Comm 10 Midterm

Norms

Rules on what is expected in a given situation

types of social norms

Folkways, Mores, Taboos

Folkways

Lightly held norms. Not a big deal if you break them

Mores

More strongly held norms. Breaking is a bigger deal

Taboos

Most strongly held norms. Laws against such action

Folkway example

You should wear matching socks

More Example

Adults playing naked on the front lawn

Taboo example

Having sex with a family member (incest). Having sex with a dead person (Necrophilia).

Types of Pick Up Lines

Friendly, Offbeat, Humorous, Alter, Seductive

Friendly Pick up line example

“Would you mind some conversation while we wait?”

Offbeat Pick Up Line Example

“Do you think we are ever going to switch to the metric system?”

Humorous Pick Up Line Example

“So what’s a nice girl like you doing in an elevator like this?”

Altar Pick Up Line Example

“You look just like my 3rd husband.”(only had 2!)

Seductive Pick up line example

“You are the sexiest women in the room.”

SEMCDR Model

Source, Encoder, Message, Channel, Decoder, Receiver

Source

The person with the thought/idea to communicate.

Encoder

Takes the thought/idea and puts it into some form that people can understand.

Message

Code-any system of symbols by which we communicate. Must be shared to be understood.(language) Content-what is being communicated(the general idea). Treatment-how you say.(non-verbal things like tone and volume)

Double Blind

When the content and treatment of a message clash. (We tend to listen to the treatment in these cases.

Channel

The medium used to get a message from source to receiver. (Face to face, TV, etc.)

Receiver

Person who receives the message being sent.

Feedback

The receiver becoming the source.

Circular Model

Model in which there is a constant change of source and receiver. Feedback is involved.

Linear Model

Can only define communication that is one way. (SEMCDR Model)

Noise

Interferes with the message being sent. Interferes with the fidelity of the message.

Types of Noise

Internal Noise - noise that is going on within you. (Cannot be externally removed)

External Noise - originates from the outside world.

Examples of Internal Noise

Hunger, Sickness, distractions

Examples of external Noise

Jackhammer outside, 100 degrees in classroom, hot person sitting next to you.

Types of Fidelity

HIgh Fidelity Message-message getting though without distortion. (Noise)

Low Fidelity Message

High Fidelity Message Example

Face to Face

Low Fidelity Message Example

TV with a lot of static

Systems of communication

Intrapersonal, interpersonal, small group, mass

Intrapersonal Communication

Communication with one’s self

Interpersonal Communication

Communication between 2 people

Small Group Communication

If you know the other members by name or sight and can recognize when one member is missing or when a new person is there.

Mass communication

Big group where there is too many people to know by sight. (Often linear form of communication)

Intrapersonal communication example

Thoughts, and feelings

Interpersonal Communication Example

Sitting across a table talking on a date

Small group communication example

Basketball team meeting in person

Mass communication example

Lecture in college

Mediation

Something inanimate coming in between the source and the receiver.

Non mediated intrapersonal example

You thinking your own thoughts

Mediated intrapersonal example

Writing yourself a note, keeping a diary

Non Mediated Interpersonal Example

Speaking to someone face to face

Mediated Interpersonal Example

Talking on the phone, writing a letter, sending a text.

Non Mediated Small Group Example

A study group in which everyone sits around a table talking face to face.

Mediated Small Group Example

A business meeting using google docs.

Non Mediated Mass Example

Aka. Public communication. One person talking to a large group without a medium.

Mediated Mass Example

Giving a lecture using a microphone.

Example of all 4 systems of communication

Painting - paint for yourself, then show it to your friend, then show it to your art class, then take it to a museum.

Perception

Two people can see the same thing yet have a totally different interpretations of it.

Stages of Perception

Reception, Analysis

Reception

The operation of our senses. Relatively automatic.

Analysis

Active stage of perception. Includes focusing, organizing, and interpreting.

Analysis

Active stage of perception. Includes focusing, organizing, and interpreting.

Analysis of Example

You see 5 billion stimuli. Your brain can only process 500. Therefore we must select what to focus upon. those 500 vary from person to person which explains how different people have different perceptions.

Stages of Selection

Factors relating to objects/stimuli; factors within ourselves

Selection Factors Relating to Objecs

Ease, Intensity, Contrast, Repetition

Ease

We select what is closest to us, what sticks out

Intensity

We select things that exist in extreme. We notice that which is loud, bright, etc.

Contrast

We select things because they are different.

Repetition

We select that which is we see/hear over and over

Ease Example

You pay attention to an elephant in class

Intensity Example

You pay attention to a siren

Contrast example

You pay attention to pringles at the store because they are in a can and not a bag

Repetition example

You pay attention to commercial slogans that you hear many times.

Selection Factors within ourselves

MMARSCLPP: Motivation, Mood, Attitudes, Roles, Selective Attention, Culture, Language, Past Learning Experiences, Psychological Tendencies

Past Learning Experiences Selection Example

Man cheated on women, now she thinks all men are untrustworthy.

Culture Selection Example

Flash 2 images, one in each eye. A baseball player and a bull fighter. Over 90% of people in Mexico saw a bull fighter. Over 90% of people in America saw the baseball player.

Language Selection Example

In Arabic there are two words for color - hot and cool. InEnglish there are many words for color.

The “Sapir-Whorf” Hypothesis

The idea that language alters our perception of reality.

Motivation Selection Example

You are more likely to see an advertisement for food when you are hungry.

Sources of Sterotypes

Your culture, your family, your own past learning experiences, the mass media

Negative twist

A positive stereotype with a ___. Example - we admire athletes but they are just dumb jocks.

Roles Selection Example

Each focuses on a different thing in the park based on their occupation. A zoologist, a psychologist, and a pick pocket.

Mood Selection Example

Study with people in different moods. All shown picture of kids digging in the mud. Happy sees kids having fun. Anxious worries that someone is going to get hurt and that no adult is watching them. Etc.

Attitudes Selection Example

The referee is always unfair to your team. Why? Because you are favorably predisposed toward your own team.

Types of Psychological Tendencies

Selective exposure, Selective Attention, Selective Retention

Selective Exposure

Tendency to expose yourself to messages that agree with your beliefs and values.

Selective Attention

Tendency to pay more attention to the part of the message that is consistent with your beliefs and tune out the ones that counter it.

Selective Retention

Tendency, if you have listened to all parts of the message and are later asked what was said, you are more likely to be able to tell people those parts of the message that you agreed with.

Counter Tendency

Paying Attention to opinions counter to yours to make yourself feel superior.

Selective Exposure Example

An atheist is not likely to go to church

Selective Attention Example

Obama talks about economics and you listen because you agree. He then talks about the war and you tune him out because you dont agree.

Selective Retention Example

When asked about Obama’s speech last night you tell your friend how he talked about economics and not about the war because you agree with his stance on economics but not the war.

The Self Concept

A relatively stable set of perceptions that you have about yourself.

3 aspects of the self concept

Self Identity, self image, self esteem

Self Identity

The social positions that you occupy. Who you are in relation to other people.

Self Image

Refers to the qualities/skills/characteristics that you think you have.

Self Esteem

Refers to how you feel about yourself emotionally. How you rank yourself in terms of self identity and self image.

Self Identity Example

He is a student, a friend, a son.

Self Image Example

She considers herself to be kind, intelligent, attractive, a good pool player.

The Looking Glass Self Theory

Other people function as a mirror. Based upon the concept of role taking-where you put yourself in someone else’s position.

Stages in the development of the self

1) you imagine how your actions appear to others (in basketball-how is your shooting)

2) imagine how other people are judging these actions (this person is a good basketball player/athelete)

3) you make some type of self judgement based upon how you think others are judging you (I am a good basketball player) ***problem-in this process what you think others are thinking is more important than what they actually are in this model (anorexia)

The interpersonal Imperative

3 basic social needs:

The need for inclusion

The need for control

The need for affection

The Need for Inclusion Extremes

Oversocial - joining every club in high school

Undersocial - people who dont want to belong to anything

Healthy - join a few groups that apply to you

The need for control Extremes

Autocrats - people with to much control

Abdicates - people who have to little of the control needed

Healthy - democrat

The need for Affection extremes

Overpersonal - too much of the affection need

Under personal - people who dont want to be touched

Healthy - personal

Stages of interpersonal communication

1) anticipation stage - you expectations of the upcoming encounter

2) direct contact stage - verbal or nonverbal

3)reciprocity stage - the receiver is under some social obligation to reciprocate

Anticipation affecting the direct contact stage example

2 groups. One told they were put together for a reason, The other told that they were all different and that people were worried that they they wouldn’t get along. Both randomly selected. 1st group more efficient. 2nd group more problems working together.