Jessica Tapman, Devin McClellan, & Brandy Sellers

Chapter Topics

Perceiving OthersPerceiving the SelfIdentity Management

Jessica TapmanPerceiving Others

Narratives & Perception

Narratives are stories we create to make sense of our own personal world.

Common Perceptual Tendencies Attribution- The process of attaching

meaning to behavior

Common Perceptual Tendencies Attribution Errors We often judge ourselves more

charitably than we judge others

Self-serving bias- The tendency to interpret and explain information in a way that casts the perceiver in the most favorable manner.

Common Perceptual Tendencies Attribution Errors We are influenced by what is the

most obvious

There are three factors that cause us to notice some messages and ignore others. Messages that are: Intense Repetitious Contrastive

Intense- Where are your eyes drawn?

RepetitiousWhich sound are you paying attention to?

ContrastiveIs this normal?

Common Perceptual Tendencies Attribution Errors We cling to our first

impressions, even if they are wrong

Common Perceptual Tendencies Attribution Errors

We tend to assume others are similar to us

Common Perceptual Tendencies Attribution Errors We tend to

favor negative impressions over positive ones

Situational Factors Influencing Perception

Additional factors we use to make sense of other’s behavior

Situational Factors Influencing Perception

Relational Satisfaction Degree of involvement with the other

person Past experience Expectation Social Roles

Social Roles

Who would you be more afraid of?

Situational Factors Influencing Perception

Relational Satisfaction Degree of involvement with the other

person Past experience Expectation Social Roles Knowledge Self-Concept

Perception and Culture

Culture provides a perceptual filter than influences the way we interpret even the simplest events.

Perception and Culture

“Victory” or “Peace” Australian for “Up yours!”

Perception and Culture

Thumbs UpIn America and European countries, this is considered a sign of something good.

In Asian and Islamic countries, it is an insult.

Perception and Culture

“Come here”

In Asian countries this is considered rude. In Singapore it signals death.

Empathy and Perception

Empathy- The ability to re-create another person’s perspective, to experience the world from the other’s point of view.

Empathy and Perception

Dimensions of Empathy

Perspective Talking

Emotional

Concern

Empathy and Perception

Empathy vs. Sympathy

Sympathy- Compassion for a person’s situation

Empathy= Understanding Sympathy= Caring

Empathy and Perception

Perception Checking

Description of the behavior

Two possible interpretations of the behavior

Request for explanation or clarification

Empathy and Perception

Perception Checking

“You haven’t called in the few days (description). I am not sure whether you’re upset with me (1st interpretation), or you’ve been busy (2nd interpretation). What’s going on (request for explanation)?”

Perception Checking

Perception Checking

Perception Checking-Group Activity

Write a perception check for the situation you are assigned.

Note the behavior, two interpretations, and

a request for explanation or clarification.

Example-“You haven’t called in the few days (description). I am not sure whether you’re upset with me (1st interpretation), or you’ve been busy (2nd interpretation). What’s going on (request for explanation)?”

Devin McClellan

Perceptions of Self

Self-Concept Self-concept is our view of our own

characteristics while self-esteem is our judgment or evaluation of our characteristics.

1. Reflected appraisal 2. Cultures 3. Personality 4. Self-fulfilling prophecies

Reflected Appraisal

The theory that a person’s self-concept matches the way a person believes others regard him or her

Culture and Self-Concept

The power of culture is far more basic and powerful than most people realize

We seldom recognize the fact, our whole notion of the self is shaped by the culture in which we have been reared

The most obvious feature of culture is the language it’s members use

Personality

A relatively consistent set of traits people exhibit across a variety of situations

We use the notion of personality to characterize others are friendly or aloof, energetic or lazy, smart or stupid, and literally thousands of other ways

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

When a person’s expectations of an outcome make the outcome more likely to occur than would otherwise have been true

IDENTITY MANAGEMENT: COMMUNICATION AS IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT Brandy Sellers

Perceived Self

Perceived self is a refection of the self-concept, the person you believe yourself to be in moments of honest self-examination.

Presenting Self

Presenting self is a public image, the way we want to appear to others.

-loving partner-conscientious worker-loyal friend

Face and Facework

Sociologist Erving Goffman used the word face to describe the presenting self and he coined the term facework to describe the verbal and nonverbal ways we act to maintain our own presenting image and the images of others.

Identity Management

Identity management is collaborative, Identity –related communication is a kind of process theater in which we collaborate with other actors to improvise scenes in which our characters mesh. What happens at one moment is influenced by what each party brings to the interaction and by what happened in their relationship up to that point.

Identity Management

The ability to construct multiple identities is one element of communication competence. Throughout the day we play many different roles.

Identity management can be conscious or unconscious, we act differently to the same situation when others are present than when we are alone.

Identity Management

People differ in their degree of identity management, high self-monitors adjust their communication to create the desired impression, low self-monitors express themselves not paying attention to others impression of them.

Why Manage Impressions?

Social rules govern our behaviour in a variety of settings. To accomplish personal goals. Our behaviour leaves an impression and sends some sort of message.

How do we manage impressions? Face-to-Face impressions,

communicators can manage their front in the ways: manner, appearance, and setting.

Manner – consists of a communicators words and nonverbal actions.

Appearance – the personal items people use to shape an image.

Setting – Physical items we use to influence how others view us.

Impression Management

Impression management in mediated communication, computer-mediated communication limits the potential for identity management. Losing the face-to-face expressions, posture, and gestures are not conveyed.

Impression Management

Impression management and honesty, certain situations in impression management are dishonest, a manipulative date pretends to be affectionate in order to get some. Each of us has a repertoire of faces, a cast of characters, and part of being a competent communicator is choosing the best role for the situation.