner, but she just can't do it, and she doesn't really want to quit. As soon as her partner starts bringing up the health risk factors of smoking, Carlotta rolls her eyes.

Accepted Answer

Contempt involves displaying disrespect towards another person through actions or verbal cues, such as eye-rolling, which indicates a lack of respect or valuation of the other person's concerns.

Question 2

Which of the following negative communication behaviours is being described below? Jimmy and Reya are arguing about whose turn it is to do the laundry over the weekend. Jimmy works a full-time job while Reya is a stay-at-home mom. Jimmy calls Reya lazy for not finding time to do the laundry during the week.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

Which of the following negative communication behaviours is being described below? Donald is upset with his boyfriend Farouk for flirting with another man at a bar they went to last night. When he brings it up, Farouk brushes it off and says, "But you do it too."

Accepted Answer

Farouk's response is a classic example of defensiveness, a negative communication behavior where an individual attempts to protect themselves from a perceived attack by making excuses or counterattacking, rather than addressing the complaint directly.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of contemptuous communicative behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Contemptuous communication involves expressing feelings of worthlessness or inferiority towards another person. Choice C, which includes belittling the intelligence of the person spoken to and attributing their perceived lack of intelligence as characteristic of them, is a clear example of contemptuous behavior. It not only criticizes the idea presented but also attacks the person's character in a demeaning way.

Question 5

Marie and Mohamed got into an argument, and Maria ran out of their apartment and turned off her phone. What negative communicative behaviour is Marie exhibiting?

Accepted Answer

Stonewalling refers to withdrawing from a conversation or an interaction, effectively shutting down communication. By running out and turning off her phone, Marie is refusing to engage in further communication, which is a classic example of stonewalling.

Question 6

Kyle and Yi-Hsiu are arguing and Kyle calls Yi-Hsiu a "bitch." Yi-Hsiu is enraged and locks herself in the bedroom, crying. Kyle responds by going to the bedroom door and saying, "I wouldn't have called you a bitch if you didn't start this fight." What communicative behaviour is Kyle exhibiting at the bedroom door?

Accepted Answer

Kyle is exhibiting defensiveness by blaming Yi-Hsiu for his own behavior, essentially defending himself by shifting the blame to her for the situation.

Question 7

Paul and Kate are in a distressed relationship. Jenna and Lisa are in a non-distressed relationship. Which of the following statements is likely to be true?

Accepted Answer

Paul and Kate are in a distressed relationship, which is likely to be characterized by lower empathy for each other.

Question 8

Which of the following behaviours is likely to be most harmful during a couple's argument?

Accepted Answer

All of the behaviors listed can be harmful during a couple's argument as they can escalate the conflict or hurt the feelings of the partner. Shrugging the shoulders can be seen as dismissive, using a dismissive tone can belittle the partner's feelings, and criticizing can attack the partner's character or actions.

Question 9

Dana is arguing with his wife. His arms are crossed and he refuses to make eye contact. Dana is ____________.

Accepted Answer

Stonewalling refers to behaviors where a person withdraws from a conversation or interaction, showing disengagement and non-responsiveness, like refusing to make eye contact or crossing arms, as described in the scenario.

Question 10

Your friend has been having a lot of arguments with his boyfriend lately, but they always end the arguments by agreeing to disagree. He asks you if you think this is an indicator of a poor relationship. What can you tell him?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Your friend has been having a lot...

Question 11

Margot and Harvey have been married for 10 years. Since they had children, they started fighting regularly about who does more work around the house and takes care of the kids. Margot feels that she does much more than Harvey, and every time she demands that he help her out more, he always has an excuse. What pattern of communication are Margot and Harvey displaying?

Accepted Answer

Margot and Harvey are displaying the demand-withdraw pattern of communication, where one partner (Margot) demands changes or makes complaints, and the other partner (Harvey) withdraws by avoiding discussion or not engaging in the conversation.

Question 12

Which of the following behaviours is likely to be most harmful during a couple's argument?

Accepted Answer

Using dismissive tones can be particularly harmful because it invalidates the partner's feelings and opinions, potentially leading to further emotional distance and resentment.

Question 13

You are a researcher studying the emotions displayed during couples' discussions about sexual topics, and you are currently conducting a study using the observational method. What can you do to ensure the most reliable data possible?

Accepted Answer

Using blind coders helps to ensure that the data collected is unbiased and reliable, as the coders will not be influenced by any preconceived notions or expectations about the participants or the study.

Question 14

What percentage of communication in a conversation comes from words instead of actions?

Accepted Answer

The Mehrabian model suggests that in any communication, 7% of the message is conveyed through words, 38% through certain vocal elements, and 55% through nonverbal elements (facial expressions, gestures, posture, etc.). Therefore, approximately 35-40% of the communication can be attributed to words when considering both words and vocal elements together, as actions or nonverbal cues play a significant role.

Question 15

Which of the following is the strongest predictor of relationship satisfaction?

Accepted Answer

The quality of non-verbal communication is often considered the strongest predictor of relationship satisfaction because it encompasses a wide range of emotional and interpersonal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, and gestures, which are crucial for expressing affection, understanding, and empathy in a relationship.

Question 16

Ning and Fiona have had problems in their relationship ever since Ning admitted that he had visited a strip club in Las Vegas. Fiona constantly comments about Ning's "stripper obsession" and accuses him of not caring about her or their son. Ning refuses to engage in an argument with Fiona and stands behind what he has always said, which is "nothing happened." When Fiona brings up the fact that "he doesn't care about anyone but himself," Ning simply leaves the room. What type of communication best describes what is going on between Ning and Fiona?

Accepted Answer

The scenario describes a demand-withdraw pattern of communication, where one partner (Fiona) presses with demands or criticism, and the other partner (Ning) withdraws or avoids confrontation.

Question 17

You are a researcher using the observational method to study the emotions expressed between same-sex couples when they are discussing sexual matters versus when they are not. Which of the following would your coding system focus on?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are a researcher using the observational...

Question 18

Which of the following techniques is an important part of good observational research into couples' communication?

Accepted Answer

Blind coding is important in observational research to prevent bias, ensuring that the person coding the behavior is unaware of the study's hypotheses or the participants' identities.

Question 19

When reviewing research completed by his colleague, Dr. Kelly questions his colleague's use of a lab setting to observe couples arguing. What aspect of the research is Dr. Kelly questioning?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Kelly is questioning the ecological validity, which refers to how well the findings of a study generalize to, or represent, real-world settings. A lab setting may not accurately reflect the natural environment in which couples typically argue, thus affecting the ecological validity of the research.

Question 20

When asked about the similarities between the conversations couples have in a lab and the conversations they would have at home (when not being observed) what do most couples say?

Accepted Answer

Most couples report that conversations in the lab are very similar to conversations they have at home, indicating that the artificial setting of a lab does not significantly alter the nature of their interactions.

Quiz 13: Sexual Communication

Which of the following negative communication behaviours is being described below? Donald is upset with his boyfriend Farouk for flirting with another man at a bar they went to last night. When he brings it up, Farouk brushes it off and says, "But you do it too."

Which of the following is an example of contemptuous communicative behaviour?

Marie and Mohamed got into an argument, and Maria ran out of their apartment and turned off her phone. What negative communicative behaviour is Marie exhibiting?

Paul and Kate are in a distressed relationship. Jenna and Lisa are in a non-distressed relationship. Which of the following statements is likely to be true?

Which of the following behaviours is likely to be most harmful during a couple's argument?

Dana is arguing with his wife. His arms are crossed and he refuses to make eye contact. Dana is ____________.

Your friend has been having a lot of arguments with his boyfriend lately, but they always end the arguments by agreeing to disagree. He asks you if you think this is an indicator of a poor relationship. What can you tell him?

Which of the following behaviours is likely to be most harmful during a couple's argument?

You are a researcher studying the emotions displayed during couples' discussions about sexual topics, and you are currently conducting a study using the observational method. What can you do to ensure the most reliable data possible?

What percentage of communication in a conversation comes from words instead of actions?

Which of the following is the strongest predictor of relationship satisfaction?

You are a researcher using the observational method to study the emotions expressed between same-sex couples when they are discussing sexual matters versus when they are not. Which of the following would your coding system focus on?

Which of the following techniques is an important part of good observational research into couples' communication?

When reviewing research completed by his colleague, Dr. Kelly questions his colleague's use of a lab setting to observe couples arguing. What aspect of the research is Dr. Kelly questioning?

When asked about the similarities between the conversations couples have in a lab and the conversations they would have at home (when not being observed) what do most couples say?