Sherri remains quiet during her club meeting. Afterwards, Simon asks her "What was the matter with you during the meeting today?" Sherri responds, "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't say anything." What principle of interpersonal communication did Sherri fail to recognize?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question presents a scenario in which Sherri stays quiet during a meeting, and when questioned, she denies saying anything. We will evaluate each answer option in turn to understand why the chosen one is considered correct, while also explaining why the others are not.

Option 1: Interpersonal communication is inevitable.
This statement asserts that interpersonal communication happens in all interactions and cannot be avoided. In the scenario, Sherri’s silence is still a form of communication; people often infer messages from nonverbal cues or the absence of speech. The inevitability of interpersonal communication helps explain why even not speaking communicates something in a social setting. Thus, recognizing that interpersonal communication is inevitable fits the idea that silence or lack of words still conveys meaning in human interaction.

Option 2: Interpersonal communication is irreversible.
This option claims that once a message is sent, it cannot be undone. While irreversibility is a valid principle in many communications discussions, the scene focuses on what Sherri communicates by remaining silent and how it’s interpreted later, rather than on whether a spoken message can be taken back. The prompt asks which principle Sherri failed to recognize; silence as a form of message could be consistent with inevitability, but irreversibility is not the core issue demonstrated here.

Option 3: Interpersonal communication is purposeful.
This choice emphasizes that people communicate with intent. Although communication often has purpose, the scenario does not center on Sherri having a clear purpose in her silence or on recognizing purposeful communication by others. The focus is more on recognizing that any form of communication, including silence, conveys meaning, which aligns better with inevitability rather than a sole emphasis on purpose.

Option 4: Interpersonal communication is unrepeatable.
This statement suggests that each communicative event is unique and cannot be repeated in exactly the same way. The scenario does not hinge on the impossibility of repeating an interaction or verbatim repetition; instead, it underscores that communication (even silence) occurs in this moment and can be interpreted in various ways. Therefore, this option does not capture the main lesson illustrated by the exchange.

In summary, the scenario demonstrates that in interpersonal communication, even the absence of words can convey information and is part of the communicative process. Among the options, recognizing that interpersonal communication is inevitable best captures the essence of how Sherri’s silence functions as a communicative act and how others interpret it, whereas the other choices describe different facets that are not as central to this specific situation.

CMN 010V A01-A05 SS1 2025 Interpersonal Communication QUIZ

Sherri remains quiet during her club meeting. Afterwards, Simon asks her "What was the matter with you during the meeting today?" Sherri responds, "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't say anything." What principle of interpersonal communication did Sherri fail to recognize?

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