3 TheCommunication Process and You 3 TheCommunication Process and You ... mine the types of technical and communica- ... COMMUNICATION S. Your The Communication Process and You.

CHAPTER 3 TheCommunicationProcess and You

WHY IT’S IMPORTANTCommunication begins within you.How you perceive yourself, your experiences, and the world aroundyou lays a foundation for social andprofessional communication.

To better understand yourselfas a communicator, view theCommunication in Action

Chapter 3 video lesson.

68 Glencoe Communication Applications

“Whether you think youcan or think youcan’t—you are right.”—Henry Ford, American

automobile manufacturer

Visit the Glencoe CommunicationApplications Web site at communicationapplications.glencoe.com and click onOverview–Chapter 3 to previewinformation about how you fit intothe communication process.

http://communicationapplications.glencoe.com


Section 1

Iam the voice. I will lead, not follow. I will believe, not doubt. I willcreate, not destroy. I am a force for good. I am a leader. Defy the

odds. Set a new standard. Step up!”

Did you know that you communicate messages toyourself all the time? Author and speaker AnthonyRobbins recommends including positive messages likethe one above in your communication with yourselfabout yourself. Telling yourself that you can succeed couldhelp you create a more positive self-image. This, in turn,could give you the confidence and motivation youneed to succeed. Your own self-image, along with theway you perceive others, plays a large role in shap-ing your communication choices and influencesyour effectiveness as a communicator.

Understanding IntrapersonalCommunicationG U I D E T O R E A D I N G

Objectives1. Identify and explain the three steps of the

perception process.2. Describe the factors that influence

selective perception.3. Describe the factors that influence

personal perception.4. Use perception checks to clarify and

confirm understanding.

5. Explain the importance of gathering andusing accurate and complete informationas a basis for perception choices.

Terms to Learnperception perception checkselective perception feed-forwardpersonal perception

Most children, like the one shown here,dream of their future careers. How cancommunicating positive messages toyourself help you succeed?

The Communication Process and You 69

COMMUNICATIONBEGINS WITH YOU

When you were younger, you may havebeen asked what you wanted to be when yougrew up. Over time, you probably learnedthat this question actually meant, “Whatkind of job or profession do you hope tohave?” Regardless of your answer, you proba-bly pictured yourself as a grown-up in somesort of professional capacity.

Today, if you were asked what you hope tobecome, you might answer differently. Inaddition to answering with a career choice,you might also picture yourself assumingsocial roles in your church, community, orother organizations. Envisioning yourself witha fulfilling job and in positive social roles canhelp you pinpoint the type of person youmight like to become.

However, to define who you are and estab-lish what identities you would like to assumerequires more than just wishful thinking. Startby asking yourself some important questions.“Who am I?” “What do I want to do with mylife?” “What knowledge and skills do I need toreach my professional and social goals?”Answering these questions can help you deter-mine the types of technical and communica-tion skills you will need to establish a successfulidentity in the social and professional world.

IntrapersonalCommunication

Effective communication skills are critical toachieving professional and social success. Youmight think that communication is interactionbetween two or more people. However, haveyou ever considered that, in addition to beingable to communicate successfully with others,you need to learn to communicate effectivelywith yourself? This type of communication is

known as intrapersonal communication, thefirst, or basic, level of communication. Itbegins with an understanding of who you areand what you think of yourself.

Self-TalkIntrapersonal communication is a form of

self-talk, or inner speech. It includes the ques-tions and comments you make to yourself.“Should I look for a ride to school or catch thebus?” “Wow! I did that really well!” “Is mypresentation for work good enough to impressmy boss, or should I practice one more time?”Because these types of thoughts are statedonly to yourself, they are examples of self-talk.

Self-talk is a powerful influence in your life.How you view things in your mind very muchaffects your attitude and your ability to reachyour goal. If, for example, you believe thatyou cannot run thatlast lap, your brain


Athletes like Karl Malone may use positive self-talk toachieve greater success. What is the source of self-talk?

probably will convince your body that youcan’t do it. If, on the other hand, you giveyourself a personal pep talk, your brain mayhelp your body respond more positively.

Even though you may be unaware of it,you use self-talk all the time. This includeswhen you

• think things through

• interpret events

• interpret the messages of others

• respond to your own experiences

• respond to your interactions with others

Researchers are convinced that, whetherspoken aloud or processed mentally, morepositive self-talk can increase your focus, con-centration, and performance. Sports psy-chologists note that athletes who talkpositively to themselves—during practice, incompetitions, or even during injury rehabili-tation—experience greater success than thosewho do not.

Similarly, people who are afraid or underintense pressure often are able to reduce theirstress by repeating calming words to

themselves. Why? This type of positive self-talk helps them focus on achieving the task athand and helps block out distracting internaland external noise.

THEPERCEPTIONPROCESS

The process you use toassign meaning to data aboutyourself or the world aroundyou is called perception.Much of self-talk is based onyour perceptions. People sel-dom share precisely the sameperceptions. Since each per-son is unique, his or her per-ceptions are highly personaland individualized.

A C T I V I T Y

Self-Talk Whether positive or neg-ative, self-talk can have a powerfulinfluence on your behavior and oth-ers’ responses to you. Log on to theInternet and access a dependableWorld Wide Web search engine tosearch for sites related to self-talk.Then think about the type of self-talk that was helpful to you duringyour first week as a high schoolstudent. Use your own experienceand the information from the Webto develop a one-page guide forincoming freshmen. Include a definition of self-talk and giveexamples and advice for using self-talk effectively.

“Reprinted with permission from Modern Maturity. Copyright American Association of Retired Persons.”


You form your perceptions by acquiringdata, focusing on specific parts of that data,and deciding how to organize and interpretthe data you selected. These three steps of theperception process are

• sensory perception

• selective perception

• personal perception

Sensory PerceptionAs you learned in Chapter 2, sensory per-

ception is the physical process of taking indata through the senses. Seeing, hearing,smelling, tasting, and touching all are physi-cal senses that provide links between you andthe world. They allow you to take in informa-tion and to learn. They allow you to respondto the data—to communicate with yourselfand others about what you experience. Thinkabout how you know when it is time to go toschool or to work. You probably look at aclock and interpret the time, communicatingto yourself your interpretation of the data youcollected. You may feel a chill in the air or lis-ten to a weather report forecasting cool condi-tions that day. You may then use your sensoryperceptions to decide that you should wear ajacket when you go outside. Every day our

senses send us hundreds of cues that guide ourbehaviors. Our senses also guide our commu-nication choices.

Selective PerceptionThe second step of the perception process is

selective perception. Selective perception isthe mental process of choosing which data orstimuli to focus on from all that are availableto you at any given time. We are constantlybombarded with information—far more thanwe are able to take in. So, we constantly aremaking decisions about which information tofocus on and which to ignore. Our selectiveperception, then, influences what we notice.

Imagine that a mowing crew is cutting thegrass outside your classroom window. Thenoise of the mower and the voices of the crewcatch your attention so you focus on them fora moment. During this short sensory vacationaway from the classroom, you acquire liter-ally dozens of different stimuli.

However, what classroom data did you tuneout when you turned your attention outside?Did you miss a communication opportunity bynot hearing your name as your teacher calledon you to answer a question? The importantthings to remember about selective perception

are that you have a choice aboutwhat you tune in or tune out andthat the choices you make influ-

ence your communication. Everytime you choose to focus yourattention on a particular stimu-lus, you screen out dozens ofother cues to which you mighthave paid attention.


The stimuli people create aroundyou in a movie theater sometimesmake it hard to concentrate on themovie itself. What communicationdecisions must be made in regardto all the stimuli we receive?

Making Perception Choices Fromthe example on the previous page, you cansee that you make conscious choices hundredsof times a day about what you perceive. Youalso make perception choices subconsciously.In other words, you make many choices thatyou do not even realize you are making.

It takes focused communication energy toselect and concentrate on the most importantstimuli. Understanding what influences yourselections can help you make appropriatecommunication choices for yourself, the occa-sion, and the task.

Factors That Influence SelectionsAs shown in Figure 3–1, there are several fac-tors that influence your selection of stimuli.Four important ones are intensity, repetition,uniqueness, and relevance to our individualneeds, interests, and motivations. Stimuli thatdisplay these characteristics tend to have agreater influence on our perception choicesthan other stimuli.

Intensity As a rule, the more intense ordramatic the stimulus, the more likely we areto notice it. For example, you are more likelyto notice someone screaming than someonetalking quietly in the corner of a room.Unfortunately, the most intense or noticeable

data may not always bethe most important.

Repetition People alsotend to notice repetitiousstimuli. The ticking of aclock or the constant drip ofwater from a faucet maybecome so distracting thatyou cannot seem to hearanything else. Advertisersand politicians know thatthe messages most oftenrepeated are the ones peo-ple tend to believe. By satu-

rating the media with memorable images,phrases, and slogans, they constantly bombardconsumers with their message. The idea is thatthe more we hear—and, in turn, are influencedby—a message, the more likely we are to buythe product or vote for the candidate.

Uniqueness People usually notice thingsthat are new, unusual, unexpected, or unique.This can have either a positive or negativeeffect. Performers often rely on a new look orgimmick to catch the public’s attention and toboost their popularity. This may be necessaryto remain noticed in the constantly changingworld of entertainment. However, in the busi-ness world, many companies frown onemployees who draw attention to themselvesthrough their appearance.

Many companies want to present a specificcompany image and may require employeesto wear uniforms or a specific style of clothinganytime they are working or representing thecompany. Many schools also have dress codes,and some social situations call for a specificlook or image. In each situation, eliminatingunusual data or stimuli is designed to focuspeople’s attention on what is more impor-tant—the company’s product or the task oflearning.


We Notice What Is . . .

Figure 3–1 Factors That Influence Selective Perception

Relevance We often notice things thatmirror our own interests, needs, and motiva-tions. This can influence data selections. Ifyou are in the market to buy a car, you prob-ably will begin noticing cars similar to theone you want. You may see this model moreoften as you travel to school or work, and youmay begin noticing more advertisements forthat type of car. You have subconsciouslybegun focusing on data that meet yourspecific needs at that time.

Not only do we tend to notice things thatare relevant to our interests and needs, but wealso tend to tune out stimuli that we think donot pertain to us. For instance, a coach maynotice certain details about a ball game thatspectators are likely to miss. However, he orshe may be totally unaware that threateningstorm clouds are moving in overhead. Byfocusing his or her attention on the game, thecoach overlooks information that may be nec-essary to keep the team safe.

Sometimes, the most important data is notthe data that is the most intense, repeated,unusual, or related to your needs and inter-ests. By studying your own perception pat-terns and analyzing what types of data aremost important in a given situation, you canlearn how to focus your communicationenergy for maximum effectiveness.

Managing Selective PerceptionThink about how air traffic controllers, truckdrivers, machinists, or surgeons must focustheir attention on the job. Allowing them-selves to become distracted for even aninstant could lead to tragedy. While the con-sequences might not be quite as extreme, thesame rule applies to most people, whetherthey are on the job or at school. In order toperform more effectively, individuals canlearn to screen out distractions and focus onthe task at hand by using the following suggestions.

The first step in making more effective per-ception selections is to stay alert. It can be easy,at times, to let your mind wander. For example,have you ever watched the news so you couldfind out what the weather would be like thenext day and yet still miss it? Staying alert canhelp you avoid this type of oversight.

The second step is to ask yourself what youneed to focus your attention on. Obviously, ifyou are in class, you should focus on the classand avoid daydreaming. Similarly, if you aredriving a car, you should make a consciousdecision to keep your attention on the road.Talking and choosing what music to play canbe entertaining but should not draw yourattention from driving safely to yourdestination.

Third, screen out distractions and noise.This means taking control of your mentalprocesses. Much of your effectiveness as acompetent communicator is related to yourability to concentrate and hold your focus onwhatever needs your attention at themoment. This may take practice, but it is animportant and valuable skill.


COMMUNICATION

DEVELOPING SELECTIVEPERCEPTION SKILLS

Stay alert.

Make conscious choices about whatis and what is not important data.

Screen out distractions and noisethat may interfere withconcentration.

Monitor your selection patterns and choices and set goals forimprovement.

Finally, monitor the way you select data. Ifyou realize that you have some weak pat-terns, correct them. Use self-talk to raise yourlevel of awareness and to tune out distrac-tions. Then set goals to make more effectivechoices in specific professional and socialsituations. Developing better skills in selectiveperception will help you become a more com-petent communicator.

Personal PerceptionThe third step of the perception process

involves organizing and sorting the data towhich to pay attention. During this filteringprocess, you create meanings for the events,people, and objects around you. You tell your-self what is happening, interpret what thedata means to you, and decide how torespond to each set of data.

The product of this part ofthe process is your personal per-ception. Personal perception isyour own understanding ofreality. As shown in Figure 3–2,it is the reality you construct foryourself as you organize andinterpret data and as you cre-ate and assign meaning toevents, people, and objectsaround you. Your personal per-ceptions become the basis forthe judgments and decisionsyou make. They also determinethe appropriateness of yourcommunication choices.

Factors That InfluencePersonal Perception Yourperceptions are as personaland unique as you are. Asshown in Figure 3–3 on thenext page, a number of differ-ent factors affect your per-sonal perceptions.

Making Assumptions

It is important to remember that oneindividual’s behavior does not neces-sarily represent the values, beliefs, orpractices of an entire culture. Considerhow you might feel if one student fromyour school were chosen at random torepresent all American high school stu-dents. What is one cultural assumptionyou made in your selection? Did youbase this assumption on fact or opin-ion? How might you avoid making thistype of assumption in the future?


Figure 3–2 What Do You See?

Values Values reflect your priorities. Theyhelp you answer the questions “What do youthink is important?” and “How important doyou think it is?” For example, you may valuestrong family relationships, friendship, andhonesty. When you select specific data tofocus on, you filter it through these values.This helps you determine how informationapplies to you and what judgments or deci-sions you will make in order to use it.

Beliefs People often feel so strongly abouttheir beliefs—thoughts and ideas they acceptas true—that they will fiercely defend them.Your beliefs are a part of the system throughwhich you filter incoming information. Theyhelp you decide whether to accept or rejectinformation. They also help you determinehow the information affects your decisionsand communication choices.

Culture You can be part of a family cul-ture, a community culture, or even an orga-nizational culture. Different parts of thecountry and the world, different religions,and different ethnicities form and practicetheir own cultures. Culture affects virtuallyevery aspect of your life and your communi-cation. It is a strong influence on how you

view, organize, and interpretthe information and mes-sages you receive.

Bias Another influence onperception is bias. Bias is aconsistent attitude, viewpoint,or pattern of perceptionthrough which we view theworld. Biases can be positiveor negative. In either case,

they result from our personalexperiences and also from our

cultural perspectives.

Prejudice Perception also can beinfluenced by prejudice. Prejudice is a pre-

conceived judgment. Broken down into its syl-lables, prejudice literally means to pre-judge. Itmeans to judge based only on opinion, not onfact. Facts can be verified or proven; opinionsare beliefs that cannot be proven.

Prejudices usually stem from negative emo-tions such as fear, hate, suspicion, anddistrust. They are based on opinion, on a lackof information rather than on fact. Whenprejudices are not acknowledged and elimi-nated, they can present barriers to logicaljudgment and effective communication.

Attitudes A person’s attitude generally isclassified as either positive or negative. It isthe way we choose to respond to various situ-ations. Attitude is a powerful force in influ-encing our perceptions, our decisions, and ourcommunication with others.

Expectations What you expect somethingto be like and what you expect from others alsoinfluences your perceptions. For example, if amovie does not meet the promises made in itsadvertisements, you may be disappointed. If afriend’s actions exceed your expectations, youmay be delighted. In either case, you are basinga judgment on what you expected rather thanon what actually happened. The fact that your


PersonalPerception

Values

Attitudes

Expectations

Knowledge

CommunicationSkills Beliefs

Culture

Bias

Prejudice

Figure 3–3 Personal Perception

expectations were or were not met is a ques-tionable basis for making judgments or com-munication choices. Your expectations may notreflect what an acceptable outcome might be.

Knowledge Knowledge also influencesyour perceptions. What you know and whatyou do not know influence how you organizeand interpret information. If you have studiedmusic, acting, dance, athletics, or painting,you are likely to view a performance or workof art differently from someone who has nothad training in that field. The expression“Knowledge is power” relates to the fact thatthe more knowledge you have, the better youcan understand information, process and fil-ter ideas, make decisions and judgments, andcommunicate with others.

Communication Skills Your communica-tion skills also affect how you view the world.If you do not understand the words others use,you cannot decode or interpret their messagesas effectively. If you have not learned how tolisten effectively, you may have difficultyacquiring the messages of others and organiz-ing and interpreting them.

To understand ourselves, it is vital to under-stand the different factors that influence ourperceptions. Of course, the amount of influ-ence each factor has on your filter system can

vary. However, by monitoring these factorsclosely, you can ensure that your self-talk,decisions, and communication choices are aseffective as possible.

Analyzing PerceptionsEveryone sees himself or herself, others,

events, and the world in general from a differ-ent viewpoint. Therefore, it is easy to under-stand why each person’s perceptions areunique. Our communication is influenced byour perceptions of ourselves and others, whatwe talk about, and the setting in which thecommunication takes place. This explains whytwo people in the same room can have com-pletely different perceptions of the same event.As a communicator, it is important to under-stand not only our own perception process, butto recognize that others can experience thesame event but interpret it differently.

Examine Figures 3–4 and 3–5. Do you andyour classmates all perceive the same infor-mation about these drawings?

Think about the class you are in right now.No two people in your classroom are experi-encing the exact same class. One person mayview the class as interesting while anotherperceives it as dull. One student may feeluncomfortable participating in classroom

Figure 3–4 Faces or Vase?Figure 3–5 Which Line

Appears Longer?


discussions while another enjoys the opportu-nity to interact with classmates. The percep-tions and attitudes that each student formsare unique and will affect his or her perfor-mance and communication in class.

If perceptions can vary among students inthe same classroom, you can imagine howmuch they can vary among people of differentbackgrounds and cultures. This can lead tosome barriers to communication. People withdifferent perceptions tend to make differentkinds of communication choices, draw differentconclusions, and make different judgments.

It is these types of differences that account formany of the conflicts and misunderstandingspeople encounter in personal, professional, andsocial situations. One way to overcome theseproblems is to continually check your own per-ceptions to make sure they are as accurate aspossible. This can help you function more effec-tively as a competent communicator.

USING PERCEPTIONCHECKS

How do you know you really saw what youthink you saw or heard what you think youheard? In many cases, you can’t. However, you

can learn to use perception checks to improveyour accuracy in gathering and using informa-tion as a basis for making your communicationdecisions.

A perception check is a question that helpsyou determine the accuracy and validity ofyour perceptions. The secret to checking per-ceptions is never to assume that what you per-ceived as the truth is the actual, absolute truth.

You need to base your communicationchoices on accurate perceptions. To do this,you can use two kinds of perception checks:intrapersonal and interpersonal.

Intrapersonal Perception Checks

Like your communication, your perceptionchecks begin within you. Start the process bychecking the accuracy of your self-talk. To dothis, ask yourself questions based on the stepsof the perception process.

Begin by questioning your sensory percep-tion. If you were a witness to a car accident,you might ask yourself the same types ofquestions a police officer or attorney mightask. “Could I actually see the accident well?”“Was the sun in my eyes?” “Was it dark, mak-ing details hard to see?”


To understand how people can have different perceptions of the same event, follow these steps:

Step 1 As a class, act out the following scenario: While moving a cash registerfrom one counter to another, twoworkers accidentally drop it, damagingit severely. Several coworkers and customers observe the incident.

Step 2 Take turns describing what each student observed. Was everyone’s perception of the event exactly thesame? Discuss why or why not.

Step 3 On the chalkboard, list factors that mayhave influenced people’s perceptions.

Step 4 Using this list, arrive at a group con-sensus about what actually occurred.How did the class reach agreement?

Examining Different Perceptions

After checking appropriate details of yoursensory perception, question your selectiveperception. Ask yourself, “Was I actually look-ing at the accident at the moment of thecrash, or did I hear the screech of brakes orthe cars colliding and then change my focusto look at the cars? Was my attention dis-tracted, even for a split second? Did I actuallysee all of what happened?”

Finally, question your personal perception.You might ask, “What influenced my interpre-tation of the accident? Have my conclusionsbeen influenced by a similar experience I had?Was I influenced by any biases or prejudicesabout the circumstances of the accident?”

How, then, do sensory perception, selectiveperception, and personal perception relate to

communication? Using perception checks helpsyou safeguard the accuracy of your self-talkand avoid making wrong assumptions aboutthe things that you observe. Perception checkshelp you check for accuracy before takingaction or communicating your perceptions toothers. To help you understand how perceptionchecks can help you become a more competentcommunicator, think about the sayings “Thinkbefore you speak” and “Look before you leap.”

Intrapersonal perception checks do notalways provide firm proof that your percep-tions are accurate. In fact, they may raiseadditional questions that make you say, “I’mstill not sure.” When you can’t clear up yourperceptions yourself, your next step is to per-form some interpersonal perception checks.

Interpersonal Perception Checks

One of the basic guidelines you can use tocheck perceptions is to clarify meanings soyou will not misunderstand someone else’smessages. Other guidelines are to analyzeothers’ points of view and to take respon-sibility for your own communication.Developing skills in these areas can give youreal power in professional and social situa-tions where accurate perceptions are vital.

Clarifying Your Perceptions ofOthers’ Messages Interpersonal percep-tion checks involve asking others about theirperceptions of an event. For instance, youmight ask someone else who witnessed thesame car accident you did to explain his orher perception of what occurred. Comparingyour perceptions to the other person’s canhelp you both get a clearer picture of whatactually occurred.

Similarly, after hearing your boss explain anew project during a staff meeting, you feelyou may have misunderstood some of the


COMMUNICATION

QUESTIONS FORCHECKING PERCEPTION

Do I stay alert?

Do I strive for sensory awareness?

Am I making conscious choicesabout what to tune in and what totune out?

Do my choices focus on what ismost important rather than what ismost obvious?

Am I easily distracted?

Am I aware of factors thatinfluence my self-talk?

Do I ask myself “Is this really what I saw or heard or merely what I toldmyself I saw or heard?”

Do I compare my perceptions to theperceptions of others to check foraccuracy?

details. You might ask a coworker about his orher perceptions of the information. This canhelp you clear up any misunderstandings andproceed more effectively.

Whether clarifying your own perceptions orthe perceptions of others, it is important to beas accurate and easy to understand as possible.In other words, make clear requests, give accu-rate directions, ask appropriate and purposefulquestions, and respond appropriately to therequests, directions, and questions of others.

Analyzing Others’ Points of ViewA second method of interpersonal perceptionchecking is to try to analyze the other person’s

point of view. Asking someone elsehow he or she feels about an eventcan provide you with valuableinsight. In some cases, it can makeyou aware of issues or special cir-cumstances that you might nothave considered before. After ana-lyzing the other person’s point ofview, you can confirm, clarify, oryou might even decide to changeyour own perceptions as necessary.

Taking Responsibility forYour Own CommunicationA third basic method of interper-sonal perception checking is to takeresponsibility for your own commu-nication. When you feel someoneelse has not fully understood yourmessage, it is your responsibility tocheck that person’s perceptions. Byasking questions, you can confirmwhat the person does or does notunderstand.

Also, if you’re not sure you fullyunderstand someone else’s mes-sage, use questions to clarify yourown understanding. Making a“feed-forward” statement showsthat you take responsibility for

needing more information. To feed-forwardis to offer an explanation that you want tomake or a reason or explanation for a ques-tion, request, or offer.

For instance, if you need clarification in ameeting, you might make a feed-forwardstatement such as “Let me see if I understandthis recommendation correctly.” Then youcould ask “Is this what we’re recommend-ing?” and restate the recommendation as youunderstand it.

You might also use a feed-forward methodto clarify perceptions related to your ownmemory. If, for example, you are uncertainabout the time and place of a prom


(Reprinted by permission of John Jonik from Psychology Today.)


Review Key Terms1. Define each term and write it in a sen-

tence: perception, selective perception, personal perception, perception check,feed-forward.

Check Understanding2. Explain perception as a

process.

3. Describe the four factorsthat influence selective perception and give anexample of each.

4. Identify the nine factors that influencepersonal perception. Choose one factorand describe how it affected your per-sonal perception of a past event orissue.

5. Imagine that, while shopping at themall, you saw someone snatch awoman’s purse. How might you checkyour perception of the event? Why?

6. Drawing Conclusions Why is itimportant to make sure your percep-tions are as accurate and complete aspossible before acting on them?

Visit the Glencoe Communication ApplicationsWeb site at communicationapplications.glencoe.com and click on Self-Check andStudy Guide 3.1 to review your understandingof intrapersonal communication.

Section 1 Assessment

APPLICATION

Checking Perceptions Imagine that your boss just walkedinto your office and said, “I know the project you’re work-ing on is important. This report is important too. Finish itas soon as possible.” Write a list of questions you might askyourself to clarify your perception of what he or she said.Next, write a list of questions you might ask your boss. Besure to use feed-forward statements when appropriate.Finally, share your questions as a class and discuss how totactfully question unclear communication.

committee meeting, you might call a friendand say, “I’m sorry. I forgot today’sannouncement. Can you tell me when andwhere the meeting will be held?” Again, youare taking responsibility for your perceptionand asking a question to clear up yourconfusion.

By taking responsibility for a potential mis-understanding, asking a question, and restat-ing the issue as you understand it, you createa climate for clarification. Your purpose is

obvious: You wish to clarify understanding,not start a dispute or argument.

Perception checking is just one more skillthat can help make your intrapersonal com-munication more effective. It is your intraper-sonal communication skills that form thebasis for your interpersonal, group, and one-to-group interactions. In other words, howyou view yourself and the world around youhas a great impact on how you communicatewith others.



When you comprehend something, youunderstand it completely. Monitoring yourreading comprehension can help you get themost out of everything you read.

eLearning the SkillStep 1 Look for the Main Idea. After

reading a few paragraphs, start thinkingabout the main idea of a selection. Youcan gather clues about the main idea byexamining the main title and subheadsand any introductory or backgroundmaterial. After you have determined themain idea, think about what it means.You may even wish to write it down as areminder.

Step 2 Underline Important Ideas. Ifyou are allowed to write on what you arereading, use a highlighter to mark impor-tant information. As you read, underlineany ideas, facts, and supporting detailsyou will want to remember. Highlightingallows you to quickly review material.This can be especially helpful when study-ing for tests, writing papers, or preparingpresentations.

Step 3 Take Brief Notes. When a sen-tence or idea is complex or confusing,rewrite it in a way that makes sense toyou. Also, take notes on the main ideasand supporting details of what you arereading. Writing information in your ownwords boosts comprehension and helpsyou remember what you have read.

Step 4 Make Lists. Sometimes it is impor-tant to remember instructions or otherinformation in a specific sequence.

Rewriting the information in list form canhelp you remember the proper sequence.Lists also are helpful for remembering aseries of dates, places, names, or events.

ePracticing the SkillRead the following selection from a recent

economics text. Rewrite the main topic, oridea, in your own words. Then, take notes onthe most important information. Create listsas necessary.

Government at every level—local, state,and federal—is closely tied to the U.S. econ-omy. Over the past 50 years or so, that gov-ernment has grown significantly larger. In1929, the U.S. government at all levelsemployed just over 3 million civilian workers.During the Depression, however, more gov-ernment services were needed. As a result, thegovernment grew. In 1999, about 2.7 millionpeople worked for the federal governmentalone. With state and local employees addedin, the government employed a total of 19.6million workers by the end of the twentiethcentury. The U.S. government had increasedto six times its size while the population hadonly doubled. This has had a great impact onour nation’s economy.

MONITORING COMPREHENSION

APPLICATION

Close your book and ask yourself whatyou remember about the four steps formonitoring comprehension. On a sepa-rate sheet of paper, make a list of thesesteps. Rely on your memory to explaineach step in your own words.


Section 2

Imagine you are prepared for an important job interview. You havestudied the company’s background, possess the right skills for the

position, and look and feel your best. You are confident that the job isyours. On the way into the interviewer’s office, however, you realize thatyou are wearing two different shoes. Now you feel very self-conscious.Does this change the situation? How?

One step to building better communicationskills with others is to take a close look at yourown self-concept. Self-concept, also known asself-perception, is the view you have of your-self. It is the person you think you are,formed from your beliefs and attitudes.Your self-concept also is influenced byother factors, such as how you think oth-ers see you and the person you werein the past, are today, and wouldlike to be in the future.

G U I D E T O R E A D I N GObjectives1. Identify and analyze common influences

on self-concept.2. Analyze the relationship between self-

concept and interpersonal communication.3. Explain the effects of self-fulfilling

prophecy on communication and personalperformance.

4. Analyze and use the Johari window toevaluate personal interaction with others.

Terms to Learnself-conceptself-fulfilling prophecyself-disclosure


Understanding Self as a Communicator

Displaying your work with con-fidence indicates positive self-concept. Self-concept plays animportant role in developingcommunication skills. Whatfactors influence self-concept?

UNDERSTANDINGSELF-CONCEPT

You are a unique person, made up of manydifferent dimensions that form a kind of “core”self. In addition, other influences impact whoyou are. How you feel about each of thesedifferent parts of yourself makes up your self-concept. The list on this page explains some ofthe different dimensions of your self-concept.

As your experiences and relationships withothers change, your self-concept can changein specific areas. For example, your concept ofyour social self may change as you matureand are involved in a wider variety of socialsituations. Your perception of your artistic selfmay change dramatically after writing apoem, drawing a cartoon, singing for an audi-ence, or demonstrating your creativity in someother way.

In addition, one part of your self-conceptcan become more important than the others atany given time. If you make a perfect score on

a test, your concept of your academic abilitymay soar. If you find yourself feeling awkwardaround a group of people you don’t know, yoursocial self may influence you to believe thatyou are miserable and you want to leave.

Your self-concept is responsible for that lit-tle voice that tells you, “You’re doing great”or “You’re not doing so well right now.” Theimportant thing to remember is that you con-trol that little voice. In fact, in the words ofAnthony Robbins, “You are the voice!” Howyou perceive yourself—positively or nega-tively—impacts your life in many ways,including how you communicate with others.

Factors That Influence Self-Concept

Your self-concept is influenced by manyfactors, such as your own experiences andrelationships. However, the following threefactors tend to have the greatest influence onself-concept:


Real Self Your “core” self; who you really are

Perceived Self Who you see yourself to be

Ideal Self Who you want to be now or in the future

Public Self The self you freely disclose to others; who you are in public situations

Private Self The self you do not share with others; who you are in private

Professional Self Who you are in your job or profession

Social Self Who you are when you interact with other individuals, in groups, in society, or in socialsituations

Intellectual Self Who you are as a student and a learner; the part of you that acquires and uses knowledge

Emotional Self The part of you that uses and processes feelings

Physical Self Who you are physically, including your concept of your own body, athletic ability,gracefulness and coordination, level of attractiveness, and physical health and well-being

Artistic Self The part of you that is creative or artistic

SELF-CONCEPT

Dimension of Self Defined by . . .


To better understand your self-concept, followthese steps:

Step 1 On a sheet of paper, draw a large circle. Label this circle Self.

Step 2 Review the chart of different selves onpage 84 and choose all the selves thatrepresent you.

Step 3 Within the large circle, draw smallercircles and label them as the differentselves that make up you. The size ofeach circle should reflect that self’simportance to you.

Step 4 Indicate how you perceive each part of yourself by marking a plus for a

positive feeling or a minus for a negative feeling within each circle.

Step 5 Analyze your drawing to gain insightabout your self-concept. In what areasdo you feel really good about yourself?Which areas do you feel needimprovement?

Step 6 Make a personal improvement plan forthose areas you would like to makemore positive. Try to list behaviors thatyou can practice; set goals for yourselfto master the positive behaviors. Makinga plan and acting on it will improveyour self-concept and your ability tocommunicate effectively with others.

Analyzing Your Self-Concept

• How you perceive that you are seenand treated by others

• Your own expectations and the stan-dards that you set for yourself

• How you compare yourself to others

As you can see, two of the three main influ-ences on self-concept focus on your relation-ships with others. This is why it is importantto develop effective skills for communicatingwith others.

The messages you perceive as positive ornegative from other people, especially thosewhom you admire and respect, impact yourself-concept and your self-esteem. In turn,your self-concept and self-esteem greatlyaffect the messages you send.

Importance of Self-ConceptYour self-concept lays the foundation for

your communication with others on a one-to-one basis, in groups, and in one-to-group

situations. You are likely to repeat certain pat-terns of communication in specific situations.For example, your concept of your social selfaffects how you communicate when you arewith friends. If you have a positive concept ofyourself in that situation, your communica-tion is likely to be very effective. You may tendto fall into a relaxed pattern of communica-tion that makes your interactions predictableand enjoyable.

On the other hand, if you frequently seem toclash with another student or a coworker, yourcommunication behavior may be following adifferent sort of “script.” Each time you meet,your communication may become defensive orhostile, based not only on a specific interactionbut on your previous negative interactions thathave influenced your self-concept. Because ofthis, your interactions are less successful thanthey would be if you were to identify and breakthe cycle of your behavior.

The chart on the next page describes fourspecific scripts people tend to follow wheninteracting with others. Which script you

follow depends largely on how you see yourselfin relationship to the other person. The rolesyou both assume then influence the outcomeof your interaction with that person.

Building a Positive Self-Concept

Having a positive self-concept can give youthe confidence you need to communicateeffectively. This kind of confidence is a key tosuccess in personal, professional, and socialsituations.

Most of us are pleased with at least someaspects of ourselves. In those areas that weview positively, we tend to have confidence inourselves. This can help develop assertivenessand a sense of accomplishment. Negativeviews of self, on the other hand, may beexpressed as a lack of confidence or a sense ofinadequacy or ineffectiveness.

How do you accentuate your positive per-ceptions about yourself and minimize thenegative ones? The secret lies in identifyingyour strengths. Learning to draw from yourstrongest communication skills can help youimprove upon the less effective ones. It alsocan help you build confidence and developassertiveness, tact, and courtesy with others.

First, think about theparts of yourself in whichyour self-concept is thestrongest. If you have com-pleted the CommunicationPractice Lab on page 85,look at the circles containingpluses. Are you particularlyconfident of your communi-cation skills in social situ-ations? Are you proud ofyour intellectual ability?

Next, focus on the areasin which you feel you need

improvement. In the activity on page 85, theseare the circles containing minuses. Do you wishyou could speak more confidently around yourpeers? Would you like to improve your decision-making ability? You can use your strengths inother areas to improve these skills.

If, for example, you feel that your emo-tional self influences too many of your deci-sions and actions, you might use yourstrengths in another area to make changes.You might make the conscious decision torationally consider the facts surrounding anyfuture decision or action. In this way, you use


TECHNOLOGY

I’m OK, you’re OK. I see us both as positive Positive;influences on the interaction A win-win script

I’m OK, you’re not OK. I see myself as positive, you Possibly negative;as negative A win-lose script

I’m not OK, you’re OK. I see myself as negative, you Possibly negative;as positive A lose-win script

I’m not OK, you’re not OK. I see us both as negative Negative;influences on the interaction A lose-lose script

INTERACTION SCRIPTS

OutcomeScript Roles of Interaction

Graphing Self-Concept Choose five differentdimensions of yourself, such as artistic self andpublic self. Assign points to rank these five selvesin order of personal importance to you. Totalpoints should equal 100. Using charting or graph-ing software, create a pie graph to show thisranking. Next, create a graph that shows how yourank your abilities in the same five areas. Doesyour current self-concept reflect what you think is most important? How might you make these two rankings as similar as possible?

your strong intellectual self-concept to offset“minuses” in your emotional self-concept.

The public self may be one you want tochange. To boost your concept of how you arein public situations, draw on your creativestrengths. You might simply decide to smilemore often. Or, you might experiment withchanges in your eye contact or expressions toproject a more positive image. Once you change a behavior to influence your

self-concept, it is important to validate or con-firm the effectiveness of the change. Whatkind of feedback, if any, did you receive? Haveyou addressed the real issue or does anotherarea deserve more attention?

Setting Goals for Change Movingfrom negatives to positives is not always easy.You can begin by picturing yourself withstrong skills in the areas where you currently

The poem suggests that an adult’s self-concept in large part is the result of therelationships and experiences of childhood. Describe the effect of a positive self-concept on the communication process.

If children live with acceptance,They learn to love.

If children live with approval,They learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition,They learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing,They learn generosity.

If children live with honesty,They learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness,They learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration,They learn respect.

If children live with security,They learn to have faith in themselves and in

those about them.

If children live with friendliness,They learn the world is a nice place in which

to live.

If children live with criticism,They learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility,They learn to fight.

If children live with fear,They learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity,They learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule,They learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy,They learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame,They learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement,They learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance,They learn patience.

If children live with praise,They learn appreciation.

Children Learn What They Liveby Dorothy Law Nolte

need improvement. Think about what it willtake for you to get to that point. Once youhave determined what actions you need totake, set specific goals and write them down.Then post your goals someplace where youwill see them every day. Remember, writingdown your goals and using positive self-talkcan go a long way toward improving yourself-concept.

In addition to setting goals, change alsorequires self-monitoring and reflection. Do yourmethods of improvement seem effective? Areyou consistently making an effort to improve?

To make sure you are moving inthe right direction, you sometimesmay need feedback, assistance, orsupport from others. The key is tobelieve that you can achieve any-thing you set your mind to.Picturing yourself as a success is astrong first step toward achievingyour goal.

SELF-FULFILLINGPROPHECY

You may have heard it said thatwe create our own destiny.Carefully checking our perceptionsand correcting false assumptions,as outlined in Figure 3–6, allow usto make appropriate communica-tion choices. Sometimes we fail touse our communication skills toimprove our perception of theworld. Instead, we decide whatour viewpoint is, collect data tosupport that viewpoint, and dis-

card any data that disagrees with it. Once wehave formed perceptions based on this verysubjective process, we then communicatewith others as if our viewpoint were theabsolute truth, not simply our ownperspective.

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction orexpectation of an event that shapes yourbehavior, making the outcome more likely tooccur. There are two kinds of self-fulfillingprophecies. The first comes from your own self-concept and the expectations you establish foryourself. We tend to behave as consistently as


Challenges like rope climbing requiresetting goals and believing in yourselfto achieve success. Identify some of theguidelines for goals.

possible with the person we see ourselves to be.The second kind of self-fulfilling prophecycomes from what you think others expect ofyou. We tend to be especially sensitive to theexpectations of people we admire and respect.

Fulfilling Your OwnExpectations

Imagine that you are going to audition fora role in the upcoming school theatrical pro-duction. As you study the lines and preparefor the audition, your own self-concept willplay an important role in how well you do. Ifyou see yourself as capable and able to per-form the role, you will enter the audition witha positive outlook. You will expect success. Onthe other hand, if you have doubts about yourability to perform the role, you will probablyapproach the tryout without confidence.Either of these expectations could construct aself-fulfilling prophecy.

Fulfilling the Expectationsof Others

Just as we tend to live up to our own expec-tations of ourselves, we also are influenced bythe expectations others have for us. Avery

Johnson, the point guard for the 1999National Basketball Association ChampionSan Antonio Spurs, was not seen by manyfans as a great point guard. A former team-mate from another team had commented

that no team could win a championshipwith Avery Johnson at point guard.Even so, Avery Johnson became thehero of the final game when he madea jump shot in the closing seconds of

the game to win the game for the team.Later, Avery Johnson talked about his not

too successful career in basketball. He saidthat he always believed in himself. He triedand worked hard. More important, CoachPopovich believed in him more than hebelieved in himself. Avery Johnson had confi-dence in himself. Moreover, he was boosted tosuccess by a coach who believed he could play

Using Skills in the Workplace Sometimes, a strength or skill in one area can help you suc-ceed in a seemingly unrelated area. For ex-ample, skills that allow you to write or drawcreatively also may help you think of creativesolutions. When interviewing for a job, be pre-pared to point out how all your strengths andskills can be useful in the workplace.

What skills, talents, or personality traits do youpossess that might benefit you in the work-place? List your top five strengths and the pos-sible workplace benefits of each. Then, with apartner, take turns acting out a job interview.When it is your turn to be interviewed, pointout all the relevant on-the-job uses for yourskills. When you are the interviewer, ask ques-tions that require your partner to back up hisor her claims.


Self-FulfillingProphecy

Interactionswith Others

Self-Concept

Expectationsfor Self

PerceivedExpectations

of Others

Figure 3–6 Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

basketball. He fulfilled a coach's expectationsby playing like the player he thought thecoach believed him to be.

Believing in yourself does not always guar-antee success, but it is very difficult to succeedwithout having the confidence needed to dowell. We look for ways to reinforce our ownperceptions and expectations, and we look forways to reinforce what we perceive to be theperceptions and expectations of others.

Visualizing SuccessHow can you begin to manage outcomes

and predict your own success? Successfulpeople often visualize their success. They pic-ture themselves succeeding in whatever theydo. Once they “see” themselves winning anaward, becoming a faster runner, or making anew friend, the path between where they areand where they want to be becomes clearer.This can make the individual more focusedand the goal more attainable.

Public speakers often are advised to thinkahead of time how they want to behave as aspeaker. Perhaps they want to have a goodcommand of information, to appear confi-dent and poised, and to relate to the audiencein a relaxed and sincere manner. Visualizingthemselves acting in this way can give speak-ers the confidence they need to make theirvision a reality.

Mentally “seeing” yourself as a success in aprofessional or social situation can build pos-itive expectations for you to fulfill. Settingrealistic goals and continually building skillscan help put you on the path to success.

SELF AS AN INTERACTORThe level to which you express yourself

to others is your level of self-disclosure. Self-disclosure is the deliberate revelation of

significant information about yourself that isnot readily apparent to others. Self-disclosurecan be tricky, however, because it can beeither appropriate or inappropriate for a par-ticular time, place, or circumstance.

Understanding Self-Disclosure

To make self-disclosure a positive elementof communication requires analysis. You needto know what facts, opinions, or feelings areappropriate to reveal under the circum-stances. Why and how you disclose informa-tion about yourself that most people don’tknow is important.


A graduate realizes the success she had visualized duringher school years. What can a speaker accomplish by visu-alizing success?

Imagine that you’ve just started an after-school part-time job at a preschool. The leadteacher in your classroom praises how well youinteract with the youngsters in your care. Youreveal that you have several younger brothersand sisters and always have enjoyed playingwith them. This example of self-disclosure ispositive and appropriate. Insight into yourbackground and work-related experiences will give others confidence in your ability. Itmay also open doors to other opportunitiesthat otherwise may not have been offered to you.

It is important to carefully consider the pur-pose of any self-disclosure, its appropriate-ness, and the communication goals you hopeto reach when deciding what and how muchto disclose. The goal of self-disclosure shouldbe to enhance your interpersonal relation-ships, improve your communication, andstrengthen your communication bonds. Wisechoices for self-disclosure will help youachieve this.

Analyzing YourInteraction Style

As you interact with others in avariety of situations, you make dif-ferent choices about what to dis-close. These choices are based onwhat information is alreadyknown and what is not known.The Johari window, shown inFigure 3–7, is a four-part diagramcommunicators use to identifywhat they know about themselvesand others. It is helpful for analyz-ing and evaluating the effective-ness of your communication.

The diagram looks like a win-dow with four panes. The paneshelp you analyze your communi-cation with yourself and yourinteraction with others.

The Johari Window The Johari win-dow is particularly helpful for analyzing yourcommunication with others, including whatyou are willing to disclose. First, consider whatyou know about yourself and what types ofthings you may not know completely. Then,think about what others know and do notknow about you.

Area 1: Open The things that you knowabout yourself and that you allow others toknow about you are included in this area.Area 1 is called the open area because manyof a person’s behaviors, motivations, feelings,likes, and dislikes are openly communicatedto others.

Area 2: Blind This is known as the blindarea. It includes information known to othersbut not to you. For example, you may notnotice that you tend to cut off other speakersbefore they have finished talking. In this area,you also are blind to what others perceiveabout you.


Knownto Self

Not Knownto Self

Knownto Self

1Open

2Blind

3Hidden

4Unknown

Not Knownto Self

Not Knownto Others

Known toOthers

Not Knownto Others

Known toOthers

Figure 3–7 The Johari Window

Feedback from others may make youaware of this information. When this hap-pens, it moves out of the blind area into theopen area because everyone knows it. Youmay or may not decide to adapt or changeyour behavior based on this information.

Area 3: Hidden This is the area of hiddeninformation. It represents the things youknow or believe about yourself but that youdo not choose to share with others. For ex-ample, some people don’t share certain infor-mation about their background or family.Others may not disclose personal informationsuch as age, hobbies, or accomplishments.

Should you disclose everything you knowabout yourself? Probably not, especially if youthink others are not willing to accept your dis-closures or if you feel that too much risk isinvolved. However, your willingness to dis-close and deal openly and honestly withinformation about yourself can be an impor-tant asset to communication.

Area 4: Unknown This is the area ofunknown information—things that neitheryou nor others know or acknowledge. A sub-conscious fear or a yearning would be placedin this area. In addition to completeunknowns, this area may include things thatyou simply do not remember. Even thoughold memories may be forgotten, they can stillaffect your communication with others.

Your Own Johari Window Practicecreating your own Johari window. Start bymaking a list of things that relate to you. Yourlist might include your goals, strengths, weak-nesses, ideas, beliefs, fears, insecurities, per-ceived needs, values, personal facts, such asyour age and height—anything you think isimportant about you. Then draw a blankJohari window on a sheet of paper. Numberthe window panes from 1 to 4 and label themOpen, Blind, Hidden, and Unknown.

Next, sort the items from your list into theirproper areas. For example, if your goal is tobe a photographer and you often talk aboutthat goal, you would list “want to be a pho-tographer” in the Open area (1). If you do notwant people to know you made a failinggrade on your algebra test, you would write“algebra test” in the Hidden area (3).

Evaluating Interaction Styles

When you have finished plotting yourJohari window, analyze the information youhave generated. This will help you see justhow willing you are to disclose informationand learn from others’ feedback.

What does it mean if you have few openitems but a great deal of hidden information?What if your blind area contains more itemsthan any of the other areas? Analyzing yourJohari window can help you understand yourapproach to interaction and, if necessary,take steps to change it.

First, examine which areas of your windowcontain the most items. Based on that infor-mation, you can use the following guidelinesto get a general idea of your interaction style.Keep in mind that your personal style maycombine the characteristics of two or moreareas.

A large number of items listed in this areamay mean:

Open You are willing to disclose a greatdeal of information about yourself. You alsoknow much about yourself through personalinsight and feedback from others.

Blind You may be reluctant to seek feed-back from others or learn from it. You alsomay not be using self-reflection to know moreabout yourself.


Hidden You have a great deal of personalinformation that you are not willing to dis-close. You also may be providing little feed-back to others.

Unknown A low interaction level may bekeeping you and others “in the dark” aboutcertain valuable information about yourself.Through reflection and self-analysis you candiscover more about yourself.

The chart below contains descriptions offour common types of communicators.Compare the information to your own Johariwindow. While these models may not exactlymatch your interaction style, they can giveyou some insight into how others may per-ceive you and into the effects of your self-disclosure and feedback habits. The models ofthe common interaction styles also can helpyou analyze the effectiveness of others’ com-munication styles.

Changing Interaction Style If youwish to change your interaction style, it isimportant to set goals. To begin, make a list ofitems you would like to move from one area

of your Johari window to another. For ex-ample, if you need to tell your parents aboutyour failing grade on the algebra test beforereport cards are sent home, you might set agoal to move your algebra test from theHidden area (3) to the Open area (1). If youdon’t understand why you failed the test, youcould write algebra test in the Unknownarea (4). You might set a goal to move it toOpen (1), and make an appointment withyour teacher to discuss the test.

In each case, meeting your goal dependson your communication. You may need toopen up in your interactions with others. Onthe other hand, you may need to talk lessabout yourself and pay closer attention tothe messages and feedback you receive from others. You may also need to practicenew ways to seek additional informationand reduce the number of unknowns in yourJohari window.

Whatever your interaction style, it is impor-tant to remember that you are in control. Themore information you have in your openarea, the better chances you have of interact-ing successfully with others.


COMMON INTERACTION STYLES

Interaction Style Disclosure/Feedback Possible Results

Spend little time disclosing information or giving and receiv- They know little about Close relationships maying feedback; much information in Hidden area; often per- others; others know little be difficult due to a lackceived as quiet, shy, introspective, or withdrawn about them of shared information

Spend much time receiving feedback from others, but disclose They know a great deal Close relationships may belittle about themselves; may be perceived as mysterious, about others; others know difficult because communi-secretive, or unapproachable little about them cation is so one-sided

Spend much time disclosing information and giving feed- They know little about Close relationships may beback, but not open to feedback from others; may be perceived others; others know a difficult because communi-as great talkers or as uncaring people great deal about them cation is so one-sided

Disclose information openly and appropriately; freely give They know a great deal Openness of both partiesand accept feedback; may be perceived as friendly, open, about others; others know make conditions excellentand sensitive to others a great deal about them for close relationships

Now that you have an understanding ofintrapersonal communication, you can beginto analyze your perception and the perceptionof others in communication situations.Making continual perception checks andclarifying the meaning of your messages andthose of others will guide you to make appro-priate communication choices.

Building a positive self-image, setting goalsfor yourself, and visualizing yourself as a suc-cess in meeting those goals will also helpassure that you act as an effective communi-cator. The more you know and analyze yourself as an interactor in social and professionalcontexts, the closer you will be to becoming amore competent communicator.


Review Key Terms1. Define each term and write it in a

sentence: self-concept, self-fulfillingprophecy, self-disclosure.

Check Understanding2. Identify three factors that

tend to influence self-con-cept. Give an example of each.

3. Explain how self-conceptinfluences our choice of“script” when interactingwith others.

4. Differentiate between the two kinds ofself-fulfilling prophecy. What is theeffect of each on communication andpersonal performance?

5. Predicting Imagine that you cur-rently have many items listed in theHidden area of your Johari window.How are others likely to perceive you?How might their perceptions change ifyou move items from the Hidden areato the Open area?

Visit the Glencoe Communication ApplicationsWeb site at communicationapplications.glencoe.com and click on Self-Check andStudy Guide 3.2 to review your understandingof yourself as a communicator.

Section 2 Assessment

APPLICATION

Using Feedback to Improve Self-Concept Divide intogroups of four or five students. Cut a sheet of paper intosmaller squares so that you have one square for each mem-ber of your group. Other group members should do thesame. On the squares, write something positive about eachmember of your group, fold the paper, and write the per-son’s name on the outside. Finally, exchange papers. Wereyou previously “blind” to some of these positive percep-tions of you? Discuss as a class how you might use thisfeedback to improve your self-concept.



Analyzing Your Communication Style

How Do You Rate?

How Do You Score?Review your responses. Give yourself 5points for every A, 4 for every U, 3 for everyS, 2 for every R, and 1 for every N. Totalyour points and evaluate your score.

41–50 Excellent You may be sur-prised to find out how much you canimprove your skills.

31–40 Good In this course, you canlearn ways to make your skills better.

21–30 Fair Practice applying the skillstaught in this course.

1–20 Needs Improvement Carefullymonitor your improvement as youwork through this course.

Setting Communication GoalsIf you scored Excellent or Good, complete Part A. If your score was Fair or NeedsImprovement, complete Part B.

Part A 1. I plan to put the followingideas into practice:

2. I plan to share the followinginformation about communica-tion with the following people:

Part B 1. The behaviors I need tochange most are:

2. To bring about these changes, I will take these steps:


1. I use positive self-talk to build my confidence and my performance.

2. I listen wisely by staying alert and tuning out distractions.

3. I understand that people can perceivethe same situation differently. I use thisinformation to avoid misunderstandings.

4. I try to use methods that will help me toimprove my communication style.

5. I am aware of my own biases andprejudices.

6. I regularly check and evaluate myperceptions before I take action.

7. I use feed-forward statements and takeresponsibility for my need for clarification.

8. My positive self-concept helps mebuild good working relationships.

9. I visualize myself as a success in areaswhere I need improvement.

10. I deal honestly and openly with othersbut avoid taking too much risk inwhat I disclose to others.

On a separate sheet of paper, use the key torespond to the following statements. Put acheck mark beside each skill you would liketo improve.

KEY: A Always R RarelyU Usually N NeverS Sometimes

Analyzing Your Communication Style

Clarity and Conciseness in Writing

Clarity and conciseness make your writ-ing easier to read. In writing, clarity meanssimplicity. Similarly, conciseness meanswriting something in the fewest possiblewords. You can perfect writing clearly andconcisely by following the tips below.

Use Action Verbs Action verbs showthe subject engaging in some form of men-tal or physical activity. They are direct andstraightforward. Passive verbs make sen-tences wordy and more difficult to read.Consider the differences in the followingsentences:

• My friends and I enjoyed the concert.

• The concert was enjoyed by manypeople, including four of my friendsand me.

Which of these sentences is moreconcise? Clearer? More direct? In

the first example, the people aretaking direct action. In the sec-

ond example, they are nolonger the subject. The new

subject, concert, passivelyreceives the action.

Use Colorful Adjectives and AdverbsAdjectives tell more about a noun or pro-noun and help turn a bland sentence intoone that paints a vivid mental picture.Adverbs tell more about a verb, verbphrase, adjective, or another adverb. Youcan use them to add detail to a sentence.

Read the following sentences. Whichone provides more precise information?

• I need a person to help me carry abox.

• I need a strong person to help mecarry this heavy computer box intomy office down the hall.

Using adjectives and adverbs in the sec-ond sentence made the meaning muchclearer.

Combine Sentences to AvoidRedundancy When parts of two sentencesare similar or very closely related, you maybe able to combine them. This eliminatesunnecessary words. Which of the followingexamples seems more concise?

• The man who came into the roomwas handsome. When he stormedinto the room, he was angry.

• The handsome man angrily stormedinto the room.

Clarity and Conciseness in Writing

For additional information about business writing, see the LanguageHandbook section of the Communication Survival Kit in the Appendix.e


Use Basic Editing Skills To make sureyour writing is clear and concise, be sure togive it a thorough edit. For example, is allthe information in the correct sequence?Have you eliminated highly technical lan-guage and slang? Can you make long sen-tences shorter or replace long words withwords of fewer syllables? Use a thesaurus toavoid overusing certain words, and alwayscheck your spelling, punctuation, andgrammar for errors.

The following letter is an example ofclear and concise business writing.


Use the following steps to write clearand concise instructions to a classmate:

• Choose a partner in your class.Write a letter to him or herexplaining how to use a computerprinter, photocopier, video camera,or other device.

• Use a business-style format for yourletter. Make the steps of yourinstructions as clear and concise aspossible.

• Use action verbs whenever possible.

• Use adverbs and adjectives to makeyour instructions more descriptive.

• Be sure the steps of your instruc-tions are in the correct sequence.

• Consider the reader. Avoid usingslang or highly technical languagethat may be difficult to understand.

• Combine sentences as necessary toavoid redundancy.

• Avoid vague language and long,complex sentences.

• Proofread your letter and correctany errors in spelling, punctuation,and grammar.

• Exchange papers with your partnerand read the instructions. Circleany language that seems unclearto you. Discuss with your partnerhow you might make your lettersclearer and more concise.

May 2, 2002

Mr. Mark McCovey

693 Morningside Ave.

Lakewood, NJ 08701

Dear Mr. McCovey:

I would be happy to answer your question about

increasing your computer’s speed. If I understand correctly,

your main goal is to gain faster access to Internet

information.

Basically, three elements of your computer system help

determine this speed. They are the

1. speed (in megahertz) of the computer

2. speed (in kilobytes per second) of the computer’s modem

3. amount (in megabytes) of Random Access Memory, or

RAM, available for use

I have enclosed a brochure explaining more about

computer speed. Don’t let the technical language confuse

you. In short, the higher the number, the faster the

computer.

If I can answer any other questions or assist in

upgrading your system, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Richard Clemons,

Account Representative

ACCU-COMP COMPUTER SERVICE1212 Sprocket Drive

Fort Worth, Texas 76133

Richard Clemons


Visit the Glencoe Communication ApplicationsWeb site at communicationapplications.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 3 Activityfor additional practice in understanding yourpart in the communication process.

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1. How you see yourself - - - - -- - - - - - - -

2. A type of statement that offers a reasonfor a question you want to ask - - - - -- - - - - - - -

3. Your own version of reality- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

4. A positive or negative view that shapesthe outcome of an event- - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

5. The basic process of assigning meaningto the things you experience- - - - - - - - - -

6. Sharing information about yourself thatpeople would not otherwise know- - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -

7. A question to help determine whetherthings happened exactly the way youthink they did - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

8. Choosing what to focus on and what toignore- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

e Reviewing Key Terms

e Reviewing Key Concepts

1. What is another name for intrapersonalcommunication, and what does thisprocess involve?

2. What is the first step in the perceptionprocess? Give three examples of thistype of perception.

3. What negative consequence may occur

when you focus on a specific set ofdata? How can you avoid this problem?

4. Why is it important to visualize successwhen setting personal goals?

5. What effect can too little self-disclosurehave on your relationships? Too muchself-disclosure?

On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions in complete sentences.

On a separate sheet of paper, write the vocabulary term that fits each description. The num-ber of spaces indicates the number of letters in each answer (hyphens do not count).




Using Sensory Stimuli On the chalkboard,create a chart of the five senses. Then, ingroups of three or four students, write a shortscript that uses as many of these senses aspossible to convey messages. As two or three

group members perform the script for theclass, have another member place a checkmark in the chart each time a sensory stimu-lus is used. As a class, analyze ways to usesensory stimuli to convey messages.

e Cooperative Learning Activity

Chapter ProjectPlanning Choose one person with

whom you would like to improve your com-munication. List any negative perceptionsor communication patterns influencingyour interactions with that person. For eachnegative one, list a positive perception,behavior, or communication skill you coulduse to improve your interactions. Beforethis class meets again, use these skills in an

interaction with the chosen person.Afterward, note how he or she responded.

Presenting Describe to the class theproblems you were experiencing as a resultof negative communication patterns. Then,describe the positive communication skillsyou substituted and the reaction to each.Predict how you think these new patternsmight affect your future communication.

Writing Clearly and Concisely On asheet of paper, rewrite the following para-graph to make it clear and concise.

One way to improve your interactionstyle is by moving items around in yourJohari window. Items can be moved fromthe Blind area to the Open area. To do this,

you really ought to be willing to (a) recog-nize feedback from others and (b) acceptfeedback from others. Either verbal or non-verbal is the way this feedback may be. Bothverbal and nonverbal feedback can help acompetent communicator.

e Skill Practice Activity

e Reading and Critical Thinking Skills1. Synthesizing Reread the information

on the factors that influence personalperception. Using all nine factors, createa brief description of a competentcommunicator.

2. Drawing Conclusions Explain why it is important to keep an open mindwhen using perception checks.

3. Analyzing Imagine that you are notconfident of your public speaking

ability. Write one goal for improvingyour self-concept in this area. Analyzeand briefly describe a plan for reachingthis goal.

4. Applying Imagine you are a teamleader who has assigned projects to twoteam members. Later, one of them tellsyou, “That’s not fair!” Use the conceptsfrom this chapter to respond as a com-petent communicator.

3 TheCommunication Process and You 3 TheCommunication Process and You ... mine the types of technical and communica- ... COMMUNICATION S. Your The Communication Process and You.

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