Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I. Making Connections
a. Every day you take on numerous roles (i.e. student, employee, friend)
b. These roles require you to connect with others around you
i. We connect through Internet, video games, cell phones, etc.
c. Communication competence is the ability to take part in effective
communication that is characterized by skills and understandings that enable
communicators to exchange messages successfully.
II. What is communication?
a. The simultaneous sharing and creating of meaning through human symbolic
interaction.
i. Communication is complex
ii. Communication as a discipline has existed for thousands of years
1. Ancient Greece and Rome used as means of influence
2. Middle Ages in Western Europe religious writings and preaching
3. Western World used for public speaking, storytelling, and debating
b. Communications is the delivery systems for mediated and mass communication
i. Ways of disseminating information
III. Why should we study communication?
a. Communication and career development
i. Top quality (Table 1.1)
ii. Employers want someone who can speak, think, listen
1. People can be trained in specific job responsibilities
b. Communication and Ethical behavior
i. Ethics refers to an individuals system of moral principles.
1. Plagiarism is the use of another persons information, language, or
ideas without citing the originator and making it appear that the
user is the originator.
a. Give credit to sources
2. Unethical communication may, constitute effective
communication
c. Communication and our Multicultural society
d. Communication and our Technological society
IV. Principles of Communication
a. Communication is a process (series of actions that has no beginning or end and is
constantly changing).
i. Like the weather
ii. Can never be duplicated
b. Communication is a system (combination of parts interdependently acting to
form a whole).
i. Like the human body
1. One part affects the whole
c. Communication is both interactional and transactional
i. Interaction- exchange of communication in which communicators take
turns sending and receiving messages
ii. Transaction- exchange of communication in which the communicators
act simultaneously, encoding and decoding at the same time
d. Communication can be intentional or unintentional
i. Intentional communication- message that is purposely sent to a specific
receiver
ii. Unintentional communication- message that is not intended to be sent or
is not intended for the person who receives it
V. Essential Components of Communication
a. Source- creator of the message
i. Encoding- source translates thoughts or feelings into words, sounds, and
physical expressions which together make up the actual message that is to
be sent
b. Message- communication that is produced by the source
c. Interference/noise- anything that changes the meaning of an intended message
i. External/physical: slamming doors, stereo
ii. Internal/psychological: daydreaming, hunger
d. Channel- the route by which messages flow between sources and receivers
e. Receiver- individual who analyzes and interprets the message
i. Decoding- process of translating a message into the thoughts or feelings
that were communicated
f. Feedback- response to a message that the receiver sends to a source
g. Environment/atmosphere- psychological (attitudes, feelings) and physical
surroundings (temperature, room size)in which communication occurs (example
page 23)
h. Context- circumstances or situation in which communication occurs
VI. Types of communication
a. Intrapersonal- process of understanding information within oneself
b. Interpersonal- creating and sharing meaning between people who are in a
relationship
i. Dyadic communication- exchange of information between two people
ii. Interview- carefully planned and executed question and answer session
designed to exchange desired information between two parties
iii. Small-group communication- exchange of information among a
relatively small number of people, ideally 5-7, who share a common
purpose
c. Public- transmission of a message from one person who speaks to a number of
individuals who listen
d. Mediated- communication transmitted by some kind of mechanistic means (i.e.
radio, TV)
e. Mass- communicating with or to a large number of people
f. Electronic-mediated- communication transmitted by an electronic device such as
a computer, cell phone, or PDA (i.e. email, text)
VII. Communication Misconceptions
a. Communication is a Cure-All
b. Quantity Means Quality
c. Meaning is in the words we use
d. We have a natural ability to communicate
e. Communication is reversible
VIII. Improving communication competence
a. Develop a repertoire- wide range of communication behaviors from which
effective communicators make choices
Chapter 2: Connecting Perceptions and Communication
I. Understanding self-concept
A. Self- concept- a persons perceived self, which consists of an organized collection
of beliefs and attitudes about self
1. Self-image- a persons mental picture of him/herself
a) Example, female student
2. Self-esteem- a persons feelings and attitudes toward him/herself
a) Hard worker
B. Self-concept as a process
1. communication and self concept are inseparable and both involve a
process-continuous change with no beginning or end
a) Self-concept development is a complex process
C. Development of self-concept (Table 3.1)
1. Values- a general, relatively long lasting idea that guides behavior
a) If value material objects, judge by what we have
b) Can be categorized into broad categories
a. Religion, material, intellectual
2. Attitude- an evaluative feeling or way of thinking about oneself, others,
events, ideas, and objects
a) more narrowly defined
3. Belief- a conviction or confidence in the truth of something that is not
based on actual proof
a) Some beliefs, like attitudes, are more important to us
a. Most important, dont change easily
II. Communication and Self-concept
A. Perceptions of how others respond to us affect our self-concept (Figure 3.2)
B. Communication apprehension- anxiety associated with real or anticipated
communication with other person(s)anxiety syndrome
1. 95% of Americans fear some type of communication situation (public
speaking, talking with one person)
III. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy and Impression Management
A. Self-fulfilling prophecy- expectations we have of ourselves or that others have of
us that help to create the conditions that lead us to act in predictable ways
1. Ex. predict nervousness in speech, likely to be nervous in speech
2. Friend tells you a teacher is good, she is.
B. Impression management- creating a positive image of oneself in order to
influence the perceptions of others
1. We all strive to make a good first impressionself-presentationwant
to look good when meeting someone for the first time
a) self enhancement- efforts to boost your own image
b) other enhancement- efforts to make a target person feel good in
your presence
2. Perceived self
a) the person we believe ourselves to be at any given moment of self-
examination (see yourself as fat/skinny)
3. Presenting self- public imageway we want to appear to others (nice
person, articulate)
C. Facework- term to describe the verbal and nonverbal ways we act to maintain our
own presenting image and the images of others
1. create various roles/characters we want others to believe about us
IV. Culture and Self Concept
A. Self-concept develops in a cultural context; differences across cultures
1. Individualistic orientation- tendency to stress self or personal goals
and achievements over group goals and achievements
2. Collectivistic orientation- tendency to put aside your individual goals
for the well being of the group
V. Gender and Self Concept
A. Sex and gender
1. Terms are often used interchangeably
a) Gender- social construct related to learned and masculine and
feminine behaviors
b) Sex- anatomical and physiological differences between males and
females that are genetically determined (biological)
B. Gender stereotypes
1. Female stereotypes often more negative
C. Gender expectations
VI. Enhancing self-concept
A. Decide what you would like to change or improve about yourself.
B. Describe why you feel the way you do about yourself.
C. Make a commitment to improve or change.
D. Set reasonable goals for yourself.
E. Decide on the specific actions you are going to take
F. Associate with positive people whenever possible
Chapter 4: Connecting through Verbal Communication
6. Space
a. Proxemicsthe study of the use of space and of distance between individuals
when they are communicating.
i. Intimate Spaceno space to one and a half feet (well acquainted or forced)
ii. Personal Spaceone and a half feet to four feet (carry on conversations with
close friends and relatives)
iii. Social spacefour to twelve feet (most professional interactions occur)
iv. Public spacetwelve feet or more (formal presentations)
b. Territorialitythe need to identify certain areas of space as ones own.
7. Time
a. Chronemicsthe study of how people perceive, structure, and use time as
communication.
8. Paralanguage/vocalicsthe way we vocalize or say the words we speak
a. Speech sounds, rate, accents, articulation, pronunciation, and silence.
b. Example page 133
9. Silencean extended period of time without sound
a. Vocal pauses- a hesitation, usually short in duration
i. Used to emphasize a word (MLK)
ii. Gather a thought
iii. Capture attention
b. Silence can be awkward in conversation
c. Expected in certain situations
10. Olfacticsstudy of smell or odors
a. Smell communicates powerful messages
b. Cosmetics used to eliminate body odor.
i. More attracted to people with pleasant smells.
c. Food smells good, assume it will taste good.
11. Artifactsa personal ornament or possession that communicates information about a
person.
a. Piercings and tattoos.; automobiles, eyeglasses, clothing, hair
12. Environment
a. Psychological and physical surroundings in which communication occurs
i. Furniture, architectural design, lighting condition, temperature, smells
V. Interpreting and Improving Nonverbal Communication
a. Nonverbal cues have multiple meanings
b. Nonverbal cures are interdependent
c. Nonverbal cues are subtle
VI. Improving our interpretation of Nonverbal Communication
a. Be observant and sensitive to nonverbal messages
b. Verify nonverbal messages that you are not sure of
i. Descriptive feedbackdescribing to the sender what you perceived the
message to mean to you.
ii. Self-monitoringthe willingness to change behavior to fit situations,
awareness of effects on others, and the ability to regulate nonverbal cues
and other factors to influence others perceptions.
Chapter 6: The Importance of Effective Listening
Organizing your speech involves arranging its parts into a systematic and meaningful whole.
V. Your Delivery
a. Practice!
Connecting with others and forming relationships is what interpersonal relationships is all about.
I. What is a group?
a. A group is not simply a collection of people gathered at the same place.
b. Group- a collection of individuals who influence one another, have a common
purpose, take on roles, are interdependent, and interact together.
i. Members interact with one another often
ii. The group is important to its members
iii. Members share common goals and outcomes
iv. Members are similar to one another in important ways
II. Group formation: why we join and why we leave.
a. Help satisfy psychological and social needs
b. Helps achieve goals
c. Multiple sources of information
d. Security
e. Contribute to positive social identify
f. Make demands on time, energy, and resources
i. Much time, accomplish little
III. Types and purposes of small groups
a. Primary groups- focus on social and interpersonal relationships (socialization
and catharsis)
i. Family, close friends, coworkers, neighbors
b. Secondary groups- exist to accomplish tasks or achieve goals
i. Decision Making: homecoming
ii. Problem solving: how to improve healthcare
iii. Committees: specified task
iv. Learning and Sharing Information: social clubs
v. Therapy and Personal Growth: AAA, lost loved one
IV. Project or work teams
a. Team- a special form of group that is characterized by a close-knit relationship
among people with different and complimentary abilities and by a strong sense of
identity
i. Involve: interaction; interdependence; common goals; personality;
commitment; cohesiveness; and rules.
ii. Not all groups are teams
1. Teams more likely to consist of people with diverse abilities
2. Teams develop more interdependence
3. High degree of group identify and more likely to identify
themselves as team members than individuals on a team
iii. Project team- individuals representing different specialties who are
assigned to coordinate the successful completion of an assigned task
1. Possess little history, work under a deadline; difficulty establishing
mutually agreed-on relationships.
a. Ex. Species Movie; Team formed to target parking
problems
iv. Work team- group of people responsible for an entire work process or a
segment of the process that delivers a product or service to an internal or
external customer.
1. Ex. university department
v. Focus group- a special form of work team that ascertains what its
members think about specific ideas, issues, or people.
1. What do college students think of binge drinking? (Parent, student,
administrator)
V. Characteristics of Small Groups
a. Interdependence- mutual dependence of group members on one another (most
essential characteristic)
b. Commitment- desire of group members to work together to complete a task to
the satisfaction of the entire group
c. Cohesiveness- attraction that group members feel for each other and willingness
to stick together; a form of loyalty
d. Group size- number of participants (five is most effective; no fewer than three no
more than nine)
e. Group norms- expected and shared ways in which group members behave.
f. Group culture- the pattern of values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors that is shared
by group members and that shapes a groups individual personality.
i. Changes and underlies all actions and behaviors
VI. Gender differences
a. Men dominate talking
b. Women more cooperative
VII. Ethical Behavior
a. Collectivistic approach
VIII. Virtual groups and teams
a. Teleconferencing- use of telephones and speakerphones to connect people in
different locations
b. Videoconferencing- extension of teleconferencing and includes picture and
sound
c. Interactive computer conferencing- similar to videoconferencing, except
interaction occurs via computer.
IX. Disadvantages of small groups
a. Groupthink (going along to get along) group members value the harmony of the
group more than new ideas, fail to critically examine ideas, hesitate to change
flawed decisions, or lack willingness to allow new members to participate.
b. Time consuming
c. Varying communication styles
d. Unfair workloads
i. Social loafing- tendency for individuals to lower their work effort after
they join a group
e. Pressure to fail (weaker group members
f. Grouphate phenomenon- dislike for groups
I. Team Building
a. Leadership- influence process that includes any behavior that helps clarify a
groups purpose or guides the group to achieve its goals.
i. Leader- a person who is assigned, selected, or emerges from a group, to
provide direction toward reaching the groups goals.
b. Leading a group (boss usually leader in business meetings)
i. Leaders help address two sets of needs
1. Task needs- related to the content of a task and all behaviors that
lead to the completion of it.
a. Gathering info; solving problems
2. Maintenance needs- related to organizing and developing a group
so that the members can realize personal satisfaction from working
together.
a. Atmosphere, structure, praise
c. Leadership styles and behaviors
i. Initiating structure- a dimension of leadership that focuses on getting the
job done.
1. organizing work, setting goals, making sure rules are followed
ii. Consideration- focuses on establishing good interpersonal relationships
and being liked by group members
1. doing favors for group members, taking time to explain things,
watching out for members well being
iii. Power styles
1. Autocratic leader= complete control
2. Democratic leader= shares control
3. Laissez-faire leader= gives up control
d. Leadership and gender
i. Early research says men were most leaders
ii. Task oriented men and women emerge as leaders
II. Conducting a Meeting
a. Agenda- a list of all topics to be discussed during a meeting (Page 438)
III. Member Participation
a. Roles of group members (task and maintenance)
b. Contributions of group members
i. Comments that are open to evaluation
ii. Provocative comments
c. Table 16.2
IV. Problem Solving and Decision Making
a. Determining the problem
i. Question of interpretation- a question that asks for the meaning or
explanation of something
b. Discussing the problem
c. Applying reflective thinking to Problem Solving and Decision Making (page 445)
d. Brainstorming
i. Brainstorming via technology
e. Reaching group consensusall group members have been able to express how
they feel and think about the alternatives and have been given equitable
opportunities to influence the outcome.
V. Managing group conflict
a. What words do you think of when you hear the word conflict?
b. Conflict and Group Communication
i. Conflict can produce better understanding of both issues and people
ii. Conflict can increase member motivation
iii. Conflict can produce better decisions
iv. Conflict can produce greater cohesiveness among group members
v. Too much conflict can create unmanageable tension and heighten
disagreement, resulting in personal attacks on individual group members.
c. Groups must view conflict as beneficial; should not be avoided
i. Principled negotiation- procedure that helps group members negotiate
consensus by collaboration through the expression of each differing need
and a search for alternatives to meet those needs.
d. Ethical behavior and conflict
i. Review page 450
VI. Evaluating Small-Group Performance
a. Page 450