CST110 Ch. 1 + 4
Presentness
A commitment to the moment and the other person in the moment with us; giving us your undivided attention
Debate
A competitive form of communication where parties critically listen to each other with the goal of defeating the opponent's argument, NOT understanding the other's perspective or finding common ground --> does not promote collaboration, and although it is necessary and even appropriate in some situations, it often can get in the way of true understanding
Unconditional positive regard
A component of dialogue originated by Carl Rogers; accepting others with a positive attitude **Unconditional positive regard does not mean you agree with the other person, only that you believe the other person wants the best for you and you want the best for her or him.
Generalized other
A composite mental image we use to practice our potential statements or behaviors before we actually enact them Empathy: the ability to understand and feel the same way as another person
Dialogue
A style of communication that respectfully encourages others to want to listen, while also listening in a way that encourages others to want to speak; its goal is mutual understanding, not necessarily agreement [just because people may be familiar with some of these concepts does not mean they always know how to consistently put them into practice] 4 key elements of dialogue: civility, presentness, unconditional positive regard, mutual equality not a dialogue(2): monologue and debate
Monologue
A style of communication where only one voice is respected; not helpful in situations where group participation and commitment are necessary for success
Noise
Anything that interferes with the receiver's ability to properly receive the message Physical noise: • Other sounds (people talking, air conditioner, shuffling papers, etc.) • Visual barriers • Poor volume and projection • Distractions in the room • Hunger, tiredness, and other bodily limitations Psychological noise: • Preoccupation with other thoughts • Emotional reaction to the topic • Prejudice or ill will toward the speaker • Unwillingness to listen • Resistance to the message
Action model of communication (Shannon-Weaver model/linear model)
In the action model, communication is understood as a one-way process, in which the sender sends a message to a receiver, who decodes it --> outdated, 1st model
Morality/Integrity
Morality: a inner sense of right and wrong Integrity: the maintenance of a CONSISTENT application of our values in every situation
Attitudes necessary for dialogue (4)
Open-Mindedness [Being open-minded calls us to withhold judgment while we completely listen to our conversational partners; in doing that, we can gather all the information possible about an issue]; Genuineness; Agreeableness; Ethical Integrity
Channel
Pathway through which the symbols travel [messages are conveyed] to a receiver/receivers, e.g. tv, radio, phone, email, voice
Politeness
Politeness: the act of showing consideration for others in accordance with societal expectations; the use of tact when speaking to others Good manners: those polite behaviors that encourage positive relationships with others Respect: the practice of acknowledging the inherent dignity of other people as human beings Assertiveness: the practice of clearly, calmly, and confidently making positions and ideas known to others **Knowing how to be assertive, but not aggressive, is a key component of being civil.
Semantic triangle [referent, symbol, thought]
Referent: actual object that you are trying to communicate to another person Symbol: a representation, such as a word or image Thought: we use thought to connect the symbol to the referent.
Agreeable
Remaining open to the idea that you might agree with the other person --> allow ourselves to recognize points we might agree with as opposed to a totalizing statement of agreeing or disagreeing with a person. *When we stress areas of agreement rather than the things on which we disagree, we create a much more comfortable climate for communication and generate a positive impression of ourselves for other people. **Agreeable communicators not only seek to find the things on which they agree with another person, but they recognize the person is not the argument. They do not equate a person's character or identity simply with a position they might take on an issue.
Five characteristics exhibited by competent communicators
Self-awareness; responsiveness and adaptability [adapt communication to the responses of others and the various situations in which they find themselves]; person-centered messages; cognitive complexity; ethics and civility [competent communicators communicate honestly, use good manners, are polite, and also are assertive]
6 specific behaviors you can employ to conduct a successful dialogue by creating a supportive communication climate
Separate facts from interpretation [emphasize interpretation]; ask clarifying questions [do not implicitly state a position in the form of a question-->these questions do not encourage dialogue, as they do not demonstrate open-minded communication]; allow other people to speak full [although it may be done with a desire to show support for the other person, this interruption can be construed as rude and may actually end up hurting more than helping to facilitate dialogue. Interruptions often hurt the listener as well as the speaker by denying them the opportunity to hear everything] take notes [way of physically demonstrating respect for the other person by giving her or him your attention]; give complete attention; own your own statements ["I" statements ("I have not fully explained myself") focuses on the speaker and illustrates his or her ability to both be in touch with emotions and feelings and express them in a way that does not attack the other party. "You" language ("you never let me finish") shows that the communicator is not able to express emotions well and relies on attack or blame to express how they feel.
Supportive/defensive behavior types
Supportive: description, problem orientation, spontaneity, empathy, equality, provisionalism Defensive: evaluation, control, strategy, neutrality, superiority, certainty
Communication competence
The ability to effectively and appropriately interact in any given situation; the effectiveness of communication refers to how well it achieves its purpose, and embedded within this definition is the idea that the strategic choices we make about how we communicate with others in a given situation directly influence the degree to which our message can be successful.
Cognitive complexity
The ability to recognize multiple potential ways in which a situation or message could be understood or interpreted; increasing cognitive complexity involves patience and a willingness to have an open mind.
Civility
The ability to treat others with respect so that we can have a lasting, peaceful, and positive interaction **Civil communicators exercise a degree of self-monitoring, assessing the contexts in which they find themselves to determine the best way to be considerate toward other people and thus avoid being seen as rude.**
Genuineness [DHS]
The act of being direct, honest, and straightforward regarding what we believe and think *People who try to communicate strategically or tactically are more likely engaging in debate, and, in trying to manipulate the course of the discussion, prohibit true dialogue from taking place. This is self-centered rather than other-centered communication, which carries great risk for the relationship if uncovered. **Being genuine can carry its own risk, as you might be operating in a genuine manner while the other person is not, thus creating a situation where you might be taken advantage of by the other party. We must be genuine to create trust, but being genuine also makes us vulnerable in interactions with people who are not trustworthy. In these situations, you might want to reveal truths in a gradual manner as you get to know the other person. This will minimize, but not eliminate, the risk; as long as your contribution is true and honest, you are still being genuine.
Interaction model of communication
The interaction model expands the action model, using all the same elements, but adding two more [FEEDBACK AND CONTEXT] in order to show communication as a two-way process instead of a linear one-way process --> 2nd model Feedback: the various verbal and nonverbal responses to the message by the receiver Context: the physical, emotional, and psychological environment in which the communication event takes place
Unit of analysis [communication: symbols, language = symbol system]
The item that the researcher is trying to understand or study
Self-monitoring
The process of being attuned to how your actions and messages impact others
Encoding [sender creates/thinks about a message]
The process of creating a message using symbols
Decoding
The process of interpreting the symbols within a message [receiver decodes, sender encodes]
Transactional model of communication
The transactional model does not differentiate between the sender and the receiver, seeing both parties as sender and receiver; shows the simultaneous nature of communication, where we are sending messages to the other person even while we are decoding the message the other person is sending
Sensitive
Understanding and respecting diversity *We need to remember that the people we communicate with are not always the same as us. They might come from different religious backgrounds or have different ideological points of view...How we communicate with others inevitably affects how others see us, how they see themselves, and how they view our relationship with them. **Activating sensitivity as you interact with others will help you engage in good dialogue as it shows others that you care how your messages affect others. Receivers should also display sensitivity in how they interpret and react to insensitive messages, although senders bear the most burden with regard to sensitivity.
Five fundamental motives for communication
[Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs] Basic/physiological needs, safety, love/belonging, self-esteem, self-actualization --> ** physical needs, instrumental and task needs, relational needs, identity needs [construct our self-image], spiritual needs
Chapter 4 Key Ideas
• The four key characteristics of dialogue are civility, presentness, unconditional positive regard, and mutual equality. • Civility requires politeness, respect for others, and respect for self; without a willingness to assert one's feelings and thoughts, true dialogue cannot take place. Civility is more than just "being nice." • Dialogues differ from monologues in that monologues respect only one voice; they differ from debates because in a dialogue the goal is understanding, not necessarily agreement. • The five attitudes one must have to enter in to a true dialogue are open-mindedness, genuineness, sensitivity, agreeableness, and ethical integrity. • When engaging in a dialogue, it is important not to confuse interpretations with facts, ask clarifying questions when you do not understand something, do not interrupt others, give full attention, take notes, and own your own statements.
Chapter 1 Key Ideas
• We communicate because communication fulfills physical, instrumental, relational, identity, and spiritual needs. • We communicate using symbol systems that include referents (actual things), thoughts (mental constructs or ideas about those things), and symbols (words or images that represent both the referent and thought). • There are three models of communication: the action model, the interaction model, and the transactional model. • There are five common misconceptions or myths about communication: (1) everyone is an adept communicator, (2) communication can solve any problem, (3) there is only one type of communication, (4) any communication is good communication, and (5) more communication will ultimately make people agree with you. • The five characteristics exhibited by competent communicators include (1) self-awareness, (2) responsiveness and adaptability, (3) person-centered messages, (4) cognitive complexity, and (5) ethics and civility
Principle of mutual equality
**In a dialogue, the expressions and ideas of every party are valued at the same level; no one person is valued less or seen as unable to provide a positive contribution --> a dialogue depends on the free exchange of ideas between parties, even when those ideas might be at odds. The premise that each person can make an equal contribution to the interaction is the principle of mutual equality, e.g. by collaborating on a solution, sharing your goals with all involved, paraphrasing what others say to ensure understanding
Five communication myths
Everyone is an adept communicator [just because we do something often does not make us experts in it]; communication can solve any problem [as social as people are, they also need their space, and it can be frustrating when we fill that space with constant communication]; there is only one type of communication [if a person does not adjust the way in which they communicate based on the context in which they find themselves, they increase the probability of misunderstandings and potential problems]; any communication is good communication [e.g. interruptions: just because you feel the need to contribute at that moment does not mean it is a good idea to do so]; more communication will ultimately make people agree with you [Many people believe that the reason others disagree with them is that they have not been clearly under-stood. As a result, they continue pushing their ideas in an effort to help the other person understand, and thus agree. It can often be the case, however, that the other person does understand what is being said, and yet still does not agree with it. More communication does not produce agreement in these instances, but may instead invite the opposite. It is important to recognize when a point is made and the other person just does not agree, because the more you talk in these cases, the more entrenched the other person is likely to become in the disagreement.]
