The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, said “The thing that we are trying to do at Facebook is just help people connect and communicate more effectively.” This is ex-actly why we wrote Communication: Making Connections—to help students “make connections” in their daily lives, to communicate more effectively, and to strive to be successful and productive citizens. Imagine what life would be like without iPods, computers, wireless Internet access, GPSs in cars or on phones, or the many other forms of social media we use every day. Perhaps we cannot imagine it because these electronics have become woven into the very fabric of our lives, so that we take them for granted as they become more and more an extension of who we are. It is clear that Zuckerberg and the founders of Google, Apple Computers, and many other high-tech companies have, in fact, attained their ambitious goal of changing how we live.

Clearly our world, particularly our social world, has changed and will continue to change, perhaps more quickly and dramatically than at any time in our past. Further—and a key point we’ll emphasize throughout the book—these changes have important implications for our communication and the communication field. As in previous editions, we are committed to bringing the latest and most up-to-date information regarding communication and its importance to our everyday lives.

We continue to be gratified and grateful that so many instructors have chosen Communication: Making Connections for their students. With this new edition, we have remained committed to our primary goal of helping students become more competent communicators in a variety of contexts. We also continue to strive for balance between thorough, straightforward explanation of basic communica-tion principles and a solid theoretical foundation, supported by the latest research findings.

New to This EditionThe introductory communication course, with a solid foundation of rhetorical tradi-tion, is constantly evolving, but its central premise, that communication remains the number one skill that leads to success in both our professional and personal lives, remains a constant. We take each revision seriously to ensure that we are making it fresher, more useful, and more readable. This ninth edition is no exception, and we believe we have met our goal.

• increased emphasis on technology: We provide new information in this edition on communication technologies, from texting to online social networking, from blogging to web video. We explore the influence of such technologies on our com-munication, beginning with an expanded discussion of electronic-mediated communication (EMC) in Chapter 1.

PrefaCe

xvi

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Preface xvii

•particular focus on the implication of communication via social media: We em-phasize the implications of new communication technologies for the messages we send and receive, such as the use of Facebook and other social networking sites; for how emotions are communicated online; and, ultimately, for our inter-actions and relationships.

•new coauthor: Dr. Joe Mazer of Clemson University has joined our team, bring-ing new and engaging content to this edition. His insights, research, and under-standing of communication and social media have enhanced our emphasis on technology and its influence on our everyday communication.

•Streamlined coverage: Recognizing the increased demands on time, we have re-valuated every line, streamlining and editing to ensure that only the most rel-evant information and research findings are presented in the most useful and concise ways.

•numerous new examples: In recognition of the need to continuously update and refresh the book to keep up with the ever-changing world and commu-nication discipline, examples have been replaced or added, or updated to be relevant to today’s students in a variety of ways. All new chapter openings make communication come alive to students as they encounter real-world experiences.

•new research findings: Every chapter is updated with new research, new find-ings, and new theoretical perspectives, new research on gender expectations and communication, new references on deception and nonverbal communication, and a new discussion of social information processing theory. Instructors will include this information on exams.

•new, goal-oriented objectives: Objectives highlight the specific concepts, prin-ciples, and practices students will learn and actions or behaviors they will gain. Chapter summaries highlight each objective and provide a usable way to review the chapter and ensure that objectives have been met.

•new pedagogical aids: This edition, like previous ones, retains our commit-ment to the “making connections” theme—helping students understand communication as the means of connecting with others. We have added and updated research to support our theme as well as added new sample speech and excerpts, including completely new informative and persuasive speeches with annotations.

In addition, we have made specific changes in every chapter.

•part 1, Making Connections through Communication: Chapter 1, on process and principles, includes a completely revised and updated section on commu-nication and our technical society, an addition on social media in the com-munication and career development section, a completely rewritten section on communication is transactional, a revised mass communication section, a re-vised section on communication via social media, and a new section on distin-guishing social media from face-to-face communication. Chapter 2, on percep-tion, includes a new and revised section on the perception process and a new

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xviii Preface

section on interpretation based on verbal communication. Chapter 3, on the self, has an expanded section on the personal-social identity continuum that provides insight into intergroup connections that help us form our self-concept. Chapter 4, on verbal communication, features a stronger connection between thinking and language choice. Our language choices reflect our thinking, and thus we need to choose language carefully and be prepared to explain ourselves to others who may not think as we do. Chapter 5, on nonverbal communica-tion, includes a revised and updated section on what nonverbal communication is, expansion of information on cultural emotional cues and nonverbal differ-ences, and a completely rewritten section combining the ability to send and interpret nonverbal communication. Chapter 6, on listening, covers more on the ways we think and how that affects listening. A new model of listening, the Harfield Cognitive Listening Model, shows how different preferred modes of thinking affect the way we listen and respond to others.

•part 2, Connecting in the public Context: Chapter 7, on topic selection and audi-ence analysis, has a new emphasis on the thought process and now discusses the effect of social media as we search for speaking topics. Chapter 8, on gathering and using information, has been reorganized and now includes a new section on the research plan. Chapter 9, on organizing and outlining, places more empha-sis on the analysis of organizing and outlining. Chapter 10, on communication anxiety and speech delivery, has major changes, including use of social media to enhance presentations, using Prezi and PowerPoint as presentational aids, and additional discussions on the cognitive aspect of managing anxiety. Chapters 11 and 12, on informative and persuasive speaking, show how technology and social media aid speech development. Both include new outlines, new speeches (with video versions on MyCommunicationLab), greater emphasis on analyzing and applying information in chapters, and strategies for putting it all together for effective finished presentations.

•part 3, Connecting in Relational Contexts: Chapter 13, on the theory of inter-personal communication, is completely revised and now provides a solid under-standing of the significant theories (uncertainty management theory, social information processing theory, social exchange theory, interpersonal needs theory, dialectical theory, and social penetration theory) related to interper-sonal communication. Chapter 14, on developing and maintaining relation-ships, includes new sections on interpersonal communication competence and relationship maintenance strategies. Chapter 15, on group and team commu-nication, includes revised sections on defining what makes a group and a new section on using social media to establish group culture. Chapter 16, group and team participation, includes an expanded section on leadership, a revised section on discussing the problem and its solution (with the addition of functional theory, which outlines three conditions for group success), and a new section on conflict online.

•Appendix, Career development: preparing for Your Future: The fully revised appen-dix now includes a revised section on understanding qualities employers seek, a new section on conducting the job search, an updated list of suggestions for applying electronically, a new section on creating a website or blog, a new section on creating a favorable first impression, and a new section on writing a thank you note.

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Preface xix

Organization of the TextAs in all previous editions, the chapters are arranged to provide a practical and workable approach to teaching the fundamentals of communication. Part One, “Making Connections through Communication,” provides the necessary back-ground and basic principles for all communication. Part Two, “Connecting in the Public Context,” helps students develop their speaking skills as they learn to select a topic, analyze an audience, gather and use supporting and clarifying materials, organize and outline speech material, deliver a speech with confidence, and effectively inform and persuade an audience. Part Three. “Connecting in Relational Contexts,” describes communication in relationships and small groups and teams.

Foundations are presented first. Then public communication skills are discussed, followed by interpersonal and group communication. We discuss public communi-cation skills early, before interpersonal communication, because we believe the confidence and skills of public speaking are fundamental to all communication. To communicate effectively throughout life—whether socially, on the job, in one-to-one situations, in small groups, or before an audience—a person must be able to commu-nicate with confidence, support and clarify his or her thoughts, organize information, analyze those with whom he or she is communicating, and inform and persuade effectively.

This sequence of concepts is also based on the recognition that, although students in an introductory communication course must master a great deal of information before they give a speech, because of time constraints they need to begin preparing and presenting speeches as early in the term as possible. Introducing public speak-ing skills first provides a more even balance between speech presentations and other classroom activities, and curbs the tendency to focus exclusively on speech making at the end of the term.

Considerable demands are placed on instructors and students of introductory communication courses, and a wide variety of ways to teach them are available. In-structors should feel free to organize the course in whatever way is appropriate and meets the needs of their students.

Instructor and Student ResourcesKey instructor resources include an Instructor’s Manual (ISBN 0205931006), Test Bank, (ISBN 0205930999), and PowerPoint Presentation Package (ISBN 0205930980). These supplements are available at www.pearsonhighered.com/irc (instructor login required). MyTest online test generating software (ISBN 0205931081) is available at www.pearsonmytest.com (instructor login required).

For a complete listing of the instructor and student resources available with this product, please visit the Communication: Making Connections e-Catalog page at www.pearsonhighered.com/communication.

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Making eVerYDaY ConneCtions

Special Features of the Text

In this edition we have strengthened and reinforced our “making connections” theme by bringing in more student and real-life exam-ples of how we are connected in today’s world. Each chapter opens with a “Making everyday Connections” scenario that describes commu-nication situations or issues likely to be part of students’ real-life everyday communication encounters, such as what to disclose and not to disclose on Facebook and other social networking sites or how texting is affecting family relationships. Each scenario is followed by thought-provoking questions that ask students to think about the issues and apply them to their own lives.

Making ConneCtions for suCCessWe live in a connected world. Communication helps us to make connections with each other and with events around the world as they unfold on a daily basis. Technology allows communication to take many forms and has changed the avenues through which communi-cation occurs and how it occurs on the. web.

The ever-changing array of technological options has added to the challenge of presenting and receiving messages—of communicating effectively with others. This ninth edition focuses not only on the different communication channels available but also on the implications of media for our communication, for the quality of the messages we send and receive.

“Making Connections for Success” boxes in each chapter are designed to encourage students to think critically about communication in their lives. Each box contains skill-building activities and stimulating questions to help students reflect on issues and their own communication behavior, and become more competent communica-tors. Many of these boxes are designed to emphasize the role and importance of technology in our interactions. In addition, we have expanded our discussions of communication via social media within the text and have emphasized technology and its influence in numerous other boxed features and text discussions. This feature allows students to see how technology influences the messages we send and how it can both help and hinder competent communication.

3

This ChapTer will help you

Define communication.

identify four reasons for studying communication.

explain the fundamental principles of communication.

Define the essential components in the communication process.

Differentiate the various types of communication: intrapersonal, interpersonal (including group), public, mass, and communication via social media.

Differentiate social media from face-to-face communication.

summarize five common myths about communication.

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Making Everyday ConnectionsIndustry notes that, as of June 2006, 10.5% of U.S. households were “wireless-only households”—meaning the family abandoned its landline telephone and used only cell phones. In June 2011, the Association estimated that 31.6% of U.S. households completely eliminated their landline telephones. Furthermore, the Association stated that 196.9 billion text messages were sent in June 2011 alone. The total number of text messages sent in 2011 amounted to over 2.12 trillion.2 Where will this communi-cation lead? And how will it affect each of us as communicators?

QuesTions To Think abouT

1. How much time do you spend texting, on Twitter or Facebook, or with some other form of social media?

2. What different forms of communication do you use on a given day?

3. How much time do you spend listening to others?

4. Can you explain the characteristics of an effective communicator?

5. What public figures are effective communicators? Why?

6. How often do you think about how effectively you communicate with others face-to-face and through social media?

President Barack Obama is said to have forever changed the nature of political campaigning as well as communication by and with a president of the United States. Obama’s campaign made extensive use of YouTube, blogs, tweets through Twitter, and other tools on the Internet. His charismatic appeal drew in young people by the thousands, and they, too, added to the use and appeal of technology in staying connected with others. In addition, the president’s heavy reliance on his BlackBerry challenged his security team to find a way for him to use the BlackBerry without compromising his safety or national security. President Obama is a prime example of someone immersed in our connected world. He acknowledges that he and other individuals are highly dependent on social media to communicate and connect in everyday life.

Most students and faculty members are among the groups of people who use the Internet to stay connected with family, friends, and others. At the end of December 2011, Facebook reported that it surpassed 845 million monthly active users. Approximately 80% of those monthly active users were outside the United States and Canada. Available in more than 70 languages, Facebook also reported that 425 million monthly active users used the social network’s mobile applications on their smartphones and other digital devices.1 The International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications

Listen to the Audio Chapter at MyCommunicationLab

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The Perception Process 43

assumptions, such as Shelley’s, when we see people from different cultures. We tend to assume that because people are similar in appearance, they must behave and think similarly as well.

InterpretationInterpretation of what we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell is an integral part of who we are and how our perceptions influence our communication. Interpretation is the assigning of meaning to stimuli. We use our experiences, both past and present, as well as the opinions of others to help interpret the meaning of stimuli.

InTerpreTaTIon based on pasT experIence. Our interpretations of stimuli de-pend on our past experiences. For example, when you first arrived on campus, you probably either asked for help or consulted a map to locate various buildings and class-rooms. With each passing day, however, you found it easier to get around and even discovered shortcuts from one place to another. As we become familiar with our sur-roundings, we don’t have to think about where we are going; we just go. When we give directions to someone on how to get from one place to another on campus, it seems intuitive because we have done it so many times. We falsely assume that the person we are giving directions to will understand exactly what we are telling them. A distinct relationship exists between our perceptions and communication.

InTerpreTaTIon based on new sITUaTIons. Although past experiences form a basis for interpreting our environment, we must be careful not to let them keep us from finding fresh meanings in new situations or events. For example, a bad experi-ence with one doctor does not automatically mean it will be the same with another doctor. The competent communicator will view the previous experience as a lesson to ask more questions and do more research before he or she reaches a final opinion.

The competent communicator knows that information, regardless of its source or form, must always be interpreted in order to have meaning. However, he or she

Many students today extensively research the college or university they wish to attend. For example, it is not unusual for students to visit several campuses and/or view the websites in which they have an interest. Select several college or university websites from various types of schools, such as small liberal arts college; state college; university; or public, private, or religious institution. Also include the website of the school you are attending. Look at each website in terms of its design, ease of navigation, and overall appeal.

1. Which of the websites impressed you the most? Why?2. Which of the websites gave you the perception that the school was friendly or unfriendly? Organized or disorganized?

High or low quality? Professional or unprofessional? Personal or impersonal? Other?3. How does your university’s or college’s website compare to others you examined? Does the website accurately depict

what it is like to attend there? Why or why not?4. What did you learn about perception and communication from this exercise?

MakIng COnnECTIOnS

fOr SuCCESS

The Web and Perception

interpretationAssigning of meaning to stimuli.

Watch the Video “Art Appreciation” at MyCommunicationLab

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Summary 161

nothing else should occur because listening should take one’s entire attention and energy.34 Cocultures within the United States also believe listening encompasses the whole being. Native Americans believe that a good listener will reflect on what is said before responding. A quick response is a faux pas and should be avoided. A thoughtful response demonstrates the listener’s thoughts about the previous speaker’s message.

Although we don’t know all similarities and differences in listening in every culture of the world, we do know that communicators need to be aware of both. In the United States, we think nothing of interrupting a speaker in conversation. Ac-cording to the responses gained in interviews, in places such as China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela, if you inter-rupt, you will be branded a discourteous person, and the local residents will avoid speaking with you. The best advice for communicating with people from other cul-tures is to (1) respectfully ask questions and (2) be aware of cultural differences.35 The guidelines for competent listeners apply equally to intercultural listening and domestic listening experiences. Listening requires energy and commitment in every communication situation.

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Summary

Describe how listening helps you make connections with others in all aspects of your life.Listening is relational; that is, it depends on two or more people interacting with each other and simultaneously being a sender and receiver. Effective listening is required in all aspects of our lives.

Explain the complex nature of the listening process.The listening process is composed of five interrelated aspects, plus remembering, attention and focus, and thinking preferences; there is a listening-thinking connection that incorporates thinking and information processing.

• Accuratereceptionofsoundsrequiresthelistenertofocusattentiononthespeaker,discriminateamong sounds, and concentrate.

• Weknowthatpastexperienceplaysanimportantroleandthatyourelateandcomparenewsounds and ideas to those you have previously heard.

• Ifthetopicseemsmorerelevant,peoplewillrememberslightlymorethanifitseemsirrelevant.• Memoryor“remembering”isamorecriticalcomponentofthelisteningprocessthanprevious

research suggests.• Intheinterpretingstage,thelistenersimplytriestomakesenseoftheinformationreceived.• In the evaluating stage, the listener analyzes evidence, sorts fact from opinion, determines the

intent of the speaker, judges the accuracy of the speaker’s statements and conclusions, and judges the accuracy of personal conclusions.

• Respondingisthelistener’sovertbehaviorthatindicatestothespeakerwhathasandhasnotbeen received.

Differentiate among four functions of listening behavior.We listen to obtain information, to evaluate, to be entertained, and to be empathic with others.

Study and Review materials for this chapter are at MyCommunicationLab

Listen to the Audio Chapter Summary at MyCommunicationLab

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Outline Your Speech 241

saMple presenTaTional ouTline for inforMaTive speech

Sarah might annotate her presentational outline in this way to help her remember to cover everything in her speech.

Sarah Johansen, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (modified slightly; used with permission)

Topic: Helen Keller International

Title: A Charity with Vision: Helen Keller International

general purpose: To inform

specific purpose: To inform my audience about the charity organization Helen Keller International and raise awareness for its cause

Thesis: To inform my audience about the mission and history of Helen Keller International, how it is acting to prevent blindness, and its actions to reduce malnutrition worldwide.

introduction

Look at audience.

I. Close your eyes for just a moment. Without sight, you must depend on other senses to remain aware of everything going on around you. Now imagine losing your sense of hearing as well. How would you communicate with others and stay aware of your surroundings?

A. Helen Keller was both blind and deaf and still managed to have an incredibly successful and inspirational life and was known for her intel-ligence and ambition.

B. One of her many accomplishments was cofounding the organization Helen Keller International (HKI) in 1915 with George Kessler.

Show the website.

C. The organization is a legacy Helen Keller left for us to continue, with her spirit and enthusiasm at its heart, in order to better the world.

Make a brief pause, move, look at audience.

body

II. Helen Keller International’s Mission and History

A. Helen Keller was blinded at the age of 2 after a terrible fever and soon after lost her sense of hearing.

Present picture of Helen Keller as a child.

B. George Kessler was a New Yorker who survived the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 and committed his life to helping soldiers who had lost vision in combat.

1. George and his wife asked Helen Keller for her support and formed the Permanent Blind Relief War Fund for Soldiers & Sailors of the Allies in 1915, which helped blinded veterans learn how to read Braille, make chairs, and knit.

Topic

Title

General Purpose

Specific Purpose

Thesis

(continued)

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Vocal and Physical Aspects of Delivery 257

Vocal and Physical Aspects of DeliveryWithout solid content and valid sources, nothing is worth communicating; but with-out effective delivery, even the most compelling information cannot be clearly and vividly presented. Because the audience is the ultimate judge of effectiveness, you must deliver your speech well to involve them in it. Audience members like to feel as if they are being personally addressed. Try to think of your presentation as a conver-sation and your audience as your partners in dialogue. Then use your voice and body to create this impression.

Vocal AspectsMany beginning speakers overlook the important role of voice in delivery. Your voice should be pleasant to listen to, relate easily and clearly to your thoughts, and express a range of emotions. Your voice should convey the meaning you intend. The more natural, spontaneous, and effortless you appear to be, regardless of how hard you are working, the more your listener can focus on what you say rather than how you say it. Three aspects of voice that determine the effectiveness of delivery are vocal quality, intelligibility, and vocal variety.

Vocal QualiTy.    The overall impression a speaker’s voice makes on listeners is referred to as vocal quality. Voices may be harsh, nasal, thin, mellow, resonant, or full bodied. Attitude can affect the quality of the voice and reveal to listeners whether the speaker is happy, confident, angry, fearful, or sad. Think about those times when you were extremely tired: How did your voice sound? Did you hide your tiredness from people listening to you? Probably not. Think about times when you were really excited about a topic. How do you think you sounded to your listeners? Generally, when we’re really involved and interested in something, the voice carries energy and excitement and draws others into the conversation. Vocal quality is a highly accurate indicator of the presenter’s sincerity. In addition, listeners tend to believe that speak-ers whose vocal delivery is interesting and easy to listen to are more credible and will probably be more willing to listen to those who use their voices effectively.

inTelligibiliTy.  A speaker’s intelligibility, the degree to which an audience can hear and understand words, is determined by vocal volume; distinctiveness of sound; accuracy of pronunciation; articulation; and stress placed on syllables, words, and phrases. The keys to high intelligibility are self-awareness and consideration for listeners.

•Volume. To determine the proper volume, consider the size of the room and observe listeners’ reactions. Do listeners look as if they’re straining to hear you? Or is your voice too loud or booming for the size of the room?

•Pronunciation. We have all been known to mispronounce words. For example, a common word like February is often mispronounced as Feb-u-ary instead of Feb-ru-ary. Sometimes we mispronounce words out of habit, incorrect learning, or a regionalism. When we mispronounce words, we lower our intelligibility and also run the risk of lowering our credibility. Speakers often drop off word endings,

vocal qualityThe overall impres-sion a speaker’s voice makes on his or her listeners.

intelligibilitySpeaker’s vocal vol-ume, distinctiveness of sound, clarity of pronunciation, articula-tion, and stress placed on syllables, words, and phrases.

Watch the Video “Tips for Speech Delivery” at MyCommunicationLab

Explore the Concept “Speech Delivery” at MyCommunicationLab

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Managing Speech Anxiety 253

take a deep breath, and begin speaking. Your audience smiles and nods throughout the speech, and you become more and more relaxed as you speak. When you finish, they applaud loudly. Someone says, “That was a wonderful speech!” Remember how it felt to be so relaxed. Go through this visualization process and think about how relaxed you are. This kind of mental rehearsal helps you change negative thoughts to positive ones.

Overcoming anxiety in public speaking situations is not easy, but you must remember that some anxiety can be helpful and is a normal reaction to speaking in public. When we asked students for specific ways they dealt with their anxieties, they suggested the following:

1. Practice and have your introduction, main points, and conclusion clear in your mind. Students believe that once they know their introductions, main points, and conclusions, it is a lot easier to remember the details.

2. Walk confidently to the speaking area. Students believe this helps create confi-dence. If you’re confident, it is likely you will feel relaxed. In other words, posi-tive behavior results in positive outcomes.

3. Do not start your speech until you are ready. Students and instructors suggest that having everything under control before starting to speak makes it easier to relax and concentrate on the speech, rather than on yourself.

4. Look at your audience and focus most of the time on friendly faces. Students believe that concentrating on those who are likely to give positive feedback will help promote a good feeling about speaking.

These suggestions are probably not new, or surprising, but they will help in your quest to become a successful speaker. The best thing you can do is continue to give speeches in class and take more classes that will afford opportunities to speak under the supervision of a trained instructor. You can reduce and control your fear of speak-ing, but you need to continue to work at doing so, as well as follow the guidelines and suggestions offered here.

1. You are not alone. Almost everyone has some anxiety about giving a speech or making a presentation.

2. Be prepared. The more knowledge of and passion for the topic you have, the easier it is to concentrate on what you want to share rather than the fact that you are speaking.

3. Know your audience and the surroundings in which your presentation will take place.

4. Think positively. Prepare yourself mentally for success. Believe you are going to be successful, and you probably will be.

5. Practice, practice, and then practice more.

6. Ask your instructor for additional advice and other possible available treatment programs.

7. Don’t give up. Others want you to succeed, and you can if you want to do so.

Managing speech Anxiety

Guidelines

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340 Chapter 12 Persuasive Speaking

Guidelinesfor Persuasive speakers

1. Establish yourself as an ethical communicator by employing good research, oral footnotes, and careful use of language and information.

2. Use repetition and restatement to help your listeners remember your speech.

3. Use appropriate organizational patterns.

4. Select appropriate supporting materials.

5. Use sound reasoning. Think about Toulmin’s model and make your claim, support your claim with evidence (data), and show how the claim and date connect (warrant).

Michael Schwabe, University of Nebraska–Lincoln 

specific purpose: To persuade my audience to donate their time and/or money to Bethel Ministries

Thesis: Bethel Ministries provides outstanding help for people in Guatemala and deserves to receive donations of your time and/or money to promote their work.

Introduction

Have you ever seen a disabled child abandoned by family because he or she couldn’t work? I have. Have you ever seen a husband and father unable to provide for his family after losing both his arms in a work accident? I have. Have you ever heard the cries of help from a family living in a cardboard home with only three walls and half a roof? I have. Last week, you heard about how problems such as these are common among citizens of Guatemala. Last week, you heard about how a family of missionaries called Bethel Ministries is trying to help these citizens. What you didn’t hear last week was why this matters to you. What you didn’t hear was “Why should I spend time or money to help these people?” Well, today, that’s exactly what I’d like to tell you. I want to tell you why Bethel Ministries is worthy of your acknowledgement. To do this, I’d like to tell you what I experienced when I worked with them, and then how you can benefit from assisting this family.

I. My experience

A. When I was 16, I spent a week working in Guatemala.

i. I went with Brookdale Church.

ii. This was our church’s third trip with this mission family.

B. I was a normal 16-year-old.

i. I didn’t expect to get much from this trip other than a cool vacation.

ii. However, I quickly found out that this trip would have a much bigger impact on my life.

C. When I went, we built over 10 houses in 5 days of work.

Michael has a longer than usual intro-duction because he wants to make sure that he gets the listeners’ attention and because he feels strongly (in fact, is quite passion-ate) about this particular charity. He orients the listeners to his topic, motivates them to pay attention, and establishes his own credibility because he has seen the situation in Guatemala and has helped the mission group bring about change.

a saMplE pERsuasIvE spEECh wITh CoMMEnTaRy

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LeARning ObjeCTiveSLearning objectives lay out the specific concepts and skills you will learn in each chapter.

Sample Speeches and Outlines There are two sample speeches. The first is an informative speech which is outlined in Chapter 9 as a sample full-sentence outline, where the organization is the primary focus, and then as a sample presentation out-line. It appears again in Chapter 11 as a full-sentence outline, where a more comprehensive analysis and evaluation is the focus. A sample full-sentence out-line for a persuasive appears in Chapter 12, along with analysis and evaluation. Videos of both speeches can be found at MyCommunicationLab.

boldface Key Terms and Marginal glossary Important terms are highlighted within the text; brief definitions appear in the margins to aid study and exam preparation.

guidelines Boxed guidelines succinctly summa-rize key skill-oriented concepts.

Chapter Summaries and discussion Starters Chapter summaries are organized by learning objectives to help students focus on what they were to have learned and understood in each chapter. They help to clarify for students what should be gained from reading each chapter. Discus-sion starter questions can be used as a springboard of classroom discussions or used for individual study and review.

Making ConneCtions as You stuDY

xxi

Numerous pedagogical aids help students review, retain, and master important chapter con-cepts. Boxed features reinforce the “making connections” theme throughout, demonstrat-ing how communication connects us in a variety of contexts: the workplace, family, friends, community, school, public communication settings, the Internet, and across cultures. They will provide students with real-life examples and help them better understand how to send and receive communication more competently. In addition, the following is included:

Media icons Throughout the text, icons in the margins alert you to related media components (in-cluding videos, exercises, and audio segments) that you will find at MyCommunicationLab to enhance your learning.

404 chapter 15 Group and Team Communication

Many variables contribute to a group’s success or failure. No two groups will produce identical results, because no two groups are identical in make up. Furthermore, prior success cannot guarantee that a group will produce sim-

ilarly successful results. Nonetheless, understanding key principles and factors, along with improving your competencies as a group member or group leader, can increase the chances for achieving personal satisfaction and group success.

This chapter explains how group members communicate, what a small group is and its defining characteristics, the purposes that groups can serve, the social media and their effects on group interaction, the importance of ethical behavior in groups, and the disadvantages of groups. Chapter 16 explores leadership, member participation, problem solving and decision making, conflict management, and group performance evaluation.

Small-Group Communication: Making the ConnectionSmall-group communication requires a variety of communication skills, including in-terpersonal, listening, public speaking, interviewing, and nonverbal, and must include at least three interacting people. By contrast, interviewing and interpersonal commu-nication usually involve only two people interacting, whereas public speaking involves one person speaking and many listeners. The ability to ask effective questions, listen, deal with interpersonal relationships, resolve conflicts, and present one’s ideas are all important in communicating within groups. In addition, constructive group commu-nication requires that group members respect one another, speak clearly, provide credible information, support each other, foster a positive climate, challenge each oth-ers’ ideas and positions, persuade each other, and hold high ethical standards.

If you would stop to list the times you have participated in groups during the past month, you would have evidence of how common group participation is in your life. The family is probably the predominant small group. However, if you are like most, you have participated in many groups, some small and some large, such as completing a class assignment or project or addressing a dorm, team, campus, or community issue, during the past month alone. When you associate with other people and discuss common issues or problems, you are involved in group communication.

What a Group IsFor our purposes, we define a group as a collection of individuals who influence one another, have a common purpose, take on roles, are interdependent, and interact. If any element is missing, what exists is a collection of independent people, not a group. People standing at a corner waiting for a bus, for example, meet only some criteria of a group. They have a common purpose (transportation), they may interact, and they may make an impression on one another. But they do not constitute a group accord-ing to our definition because they are not interdependent and they do not take on roles. They do share certain basic goals, such as getting to a destination safely. They don’t expect to interact in the future, however, and usually don’t perceive themselves as part of a group—unless some type of emergency occurs, which will change their

groupA collection of indi-viduals who influence one another, have a common purpose, take on roles, are interde-pendent, and interact together.

Listen to the Audio Clip “Group Communication” at MyCommunicationLab

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Barriers to Effective Listening 151

Barriers to Effective ListeningWhy are most people poor listeners? The answer is surprisingly complex. The quality of our listening changes from time to time and from situation to situation. We’ve already mentioned the impact of technology on listening—sensory overload and dis-tractions from all forms of technology and media compete with messages from others and make it difficult to listen. A number of other barriers contribute to our ineffective-ness as listeners. The context of each communication will affect how important each barrier actually is, and some of the barriers that reduce our listening effectiveness are under our control, whereas others are not. Ralph Nichols, the “father of listening research,” identified barriers to effective listening.24 Nichols and other researchers have replicated his research in subsequent studies and found similar results. Although these barriers may not be the only ones, they are the most common. And remember, listening, like communication, is a learned behavior, so we can learn to overcome the obstacles that interfere with our listening effectiveness.

Considering the Topic or Speaker UninterestingThe level of interest and the amount of importance we place on a subject or a speaker usually govern how much effort we put into listening. Deciding that a subject or per-son is uninteresting or boring often leads us to conclude that the information being presented is not important. However, this is not necessarily true. What appears to be dull or insignificant might very well be vital for passing an exam, doing an assignment correctly, learning something, following your supervisor’s instructions, making a sale, or learning a new way of doing something on the job. In other words, a compe-tent listener keeps an open mind.

Criticizing the Speaker Instead of the MessageHow many times have you judged a speech by the number of “ahs” and “ums” the speaker used? How many times has a speaker’s volume, mispronunciations, or accent influenced your opinion? Have you ever missed a message because you were focusing on a mismatched shirt and tie, bizarre earrings, or the speaker’s facial expressions or nervous behaviors?

Of course, when possible, speakers should do everything in their power to elimi-nate personal quirks that may distract attention from their message, but listeners must also share responsibility for receiving the message. An effective listener must be able to overlook the superficial elements of a person’s delivery style or appearance to con-centrate on the substance of the presentation. In short, the listener must stay involved in the message, not be distracted by the speaker or the speaker’s attire or behaviors.

Concentrating on Details, Not Main IdeasMany of us listen for specific facts, such as dates, names, definitions, figures, and loca-tions, assuming they are the important things to know. But are they? Specific facts are needed in some situations, but we often focus too much on details. As a result, we walk away with disjointed details and no idea how they relate to each other and to the total picture.

Explore the Concept “Effective Listening” at MyCommunicationLab

Watch the Video “Fast Food” at MyCommunicationLab

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MyCommunicationLabMyCommunicationLab is an online homework, tuto-rial, and assessment program that truly engages stu-dents in learning. It helps students better prepare for class, quizzes, and exams—resulting in better perfor-mance in the course—and provides educators with a dynamic set of tools for gauging individual and class progress. And, MyCommunicationLab comes from Pearson, your partner in providing the best digital learning experiences. www.mycommunicationlab.com

MyCommunicationLab Highlights:MediaShare: This comprehensive file upload tool al-lows students to post speeches, outlines, visual aids, video assignments, role plays, group projects, and more in a variety of file formats. Uploaded files are available for viewing, commenting, and grading by instructors and class members in face-to-face and online course settings. Integrated video capture func-tionality allows students to record video directly from a webcam and allows instructors to record videos via webcam, in class or in a lab, and attach them directly to a specific student and/or assignment. The MediaShare app is available via iTunes at no additional charge for those who have purchased MediaShare or MyCommunicationLab access.

The pearson eText: Identical in content and design to the printed text, the Pearson eText lets students access their textbook anytime, anywhere, and any way they want—including downloading to an iPad. Students can take notes and highlight, just as with a tradi-tional text.

videos and video Quizzes: Videos provide students with the opportunity to watch and evaluate chapter-related multimedia. Many videos include automatically graded quiz questions.

personalityprofile: PersonalityProfile is Pearson’s online library for self-assessment and analysis. Online resources provide students with opportunities to evaluate their own and others’ communication styles. Instructors can use these tools to show learning and growth over the duration of the course.

Study Tools: A personalized study plan, chapter assessment, key term flashcards, an audio version of the text, and more provide a robust range of study tools to focus students on what they need to know, helping them succeed in the course and beyond.

Class preparation Tool: Finding, organizing, and presenting the instructor resources is fast and easy with Pearson’s class preparation tool. This fully searchable database con-tains hundreds of resources, such as lecture launchers, discussion topics, activities, as-signments, and video clips. Instructors can search or browse by topic and sort the results by type. Personalized folders can be created to organize and store content or download resources, as well as upload personal content.

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Preface xxiii

AcknowledgmentsNumerous people have contributed to previous edi-tions as well as this edition of the book. First and foremost are the students who used this book and shared their time and learning experiences with us, the instructors who patiently taught us about com-munication and life, the colleagues who shared their expertise with us, the many graduate students who worked in our basic communication courses over the years, and the hundreds of undergraduate assis-tants and assistant supervisory instructors who as-sisted in the University of Nebraska’s Personalized System of Instruction basic communication course over the past 38 years.

A project of large proportion, this edition re-quired the talents and hard work of many people. We extend our appreciation to Kelli Smith, Assis-tant Director of Career Planning and Placement at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, for her review and guidance in the writing of the Employment Interview appendix. A very special thanks goes to Jeff Child, at Kent State University, for his insight-ful review and suggestions regarding Chapters 8, 13, and 14. Special thanks go to Marilyn Shaw, instructor of the Introductory Communication course at the University of Northern Iowa, for assisting with the Instructor’s Manual. We also thank Tiffany Wang, University of Montevallo, for her help in revising the Test Bank. In addition to Marilyn and Tiffany, many other faculty and graduate students helped us by providing ideas and suggestions too numerous to mention here, especially: Jenna Abetz, Elissa Arterburn, Diane Badzinski, Arleen Bejerano, Karla Bergen, Brandon Boatwright, Mary Bort, Dawn Braithwaite, Ann Burnett, John Caughlin, Kane Click, Susan Cusmano, Linda Dickmeyer, Sarah Dirks, Josh Ewalt, Gus Friedrich, Marianne Glaser, Bobbie Harry, Haley Kranstuber Horstman, Adam Jones, Jack Kay, Jody Koenig Kellas, Emily Lamb, Karen Lee, Ronald Lee, Kristen Lucas, Rob Patterson, Drew McGukin, Michelle Maresh, Carol Morgan, Bill Mullen, Richard Murphy, Damien Pfister, Jack Sargent, Kaitlyn Starks, Paul Schrodt, Jordan Soliz, Sarah Steimel, Blair Thompson, Shawn Wahl, Tiffany Wang, William (Bill) Wilmot, and Nicole Zumbach.

A very special thank you goes to Sarah Johansen and Michael Schwabe, two University of Nebraska

students, for providing us with their informative and persuasive speeches. Sarah’s informative speech is in Chapter 11, and Michael’s persuasive speech is in Chapter 12. Both of these students not only provided outlines and transcripts of their speeches but also allowed us to video record their informa-tive and persuasive speeches. Their speeches were rated by other students as the top two speeches in their class.

We thank all the undergraduate and graduate students at University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Univer-sity of Northern Iowa, and Clemson University who provided resources and examples. We are especially grateful to the following honor students at Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska, who provided scenarios and boxed information for this edition: Alyssa Bish, Lindsey Boyum, Spencer J. Bradley, Tabitha Burger, Kelsey Doht, Logan J. Fischer, Kylie Funk, Kjirsten Gedwillo, Amanda E. Gubbels, Alexander Hamilton, Ashley Nicole Hammond, Jessica Henderson, Brittany Hermsen, Cody Howser, Callie Jean Janke, Mitchell Tyler Johnson, Clarissa Kracl, Zachary D. Leitschuck, Cassie Minor, Sean Neal, Rachel Niedbalski, Sarah Plessing, Sydney G. Pokorny, Tiffinie Randall, Elisa Rempe, Michala Remund, Kella Rodiek, Molly B. Schroeder, Stephanie Ann Schumacher, Samantha Siewert, Bonnie Sisco, Chelsea Simmerman, Courtney Wiese, Chris Varney, Stephanie Whitlow, and Zachary J. Zobel.

We are extremely grateful to Carol Alper, senior developmental editor, for her critical guidance, editing, and developmental skills. It was Carol, more than any other individual, who made the ninth edi-tion come together. Her patience, thoughtful sugges-tions, and understanding of what needed to be done made our job so much easier. We’d also like to ex-press our appreciation to Melissa Mashburn, senior acquisitions editor, for her willingness to work with us and her encouragement and support throughout this project. We gratefully acknowledge all those at Pearson who had a hand in getting our manuscript into book form. We also thank Karon Bowers, Pub-lisher, for her continued support (even though she continues to be a Longhorn, which is the only fault we have been able to identify).

The publishing of any book requires people dedica-ted to high quality, and this edition of our book is no

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xxiv Preface

exception. We thank all those who participated in the review process of the first eight editions of the book:

Ritta Abell, Morehead State University; David Allison, Liberty College; Philip M. Backlund, Central Washington University; William Patrick Barlow, Madison Area Technical College; Marty Birkholt, Creighton University; Barbara L. Breaclen, Lane Community College; Scott Britten, Tiffin University; Allan R. Broadhurst, Cape Cod Community College; Michael Bruner, University of North Texas; Diane O. Casagrande, West Chester University; Patricia Comeaux, University of North Carolina at Wilmington; Juanita E. Dailey, University of Rio Grande; Linda Y. Devenish, Ithaca College; Carley H. Dodd, Abilene Christian University; Terrence Doyle, Northern Virginia Community College; Sean M. Dunn, Bridgewater College; Richard C. Emanuel, University of Montevallo; Skip Eno, University of Texas at San Antonio; Jeanine Fassl, University of Wisconsin at Whitewater; Julia Fennell, Community College of Allegheny County, South Campus; Mary C. Forestieri, Lane Community College; Robert E. Frank, Morehead State University; Anne Grissom, Mountain View College; Kelby K. Halone, Clemson University; Ted Hindermarsh, Brigham Young University; Colleen Hogan-Taylor, University of Washington; David D. Hudson, Golden West College; Mary Lee Hummert, University of Kansas; David A. Humphrey, College of DuPage; Stephen K. Hunt, Illinois State University; Karla Kay Jensen, Nebraska Wesleyan University; Kathryn C. Jones, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus; Erik Kanter, Virginia Tech University; Thomas J. Knutson, California State University at Sacramento; Charles J. Korn, Northern Virginia Community

College; Donald L. Loeffler, Western Carolina University; Louis A. Lucca, La Guardia Community College (CUNY); Mary Y. Mandeville, Oklahoma State University; Corinne E. Morris, Northeast Community College; William L. Mullen, Liberty University; Kay E. Neal, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh; Dan O’Rourke, Ashland University; Nan Peck, Northern Virginia Community College; Kelly Petkus, Austin Community College; Sandra E. Presar, West Virginia Wesleyan College; Marlene M. Preston, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Richard G. Rea, University of Arkansas; Marc E. Routhier, Frostburg State College; Jared Saltzman, Bergen Community College; Susan Schuyler, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse; Marilyn M. Shaw, University of Northern Iowa; Donald B. Simmons, Asbury College; Cheri J. Simonds, Illinois State University; Donald Smith, Northern Virginia College; Theresa Tiller, Rose State College. Mary Anne Trasciatti, Hofstra University; Beth Waggenspack, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Catherine Egley Waggoner, Ohio State University; Gretchen Aggertt Weber, Horry-Georgetown Technical College; Kathie A. Webster, Northwest Missouri State University; Larry A. Weiss, University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh; Cherie C. While, Muskingum Area Technical College; Karen Wolf, Suffolk Community College; David W. Worley, Indiana State University.

Finally, thanks to those who provided analysis of the eighth edition and made recommendations and suggestions for this new edition: Matt Barton, Southern Utah University; Angela Gibson, Shelton State Community College; Roxanne Heimann, Univer-sity of Northern Iowa; Alyssa Kauffman, Suffolk County Community College; Thomas Ruddick, Edison Community College

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Preface xxv

aBout the authors

bill Seiler is a professor in the Department of Communication Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he has taught since 1972. He was department chair for over 20 years and now teaches and directs the introductory course full-time. The Under-graduate Leadership Award was renamed the William J. Seiler Undergraduate Leadership Award to honor him and his leadership of the department. Other honors include Outstanding Educator of America, Outstanding University and College Teacher by the

Nebraska Communication Association, Outstanding Young Alumni and Distin-guished Alumni Awards from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, and 2002 Boss of the Year Award. Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the Univer-sity of Wisconsin at Whitewater, a master of arts from Kansas State University, and a doctorate from Purdue University. He is an experienced educator, consultant, researcher, and author in the area of communication and has an adjunct appointment in Teachers College

He is an avid golfer who plays every chance he gets, which unfortunately is never enough. (This is his excuse for not playing well.) He loves his Nebraska Huskers. Bill and his wife Kathi’s family includes two daughters, Dana and Dionne; two sons-in-law, Lee and Wade; two grandchildren, Grant and Will; and three step-grandchildren, Zach, Stephanie, and Taylor.

It is time to ask for your help again. As we have in previous editions, we spared no effort to make this new edition the best ever. Although we are always striving for perfection, we more often than not fall short on some things. There is always room for improvement! We sincerely request your comments. If there’s something you feel can be improved, please let us know. Write, call, fax, or email us at one of the contacts below. We will listen and respond to your comments as quickly as possible. Thank you in advance for your help.

Some Concluding Comments . . . and a Request for Your Thoughts

William (Bill) J. Seiler Melissa L. BeallDepartment of Communication Studies Department of Communication StudiesUniversity of Nebraska University of Northern IowaLincoln, NE 68588–0329 Cedar Falls, IA 50613–0139Phone: 402–472–2069 Phone: 319–273–9292Fax: 402–472–6921 Fax: 319–273–7356bseiler@unl.edu Melissa.Beall@uni.edu

Joseph (Joe) P. MazerDepartment of Communication StudiesClemson UniversityClemson, SC 29634-0533Phone: 864-656-5254Fax: 864-656-0599jmazer@clemson.edu

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Melissa beall is a professor in the Communication Studies Depart-ment and a member of the teacher education faculty at the Univer-sity of Northern Iowa. Dr. Beall, a proud Husker fan, received all three of her degrees from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her areas of expertise include listening, intercultural listening, intercul-tural communication, communication and technology, and commu-nication theory. She teaches oral communication, listening, public speaking, critical thinking, college teaching, communication and

technology, language and communication, intercultural communication, and communi-cation theory. Dr. Beall’s honors include Iowa Board of Regents Faculty Excellence recipi-ent, 2012 Central States Communication Association Hall of Fame, International Listening Association’s Outstanding Listening Educator, Listening Hall of Fame, and numerous teaching awards. She has served on numerous editorial boards; presented over 600 papers, programs, or workshops; is past president of the Iowa Communication Asso-ciation; and is vice president of three organizations: the World Communication Associa-tion, the Pacific and Asian Communication Association, and the International Association of Communication Sciences. She is an officer in her local AAUP chapter and is a past president of the Central States Communication Association and of the Interna-tional Listening Association; she has also served as an officer in many divisions of the National Communication Association.

joseph Mazer is an assistant professor and associate chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Clemson University. His scholarly and teaching interests are in instructional communication, social media, quantitative research methods, and the introductory communication course. Joe’s research has been published in a vari-ety of journals and has been recognized through top paper awards from the National Communication Association and Central States Communication Association. His research topics include emotion in

teaching and learning, social media and interpersonal relationships, and measurement and data analytic issues in communication research. He has received international, regional, university-wide, and departmental recognition for outstanding teaching.

Joe is an active member of the National Communication Association and Central States Communication Association, where he has held several leadership roles; serves on editorial boards for several journals; and is associate editor of the Basic Com-munication Course Annual. Joe received his Ph.D. in communication studies from Ohio University, a master’s degree in communication from Illinois State University, and a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Mansfield University. Joe resides in Clemson, South Carolina, with his wife, Chrissy, and their dog, Abby. Together, Joe and Chrissy enjoy cooking, spending time with family and friends, and cheering for the Clemson Tigers!

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