G-12 Glossaryprop: A presentation aid—an object that removes the
burden from the audience of having to imagine what
something looks like as the speaker is presenting.
proposition of fact: A claim of what is or what
is not.
proposition of policy: A claim about what goal,
policy, or course of action should be pursued.
proposition of value: A claim about something’s
worth.
protégé: A new or inexperienced member of an or-
ganization who is trained or mentored by a more
seasoned member.
provocation: The intentional instigation of conflict.
proxemics: The study of the way we use and com-
municate with space.
proximity: A state of physical nearness.
pseudolistening: Pretending to listen when one is
actually not paying attention at all.
psychographics: Psychological qualities of an audi-
ence, such as attitudes, values, lifestyles, behav-
iors, and interests.
psychological forces: Group members’ personal
motives, emotions, attitudes, and values.
public–private dimension: An aspect of the situational
context of communication dealing with the physi-
cal space that affects our nonverbal communication.
public speaking: A powerful form of communica-
tion that includes a speaker who has a reason
for speaking, an audience that gives the speaker
attention, and a message that is meant to accom-
plish a specific purpose.
public speaking anxiety (PSA): The nervousness
one experiences when one knows one has to
communicate publicly to an audience.
punctuated equilibrium: A stage of group devel-
opment in which groups experience a period of
inertia or inactivity until they become aware of
time, pressure, and looming deadlines, which
then compel group members to take action.
quasi-scientific explanation: An explanation that
models or pictures the key dimensions of some
phenomenon for a typical audience.
reasoning: The line of thought we use to make
judgments based on facts and inferences from
the world around us.
receiver: The target of a message.
receptive audience: An audience that already agrees
with the speaker’s viewpoints and message and is
likely to respond favorably to the speech.reconciliation: A repair strategy for rekindling an
extinguished relationship.
red herring fallacy: A fallacy in which the speaker
relies on irrelevant information for his or her
argument, thereby diverting the direction of the
argument.
reduction to the absurd: A logical fallacy that en-
tails extending an argument beyond its logical
limits to the level of absurdity; also known as
reductio ad absurdum.
referent power: Power that stems from the admiration,
respect, or affection that followers have for a leader.
refutational organizational pattern: An organiz-
ing pattern for persuasive speaking in which the
speaker begins by presenting main points that
are opposed to his or her own position and then
follows them with main points that support his
or her own position.
regulating: Using nonverbal cues to aid in the coor-
dination of verbal interaction.
regulators: Body movements that help us manage
our interactions.
relational dialectics theory: The theory that dialec-
tical tensions are contradictory feelings that tug at
us in every relationship.
relational history: The sum of shared experiences of
the individuals involved in a relationship.
relational network: A web of relationships that con-
nects individuals to one another.
relationships: The interconnection or interdepen-
dence between two or more people required to
achieve goals.
remembering: The step in the listening process of
recalling information.
repair tactics: Ways to save or repair a relationship.
repeating: Nonverbal behavior that offers a clear
nonverbal cue that repeats and mirrors the verbal
message.
research search engine: A search engine that
searches only for research published in academic
books, journals, and other periodicals.
responding: The step in the listening process of
generating some kind of feedback or reaction
that confirms to others that one has received and
understood their messages.
résumé: A printed summary of one’s education,
work experiences, and accomplishments.
reward power: Power that derives from an indi-
vidual’s capacity to provide rewards.2 20_OHA_45766_Gloss_G_1_16.indd G-12 0 OHA 45766 _GlossG 1 _ 16 .indd G- 12 13/10/14 5:40 PM 13 / 10 / 14 5 : 40 PM