Communication Test #3

How is verbal communication symbolic?

Verbal communication involves the use of language, which is made up of symbols.

conflict-as-opportunity culture

a culture based on four assumptions: that conflict is normal, useful process; that all issues are subject to change through negotiation; that direct confrontation and conciliation are valued; and that conflict is a necessary renegotiation of an implied contract- a redistribution of opportunity, a release of tensions, and a renewal of relationships

high-context cultures

a culture that places a great deal of emphasis on the total environment where the speech and interaction take place, especially on the relationships between the speakers rather than just on what they say

polychronic culture

a culture that sees time not as linear and simple but as complex and made up of many strands, none of which is more important than any other-hence such culture's relaxed attitude toward time

high code

a formal, grammatical, and very correct way of talking

essential function

a function that makes the relationship real and talks it into being, often by using coupling references or making assumptions that the relationship exists

body buffer zone

a kind of imaginary aura around you that you regard as part of yourself and your personal space

divergence

a person moves away from another's style of speech to make a relational point, such as establishing a dislike or superiority

convergence

a person moves toward the style of talk used by the other speaker

posture

the position of your body during an interaction may be relaxed and welcoming or tense and off-putting -attitude toward self -attitude about others -attitude about situation

anchor position

the preferred or most acceptable position

negative politeness

-acknowledge possibility of negative face, offering regrets or being pessimistic (I don't suppose you would be able to give me a ride to the airport?)

bald on record

-act directly without concern for face needs. likely used when an imposition is small or appropriate given relationship of interactants (I need you to give me a ride to the airport.)

structure-based cultural characteristics

-all members of a nation or citizens of a country are impacted in some way by the most general communication styles -context, collectivism/individualism, time, conflict

influencing others: facework and politeness

-as people interact with one another in everyday life, they generally want to be viewed as favorable to others -influencing how we are viewed by others and influencing the behaviors of others involve facework and politeness

cultural

-cultures vary on meanings and appropriateness of nonverbal behaviors -some nonverbal behaviors and symbols are universally recognized (the smile), but they do not necessarily have universal meaning in the same contexts

positive politeness

-focus on positive face of the person, often through flattery or offering something in return (If you would give me a ride to the airport, I would fill your car up with gas.)

off record

-hint or present the request in a vague manner (I don't know how I'm getting to the airport.)

context

-involves the emphasis placed on the environment, the situation, or relationships when communicating (high-context vs. low context)

verbal communication transacts cultures

-it is through verbal communication and other symbolic activity in which cultures are developed and maintained -culture groups are distinct and brought into being because of the ways their members communicate

avoidance

-sometimes the face-threatening act is so large, it is avoided entirely (start walking)

politeness theory

-the relationship shared between the interactants -the power difference of the interactants -the size of the opposition

proxemics

-the study of space and distance in communication -the occupation of space and the distance

the functions of nonverbal communication

-to reinforce verbal behavior, some of which regulates interactions, and some of which serve to identify people -it also registers people's emotional states or displays their attitudes about themselves, the other person in the interaction, or their comfort level (establishes relational meaning and understanding)

Verbal communication involves meaning

-verbal communication is symbolic and meanings are established through use -denotative and connotative

regulates interactions

-whether you should actually engage in interactions with another person, helps you know when to send and when yo receive verbal messages

personal

-you develop your own personal symbols and meanings and use of nonverbal symbols -a person's use of some nonverbal symbols may even become idiosyncratic over time

public distance

12-25 feet

intimate distance

18 inches

personal distance 18-48 inches

18-48 inches

social distance

48-144 inches

lowering your head and averting your gaze (to avoid staring)

as you approach the other person you break off your visual connection until you get close enough to talk and be heard

low-context cultures

assumes that the message itself means everything, and it is much more important to have a well-structures argument or a well-delivered presentation than it is to be a member of a royal family or a cousin of the person listening

what are the five to monroe's motivation sequence?

attention, need/problem, satisfaction/solution, visualization, action

cross-culture communication

compares the communication styles and patterns of people from very different cultural/social structures, such as nation/states

conflict-as-destructive culture

culture based on four assumptions: that conflict is a destructive disturbance of the peace; that the social system should not be adjusted to meet the needs of members, but members should adapt to established values; that confrontations are destructive and ineffective; and that disputants should be disciplined

monochronic culture

culture that views time and a valuable commodity and punctuality is very important

cultures regulate through verbal communication

cultures influence the meanings that are given to words and the words that are actually used

indexical function

demonstrates or indicates the nature of the relationship between speakers

eye contact

extent to which someone looks directly into the eyes of another person

cultural ways of talking

feminine vs. masculine, high-context vs. low-context, and collectivist vs. individualist

pitch

highness or lowness of a person's voice

agency

how the act was accomplished (through sending a text message)

latitude of noncommitment

includes positions that the audience neither wholly accepts nor wholly rejects

latitude of acceptance

includes the range of position that the audience deems acceptable

latitude of rejection

includes those positions that the audience deems unacceptable

verbal communication is presentational

it is representational in that it can be used to name things and convey information -telling stories, giving accounts, Kenneth Burke's pentad

verbal communication transacts relationships

it is through verbal communication and other symbolic activity that relationships are developed and maintained

backing off

taking a step back or running to the side to create a slightly larger space,the actual size of which is dictated by the type of relationship you share with the other person

feminine talk

that which is characterized as nurturing, harmonious, and compromising (I hope you can finish this project soon and am certain you will do a good job. Let me know if you need additional assistance.)

high-context talk

that which is characterized as relying on the context in which it takes place, with words used sparingly and the relationship shared by interactants being extremely important (It is good to have a friend working on this project.)

low-context talk

that which is characterized as straightforward, with the message speaking for itself and relationship separated from the message as much as possible

masculine talk

that which is characterized as tough, aggressive, and competitive (If you cannot complete this project now, I will replace you with someone who can.)

cultural persuadables

the cultural premises and norms that delineate a range of what may and what must be persuaded (as opposed to certain topics in a society that require no persuasive appeal because the matters are taken for granted)

negative face wants

the desire not to be imposed upon or treated as inferior

territoriality

the establishment and maintenance of space that people claim for their personal use (primary, secondary, public)

polysemy

the fact that multiple meanings can be associated with a given word or symbol rather than just one unambiguous meaning

ways of speaking

the form of language selected to express thoughts and emotions carries important relational messages (high code vs. low code)

denotative meaning

the identification of something by pointing it out (general meaning of a word)

symbolic

the key difference between verbal and non-verbal communication is that verbal involves the use of language and nonverbal involves all other symbolic activity

facework

the management of people's dignity, self-respect, and acceptance

ambiguous

the meaning of nonverbal communication is often unclear without additional information from context or communication frames

proxemics and everyday life

the meaning of space or distance is framed by your relationships with others

kinesics

the movement that takes place during the course of an interaction (posture and gesture)

positive face wants

the need to be seen and accepted as a worthwhile and reasonable person

connotative meaning

the overtones, implications, or additional meanings associated with a word or an object

primary territory

the space that you have principal control over (your house and car)

haptics

the study of specific nonverbal behaviors including touch

distant salutation

used to say hello with a wave, a flash or recognition, a smile, or a nod or acknowledgement

functions of verbal communication

verbal communication enables people to symbolically represent objects, ideas, places, and so on -influencing others: facework and politeness

verbal communication is relational

verbal communication influences relationships, and relationships influence verbal communication -verbal communication transacts relationships, relationships regulate verbal communication, relationships and shared meanings

vocalics (paralanguage)

vocal characteristics that provide information about how verbal communication should be interpreted and how the speaker is feeling

backchannel communication

vocalizations by a listener that give feedback to the speaker to show interest, attention, and/or a willingness to keep listening

act

what happened (Jessie ended her relationship with Casey)

culture is embedded within your communication

your culture is coded in your communication not only in the language you speak but also in the thoughts you express and the assumptions your express

interconnects with verbal communication

your interpretation of verbal meaning is often framed by accompanying nonverbal elements, such as tone of voice, facial expression, and gestures

recognizing frames

your understanding of relationships and cultures enables you to use them as frames when assigning meaning to verbal communication

coded systems of meaning

a set of beliefs, a heritage, and a way of being that is transacted in communication

speeches to convince

a speech delivered in an attempt to impact audience thinking; encompasses a primary claim, or essentially what the speaker is trying to convince the audience to believe

speeches to actuate

a speech that is delivered in an attempt to impact audience behavior

what is nonverbal communication?

a symbolic activity that communicates a message other than words -symbolic, decoding vs. encoding, guided by rules, cultural, personal, ambiguous, less controlled, continuous

low code

an informal and often ungrammatical way of talking

narrative

any organized story, report, or prepared talk that has a plot, an argument, or a theme and in which speakers both relate facts and arrange the story in a way that provides an account, an explanation, or a conclusion

politeness strategies

bald on record, positive politeness, negative politeness, off record, avoidance

giving accounts

involves telling a story that justified, blames someone for, or calls for someone to account for what happened

decoding

drawing meaning from something you observe

dynamic

elements of nonverbal communication that are changeable during interaction (e.g., facial expression, posture, gesturing)

static

elements on nonverbal communication that are fixed during interaction (e.g., shape of the room where an interaction takes place, color of eyes, clothes worn during an interview)

chronemics

encompasses use and evaluation of time in your interactions, including the location of events in time

intercultural communication

examines how people from different cultural/social structures speak to one another and what difficulties or conflicts they encounter, over and above the different languages they speak

(Kenneth Burke's) pentad

five components of narratives that explain the motivation of symbolic action (act, scene, agent, agency, and purpose)

transacting culture

focuses on how culture is created symbolically through communication and is reinforced through your relationships with others and your everyday experiences -culture is embedded within your communication, culture goes beyond physical location, cultural groups are created through communication)

accounts

forms of communication that go beyond the facts and offer justifications, excuses, exonerations, explanations, or accusations

verbal communication and frames

frames assist people in making sense of communication by drawing attention to how they should be communicating, how they might expect others to communicate, and how they should assign meanings to symbols being used -recognizing frames, ways of speaking, accommodation:adjusting relational frames

emblems

gestures that represent feelings or ideas not necessarily being expressed verbally

illustrators

gestures that visualize or emphasize verbal communication

managing conflict

give styles: dominating, integrating, compromising, obliging, and avoiding

obliging

giving up one's position to satisfy another's (the most important fact is that you both want pizza so you get pepperoni instead of sausage)

words and values

god and devil terms

gaze

involves one person looking at another person

dominating

involves forcing once's will on another to satisfy individual desires regardless of negative relational consequences (We are having sausage pizza no matter what you say)

restricted code

leaves a great deal unsaid, with the assumption being that other people will understand because of shared connections and accompanying shared knowledge

elaborated code

leaves very little unsaid, with the assumption that people would not be able to understand otherwise

time

monochronic vs. polychronic

close salutation

most likely involves some type of physical contact: a handshake, a kiss, or a hug, which brings you too close for a comfortable salutation

gesture

movement of the body or any of its parts in a way that conveys an idea or intention or displays a feeling or an assessment of the situation

telling stories

much of everyday life is spent telling stories about yourself and other people (narrative)

integrating

necessitate a great deal of open discussion about the conflict at hand to reach a solution that completely satisfies everyone (Openly discuss your positions and decide to get half pepperoni and half sausage)

conflict

real or perceived incompatibilities or processes, understandings, and viewpoints between people (conflict-as-opportunity vs. conflict-as-destructive)

regulators

nonverbal actions that indicate to others how you want them to behave or what you want them to do

transmits emotional information

nonverbal communication allows you to convey attitude toward the other, attitude toward the situation, and attitude toward yourself

sighting and recognition

occurs when you and another person first see each other

individualist

one who subscribes to a belief system that focuses on the individual person and his or her personal dreams, goals, and achievements, and right choices

avoiding

people avoid the conflict entirely by failing to acknowledge that a problem exists (your friend wants pepperoni and you decide with no hesitation)

culture goes beyond physical location

people belong to multiple cultures and cultural membership is enacted through communication

accommodation: adjusting relational frames

people choose particular ways of interacting and can change them just the same, adjusting the interaction to fir another person or as a result of changes in feelings or in the relationship that occurs during the course of the interaction (convergence vs. divergence)

vocalics and relationships

people indicate their membership in a particular group by the way they use their vocalic nonverbal behavior

types of nonverbal communication

proxemics, territoriality, kinesics, eye contact and gaze, vocalics, chronemics, and haptics

encoding

putting feelings into behavior through nonverbal communication

face wants

positive vs. negative

devil terms

powerfully evocative terms that are viewed negatively in society (contrasted with god terms)

god terms

powerfully evocative terms that are viewed positively in society (contrasted with devil terms)

relational meaning and understanding

regulation of interactions serves to regulate engagement, politeness, coordination of action, and sense of pleasure in the interaction-all of which are ultimately relational in effect

relationships and shared meanings

relationships are transacted in part through shared meanings and patterns of communication; the understandings shared by you and a friend represent not only a common understanding but your relationship

relationships regulate verbal communication

relationships influence the meanings that are given to words and the words that are actually used

secondary territory

repeatedly used, though it may not be central for your life or exclusive to you

compromising

requires that everyone give up something to reach a solution, everyone is not fully satisfied (choosing mushrooms instead)

guided by rules

rules guide the choice of nonverbal symbols that should be used in specific situations and with certain people

speech (communication) codes

sets of communication patterns that are the norm for a culture, and only that culture, hence defining it as different from others around it

speech communities

sets of people whose speech codes and practices identify them as a cultural unit, sharing characteristic values through their equally characteristic speech

culture groups are created through communication

several cultures may exist within one country and these groups are recognized and differentiated through their unique communication and meaning systems

Kendon and Ferber's five basic stages of a greeting ritual

sighting and recognition, distant salutation, lowering your head and averting to gaze, close salutation, backing off

scene

situation or location of the act (Immediately following an argument; Jessie's home)

co-cultures

smaller groups of culture within a larger cultural mass

personal space

space legitimately claimed or occupied by a person for the time being; the area around a person that is regarded as part of the person and in which only informal and close relationships are formed

public territory

space open to everyone but available for your sole temporary occupancy once established as such (park benches, seats in movie theater, tables at a library)

what are persuasive speeches?

speeches to convince and speeches to actuate; persuasive speaking and the social judgement theory

collectivist talk

stresses group benefit more than personal needs and advancement (Completing this project soon will benefit the team a great deal.)

individualist talk

stresses individual needs and achievement (Completing this project soon would look good on your yearly evaluation.)

collectivist

subscribing to a belief that stresses group benefit and the overriding value of hardworking harmoniously rather than individual personal advancement

social judgement theory

theory explaining how people may respond to a range of positions surrounding a particular topic or issue

culture as structure

this way of seeing culture focuses on large-scale differences in values, beliefs, goals, and preferred ways of acting among nations, regions, ethnicities, and religions

relationships and everyday talk

three functions for relationships: instrumental, indexical, and essential

how can culture be identified and studied?

through structure and transaction -culture through structure, culture as transacted, coded systems of meaning

turn taking

when one speaker hands over speaking to another person

instrumental function

when what is said brings about a goal that you have in mind for the relationship, and talk is the means or instrument by which it is accomplished (asking someone on a date or to come to a party)

verbal communication is cultural

whenever you communicate verbally, cultural assumptions are presumed involving appropriateness and meanings within a given society or group -verbal communication transacts cultures, cultures regulate verbal communication, cultural ways of talking

agent

who performed the act (Jessie)

purpose

why the act took place (to end a relationship)