Communication is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.

TRUE/FALSE

1. Communication is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.

(True)

2. The best approach to delivering bad news in the workplace, such as a downsizing decision, is a written one like e-mail.

(False)

3. Research indicates that communication ability is related to a manager’s performance.

(True)

4. Deficient interpersonal communication was a factor in 70-80% of all accidents over the past 20 years.

(True)

5. Though employees seem more satisfied when their company communicates with them about issues that impact them, effective communication does little to improve the firm’s market value.

(False)

6. The communication process is very complex, and thus presents almost insurmountable challenges to understanding and controlling it.

(False)

7. The sender in the communication process is totally responsible for successful, effective communication between the sender and receiver.

(False)

8. In the communication process, noise is found only in the external environment of the communication situation.

(False)

9. Filtering, emotional disconnects, and lack of credibility are all barriers to effective communication.

(True)

10. Selective perception is the personal filtering of what we see and hear so as to suit our own needs.

(True)

11. Nancy goes to work at her job at the university after the December holiday break. She opens her email and finds 312 emails after her vacation. Nancy is experiencing information overload.

(True)

12. The EEOC is an acronym for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Human Resource area.

(True)

13. Men like to ask questions before starting a project; women just “jump right in.”

(False)

14. Men tend to focus more on data in their communications, while women focus on intuition.

(True)

15. The word or term “secretary” is an example of biased language.

(True)

16. Listening is an art, not a skill, and thus individuals cannot be trained to be better listeners.

(False)

17. The phrase, “You had better…” is a communication freezer because it is somewhat threatening.

(True)

18. There are two types of communication in organizations: verbal and written.

(False)

19. Storytelling is largely an ineffective means of communication as receivers perceive the senders to be largely unable to control the process.

(False)

20. Crucial conversations are discussions where the stakes are high, so opinions need to be in line with the majority in the group.

(False)

21. Verbal communication is largely asynchronous.

(False)

22. Written communication is the most often used form of communication in business.

(False)

23. People speak much faster than they hear words.

(False)

24. Nonverbal communication is at least as important as verbal communication.

(True)

25. If I emphasize the word “Max” in the following sentence, “I did not tell Max you were late,” it could suggest that I might have implied it to anyone listening.

(False)

26. There are cultural differences in the use of nonverbal communication elements like body language and facial expression.

(True)

27. Proxemics suggests that standing at an intimate distance to a colleague increases communication effectiveness.

(False)

28. The most information-rich communication channel is a formal written document like a report.

(False)

29. A face-to-face information channel is high in information richness.

(True)

30. Written communication is best utilized when the ideas are simple.

(False)

31. In a business e-mail, using a subject line is often unnecessary as it may create unrealistic expectations about the message content.

(False)

32. Communication flows upward, downward, and laterally in an organization, but it is not possible for communication to flow diagonally.

(False)

33. Written and verbal communication tends to seek, give, or exchange information.

(True)

34. A press release generally appears to be independent of its sender.

(True)

35. People are not happy when something unexpected happens, but they are less upset when things are somewhat hidden.

(False)

36. In crisis situations, it is extremely important that an executive be the spokesperson for the firm.

(True)

37. Communication methods and forms differ little across cultures.

(False)

38. A nonverbal gesture, like the “OK symbol” made in the United States, could be offensive in another culture.

(True)

39. In China, as in the United States, direct eye contact is important in a communication situation.

(False)

40. The sentence construction of the “Isn’t it?” question we ask in the United States is confusing for non-native speakers.

(True)