COMM 120 Chapter 1-6 Exam
selective retention
: tendency to remember that which reinforces our worldview
ritual view 1989
a view of communication directed not toward the extension of messages in space but toward the maintenance of society in time; not the act of imparting information but the representation of shared beliefs. - representation of shared meaning, beliefs, experiences, - TIME-oriented -Qualitative issues -meaning-making, identity, social processes
internalized oppression
accepting ideas of how members of nondominant groups often help to perpetuate hierarchies because they believe that their group is inferior and that the dominant group is superior as well as believing negative stereotypes about ones group
socialization
create a gendered world which the infant gradually encounters and takes for granted as her social consciousness dawns and which structures the responses to her of others
nurturing culture
cultures that regard the support of relationships as an especially important goal
self-fulfilling prophecy
occurs when a persons expectations of an event and her or his subsequent behavior based on those expectations, make the outcome more likely to occur than would otherwise been true
SI and the Self
our two selves "I think" and "Look at me" - perspective taking- generalized other - reflective appraisals/looking-glass self- a mirroring of the judgement around you so if they are positive then you learn to appreciate that value within yourself - social comparisons- evaluating ourselves in terms of how we compare with others
fundamental attribution error
overestimating internal attributions and underestimating external attributions when judging others - when judging others: tend to attribute negative outcomes to internal characteristic and positive outcomes to external situations -internal attributions influenced by our stereotypes of their social identity
essentialism
refers to assumptions that social differences stem from intrinsic, innate, human variations unrelated to social forces
uncertainty avoidance
reflects the degree to which members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous situations and how much they try to avoid them
high-context cultures
relies heavily on subtle, often nonverbal cues to maintain social harmony
transmission view of communication
technical definition- how do we get messages across, how are those messages received spacial definition- how ideas move across space, what effects do they have
Problems with Transmission Model 1949
technical- distractions, noise, language barrier, how do we get messages across, how are those essages recieved semantic- meaning of a message, i hear you but i do not see what you are saying effectiveness- how you are communicating
selective exposure
tendency to expose self to people/info that reinforces our opinions
perceptual accentuation
we see what we expect/want to see
practical need
what does communication do to enhance/enrich life, primary cause of divorce and bad relationships is bad communication
sailence
how much weight we attach to a particular person or phenomenon
disclosure
marked by high disclosiveness relationship grows with the amount of disclosure
SIT Allen
"It is natural to categorize; but problems arise when people assign meanings to descriptors move from using "categories not only to distinguish, but also to discriminate"
abstract
-words/how we use them can't/don't capture exactly what we mean - can use as strategic resource - the top of the abstraction later is not specific, but as you go down the ladder it gets more and more specific pg155
but statements
- confusing because it cancels the thoughts that precedes it ex) you are a really great person but I think we ought to stop seeing each other - if your goal is absolutely clear the most reasonable approach will deliver the central idea without the distractions that come with butt
attribution theory
- fritz heider and harold kelly - we constantly try to explain our own and other's behavior -internal attributions- locates causes of behaviors to internal attribute of actor - external attributions- locates causes of behaviors to external attributes of scenario
you language
- is quite different - universally less effective than I statements - places the onus of responsibility on the other party, making agreement and even understanding much harder to come by ex) you really piss me off, you left this place a mess -
benefits of self-disclosure
- key factor in relational development, and relationships suffer when people keep important information from one another - catharsis- get info off your chest - self-clarification - self-validation- looking for someone to agree with you to tell you that you did the right thing - reciprocity- you tell info about you in hopes that the other person will tell info too - impression formation- we reveal info to make ourselves more attractive -relationship maintenance and enhancement- we like people who disclose personal info to us -moral obligation- have to tell in regards to health issues
consequential characteristics of language
- language constricts symbolic representations - language creates perceptions of reality -language reveals our biases and prejudices ex) Like a girl
perception checking
- provides a better way to review your assumptions and to share your interpretations 1. a description of the behavior you noticed 2. two possible interpretations of the behavior 3. a request for clarification about how to interpret the behavior
uniqueness
- unwritten rules relational/psychological knowledge
gender on nonverbal communication
- with rare exceptions, differences between sexes hold true across cultures -in general, females are more nonverbally expressive than males, and they are better at interpreting others' nonverbal behavior - women smile more, use more facial expression, use more (but less expansive) head, hand, and arm gestures, touch others more, stand closer to others, are more vocally expressive, make more eye contact -
arbitrary
- words not intrinsically connected to what they represent including ideas, people, events, objects, feelings - coffee- a person who is coughed upon -testicle- a humorous question on an exam - gargoyle- an olive- flavored moutwash
culture affects how nonverbal cues are perceived/expressed
-american emoticons focus on mouth expressions -japanese emoticons tend to focus moreso on their eyes ex) head and hand movements - some cultures stress not showing emotion while others think emotion should be shown ex) a japane
emblems
-are culturally understood substitutes for verbal expressions ex) nodding the head up and down means yes in most cultures and side to side means no ex) thumbs up is good job in US but it is #1 in germany and #5 in Japan
ambiguous
-can be understood in two or more possible ways. -lexical ambiguity (single word) -structural ambiguity (sentence or clause) - polesemy-"many meanings" - take your mother in law out back and shoot her (Kodak) - are you up in the air about your future? (air force)
I language
-clearly identifies the speaker as the source of a message - express positive/negative feedback in both conflict and non-conflict situations with increased clarity and ownership, therefore helping the person you're talking with avoid feelings of defensiveness or helplessness
social identity theory(Allen)
-describes humans' tendency to label self and others based on individual and group identity -categorize ourselves and others based on cognitive schemas -creating in group and our group members 2. idenify with our own categorization and internalize our own social category - we strive to be prototypical group members 3. motivated to view our own groups positively because we desire positive self-image 4. therefore, we compare social categories - exhibit in group bias by valuing our categories above others 5. spcoal hierarchhies created through ranking social categories 6. we react to people's group rather than their individuality called depersonalization
Symbolic interactionism
-development of individual is a social process and your social role defines/develops - meanings are socially construction
symbolism of language
-fingers show numbers - sign language
organizations
-identifiable social systems of interacting individuals pursuing multiple objectives through coordinated acts and relationships - we spend most of our waking moments dealing with organizations
universal nonverbal communication
-isolated West African tribe and "pride" like a small smile and head titled slightly back - blind and deaf children and smiling/crying -sour expressions convey displeasure in most cultures
types of nonverbal communication
-kinesics- the study of how people communicate through bodily movements 1. face and eyes- there are at least 8 distinguishable positions of the eyebrows and forehead, 8 more of the eyes and lids, and 10 for the lower face 2. posture 3. gestures 4. touch- haptics- to distinguish the study of touching 5. voice- paralanguage is a description of the way a message is spoken 6. distance intimate distance- skin contact to 18 inches personal distance- 18 inches to 4 feet social distance- 4 feet to 12 feet public distance- 12 feet and on 7. territoriality- our territory is the area that serves as an extension of our physical being 8. Time chronemics- describes the study of how humans use and structure time 9. physical attractiveness 10. Clothing 11. physical environment
consequences that follow from the paradox of privilege
-privilege is rooted in societies and groups as much s it's rooted in people's personalities and hoe they perceive and react to one another -one is always in the system of privilege - being privileged without feeling privileged - whites do not feel privileged by race
organization
-process of arranging sensory information in a way that makes sense -4 schemas/categories 1. physical-apperance 2. role- ex)student, lawyer 3. interaction-social behavior EX) friendly, mean 4. psychological- internal mindset ex) confident, insecure
it statements
-replace the personal pronouns I and me with the less immediate construction it's - use I language to correct - communicators that use it statements avoid responsibility for ownership of a message, instead attributing it to some unidentified body - this language does not help interpersonal relationships
social constructionist
-self is socially constructed through various relational and linguistic processes -our identity arises out of interactions with other people and is based on language
discourse
-systems of texts and talk that range from public to private and from naturally occurring to mediated forms -produces maintains or resists systems of power and inequality -
selection
-we choose which data we will attend to -attention grabbed by intensity, repetition, contrast or change in stimulation
Steps of the Perception Process
1. Selection 2. Organization 2. Interpretation 4. Negotiation
Five Communication Principles Principles from Interplay
1. communication is transnational which means that communication is a dynamic process that the participants create through their interaction with one another 2. communication can be intentional or unintentional - whether you speak or remain silent, confront or avoud, whatever you do, you provide information to othwe about your thoughts and feelings 3. communication is irreversible- wods said, messages sent, deeds done are irretrievable 4. communication is unrepeatable- communication is an on going process so an event cannot be repeated 5. communication has a content dimension and a relational dimension - content dimension involves the information being explicitly discussed relational dimension- expresses how you feel about the other person , whether you like or dislike the other person, feel in control or subordinate, feel comfortable or anxious
four characteristics of culture
1. culture is not innate, it is learned; proverbs, legends, myth, art, media, tradition 2. culture is transmissible and subjective 3. culture is a dynamic system that changes over time; however, the deep structure of culture resists change 4. culture is highly selective and cultural groups aid your selection process
4 stages of self-fulfilling prophecy
1. holding an expectation for yourself or for others 2. behaving in accordance with that expectation 3. the expectation coming to pass 4. reinforcing the original expectation
Why do we need interpersonal communication?
1. physical need 2. identity need 3. social need 4. practical need
two types of self-fulfilling prophecies
1. self-imposed prophecies occur when your own expectations influence your behavior 2. self-fulfilling prophecie occurs when one person's expectations govern another's actions
Five features of interpersonal communication
1. uniqueness 2.irreplacability 3.interdependence 4. disclosure 5. intrinsic reward
blumer's three tenants of SI
1. we act based on the meanings we give to things 2. we give meaning to things based on social interactions 3. the meaning we give something is not permanent
characteristic of impression management
1. we strive to construct multiple identities ex) respectful student, joking friend, kind neighbor, and helpful worker 2. impression management is collaborative- both people have to buy in... you try to tease someone but hope person responds in a positive manner and is not offended 3. impression management can be deliberate or unconscious- we deliberately act in certain ways like when we are at a job interview, but when we are with people and we eat something gross we react badly but when alone we dont and this is because our behavior is aimed at sending messages to others
Differences between Transmission and Ritual
T= transportation/exchange of info r= creation of culture t= spacial r= temporal & symbolic t= effects r= meaning t= did counseling positively affect their marriage? r= what cultural values does marriage counseling reflect?
in group
a group with which we identify with
linguistic relativism
a language both reflects and shapes the worldview of those who use it ex) bilingual speakers seem to think differently when they change languages
paradox of privilege
although it is received by individuals, the granting of privilege has nothing to do with who those individuals are as people we dont have to be special or even feel special in order to have access to privilege whites tend not to feel privileged by their race when they compare themselves with their reference group
intercultural communication
as the process that occurs when members 9 of two or more cultures or cocultures exchange messages in a manner that is influenced by their different cultural perceptions and symbol systems both verbal and nonverbal
personal front
aspects of identity that follow performer always ex)sign equipment
second order realities
attaching meaning to first order things or situations
selective attention
attending to certain environmental stimuli while ignoring others
physical need
babies need it in order to survive, orphans had health issues because lack of it, POW and social experiments
Paradox that Privilege Does Not necessarily make you happy
belonging to a privileged category improves the odds in favor of certain kinds of advantages and preferential treatment, but it doesn't guarantee anything for any given individual privilege can exact a cost from those who have it ex) white privilege comes at a huge cost to people of color and on some level white people must struggle with this knowledge so thats where the guilt comes from ex) male privilege exacts as a cost as men compete with other men and strive to rove their manhood so they can be counted as real men and when they feel unhappy they associate that with the fact of being men
social need
communication building/evolving
interpersonal communication
communication that occurs between two or more people within the context of a relationship that involves processes of definition, negotiation, and evolution of that relationship
interdependence
connected in meaningful way what happens to one affects the other those who you are close with you are more affected by as opposed to those you are not as close with
social penetration model
defines relationships of self-disclosure in terms of their breadth and their depth 1. breadth of information volunteered, the range of subjects being discussed 2. depth of the information being volunteered-the shift from relatively impersonal messages to more personal ones depending on the breadth and depth of information shared, a relationship can be defined as casual or intimate pg90
achievement culture
describes societies that place a high value on material success and focus on the task at hand
power distance
describes the degree to which member of a society accept an unequal distribution of power
Johari window
developed by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham this model describes the relationship between self-disclosure and self-awareness 1. info you and others know called the open area 2. blind area info where you are unaware but other person knows 3. hidden area where info you know but are not willing to reveal to others 4. unknown info to all
irreplacability
different important cannot be filled by another
personal identity
encompasses the conception of the self in terms of variables such as personality traits
front
expressive components of performing self - setting -appearance - manner- we strive for consistency/control
collectivistic culture
feel loyalties and obligations to an ingroup, one's extended family, community, or even organization
conferred dominance
gives one group power over another ex)male dominates conversation, daddy's girl
phonological rules
govern how sounds are combined to form words
semantic rules
govern the meaning of language was opposed to its structure; deals with meaning of statements
syntactic rules
govern the way symbols can be arranged as opposed to the meanings of these symbols ex) whiskey makes you sick when you're well, whiskey when you're sick makes you well ex) yoda in star wars says things a different way
George H. Mead's Symbolic Interactionism Theory
individuals determine how they act based on their perceptions of themselves and others, and meaningful objects - a way of looking at the world - focuses on languages/symbols we use to give meaning to experiences in life -functions at interpersonal level -helps explain social order and change
colorism
intragroup hierarchy of skin color
race
is a category originally created to explain differences between people whose ancestors originated in different regions of the world
presenting self
is a public image- the way we want to appear to others
communication
is about using messages to generate meaning. Is a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed
self-esteem
is the part of self-concept that involves the evaluations of self-worth high or low self-esteem has a powerful effect on communication behavior. People who feel good about themselves have positive expectations about how they will communicate
paradigm of privilege
it doesn't really matter who we really are. What matters is who other people think we are, which is to say, the social categories they put us in
first order realities
physically observable qualities of a thing or situation
negotiation
process by which communicators influence each other's perceptions through communication - narratives:personal stories created to make sense of our personal world -when our narratives clash with those of others, we can either hang on to our view and refuse to consider anyone else's or try to negotiate a narrative that creates at least some common ground
interpretation
process of attaching meaning to sensory information 1. expectation- 2. personal experience 3. personality 4. assumptions about human behavior
The Perception Process
reality is constructed and we interpret and assign meaning to others behaviors and messages first order realities- second-order realities-
privilege
refers to advantaged status based upon social identity
risks of self-disclosure
revealing information can deeply threaten the stability or the survival of a relationship - rejection- fear of not being liked or being afraid to tell who you are - negative impression- if not rejection then a negative impression - decrease in relational satisfaction -loss of influence- once you confess a secret weakness, your control over how the other person views you can be diminished - loss of control- when you reveal the info now other people have control of it -hurt the other person- might harm people around you
intrinsic reward
rewarding in itself relationship not ONLY useful requires work sometimes great having someone to communicate with
pragmatic rules
rules that govern interpretation of language in terms of social content okay=good okay?= you make no sense okay.= I'm pissed
types of selction
selective attention: perceptual accentuation: selective exposure: selective retention
Goffman's Dramaturgy
self as performative: "all the activity of an individual which occurs during a period marked by his continuous presence before a particular set of observers"
overattribution
singling out one or two characteristics and attributing everything a person does to those one or two things - we engage in fundamental attribution with members of out-groups
sub-culture
smaller groups that define themselves by some key value NOT shared by the dominant culture-- these groups are unstable and often subsumed into dominant culture over time (bikers, tattoos, music fandoms, geeks)
social front
stereotypes from which we draw our personal fronts
"words have default assumptions"
story contains no reference to the doctor;s gender and the majority of physicians in America are men, we'll likely assume that the surgeon in the story is male. Unless we're brought up short by some obvious glitch in our taken-for-granted logic, we'll probably conjure up a male figure every time we read or hear the word surgeon
impression management
the communication strategies people use to influence how others view them
culture
the language, values, beliefs, traditions, and customs people share and learn
perceived self
the person you believe yourself to be in moments of honest self-examination
social construction of difference
the process whereby shared realities are continuously created, through the action and interaction of people, which is experienced as objectively factual and subjectively meaningful "race, as other social categories such as class and gender, is socially constructed... but it has a social reality. This means after race or class or gender is created, it produces real effects on the actors racialized as "black" or "white"
self-concept
the relatively stable set of perceptions you hold of your self. 1. self concept is subjective 2. a healthy self-concept is flexible 3. the self-concept resists change
primary/recency effect
the tendency to pay more attention to, and to better recall things that happen first in a sequence
co-culture
the ways in which people identify with smaller groups within a larger culture (age, race, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, geographic region, physical disability, religion, activity etc)
unearned entitlement
things of value that all people should have such as feeling safe in public spaces or working in a place where they feel they belong and are valued for what they can contribute
out group
those that we view as different from us
Shannon & Weaver Transmission Model
understanding of communication as a process by which messages are transmitted and distributed in space for the control of distance and people 1940s bell labs mathematical model based on information transfer instrumentality, intentionality, autonomous self theoretical model of communication
low-context cultures
uses language primarily to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas as directly as possible
individualistic culture
view their primary responsibility as helping themselves
unearned advantage
when an unearned entitlement is restricted to certain groups, however, it becomes a form of privilege, in many cases this gives dominant groups a competitive edge they are reluctant to even acknowledge, much less give up
self-serving bias
when judging ourselves, we tend to attribute positive outcomes to internal characteristics and negative outcomes to external situations
social identity
who am i and who am i in relation to others
Language as symbolic
words are arbitrary, ambiguous, abstract representations of other phenomena
symbol
words objects, gestures, non-verbals, pictures that comes to stand in for ideas, thoughts, beliefs - when given meaning, dictate behavior
identity need
would not be able to know ourselves, psychoanalysis-relationship with other