Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam

If an individual only communicates what the boss wants to hear, they are practicing:

1. Filtering.

2. Jargon.

3. Perception.

4. Selection.

The correct answer is: Filtering.

Filtering is the act of selectively sharing or omitting information based on the audience or context, particularly when a person manipulates the communication to align with what they perceive the receiver—such as a boss—wants to hear. This behavior often stems from a desire to avoid conflict, gain approval, or cater to expectations, which can lead to incomplete or distorted communication. In a professional setting, when an individual filters their messages, they may omit critical information to maintain favor with authority figures, potentially resulting in uninformed decision-making. This can erode trust and transparency within the team or organization. Unlike the other choices, which refer to different aspects of communication or comprehension, filtering specifically focuses on the intentional shaping of messages to suit particular preferences or to influence perception. Thus, this makes filtering the most appropriate concept related to the behavior described in the question.