G-10 Glossarynaturalistic fallacy: An appeal to nature saying that
what is natural is right or good and that anything
unnatural is wrong or bad.
network: A pattern of interaction that governs who
speaks with whom in a group and about what.
networking: The process of using interconnected
groups or associations of persons one knows
to develop relationships with their connections
whom one does not know.
neutral audience: An audience that falls between
the receptive audience and the hostile audience;
neither supports nor opposes the speaker.
neutral question: A type of interview question that
provides no hint to the interviewee concerning
the expected response.
noise: Interference with a message that makes its
final form different from the original.
nonbinding straw poll: An informal vote on a deci-
sion that can help a group move forward when
time is an issue.
noncontact culture: A culture that is less touch sen-
sitive or even tends to avoid touch.
nonverbal codes: Symbols we use to send messages
without, or in addition to, words.
nonverbal communication: The process of inten-
tionally or unintentionally signaling meaning
through behavior other than words.
norming: The stage of group development in which
members establish agreed-upon norms that gov-
ern expected behavior.
norms: Recurring patterns of behavior or think-
ing that come to be accepted in a group as the
“usual” way of doing things.
objective: Expressing or presenting facts and in-
formation in a straightforward and evenhanded
way, free of influence from the speaker’s personal
thoughts or opinions.
obliging: An escapist tactic used to stay away from
direct conflict, for example, giving in to the
other person’s wishes.
oculesics: The study of the use of eyes to communicate.
openness: An organization’s awareness of its own
imbalances and problems.
open question: A type of interview question that
gives the interviewee great freedom in terms of
how to respond.
operational definition: Defining something by ex-
plaining what it is or what it does.oral citation: A reference to source materials that
the speaker mentions in the narrative of a speech.
oratory: A form of public speaking in which a
speech is committed to memory.
organization: A group with a formal governance
and structure.
organizational assimilation: The process by which
newcomers learn the nuances of the organization
and determine if they fit in.
organizational communication: The interaction
necessary to direct a group toward multiple sets
of goals.
organizational culture: An organization’s unique
set of beliefs, values, norms, and ways of doing
things.
organizational hero: An individual who achieves great
things for an organization through persistence and
commitment, often in the face of great risk.
organizational storytelling: The communication of
the company’s values through stories and ac-
counts, both externally (to an outside audience)
and internally (within the company).
outcome: The product of an interchange.
outgroups: Those groups one defines as “others.”
outline: A structured form of a speech’s content.
overaccommodate: Going too far in changing one’s
language or nonverbal behavior, based on an in-
correct or stereotypical notion of another group.
paralanguage: The vocalized sounds that accom-
pany words.
paraphrasing: A part of listening empathetically
that involves guessing at feelings and rephrasing
what one thinks the speaker has said.
participative leader: A leader who views group
members as equals, welcomes their opinions,
summarizes points that have been raised, and
identifies problems that need discussion rather
than dictating solutions.
passive listeners: Those who fail to make active
choices in the listening process.
passive strategies: Observing others in communication
situations without actually interacting with them.
pathos: A form of rhetorical proof that concerns the
nature of the audience’s feelings and appeals to
their emotions.
peer communication: Communication between
individuals at the same level of authority in an
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