Final answer:
The most appropriate immediate action to take in response to an obscene phone call is to hang up the phone, which ends the interaction safely and quickly. Caller-id, voice mail, and privacy managers are technologies that can assist in managing and avoiding such calls.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best response to an obscene phone call is to hang up the phone. This action is simple, non-confrontational, and effectively ends the unwanted communication. Trying to determine why the call is being made can be risky as engaging with the caller may encourage further calls. Expressing anger over the phone may also escalate the situation and is not advised. Seeking counseling is a longer-term solution that may be necessary if someone is greatly distressed by such calls, but the immediate response should still be to hang up the phone.
In the current landscape, there are technologies such as caller-id, voice mail, and privacy managers that help screen calls and manage who gets through to you. These technological aids, along with the decreased use of landlines and increased use of private numbers, have made it much easier to avoid unwanted calls. Moreover, the hectic nature of personal schedules and a decreased willingness to be interviewed mean that people are becoming more selective about the calls they take.