1. What are conversation dilemmas? How can we extricate ourselves from such dilemmas?

Conversation dilemmas are when we have a difficult time communicating. It can be getting caught in a lie, or feeling like you can’t say the right thing. To be extricated from such dilemmas, we need to be communicatively competent.

2. What is active listening?

Active listening is when you respond to a person in a way that lets them know you are listening.

3. What are face threatening acts, and how do they relate to confirming responses?

Face threatening acts take away from our self-concept, and the way we want others to see us. Confirming responses can help to save face by validating or reassuring someone.

4. What are boundaries, and how do they relate to communication? What are boundary violations?

Boundaries are the limits we set on what we consider appropriate. Boundary violations occur when a person crosses the limits we set.

5. What is the cooperative principle? Describe the four maxims associated with the principle and how they relate to conversation.

The cooperative principal says that conversation partners are trying to facilitate understanding with their talk. The four maxims are quality, quantity, relevancy, and manners.

6. What are three types of disconfirming communication, and how can we respond with specific types of assertive metacommunication?

Three types of disconfirming communication are: ignoring someone, not acknowledging others’ feelings, and not accepting others’ opinions and emotions. Stating that you refuse to talk to someone that is using this type of communication would be a way to respond with assertive metacommunication.

7. How can noise and selective listening interfere with how we receive messages?

Noise and selective listening can cause us to not correctly receive messages, or confuse what is being communicating.

8. What is covert verbal abuse, and how can we competently respond to it?

Covert verbal abuse is verbal abuse that is sometimes not recognizable by the targeted person. A competent response to covert verbal abuse would be to set and maintain boundaries.

9. What types of questions can we use to begin a conversation? Provide examples in your answer.

Open ended questions can be used to begin conversations. Asking a person about something that evokes descriptive responses and gives insight to how they feel.

10. What are some skills we can use to sustain a conversation? Provide examples in your answer. Some skills to sustain conversations include giving more information than what was expected (free information), and appropriate turn taking that includes the proper amount of turns and speaking for the appropriate length of time.