CAA Installment 3 Sample paper
The following are sample answers from a past semester's assignment. This is intended as a template on format and type of answers.

Feedback (NOTE: ONLY NEED ONE ANSWER PER TURN/LINE--THERE ARE TWO EXAMPLE ANSWERS PER TURN/LINE BELOW)

1. JESSE: Well, um... [looks away, no eye contact and stammers] Gosh, I don't know.. uh, I mean I hadn't planned another trip to..
- Disconfirming Ambiguous: gives no definite answer, only a vague response
- Supportive Descriptive: it's nonjudgmental, presents his point of view, not asking the other to change behavior
2. JESSE: Well if you were going to come to the US or if [scratches ear, avoids eye contact] you know - I mean - if I or you know, I could come back here.
- Disconfirming Incongruous: Verbals and nonverbals don't match, sending two different messages
- Non-assertive Avoidance: He withdraws and avoids topic of her coming to US, avoids her suggestion
3. CELINE: [amplifying hand gestures] No - let's be rational adults about this, maybe we should try something different. I mean, it's not so bad if tonight is our only night, right? [light-hearted tone] People always exchange phone numbers, addresses, they end up writing once, calling each other once or twice.
- Defensive Certainty: She thinks she knows the "right" answer, knows "how it should be"
- Defensive Evaluation: She passes judgment ("lets be rational")
Episode Outcome
Task/Purpose Outcome: Celine's purpose of determining Jesse’s interest continuing the relationship was fulfilled, even if it wasn't a positive outcome. She found out he was very attracted to her but not interested in a long distance relationship.

Jess found out she wanted to see him again but maintained his position on long distant relationships do not work--did not establish way to keep in contact.
Relational Outcome: At the end of the episode Celine and Jesse are on good terms, they decide to make the most of their one night together and then terminate the relationship when he had to depart for home.
Explanation (NOTE: only showing one explanation here, but in the assignment you'll need three)

Exchange Theory: According to exchange theory, when deciding if one should pursue or continue a relationship, one sometimes weighs the rewards and costs to themselves subconsciously. If costs out weigh rewards the relationship may not be worth pursuing or maintaining. (DeFleur et al., pp124, 125).
Explanation:

Jess and Celine both weigh out the costs and rewards of a possible relationship in this episode. The rewards of staying together and pursuing their relationship would be that they could continue to express their developing attraction for each other. They would also be able to see if the other is really the person they want to be with. This leaves no room for wondering and regret down the road. However, the costs would be the expense of a long distance relationship, and the emotional distress they would feel not being able to see each other. Jess thinks that the costs, for him, outweigh the rewards and he does not want to continue the relationship. Although in the start of the episode Celine believed that it would be worthwhile to pursue the relationship because she has strong feelings for Jess that are more important to her than the costs. Toward the end of the episode she starts to accept Jess's view on the situation--long distance relationships don't work. They both accept the fact that the costs could possible overwhelm the rewards and decide to end their time together after the night was over. Even though they later make a vague agreement to meet in a year--they have no way of making contact with each other to confirm it.

Exchange Theory explains the outcome of not pursuing the relationship because both parties recognized the odds of a long distance relationship working are unlikely. As much as they were attracted to each other, the energy, waiting, financial costs, uncertainty, and emotional demands did not seem worth investing in based on a one-day relationship. Celine may have found the relationship worth pursuing but only if it was mutual. Jesse’s cynicism toward distant relationships made it to costly for her to pursue the matter.

Guidelines for Communication Explanatory Statements

Look for statements in text, lectures, or readings that relate to and help explain how message behaviors lead to OUTCOMES of the episode:

- Be sure the explanatory statement is related and specific to the communicator(s) and their message behavior

- Select statements that explain the consequences of messages (influences responses or lead to some result).
- Be sure to answer the assignment questions:

1. How is the statement related to episode interaction
2. How did episode interaction influence, in part or whole, the outcome(s)

INAPPROPRIATE EXPLANATORY STATEMENTS

Too general: Transactional communication involves a source and receiver that exchange messages. Their messages mutually influence each other's responses.

No outcome indicated in statement: Face-to-face interpersonal messages are composed of both verbal and nonverbal symbols.