CMN 120 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ What are the predictors of divorce? Answer: Criticism
• Defensiveness
• Contempt
• Withdrawal
◉ Situational approach. Answer: Situational approach- distinguish
between various kinds of communication in terms of the situation
(context) in which the communication takes place.
Types of contexts--
a. Mass communication- twitter, fox news, newspaper. Those
communicate a single message to mass millions of ppl.
b. Public (>20)- giving a speech in a classroom.
c. Small group- 3-20 ppl.
d. Interpersonal- 2 ppl
e. Intrapersonal- 1 person
Factors-
i. # of communicators. (fewer: 2)
ii. degree of physical proximity. (close)
, iii. different senses available (sight, touch, smell)
iv. availability of feedback (high)
◉ Developmental approach (and 3 sources of data for prediction
making). Answer: Developmental approach- context is not what makes it
interpersonal cmn, its about our ability to predict the other person's
behavior, and only when we can predict can we say its interpersonal
cmn.
a. People make predictions about the effects of their cmn behavior as
they get to know someone.
b. Sources of data for prediction making-
1. Cultural level data- information usually based on norms, large groups
of ppl usually have the same types of beliefs. US- freedom and liberty.
2. Sociological level data- all college students, all college students and
UC davis, being an athlete. Different types of groups that we are
members of, as ppl learn that we are apart of these groups, they can
make predictions about your cmn.
3. Psychological data- most difficult data to learn about someone but it's
the best information to use to predict about someone's behavior. This
information makes them unique from other ppl.
◉ Phonetic pause. Answer: ¼ second. So fast we can't detect it
◉ Silent pause. Answer: greater than a ¼ second. Can identify it.
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ What are the predictors of divorce? Answer: Criticism
• Defensiveness
• Contempt
• Withdrawal
◉ Situational approach. Answer: Situational approach- distinguish
between various kinds of communication in terms of the situation
(context) in which the communication takes place.
Types of contexts--
a. Mass communication- twitter, fox news, newspaper. Those
communicate a single message to mass millions of ppl.
b. Public (>20)- giving a speech in a classroom.
c. Small group- 3-20 ppl.
d. Interpersonal- 2 ppl
e. Intrapersonal- 1 person
Factors-
i. # of communicators. (fewer: 2)
ii. degree of physical proximity. (close)
, iii. different senses available (sight, touch, smell)
iv. availability of feedback (high)
◉ Developmental approach (and 3 sources of data for prediction
making). Answer: Developmental approach- context is not what makes it
interpersonal cmn, its about our ability to predict the other person's
behavior, and only when we can predict can we say its interpersonal
cmn.
a. People make predictions about the effects of their cmn behavior as
they get to know someone.
b. Sources of data for prediction making-
1. Cultural level data- information usually based on norms, large groups
of ppl usually have the same types of beliefs. US- freedom and liberty.
2. Sociological level data- all college students, all college students and
UC davis, being an athlete. Different types of groups that we are
members of, as ppl learn that we are apart of these groups, they can
make predictions about your cmn.
3. Psychological data- most difficult data to learn about someone but it's
the best information to use to predict about someone's behavior. This
information makes them unique from other ppl.
◉ Phonetic pause. Answer: ¼ second. So fast we can't detect it
◉ Silent pause. Answer: greater than a ¼ second. Can identify it.
