Questions: Question 7 Robert is driving Samantha, his girlfriend, home from a party. He notices she is quiet and withdrawn. Robert asks Samantha if she is okay. She replies, "I'm fine," in a snide tone while rolling her eyes. Robert becomes angry and asks what her problem is. Robert is responding to what dimension of Samantha's message? (A) relational (B) content (C) physical (D) literal

The answer is A: relational.

Explanation for each option:

(A) Relational: This dimension refers to the underlying emotional tone or the nature of the relationship between the communicators. Samantha's snide tone and eye-rolling suggest a relational message, indicating her feelings or attitude towards Robert at that moment. Robert's reaction to her tone and body language shows he is responding to this relational aspect.

(B) Content: This dimension involves the actual information or facts being communicated. Samantha's words "I'm fine" are the content, but Robert's reaction is not to the literal words but to the way they are delivered, which is why this option is incorrect.

(C) Physical: This dimension would refer to the physical context or environment in which the communication takes place. Robert's response is not about the physical setting, so this option is incorrect.

(D) Literal: This dimension involves the direct, explicit meaning of the words spoken. While Samantha says "I'm fine," Robert's reaction is not to the literal meaning of these words but to the relational cues, making this option incorrect.