Concept that could use further discussion

A concept that I personally feel could use further discussion I would have to say would be with Mass Communication in chapter 11. The reason I say this is because to me it seemed too complex, there were some parts I didn't understand when it came to the institutional sources, invisible receiver, and interposed channel. As I read the background on each concept I was still unsure as to what it meant. I thinks perhaps a straight forward definition would suffice. I understand what Mass Media is in general I don't however really understand how this ties into the realm of Mass Media

Interesting Concept

The concept that I found the most interesting was in chapter 5, which is Non Verbal Communication which is the study of communication that does not involve words. Before taking this class I didn't even know Non Verbal Communication even existed. What I find interesting about this particular concept is Linking through facial expressions, also with the status through posture and gesture, and responsiveness which is the degree to which we are involved with interaction. I had no idea that this was even Non Verbal Communication. I however, did learn allot from this chapter because I was always under the impression that communication involved Vocal (talking). I now am more keen to these types of clues when I am speaking with someone or with my initial impression of them. However, I am aware that your interpretation is not always right!!!!
One other concept that I also found interesting was the forms of language in chapter 4 table 4.1. The reason I found this interesting was because I have these particular types of speech within my circle of friends as well as with total strangers. I knew that there were many people out there that spoke with different dialect than others, I just had no idea what it was called until now.

Popular Research Methodologies

In regards to chapter 13 the most interesting research method to me is the Survey Research. The reason this one is the most interesting to me is because I like to go around asking individual people certain questions regarding what I am trying to find out. The other research method that sound interesting to me is also the Rhetorical research, the reason is because after the purpose, the context and the audience are established then the strategies are evaulated. Assuming that I want to study some aspect of deception, I would probably be interested on how males pick their partners. The question that I would ask would be “What do males ages 21-25 report as the most significant factor in choosing their partners??” The type of research method that I would use to answer the question would be Ethnography because this type of research is based on observations, and I think in order to find the actual data for this question it would be helpful to observe what the females look like that the males are attracted to. This research methods allows conclusions to emerge from observation rather then hypothesis which is extremely important.

Useful/Interesting

After reading chapter 11 what I found interesting was how the book talks about how in the earlier days the radio was used mostly for listening to at home. In today's society people now use it when they work out, at clubs & bars, in their car and in their homes. Radio has definitely changed over the years. I never knew that back in the days the radio was used for "communal story telling". I always thought people just used the radio for recreational use. Its very true that in today's society radio is our "portable friend", I know many people that incorporated music into their everyday life and cant do day to day task without it. I'm one of those people that ABSOLUTELY HAS to have the radio on when I am driving, I cant drive with the radio off because its too quite!!! I think depending on the age of the listener it will vary but for most young people radio is a way of keeping one company and for older adults its a way of getting useful information. I always wondered why my dad had to listen to the radio in the car to hear updates on the baseball and football games. It would always annoy me on how he had to listen to the games on the radio when we were going on a long trip, I could never understand how it was interesting to just listen to the game and not visually see it for yourself!!!! I however am not a person that can listen to the radio in the house, I personally believe that the radio is meant to be heard in the car and the T.V is for the home. My boyfriend and I always bicker about this because he wasn't to listen to the radio at home and blast it to the last dial on the stereo and I hate when he does that, I always tell him to turn it off!!! I am trying to watch t.v. I personally only listen to the radio for the music, I hate when it is interrupted by talk show host telling us about the latest gossip in the entertainment world, WHO CARES!!! It seems like they don't have anything better to talk about these days.

Medium is the Message

To some extent I do agree with Marshall McLuhan that medium is the message. I believe that there are different messages that are being relayed within different mediums. I think that depending on what we rely on to get our message, this is what is the determining factor on whether is credible than something else. Marshall McLuhan states that television is a cool medium and demands that viewers fill in the details. Which in a way is truth, the reason being that there are some people that you watch on TV whether it be a reality show, the news or a TV series. There are certain people that are cut out for it and then there are others that might be ok but not good enough for the television screen. I think that at times TV shows, cartoons, reality shows, etc….. Leave the viewers a little puzzled because sometime it’s not enough information or it is too confusing to try and comprehend. It leaves too much to our own imaginations and therefore isn’t efficient enough to give us as the viewers all the information that we need such as like the news, newspaper, etc…….

Cyber Relationships

I have never made friends with someone in a cyber relationship. The reason that I haven't is because I am not on the Internet alot, I only use the Internet for online classes, when I am on itunes and when I need to obtain information in regards to a class that I am taking. Oh wait yes, how could I forget online shopping!!!! For me personally I find it a bit ac ward that people form either friendships or even relationships without ever meeting. Its not the same as face to face contact, especially in a relationships between two people, because when they send pictures of themselves how are you even supposed to know if that's really them or not??? I don't truly understand how a person can even form feelings for someone that they have never even met before. How are we supposed to know whether the person we are chatting with on the other end of the computer is not some child predator or serial rapist. I'm not saying that its not possible that someone you know personally isn't capable of this, however i think that it a little more safe because you get to know that person on a more personal level.

I have had several friends who have met people online and when they finally do decide to meet in person its not nearly what they expected. I think that cyber friends can be a little risky because you do not know anything about this person except for what they tell you. This is why I don't really feel safe posting pictures or releasing personal information about myself. People who have MYSPSACE risk this, because you never know whether any of your information will get into the wrong hands. Even if you do have your account set to private, there are always ways around it, people will always find a way if they really wanted to.

Useful/Interesting Topic

After reading chapter 8 what I found to be the most interesting to me was the section on the "Promoting Professionalism in Workplace Relationships". I have plenty of friends that I have workplace relationships. I met a co-worker through my current job and we have become the best of co-workers. We are really close at work, however that's where the relationship stays, we both have our own set of friends outside of work. With Office Romance, this one is interesting because when I went to the new hire orientation for my job it simply states in the work handbook that a line staff cannot date a supervisor or a manager because it is a conflict of interest, but its OK if you are line staff and the person you are dating is a manager as long as he/she works in a different department then you. I personally would never date anyone from my place of work because it can be ac ward and sometimes cause unwarranted conflict. Unfortunately I work in a male dominated job and some of the males that I work with tend to cross the line into sexual harassment sometimes, and several have lost their jobs over this issue. I don't understand why people cant just be professionals, especially because we are looked at as role models and are always held to a higher standard out in the community. I believe a job is a place for work and one must maintain a state of professionalism.

Etiquette

I think that this etiquette rule in regards to cell phones is great. There is nothing more annoying then a cell phone going off during class, church, during dinner, and in the movies. I think that is very rude to the teacher, the preacher and people in general that have to listen to it ring. I think that by keeping your phone on ring is a very impolite and rude thing to do.

I think that this etiquette rule in regards to answering machines is not so great. I think that answering machines are a great electronic device to have when you are unable to answer the phone. If you have an important phone call then an answering machine is a must in order to leave a message for a return phone call. I think that this particular electronic device is a very useful thing to have.

I think that this etiquette rule in regards to conference calls is an interesting one because it’s a coin toss, because yes it’s a convenient thing when all people are not able to meet up, however it’s very impersonal because you are not getting face to face contact with the people. I think that’s it’s a totally different aspect when you are talking to someone on the phone apposed to when you talk to someone in person because you are not getting the same type of communication that you normally would. Perhaps this could be because you are not able to read others body language, or eye contact. If you speak to someone on the phone you are not able to tell if they are irritated or they might just always sound irritated and you may take it the wrong way.

I think that this etiquette rule in regards to faxes is ok because if you need to get something to another state this is a great way. But, I do think that perhaps a phone call could be warranted before you send it over to make sure that the right receiver receives the fax. The downfall of this is that you probable shouldn’t send personal information through fax because it’s not always confidential.

I think that this etiquette in regards to timing your communication is a good thing. I have used this many a times. I will now try to be more aware of my timing and how dangerous it could be if my self or the person I am calling is driving while using the phone. I do agree with the new rule of the cell phones. Hopefully it depletes car accidents some what.

I think that this etiquette rule in regards to screen names and ring tones is a funny one because I do at times think its inappropriate and childish at times. What if you are waiting for a call back for a job that you interviewed for and the person calls and you have a song for a ring, I think this is very unprofessional. I also think that weird screen names are childish as well, yes it may mean something to that person but to someone else, they might think what the heck this is. Yes this is a fun thing to have but at times it’s not an appropriate thing.

There have been plenty of times that I have been bothered by cell phones. When I go to the movies it never fails, someone always has a cell phone going off during the movie. It is so annoying and rude!!!! Yes I can understand if it’s an emergency, if that’s the case then why not put the phone on vibrate and keep it in your lap?? With pagers and answering machines not so much, because honestly who really even carries a pager any more. With the answering machines they can be loud at times, but I like answering machines because if it wasn’t for them I would have miss a lot of very important phone calls.

I thing that call waiting is something that I use on a daily basis. Sometimes it’s needed if you are talking to someone that is not such an important phone call, and if someone who calls and it is an important call that you need to pick up. It’s also an essential because if you have family members that call when you are on the other line you are able to pick it up. Cell phones now also have the ability to be able to not allow call waiting phone calls if you want.

I think at times putting people on hold can be justified as long as its not for an excessive amount of time. I know for me personally I do not like being put on hold and then on top of that having me hold for a long period of time is so annoying and sometimes rude. I usually do not put people on hold because I don’t like it to be done to me. I think if the call is important then why not just ask the person you are currently speaking to, that you will call them back in a little while, so that you can take the call waiting call.

Organizations Tying Into The Environment

Organizations are ties into the environment by by the influence that they have. Organizations are dependant upon us as and environment (community) for their resources and participation. We need certain organizations and are dependant upon us just as much as they need us and are dependant on us. Organizations also provide what we need as an environment but the downfall of all these organizations causes pollution, traffic congestion, and the housing ETC.....

The relationship between the school that i attend and the city in which it is situated in is that it is such a busy area and the students from SJSU bring the need for housing, therefor people who rent out either homes, rooms or even apartments are benefiting from this. With the traffic of students come the need for food, dining and course shopping, which brings business to the organizations that provide such a need. Issues that can be a downfall is the noise of the frat and house parties, the congestion of parking. I do however think that SJSU is in a very good spot because its already busy downtown anyways so this is a good spot for it. I use to go to Fresno City Community College and this school was located within a quiet neighborhood and it wasn't a good thing, the people that lived around there had signs posted everywhere saying "Quiet Do Not Disturb" and "No Parking". Come on what did they expect?? they live near a college!!!!!!

I think that people who move downtown know what to expect and shouldn't be surprised with the noise, traffic, and lack of parking. They should know better and if that's not what they like or can put up with then they are choosing the wrong place to move in. I think the ethical obligation that a college has to the local community is the Prior and Proper notification to the residence in the surrounding areas letting them know of upcoming events so that the residence may be better prepared. Perhaps the local communities input on any type of construction done to the college should be consulted with the community before it takes place. I also think the college needs to obligated to make sure that the college is not overcrowded in which will cause overcrowding of parking.

Useful/Interesting Topic

Upon reading chapter 6 what intrigued me the most was the section on Expressing Conflict. The reason it did is because withdraw reminds me of the way my boyfriend acts at times. It drives me nuts when he does this and the book is right on the dot because by him walking away or changing the topic just makes the situation much worse and I get even more angry. I sometimes wish the he wouldn't do that because it only prolongs the issue, so I have definitely talked to him about it and it has gotten better and he does open up to me know and I don't have to worry about him walking away from the situation or conflict. The part when it talks about forcing indeed reminded me of myself. The reason I say that is because at times I tend to be stubborn and always want things my way and I do tend to put aside what my partner is feeling and push and push until I get my way. I now understand that a relationship is not always one sided and that we both have things that we need to work on. I just thought it was funny that this portion of the book describes my relationship to the T.



I now understand that we must accommodate and compromise to make the other person happy. This is what a relationship is all about and things aren't always going to be the way you want it, that's what talking it out and compromising is for. I defintly agree with the book when it states that problem solving is the best method

Filters

The characteristics or behaviors that lead me to determine one as unatractive would have to be the persons personality. If I cant have an interesting conversation with someone then they are not worth wasting my time on. I also look at the persons goals and ambitions, I definitly cannot be with someone that does not want to make something of themselves. I also dont like people that are rude and superficial. I HATE THAT THE MOST!!!!!

Yes, Duck’s theory makes sense to me because whether we know it or not, we know exactly what we are looking for in a partner and we all have our pet peeves of what we like and what we dont like. When he talks about oeioke that live far, yes it hardly ever works out. How are people supposed to form healty relationships when they never see eachother. I do agree with Physical Proximity because we tend to meet our partners through friends and people who are close to us. With Preinteraction cues are too important filters because the way one looks is the first impression of that person and that is the most important determination that one makes to determine whether or not they want to further persue anything with that person.

Yes I have used Preinteraction Cues when determining whether or not I wanted to talk to that person or not. I have a certain type of guy that I am attracted and thats just what I prefer. And yes I have changed my mind and looked at the Interactionand Cognitive cues when determining whether or not I found them attractive. I have been attractive to several people based soley on their personalities. I believe that people who have great personalities makes them attractive because they have a great personality.

Patterns in Interpersonal Communication

The pattern that I think would be the most difficult to change is submissive symmetry because when both parties resists on surrendering control, this makes the statements or propositions that they may have seem contradictory or outrageous, however in reality it can show the possibility of truth. Either partner is not too concerned with making all the decisions or being the one in control, but at the same time they are trying to force one another to make all the decisions and take charge.
The pattern that I think would be the most damaging to a relationship is competitive symmetry because both partners are constantly struggling to out do one another and have hands up on the other partner. This pattern also tends to be more aggressive, which can make it harder to understand one another as well as negotiate properly. This is not a good thing because all it does is create constant competition between both parties. Eventually in the long run one partner or perhaps both could eventually begin to resent each other for the feeling of being pushed to the point of being perfect!!!!!The pattern that I think that would be the most damaging to self-esteem of the individual is competitive symmetry because both partners can start thinking that they may never be good enough for their partner and might never be able to live up to the potential of their partners ideals. However, the most important think that may happen is that either partner might begin to think that they will never be loved, never be respected for who they are, or never be accepted for not wanting to be the one in charge.

Lastly, my feelings on these particular patterns is that one must think and be considerate of others feelings. This is the most efficient way to solving dysfunctional patterns of interpersonal communication.

Useful/Interesting Topic

What I found interesting in chapter 12 was the story under culture perception, and the story of the women who moved with her husband to Iran from California and how she wore shorts and casual tops when she went out to the stores and a man grabbed her and made lewd suggestions. He thought she was a prostitute and when she called the police and told them she was attacked they just looked at her like she was crazy!!!! I find this story very interesting, its amazing to actually think that by the way one dresses will perceive her in a certain way in which is totally out of content. I think the same thing happens here in California, I like to go out to bars and clubs and there are allot of girls out there that like to wear very provocative clothing. My male friends automatically assume that just because a female dresses a certain way that she is seen as being promiscuous. In some cases that is so not the case. Its sad how females cant dress the way they want to without the possibility of being judged by men and also females. They are looked at in a very negative view. So what if someone decides to dress that way, hey its a free country and we should be able to express ourselves with out clothing and not have to worry about criticism.

Rationality, Perfectiblity, Mutability

I do agree with the idea of the rationality, perfectibility, and mutability premise. I agree with perfectibility premise: that most people are capable of discovering the truth through logical analysis. The reason i agree with this is because i think that everyone has the capability to discover the truth for themselves. i think that by trial and error helps one discover many things and gives them a better understanding on things.


I however, do not agree with perfectibility premise: that humans are born in sin but are capable of achieving goodness through effort and control. I don't think that humans are born in sin, i believe people make bad judgment and do horrible things because of the type of lifestyle they grew up in, i think that the way one is raised when they are young has a big impact on the way people think and the choices that they make, good or bad.

I do agree with mutability premise: assumes that humans behavior is shaped by environmental factors and that the way to improve human behavior is shaped by environmental factors and that the way to improve humans is to improve their physical and psychological circumstances. I think that the way one behaves has a great deal to do with environmental factors and in order to shape this behavior is to improve their phyiscal and psychological circumstances. I think a big impact of the way we think and that actions that we choose have to do with our surroundings.


I think that some institutions and practices that are based on these beliefs are religion, and the justice system.

Creatures Of Our Culture

I agree with anthropologist Ruth Benedict when she states that we are “creatures of our culture” and that our habits, beliefs, and impossibilities are shaped by our culture. The reason I agree is because as we develop and grow as human beings, we watch and learn from others around us and we create our own identities. Through our eyes (interpretation) we see things a certain way and that’s how we perceive that is how things are and should be. This is embedded into our actions, beliefs, values and morals, this is what forms us into the type of people we become. My person habits and beliefs come from what my family and my culture have taught me. The things that I have been expose to within my culture and family is morals, religion, beliefs, tradition, education and so forth.
I also believe that if we truly want to we can also break free from our cultural norm. My family is fairly traditional and they have certain beliefs and values set forth for everyone to follow. However, I think that I have broken away from that social norm in the perspective that I have continued my education to obtain a college degree, instead of settling for a high school diploma and then moving onto work. By looking at the way other cultures other than mine do things gave me a different direction on how I lived my life. I also think that educations has a big impact on the outlet of breaking through the limits of our culture, and also surrounding yourself with other cultures other than yours.

Useful/Interesting Fact

As I was reading chapter 5, what caught my eye was the section on Physical Appearance and Object Language. I agree with what is stated in the book “Whether or not we realize it, our design efforts matter. Personal appearance affects the way others act toward us, as well as how we feel about ourselves”.

I truly agree with this statement, and the best example that I can give when I was shopping at Santana Row. I didn’t plan on doing any shopping their, but I thought I would stop and look for a purse. I wasn’t dressed very well, I was wearing a sweat suit with some tennis shoes, needless to say this is the typical attire of the people that you see their. As I walked into the Gucci store I got several stares from the employees as well as the security guard at the front of the store. At first I didn’t really notice it but as I began to look around I started to notice they were looking at me as if thinking, what the heck is she wearing??? I noticed one of the employees none saliently following me where ever I moved around in the store, which I felt was discriminating. I also couldn’t get the full attention of a sales person, which I didn’t feel was right, so I walked out of the store even after my intention was to purchase something that day.

As with the body type of a person I find it to be mean and hurtful when someone is ridiculed just because they don’t have a model figure. I found it very interesting when they said that researchers classify people according to how closely they approximate three extremes. But sadly it still exist today, you don’t see short stubby models on the run way you only see tall and slender women. I don’t think that this is a very good show for our younger impressionable generation.

Non Verbal Messages in Other Cultures

Non verbal messages are sometimes much more powerful than a verbal message. Every culture has its own form of non verbal messages, where to them its perfectly normal but to us we may see it as rude. Eye contact is a very important gesture of non verbal communication, within the Unites States we use eye contact as a form of respect and to let the listener know that our attention is on them. However within the Asian culture this holds a totally different meaning. For example: the first time that I noticed it was when I was in a communication class. A student went up to the podium ( he happened to be Asian) and he performed his speech, and not once did he look at the audience, he kept his eye on his paper the entire speech. The teacher then critiqued his speech just like he would always do, and commented on how he needs to give eye contact to his audience. He then replied by saying that in his culture it was a form of disrespect if he were to give someone direct eye contact. It was seen as rude in his particular culture. Wow, was I amazed, I had never know that until then.

I'm not too sure within other cultures what their culture is like. But I know that in my culture Mexican men are warm and friendly, and make a lot of physical contact. They often touch shoulders or hold another’s arm. To withdraw from this touch is considered insulting.

Non Verbal Messages

There have been many instances where I have been wrong in the way I interpret someones non verbal message. A very good example of my misinterpretation of non verbal communication, I would have to say I tend to do with my boyfriend a whole lot. I tend to ask the question " "What's wrong, is everything OK?" because of either the expression on his face makes me think that he is either upset, bothered, or irritated. Also, it can be because of the tension in his voice . Sometimes he sounds agitated, annoyed or tense, and I sometimes try to think and I say to myself "Maybe its something I said or did, that has upset him". Then after sitting down and having a talk with him I come to find out that the reason he is acting in that manner has nothing to do with me what so ever, and that he is just tired and stressed out from school and work. I cant help it but I tend to do this allot and most of the time my interpretation of someones mood is very wrong.....

I think that our behavior can portray a variety of meanings. Therefore, we need to be careful on how we interpret those behaviors, we need to be aware of the context, and should always ask for verbal feedback to clear up any misunderstanding that there may be. Something else that may help with increasing the accuracy in which we interpret non verbal communication is to get into depth of knowing someone Else's culture and how they do things, because every culture is very different.

Useful/ Interesting Topic

After reading chapters 3 and 4 I found the Table in chapter 3 to be very useful to me. I like how table 3.1 talks about ways to improve listening performance. As I was reading the list I couldn't help but notice that some of the stuff that is listed I tend to do myself. I don't have a positive attitude about speakers when I know the topic of the speech is not very interesting. This is very unfair to the speaker because I am already assuming that I will be bored without even giving them a chance. I also need to be more aware of my purpose for listening because I tend to think too much about certain things which in hand makes me miss the more important things. I also agree with the book when it states that we as the audience need to prepare ahead of time by knowing about the topic. I think I need to do this more often so that I am not so oblivious as to what the speaker is talking about. By doing this in return will help me to follow the speech allot better. I also think that in order to better respond to the speaker I need to see things from their perspective, I am not very good at doing this. I really need to work on that as well as responding to what is not said as well as what is said. One area that I have the most difficulty in is storage and retrieval. I need to determine what is worth remembering and toss the rest. I tend to try and remember everything and that's when I get into trouble, because the information that I need to remember I cant seem to remember because I have too much stored in my brain. I also need to figure out a way to use mnemonic devices and memory aids to help me with this issue.

Table 3.1 is very beneficial to anyone who wasn't to improve themselves in certain areas. I will definitely use this table and incorporate it into every day life and every time I listen to a speech. This information is very useful for me.

Language of Men & Women

I definitely agree that men and women use language differently. When boys are younger in age they tend to use their language as mocking, teasing, and insults while interacting in a game. Girls tend to use their language to compromise rather than submit to conflict and tend to be more encouraging. Boys give order like " OK, go stand over their" as with girls they will say something like " OK lets get in a group". I notice this when I watch my daughter play with my nephew, she tends to say things like 'oh lets do this together, and he tends to say no I can do it myself'.Just like the book states, "Men bond through physical activity and women through talk". As they progress into adulthood Mend tend to be less sincere when listening to a conversations as with women who tend to be very good listeners and sincere at that. With women they tend to talk more about private matters and men tend to talk more about public matters. I work for Juvenile Hall and I work with both males and females. What I have noticed in regards to the way they communicate is that the girls do talk more about personal matters such as their family, kids, relationships and the future. With the boys they tend to talk more about gangs, whats going on in the streets and girls. I definitely see the difference between both genders. When women speak they are more detailed in their conversations and tend to use more descriptive words and men don't. A good example of this would be a conversation that i had with my boyfriend. I tend to use allot of detail in my conversations and do not get straight to the point very often. i like to explain the entire story not just the main part. this drives my boyfriend crazy, he is always telling me "Get to the point already". I cant help it, its just what i like to do. I also think its funny how men don't NOT ask for directions, they would rather drive around for hours and how women don't mind asking for directions. I also find it interesting that women tend to want to know every detail of their partners day and build their intimacy through talking with their partner.

Throughout their lives men know to be competitive is to be masculine and women know that recognizing stress detectors is part of being feminine. There is definitely a difference when it comes to the language of men and women. Women talk in a totally different language and when they say things it could be something totally the same, however mean 2 different things.Not to say that just ALL men fall into this category and ALL women fall into that category, but its most that fall within these categories.

Judgment

I have a really hard time speaking to someone without judging them or trying to fit them into a certain category. I tend to do so once I meet someone for the very first try. I guess you can say that I do “Judge a book by its cover” and it’s a very bad habit that I have. I can’t help doing so, because I am so quick to judge from the first glance or impression of someone. I think without truly knowing someone it’s much easier to judge them for my sense of comfort. I agree with chapter 3 when it states that “We often use schemata to form impressions of other people and to interpret their massages. I use person protypes, I tend to have a certain image of certain people and if I think of one person in a certain category one way, I tend to look at everyone in that same light. I think that I let retype affect the way I look at someone. There are certain people that are not very bright, therefore I do not value what they say (it comes through one ear and goes out the other). On the other hand I have people that I look at to be very intelligent, therefore I really listen to what they have to say.

I think a way to make our judgment of others more fairly, we must first be aware that we are even making assumptions of that person. I think by being broader in our thoughts and not so narrow minded will help us with this. Just because we see certain this way doesn’t make everyone in that category the same way. We need to remember that no one person is alike and that we need to treat everyone as an individual not matter where they come from. Stopping the judgment and getting to know the person will make a big difference.

Useful/Interesting Topic

Its needless to say that chapter 9 had plenty of great information. What I found especially helpful for me was the section where it talks about the Source Characteristics That Enhance Influence. The reason being because myself as well as every other speaker out there can really relate to this, and it is extremely helpful information. I find this particular section to be very helpful because its day to day stuff that an every day speaker would use when speaking in front of an audience. I think that each characteristic gives a very good detail of how each thing can be achieved. I like how the book talks about attractiveness, because its definitely easier to listen to someone speak when they dress nice and are well groomed. It gives me a sense of comfort when I'm listening to someone speak and they are well dressed, and good looking. I also like to think that I am good at figuring out whether someone is a bullshitter, I like to know that I am listening to someone who is credible and someone who i can trust and believe. I think that the book is also very useful on how to persuade an audience. For me chapter 9 has been the best chapter that I have read so far, because of the amount of useful information it contains.

Presidential Candidates Strongest Characteristics As a Speaker

I feel that the current Presidential Candidate Borack Obama has all three characteristics that the question has mentioned, which is credibility, attractiveness, as well as power. I believe that his strongest attribute as a speaker is his ability to be a very credible speaker. The reason being is that is able to pursue the American people and is very knowledgeable about the topics that he speaks of. He also indicates concern for his audiences interest which too makes him trustworthy. The notions that American people have about Obama comes from the preconceived notions that they already have for him through what they see and hear through the publicity that he has created for himself. Lets face it he is also a pretty powerful person, for the pure fact that he is able to control his audience ( Americans) and have an affect on their lives. Its obvious that he has the power over the people that plan on voting for him to be the next president of the United States. Lets also not forget the fact that he is easy on the eyes, which makes him even more appealing to listen to. Just like the book states (pg262) "The more attractive a speaker is, the more effective he or she will be". People are not only attracted to his physical appearance but also to his familiarity, similarity, and liking. He seems to have pretty amazing speaking abilities and this has an effect on how he comes across.

Best & Worst Speakers I Have Ever Heard

Yes, I have been influenced by a speaker. The best speaker that I have ever heard I would have to say is a gentlemen by the name of Micheal Keppler. I came across this gentlemen in a C.O.R.E training class that I was taking for my job. His presentation talked in great depth about the gang problems amongst our teens and within the prison system. He went into talking about how long gangs have been around, how some of the most notorious gangs came about, the type of lifestyle these particular groups live and so fourth..... What made this particular speakers presentation so memorable was the fact that he put real effort into his slide shows that were shown, you could tell that he took the time to put them together because of all the shocking pictures and the amount of information he had on each and every slide. He really used all aspects of the way people pertain information. He not only lectured, but he also used an ample amount of visual aids which painted a wonderful mental picture of the gang life. I also liked the fact that after each break he would change things up a little ( just to break the ice) and he would show video clips of funny accidents gone wrong. But, most important is that his message made clear sense on what he was trying to get across the the audience. He was very knowledgeable with the facts that he was giving, (although it was not needed) he was very persuasive with his talk due to the fact that he had actual pictures and video clips of gang members, shootings, drug busts, people in the prisons as well as video interviews with Well Known gang members. He had an amazing speaking ability. WOW!!! was he good

The worst speaker that I have ever heard was a Music Teacher that I had some years back. The reason he wasn't any good was because of the fact that his voice projected as very monotone, and boring. When he spoke his voice also trembled(it was as if he was nervous). Most days he would come to class so unprepared and would constantly jump around from one topic to another, which made it very hard for me to follow what he was saying. The only thing that I could remember about his class was how horrible of a teacher he was and honestly I would never show up just because of the thought of listening to him for 45 minutes 4 days a week made me cringe.

Useful/Interesting

After reading chapter 2 in "Thinking Through Communications I found several things that were mentioned to be useful in day to day communications. However, one thing that stood out to me the most was how the book refers to communication as a "Game" which is also referred to as the Pragmatic Model of Communication. When you think about it communication is in fact just like a game, I had never thought about it like that before. Its very true because in order to completely perform the task there must be at least 2 players. Just like in a game people agree to talk to one another just like individuals in a game when they make a move on the game board. Which then gets an interaction going amongst both people just like in a game when they are taking turns in a game. Just like in a game the players become dependant on what their opponent does, because the opponents move is a determining factor of what the other player will do next. Just like with two people who are having a conversation, one person cant reply until they finish listening to what the other person has to say. Each player in a game is affected by what the other person move will be, just like each person who is engaging in a conversation is affected on what the other person has to say. The last thing that corrolates to the way a game is played is the payoff at the end, in a game its the winner and in communications its a person who dominates the conversation, just like in a debate.

Pragmatic Perspective

In certain situations thinking of communication as patterned interaction is needed. The best example that comes to mind is when you start a new job. You learn how to work with others and get a feel for all your co workers attitudes and work ethics. Through this you learn everyone’s styles and adapt to those styles in order to so call “keep the peace”. By doing so only makes the relationship between you and your co worker stronger and therefore this makes the day by day aspect of the job a little easier, due to the fact that you both learn to work together as a team.

After reading chapter 2 in the “Thinking through Communications” book, I now see how I follow the communication patterns that are described in the book. I utilized communication patterns on a day to day basis with every different co worker that I come across. I change up my work ethics depending on the person I am working with. I learned quickly that you need to adapt to everyone. Example: I work for Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall, therefore within this job you must always be on guard. I work with several different people on a daily basis. We have something that is called a 15 minute tier sheet, in which we go around to each minor’s room and take a look then we sign off that we checked into the rooms, this must be done consistently every 15 minutes. With some staff they don’t mind signing the tier sheets, however with others they think that since they have been working in the hall for 10 + years that they are above signing the sheets. So there I go and sign the sheets every 15 minutes. When I leave the unit and go on a break, I come back and the sheets were just how I left them (even if I was out for 30 min). Of course I am not going to complain about it since I don’t have as much seniority on most staff that I work with. I just think that if everyone was on the same page and learned how to communicate with each other it would help out tremendously.

Communication is definitely like a game. As each person talks, that’s just the same as taking turns in a 2+ person game. When one player moves of course its going to have an effect on what the other players do, just the same as when you say something to someone in conversation they must react all the same. People who communicate with each other are just like a payoff in a game. One person could possibly be in competition with the
other, with something as little as putting the other person down, therefore they feel as they won. Lastly each person in a conversation is dependent on one another, because without a receiver there can be no sender.

Communication however is not always like a game. When people communicate it doesn’t always follow a pattern, and sometimes there is only talking at one end. Example: When a teenager is getting chewed out by his/her parents for doing something that the parent doesn’t approve of. At least for me anyway, there is no real form of communication because when I did something wrong and was getting yelled at by my dad I just sat there and listened. I was too scared to say a word to him especially when I knew that what I had done was wrong.

Social Constructionist Perspective

I truly believe that we as people build our world around the concept of communication.
When referring to the idea of the social constructionist perspective what helps me understand this is through the ideals of my family. When I was younger I was taught to look at the world through my parents views as well as other family members. By doing so this showed me that my culture definitely was not the same as the next persons. We had definite traditions in our culture that steered the directions of my thoughts. The ideas we talked about in my family were mostly religious based, which was the Catholic Tradition, and most of our conversations were very deep in morals and the way I was to uphold my self as a woman. The conversations that I had amongst my parents as well as my family members truly did help me. They made me into a strong woman that has much respect for herself. I think that all the conversations that we had helped me to make good judgment calls. I am happy to say that by doing this, it helped me very much. One thing that I however did not agree with was the way my family spoke of a woman educating herself. They use to tell me that a womans role was to stay home and take care of the family and home. When I told them that I wanted to persue my education beyond High School they werent so thrilled. I however am proud of myself for not listening to the critisism because otherwise I would not be where I am today.

Useful/Interesting Topic

I found it very interesting to read through chapters 1 and 2 and realize how far the history of communications really goes back. I had not idea, or ever even thought about that before and now that I have read through chapters 1 and 2, I find the history very amazing. One thing that I found to be interesting was when I read the section on the Ancient Greece. I found it to be fascinating that only males could attend the schools, and if they attended they were followed around by paidagogos to make sure they didnt cut class. How funny to think that they cut class back then too!!!!! I loved how Aristotle put so much focus on persuasive rhetoric. I think that if elementary schools as well as high schools put emphasis into teaching students about communication skills, this would give many students much more confidence in everything that they do. Teaching about ethos, pathos and logos would give people a much more broad range of ways to put out their informations, so that they can adapt to any type of situation or any type of audience.

What Makes A Good Speaker???

The Greeks have the idea that in order to be a credible orator, one must have the traits of goodness and truth, pure ways to be a good speaker and have good public communications skills. How are we supposed to be able to determine what is moral and right, considering that we all come from different backgrounds, cultures, and moral up bringing? Every person has a different outlook on what is morally right and that idea will vary from person to person. I would have to say that I disagree with this due to the fact of what is said within the speech. I don’t think that the way someone lives their lives should have a determining factor on whether or not that makes them good. A good moral orator who does nothing but good things in their life does not necessarily mean that their ability to gain the attention of others or to persuade the listeners will even have any relevance. If you look at the other side of things, the speaker might live an awful life and break every rule possible and do many immoral things, but yet they have the ability to gain the attention of the listeners as well as persuade their audience. The determining factor of the way the speaker is able to persuade and gain the attention of their audience should only rely on the speakers' ability to speak rather than their personal life. I don’t believe that there is any connection on a person’s goodness, truth and public communication. I only think that the person’s ability to speak is the only factor that should be even considered.

A Speaker That I Admire

The person I admire may not be someone famous, but he sure stands out in my mind because of the incredible speeches he gave. The person I am talking about was a teacher I took for a Juvenile Justice class in the Winter Semester. When he spoke he talked with such passion and articulation. He put forth so much meaning and sincerity into every single word that came out of his mouth. I don't think I have ever heard someone in person speak with so much passion. According to Chapter 1, I would have to say the power came from logos because of the wording and logic of his message. For example one thing that stands out in my mind is that he refers to kids that are locked up " kids in cages" which I must say I couldn't describe it any better. He uses such powerful words in explaining and describing his feelings. The personal qualities that I posess that make me a persuasive speaker is that I am very confident in what I say even if I know im unsure. I dont let the audience know I am nervouse and I speak straight forward. I think that Aristotles scheme works for what makes me a persuasive speaker because I make sure I put thought into what I say and make sure that I am using correct wording as well as set up my speach like an essay format with bullet points so it makes it easier for me to remember. Therfore, I do take something out of Aristotles scheme.

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