communication | a social process in which individuals employ symbols to establish and interpret meaning in their environment
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social | the notion that people and interactions are part of the communication process
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process | ongoing, dynamic, and unending occurrence
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symbol | arbitrary label given to a phenomenon
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concrete symbol | symbol representing an object
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abstract symbol | symbol representing an idea or thought
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environment | situation or context in which communication occurs
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Palo Alto team | a group of scholars who believed that a person "cannot not communicate"
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models | simplified representations of the communication process
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linear model of communication | one-way view of communication that assumes a message is sent by a source to a receiver through a channel
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source | originator or transmitter of message
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message | words, sounds, actions, or gestures in an interaction
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receiver | recipient of message
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channel | pathway to communication
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noise | distortion in channel not intended by the source
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semantic noise | linguistic influences on reception of message
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physical (external) noise | bodily influences on reception of message
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psychological noise | cognitive influences on reception of message
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physiological noise | biological influences on reception of message
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interactional model of communication | view of communication as sharing of meaning with feedback linking source and receiver
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feedback | communication given to the source by the receiver to indicate understanding (meaning)
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field of experience | overlap of sender's and receiver's culture, experiences, and heredity in communication
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transactional model of communication | view of communication as the simultaneous sending and receiving of messages
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dark side of communication | negative communication that can undermine the communication process
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ethics | perceived rightness or wrongness of an action or behavior
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lifespace | group member's psychological environment
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contexts | environments in which communication takes place
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situational contexts | environments limited by a number of issues, including people, space, and feedback
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intrapersonal communication | communication with one's self
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self-esteem | the positive orientation a person has of himself or herself
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interpersonal communication | face-to-face communication between people
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small group | individuals who come together for a common purpose
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cohesive | sense of togetherness in a group
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synergy | process that allows for multiple perspectives to be given on issues or events
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networks | communication patterns through which information flows
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roles | positions of group members and their relationship to the group
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organizational communication | communication within and among large, extended environments
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hierarchy | organizing principle demonstrating rankings
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Hawthorne experiments | research studies that found workplace productivity increased when changes in environment occurred
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public communication | dissemination of information from one person to a large group
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rhetoric | speaker's available means of persuasion
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communication apprehension | fear of speaking before an audience
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mass media | channels or delivery modes for mass messages
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mass communication | communication to a large audience via mass media
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new media | electronic media (notably computer-related technology) such as the Internet, e-mail, and digital cable
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culture | community of meaning and a shared body of knowledge
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intercultural communication | communication between individuals with different cultural backgrounds
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co-cultures | cultural groups that are part of the larger (national) culture
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theory | an abstract system of concepts and their relationships that help us to understand a phenomenon
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grand theory | theory that attempts to explain all of a phenomenon such as communication
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mid-range theory | theory that attempts to explain a specified aspect of a phenomenon such as communication
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narrow theory | theory that attempts to explain a very limited aspect of a phenomenon such as communication
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concepts | labels for the most important elements in a theory
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nominal concepts | concepts that are not directly observable
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real concepts | concepts that are observable
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relationships | the ways in which the concepts of a theory are combined
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paradigms | intellectual traditions that ground specific theories
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ontology | questions about the nature of reality
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epistemology | questions about how we know things
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axiology | questions about what is worth knowing
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metatheory | theory about how to develop theory
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covering law approach | a metatheoretical framework suggesting that theories should follow if-then formats and should be universal, invariant statements
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rules approach | a metatheoretical framework suggesting that theories should follow a format that lists rules in given contexts and should acknowledge variability across situations, cultures, and time
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cause | an antecedent condition that determines an effect
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effect | a condition that inevitably follows a causative condition
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systems approach | a metatheoretical framework suggesting that theories should follow a format that maps the systemic properties of a phenomenon; takes the position that people have free will, which is sometimes constrained by systemic factors
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hypotheses | testable predictions of relationships between concepts that follow the general predictions made by a theory
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movements | stimulus-response behaviors
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actions | intentional choice responses
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habitual rules | rules that are set by an authority and are nonnegotiable
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parametric rules | rules that are set by an authority but are negotiable
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tactical rules | unstated rules used to achieve a personal or interpersonal objective
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wholeness | a fundamental property of systems theory stating that systems are more than the sum of their individual parts
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interdependence | a property of systems theory stating that the elements of a system are interrelated
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subsystems | lower levels of a system
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suprasystems | higher levels of a system
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hierarchy | a property of systems theory stating that systems consist of multiple levels
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boundaries | a property of systems theory stating that systems construct some structures delimiting themselves
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openness | acknowledgment that within all human systems the boundaries constructed are more or less permeable
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calibration | a property of systems theory stating that systems periodically check the scale of allowable behaviors and reset the system
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feedback | a subprocess of calibration; information allowing for change in the system
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morphogenic | a term for changing systems
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homeostatic | a term for stable systems
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equifinality | a property of systems theory stating that systems can achieve the same goals through different means
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scope | a criterion for evaluating theories; refers to the breadth of communication behaviors covered in the theory
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logical consistency | a criterion for evaluating theories; refers to the internal logic in the theoretical statements
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parsimony | a criterion for evaluating theories; refers to the simplicity of the explanation provided by the theory
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utility | a criterion for evaluating theories; refers to the theory's usefulness or practical value
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testability | a criterion for evaluating theories; refers to our ability to test the accuracy of a theory's claims
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heurism | a criterion for evaluating theories; refers to the amount of research and new thinking stimulated by the theory
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test of time | a criterion for evaluating theories; refers to the theory's durability over time
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operationalize | making an abstract concept measurable and observable
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observations | focused examination within a context of interest; may be guided by hypotheses and/or research questions
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data | the raw materials collected by the researcher to answer the questions posed in the research and/or to test a hypothesis
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code | converting raw data to a category system
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scientific method | the traditional method for doing research involving controlled observations and analysis to test the principles of a theory
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deductive logic | moving from the general to the specific
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inductive logic | moving from the specific to the general
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grounded theory | theory induced from data collection and analysis in a study
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pure research | research to generate knowledge
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applied research | research to solve a problem or create a policy
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positivistic (empirical) approach | an approach assuming the existence of objective reality and value-neutral research
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control | the researcher's ability to direct the important concepts in the research process
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interpretive (hermeneutic) approach | an approach viewing truth as subjective and stressing the participation of the researcher in the research process
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critical approach | an approach stressing the researcher's responsibility to change the inequities in the status quo
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quantitative methods | methods that require data to be converted to numbers and subjected to statistical analyses
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qualitative methods | methods that require data to be interpreted through sense-making analyses
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triangulation | an approach to research involving multiple methods
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survey research | a specific research method asking participants to respond to written questionnaires
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unit of analysis | the specific object of study; may be an individual, a family, an organization, and so forth
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statistically significant | a finding indicating the presence of a relationship at a rate greater than chance
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experimental research | a specific research method where researchers manipulate conditions; often done in a laboratory setting
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independent variable | a concept of interest that is presumed to have effects on another variable
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dependent variable | a concept of interest that is presumed to vary as a result of the independent variable
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depth interviews | semistructured or unstructured interviews lasting at least one hour aimed at collecting rich descriptions from respondents
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ethnography | a specific research method where researchers immerse themselves in participants' lives, aiming to describe people's culturally distinct patterns of communication
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textual analysis | a specific research method requiring researchers to analyze a particular text such as a presidential speech or a television series
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self-concept | a relatively stable set of perceptions people hold about themselves
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self-fulfilling prophecy | a prediction about yourself causing you to behave in such a way that it comes true
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mind | the ability to use symbols with common social meanings
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language | a shared system of verbal and nonverbal symbols
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significant symbols | symbols whose meaning is generally agreed upon by many people
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thought | an inner conversation
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role taking | the ability to put oneself in another's place
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self | imagining how we look to another person
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looking-glass self | our ability to see ourself as another sees us
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Pygmalion effect | living up to or down to another's expectations of us
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I | the spontaneous, impulsive, creative self
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Me | the reflective, socially aware self
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society | the web of social relationships humans create and respond to
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particular others | individuals who are significant to us
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generalized other | the attitude of the whole community
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social reality | a person's beliefs about how meaning and action fit within an interpersonal interaction
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personal meaning | the meaning achieved when a person brings his or her unique experiences to an interaction
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interpersonal meaning | the result when two people agree on each other's interpretations of an interaction
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raw data | uninterpreted stimuli
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content | the conversion of raw data into meaning
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speech acts | actions we perform by speaking (e.g., questioning, complimenting, or threatening)
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contract | relationship agreement and understanding between two people
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enmeshment | extent to which partners identify themselves as part of a system
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episodes | communication routines that have recognized beginnings, middles, and endings
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punctuate | how individuals interpret or emphasize an episode
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life scripts | clusters of past or present episodes that create a system of manageable meanings with others
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cultural patterns | images of the world and a person's relationship to it
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individualism | prioritizing personal needs or values over the needs or values of a group (I-identity)
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collectivism | priortizing group needs or values over the needs or values of an individual (we-identity)
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coordination | making sense of message sequencing
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resources | stories, symbols, and images that people use to make sense of their world
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constitutive rules | organize behavior and help us to understand how meaning should be interpreted
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regulative rules | guidelines for people's behavior
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unwanted repetitive patterns (URPs) | recurring, undesirable conflicts in a relationship
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loop | the reflexiveness of levels in the hierarchy of meaning
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charmed loop | rules of meaning are consistent throughout the loop
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strange loop | rules of meaning change within the loop
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cognitions | ways of knowing, beliefs, judgments, and thoughts
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cognitive dissonance | feeling of discomfort resulting from inconsistent attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors
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consonant relationship | two elements in equilibrium with one another
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dissonant relationship | two elements in disequilibrium with one another
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irrelevant relationship | two elements that have no meaningful relation to one another
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magnitude of dissonance | the quantitative amount of discomfort felt
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importance | a factor in determining magnitude of dissonance; refers to how significant the issue is
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dissonance ratio | a factor in determining magnitude of dissonance; the amount of consonant cognitions relative to the dissonant ones
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rationale | a factor in determining magnitude of dissonance; refers to the reasoning employed to explain the inconsistency
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selective exposure | a method for reducing dissonance by seeking information that is consonant with current beliefs and actions
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selective attention | a method for reducing dissonance by paying attention to information that is consonant with current beliefs and actions
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selective interpretation | a method for reducing dissonance by interpreting ambiguous information so that it becomes consistent with current beliefs and actions
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selective retention | a method for reducing dissonance by remembering information that is consonant with current beliefs and actions
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minimal justification | offering the least amount of incentive necessary to obtain compliance
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buyer's remorse | postdecision dissonance related to a purchase
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biased scanning | thinking of arguments in favor of a counter-attitudinal position while suppressing those against it
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impression management | an alternative explanation to CDT; involves activities people engage in to look good to themselves and others
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self-perception | an alternative explanation to CDT; involves making conclusions about your attitudes by observing your behavior
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self-affirmation | an alternative explanation to CDT; involves creating dissonance by behaving in a manner that threatens one's sense of moral integrity
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proxemics | study of a person's use of space
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personal space | individual's variable use of space and distance
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intimate distance | very close spatial zone spanning 0-18 inches
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personal distance | spatial zone of 18 inches to 4 feet, reserved for family and friends
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social distance | spatial zone of 4-12 feet, reserved for more formal relationships such as those with co-workers
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public distance | spatial zone of 12 feet and beyond, reserved for very formal discussions such as between professor and students in class
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territoriality | person's ownership of an area or object
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primary territories | signal a person's exclusive domain over an area or object
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secondary territories | signal a person's affiliation with an area or object
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public territories | signal open spaces for everyone, including beaches and parks
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expectations | thoughts and behaviors anticipated in conversations
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pre-interactional expectations | the knowledge or skills a communicator brings to an interaction
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interactional expectations | an individual's ability to carry out the interaction
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communicator reward valence | the sum of the positive and negative characteristics of a person and the potential for him or her to carry out rewards or punishments
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arousal | increased interest or attention when deviations from expectations occur
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cognitive arousal | mental awareness of deviations from expectations
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physical arousal | bodily changes as a result of deviations from expectations
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threat threshold | tolerance for distance violations
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violation valence | perceived negative or positive value of a deviation from expectations
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prediction | the ability to forecast one's own and others' behavioral choices
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explanation | the ability to interpret the meaning of behavioral choices
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cognitive uncertainty | degree of uncertainty related to cognitions
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behavioral uncertainty | degree of uncertainty related to behaviors
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self-disclosure | personal messages about the self disclosed to another
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entry phase | the beginning stage of an interaction between strangers
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personal phase | the stage in a relationship when people begin to communicate more spontaneously and personally
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exit phase | the stage in a relationship when people decide whether to continue or leave
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axioms | truisms drawn from past research and common sense
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reciprocity | communication that mirrors the previous communication behavior
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theorems | theoretical statements derived from axioms, positing a relationship between two concepts
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passive strategy | reducing uncertainties by unobtrusive observation
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active strategy | reducing uncertainties by means other than direct contact
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interactive strategy | reducing uncertainties by engaging in conversation
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relational uncertainty | a lack of certainty about the future and status of a relationship
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low-context cultures | cultures, like the United States, where most of the meaning is in the code or message
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high-context cultures | cultures, like Japan, where the meaning of a message is in the context or internalized in listeners
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uncertainty avoidance | an attempt to avoid ambiguous situations
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social penetration | process of bonding that moves a relationship from superficial to more intimate
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trajectory | pathway to closeness
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depenetrate | slow deterioration of relationship
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self-disclosure | purposeful process of revealing information about one's self
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stranger-on-the-train | revealing personal information to strangers in public places
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public image | outer layer of a person; what is available to others
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reciprocity | the return of openness from one person to another
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breadth | number of topics discussed in a relationship
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breadth time | amount of time spent by relational partners discussing various topics
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depth | degree of intimacy guiding topic discussion
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reward/cost ratio | balance between positive and negative relationship experiences
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orientation stage | stage of social penetration that includes revealing small parts of ourselves
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exploratory affective exchange stage | stage of social penetration that results in the emergence of our personality to others
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affective exchange stage | stage of social penetration that is spontaneous and quite comfortable for relational partners
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personal idioms | private intimate expressions stated in a relationship
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stable exchange stage | stage of social penetration that results in complete openness and spontaneity for relational partners
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dyadic uniqueness | distinctive relationship qualities
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costs | elements of relational life with negative value
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rewards | elements of relational life with positive value
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outcome | whether people continue in a relationship or terminate it
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comparison level (CL) | a standard for what a person thinks he or she should get in a relationship
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comparison level for alternatives (CLalt) | how people evaluate a relationship based on what their alternatives to the relationship are
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behavioral sequences | a series of actions designed to achieve a goal
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power | the degree of dependence a person has on another for outcomes
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fate control | the ability to affect a partner's outcomes
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behavior control | the power to change another's behavior
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given matrix | the constraints on your choices due to the environment and/or your own skill levels
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effective matrix | the transformations you are able to make to your given matrix, by learning a new skill, for example
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dispositional matrix | the beliefs you have about relationships
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direct exchange | an exchange where two people reciprocate costs and rewards
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generalized exchange | an exchange where reciprocation involves the social network and isn't confined to two individuals
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productive exchange | an exchange where both partners incur costs and benefits simultaneously
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monologic approach | an approach framing contradiction as either/or
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dualistic approach | an approach framing contradiction as two separate entities
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dialectic approach | an approach framing contradiction as both/and
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totality | acknowledges the interdependence of people in a relationship
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contradiction | the central feature of the dialectic approach; refers to oppositions
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motion | refers to the processual nature of relationships
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praxis | refers to the choice-making capacity of humans
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autonomy and connection | an important relational tension that shows our conflicting desires to be close and to be separate
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openness and protection | an important relational tension that shows our conflicting desires to tell our secrets and to keep them hidden
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novelty and predictability | an important relational tension that shows our conflicting desires to have stability and change
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interactional dialectics | tensions resulting from and constructed by communication
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contextual dialectics | tensions resulting from the place of the relationship within the culture
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public and private dialectic | a contextual dialectic resulting from a private relationship and public life
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real and ideal dialectic | a contextual dialectic resulting from the difference between idealized relationships and lived relationships
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cyclic alternation | a coping response to dialectical tensions; refers to changes over time
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segmentation | a coping response to dialectical tensions; refers to changes due to context
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selection | a coping response to dialectical tensions; refers to prioritizing oppositions
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integration | a coping response to dialectical tensions; refers to synthesizing the opposition; composed of three substrategies
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neutralizing | a substrategy of integration; refers to compromising between the oppositions
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reframing | a substrategy of integration; refers to transforming the oppositions
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disqualifying | a substrategy of integration; refers to exempting certain issues from the general pattern
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microtheory | a theory with limited boundaries
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macrotheory | a theory with extensive boundaries
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private information | information about things that matter deeply to a person
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private disclosures | the process of communicating private information to another
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intimacy | the feeling state of knowing someone deeply in all ways because that person is significant in one's life
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private boundaries | the demarcation of private information from public information
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collective boundary | a boundary around private information that includes more than one person
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personal boundary | a boundary around private information that includes just one person
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privacy rule characteristics | one of the processes in the privacy rule management system; describes the nature of privacy rules
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rule development | one of the features of privacy rule characteristics; describes how rules come to be decided
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privacy rule attributes | one of the features of privacy rule characteristics; describes how people acquire rules and the properties of rules
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rule properties | the characteristics of a rule that reveal how stable or changeable it is
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boundary coordination | one of the processes in the privacy rule management system; describes how we manage private information that is co-owned
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boundary linkage | the connections forming boundary alliances between people
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boundary ownership | rights and privileges accruing to co-owners of private information
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boundary permeability | how much information is able to pass through a boundary
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thick boundaries | closed boundaries allowing little or no information to pass through
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thin boundaries | open boundaries allowing all information to pass through
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boundary turbulence | conflicts about boundary expectations and regulation
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problem-solving groups | sets of individuals whose main task is to make decisions and provide policy recommendations
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task-oriented groups | sets of individuals whose main goal is to work toward completing jobs assigned to them
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cohesiveness | the extent to which group members are willing to work together
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affiliative constraints | refers to when members withhold their input rather than face rejection from the group
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homogeneity | group similarity
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group insulation | a group's ability to remain unaffected by outside influences
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lack of impartial leadership | refers to when groups are led by individuals who put their personal agenda first
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lack of decision-making procedures | failure to provide norms for solving group issues
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internal and external stress | pressure exerted on the group by issues and events both inside and outside of the group
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concurrence seeking | efforts to search out group consensus
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overestimation of the group | erroneous belief that the group is more than it is
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illusion of invulnerability | belief that the group is special enough to overcome obstacles
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belief in the inherent morality of the group | assumption that the group members are thoughtful and good, therefore the decisions they make will be good
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closed-mindedness | a group's willingness to ignore differences in people and warnings about poor group decisions
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out-group stereotypes | stereotyped perceptions of group enemies or competitors
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collective rationalization | situation in which group members ignore warnings about their decisions
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pressure toward uniformity | occurs when group members go along to get along
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self-censorship | group members minimize personal doubts and counterarguments
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illusion of unanimity | belief that silence equals agreement
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self-appointed mindguards | individuals who protect the group from adverse information
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pressures on dissenters | direct influence on group members who provide thoughts contrary to the group's
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whistle-blowing | process in which individuals report unethical or illegal behaviors or practices to others
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conscientious objectors | group members who refuse to participate because it would violate personal conscience
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system | a group or organization and the behaviors that the group engages in to pursue its goals
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structure | the rules and resources used to sustain a group or organization
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structuration | the production, reproduction, and transformation of social environments through rules and resources in relationships
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power | imposition of personal will on others
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agency | behaviors or activities used in social environments
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agent | a person engaging in behaviors or activities in social environments
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reflexivity | a person's ability to monitor his or her actions or behaviors
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discursive consciousness | a person's ability to articulate personal goals or behaviors
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practical consciousness | a person's inability to articulate personal goals or behaviors
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duality of structure | rules and resources used to guide organizational decisions about behaviors or actions
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rules | general routines that the organization or group follows in accomplishing goals
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resources | attributes or material goods that can be used to exert power in an organization
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allocative resources | material assistance used to help groups accomplish their goals
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authoritative resources | interpersonal assistance used to help groups accomplish their goals
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reward power | perception that another person has the ability to provide positive outcomes
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coercive power | perception that another person has the ability to enact punishment
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referent power | perception that another person has the ability to achieve compliance because of established personal relationships
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legitimate power | perception that another person has the ability to exert influence because of title or position
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expert power | perception that another person has the ability to exert influence due to special knowledge or expertise
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social integration | reciprocity of communication behaviors in interaction
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objective factors | characteristics (e.g., clarity, rules) associated with achieving a group task
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group factors | group-related characteristics associated with achieving a group task
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group-task factors | individual group resources available to a group to achieve its task
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group-structural factors | systemic resources available to a group to achieve its task
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organizational culture | the essence of organizational life
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values | standards and principles in a culture
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field journal | personal log to record feelings about communicating with people in a different culture from one's own
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thick description | explanation of the layers of meaning in a culture
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performance | metaphor suggesting that organizational life is like a theatrical presentation
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ritual performances | regular and recurring presentations in the workplace
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personal rituals | routines done at the workplace each day
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task rituals | routines associated with a particular job in the workplace
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social rituals | routines that involve relationships with others in the workplace
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organizational rituals | routines that pertain to the organization overall
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passion performances | organizational stories that employees share with one another
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social performances | organizational behaviors intended to demonstrate cooperation and politeness with others
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political performances | organizational behaviors that demonstrate power or control
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enculturation performances | organizational behaviors that assist employees in discovering what it means to be a member of an organization
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feedback | information received by an organization and its members
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theory of sociocultural evolution | Darwin's belief that only the fittest can survive challenging surroundings
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equivocality | the extent to which organizational messages are uncertain, ambiguous, and/or unpredictable
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information environment | the availability of all stimuli in an organization
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requisite variety | engaging in communication that is as complex as the messages received
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rules | guidelines in organizations as they review responses to equivocal information
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duration | organizational rule stating that decisions regarding equivocality should be made in the least amount of time
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personnel | organizational rule stating that the most knowledgeable workers should resolve equivocality
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success | organizational rule stating that a successful plan of the past will be used to reduce current equivocality
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effort | organizational rule stating that decisions regarding equivocality should be made with the least amount of work
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cycles | series of communication behaviors that serve to reduce equivocality
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act | communication behaviors indicating a person's ambiguity in receiving a message
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response | reaction to equivocality
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adjustment | organizational responses to equivocality
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double interact loops | cycles of an organization (e.g., interviews, meetings) to reduce equivocality
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enactment | interpretation of the information received by the organization
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selection | choosing the best method for obtaining information
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retention | collective memory allowing people to accomplish goals
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Sophists | teachers of public speaking (rhetoric) in ancient Greece
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rhetoric | the available means of persuasion
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audience analysis | an assessment and evaluation of listeners
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ethos | the perceived character, intelligence, and goodwill of a speaker
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logos | logical proof; the use of arguments and evidence in a speech
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pathos | emotional proof; emotions drawn from audience members
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syllogism | a set of propositions that are related to one another and draw a conclusion from the major and minor premises
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enthymeme | a syllogism based on probabilities, signs, and examples
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probabilities | statements that are generally true, but still require conjecture
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signs | statements that identify reasons for a fact
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examples | statements that are either factual or invented by the speaker
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invention | a canon of rhetoric that pertains to the construction or development of an argument related to a particular speech
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topics | an aid to invention that refers to the arguments a speaker uses
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civic spaces | a metaphor suggesting that speakers have "locations" where the opportunity to persuade others exists
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arrangement | a canon of rhetoric that pertains to a speaker's ability to organize a speech
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introduction | part of an organizational strategy in a speech that includes gaining the audience's attention, connecting with the audience, and providing an overview of the speaker's purpose
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body | part of an organizational strategy in a speech that includes arguments, examples, and important details to make a point
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conclusion | part of an organizational strategy in a speech that is aimed at summarizing a speaker's main points and arousing emotions in an audience
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style | a canon of rhetoric that includes the use of language to express ideas in a speech
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glosses | outdated words in a speech
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metaphor | a figure of speech that helps to make the unclear more understandable
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delivery | a canon of rhetoric that refers to the nonverbal presentation of a speaker's ideas
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memory | a canon of rhetoric that refers to a speaker's effort in storing information for a speech
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forensic rhetoric | a type of rhetoric that pertains to speakers prompting feelings of guilt or innocence from an audience
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epideictic rhetoric | a type of rhetoric that pertains to praising or blaming
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deliberative rhetoric | a type of rhetoric that determines an audience's course of action
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substance | the general nature of something
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identification | when two people have overlap in their substances
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division | when two people fail to have overlap in their substances
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consubstantiation | when appeals are made to increase overlap between people
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guilt | tension, embarrassment, shame, disgust, or other unpleasant feeling
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order or hierarchy | a ranking that exists in society primarily because of our ability to use language
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the negative | rejecting one's place in the social order; exhibiting resistence
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victimage | the way we attempt to purge the guilt we feel as part of being human
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mortification | one method of purging guilt, by blaming ourselves
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scapegoating | one method of purging guilt, by blaming others
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redemption | A rejection of the unclean and a return to a new order after guilt has been temporarily purged
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pentad | Burke's method for applying Dramatism
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act | one prong of the pentad; that which is done by a person
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scene | one prong of the pentad; the context surrounding the act
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agent | one prong of the pentad; the person performing the act
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agency | one prong of the pentad; the means used to perform the act
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purpose | one prong of the pentad; the goal the agent had for the act
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attitude | a later addition to the pentad; the manner in which the agent positions himself or herself relative to others
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dramatistic ratios | the proportions of one element of the pentad relative to another element
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paradigm shift | a significant change in the way most people see the world and its meanings
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rational world paradigm | a system of logic employed by many researchers and professionals
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narration | an account to which listeners assign meaning
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narrative rationality | a standard for judging which stories to believe and which to disregard
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coherence | a principle of narrative rationality judging the internal consistency of a story
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structural coherence | a type of coherence referring to the flow of the story
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material coherence | a type of coherence referring to the congruence between one story and other related stories
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characterological coherence | a type of coherence referring to the believability of the characters in the story
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fidelity | a principle of narrative rationality judging the credibility of a story
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good reasons | a set of values for accepting a story as true and worthy of acceptance; provides a method for assessing fidelity
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alienation | perception that one has little control over his or her future
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Frankfurt School theorists | a group of scholars who believed that the media were more concerned with making money than with presenting news
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neo-Marxist | limited embracement of Marxism
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ideology | framework used to make sense of our existence
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culture wars | cultural struggles over meaning, identity, and influence
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hegemony | the domination of one group over another, usually weaker, group
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false consciousness | Gramsci's belief that people are unaware of the domination in their lives
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theatre of struggle | competition of various cultural ideologies
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counter-hegemony | when at times, people will use hegemonic behaviors to challenge the domination in their lives
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decoding | receiving and comparing messages
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dominant-hegemonic position | operating within a code that allows a person to have control over another
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negotiated position | accepting dominant ideologies, but allowing for cultural exceptions
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oppositional position | substituting alternative messages presented by the media
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causal argument | an assertion of cause and effect, including the direction of the causality
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transmissional perspective | a position depicting the media as senders of messages across space
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ritual perspective | a position depicting the media as representers of shared beliefs
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violence index | a yearly content analysis of prime-time network programming to assess the amount of violence represented
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ice age analogy | a position stating that television doesn't have to have a single major impact, but influences viewers through steady limited effects
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cultivation differential | the percentage of difference in response between light and heavy television viewers
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mainstreaming | the tendency for heavy viewers to perceive a similar culturally dominant reality to that pictured on the media although this differs from actual reality
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resonance | occurs when a viewer's lived reality coincides with the reality pictured in the media
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first order effects | a method for cultivation to occur; refers to learning facts from the media
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second order effects | a method for cultivation to occur; refers to learning values and assumptions from the media
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3 Bs of television | blurring of distinctions among worldviews, blending of realities into the cultural mainstream, and bending of the mainstream to institutional and corporate interests
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Mass Society Theory | the idea that average people are the victims of the powerful forces of mass media
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limited effects | the perspective replacing Mass Society Theory; holds that media effects are limited by aspects of the audience's personal and social lives
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Individual Differences Perspective | a specific approach to the idea of Limited Effects; concentrates on the limits posed by personal characteristics
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Social Categories Model | a specific approach to the idea of limited effects; concentrates on the limits posed by group membership
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fraction of selection | Schramm's idea of how media choices are made: the expectation of reward divided by the effort required
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parasocial interaction | the relationship we feel we have with people we know only through the media
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diversion | a category of gratifications coming from media use; involves escaping from routines and problems
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personal relationships | a category of gratifications coming from media use; involves substituting media for companionship
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personal identity | a category of gratifications coming from media use; involves ways to reinforce individual values
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surveillance | a category of gratifications coming from media use; involves collecting needed information
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utility | using the media to accomplish specific tasks
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intentionality | occurs when people's prior motives determine use of media
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selectivity | audience members' use of media reflects their existing interests
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imperviousness to influence | refers to audience members' constructing their own meaning from media content
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activity | refers to what the media consumer does
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activeness | refers to how much freedom the audience really has in the face of mass media
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public | legal, social, and social-psychological concerns of people
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opinion | expression of attitude
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public opinion | attitudes and behaviors expressed in public in order to avoid isolation
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quasi-statistical sense | personal estimation of the strength of opposing sides on a public issue
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pluralistic ignorance | mistaken observation of how most people feel
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ubiquity | the belief that media are everywhere
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cumulativeness | the belief that media repeat themselves
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consonance | the belief that all media are similar in attitudes, beliefs, and values
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dual climates of opinion | difference between the population's perception of a public issue and the way the media report on the issue
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train test | assessment of the extent to which people will speak out
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last-minute swing | jumping on the bandwagon of popular opinion after opinions have been expressed
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hard core | group(s) at the end of the spiral willing to speak out at any cost
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bias of communication | Harold Innis's contention that technology has a shaping power on society
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global village | the notion that humans can no longer live in isolation, but rather will always be connected by continuous and instantaneous electronic media
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epoch | era or historical age
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tribal era | age when oral tradition was embraced and hearing was the paramount sense
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literate era | age when written communication flourished and the eye became the dominant sense organ
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print era | age when gaining information through the printed word was customary and seeing continued as the dominant sense
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electronic era | age in which electronic media pervades our senses, allowing for people across the world to be connected
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ratio of the senses | phrase referring to the way people adapt to their environment (through a balance of the senses)
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the medium is the message | phrase referring to the power and influence of the mediumnot the contenton a society
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hot media | high-definition communication that demands little involvement from a viewer, listener, or reader
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cool media | low-definition communication that demands active involvement from a viewer, listener, or reader
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laws of media | further expansion of Medium Theory with focus on the impact of technology on society
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tetrad | organizing concept to understand the laws of media
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enhancement | law that states media amplifies or strengthens society
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obsolescence | law that states media eventually renders something out-of-date
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retrieval | law that states media restores something that was once lost
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reversal | law that states media willwhen pushed to their limitproduce or become something
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technopoly | a term coined by Postman that means we live in a society dominated by technology
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face | a metaphor for the public image people display
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face concern | interest in maintaining one's face or the face of others
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face need | desire to be associated or disassociated with others
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positive face | desire to be liked and admired by others
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negative face | desire to be autonomous and free from others
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facework | actions used to deal with face needs/wants of self and others
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tact facework | extent to which a person respects another's autonomy
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solidarity facework | accepting another as a member of an in-group
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approbation facework | focusing less on the negative aspects of another and more on the positive aspects
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self-identity | personal attributes of another
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face-saving | efforts to avoid embarrassment or vulnerability
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face restoration | strategy used to preserve autonomy and avoid loss of face
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individualism | a cultural value that places emphasis on the individual over the group
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collectivism | a cultural value that places emphasis on the group over the individual
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face management | the protection of one's face
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avoiding | staying away from disagreements
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obliging | satisfying the needs of others
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compromising | using give-and-take to achieve a middle-road resolution
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dominating | using influence or authority to make decisions
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integrating | collaborating with others to find solutions
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feminism | focusing on women's social position and desiring to end oppression based on sex
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standpoint | an achieved position based on a social location that lends an interpretative aspect to a person's life
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partial | a recognition that no one has a complete view of the social hierarchy
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outsider within | a person in a normally marginalized social position who has gained access to a more privileged location
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accuracy | the ability to see more than what's available to one's own specific social location
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situated knowledges | what anyone knows is grounded in context and circumstance
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sexual division of labor | allocation of work on the basis of sex
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essentialism | the belief that all women are essentially the same, all men are essentially the same, and the two differ from each other
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dualisms | organizing things around pairs of opposites
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dominant group | the group that holds the power in a given culture
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sex | biological category divided into male and female
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gender | social category consisting of the learned behaviors that constitute masculinity and femininity for a given culture
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gender polarization | viewing men and women as polar opposites
|
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second shift | the phenomenon of working women putting in eight hours on the job and another day's work at home
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accommodation | adjusting, modifying, or regulating behavior in response to others
|
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Social Identity Theory | a theory that proposes a person's identity is shaped by the groups to which he or she belongs
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in-groups | groups in which a person feels he or she belongs
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out-groups | groups in which a person feels he or she does not belong
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perception | process of attending to and interpreting a message
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evaluation | process of judging a conversation
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norms | expectations of behavior in conversations
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convergence | strategy used to adapt to another's behavior
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indirect stereotyping | imposing outdated and rigid assumptions of a cultural group upon that group
|
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divergence | strategy used to accentuate the verbal and nonverbal differences between communicators
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over-accommodation | attempt to overdo efforts in regulating, modifying, or responding to others
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sensory overaccommodation | overly adapting to others who are perceived as limited in their abilities (physical, linguistic, or other)
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dependency overaccommodation | occurs when speakers place listeners in a lower-status role
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intergroup overaccommodation | occurs when speakers place listeners in cultural groups without acknowledging individual uniqueness
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