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)
