Interpersonal Communication Ch. 3

Questions and Answers

What are healthy relationships founded upon?

Recognizing our perceptual limits, constant striving to correct perceptual errors, and sincere effort invested in considering others' viewpoints.

What is perception?

The process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information from our senses.

What does selection refer to in the context of perception?

Focusing attention on certain senses.

What is salience in communication?

The degree to which particular people or aspects of their communication attract our attention. Signup and view all the answers

What determines salience?

Communication that deviates from expectations, is perceived as significant, or behaves in a visually and audibly stimulating way. Signup and view all the answers

Define organization in the context of perception.

Taking information and structuring it into a coherent pattern. Signup and view all the answers

What is punctuation in relation to organization?

The structuring of selected information into a chronological sequence that matches how events were experienced. Signup and view all the answers

What is interpretation?

Assigning meaning to information. Signup and view all the answers

What are schemata?

Mental structure that defines the characteristics of various concepts and how they're related. Signup and view all the answers

What are attributions?

Explanations for others' comments or behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

Match the following types of attributions:

Internal Attributions = Behavior stemming from internal causes like personality External Attributions = Behavior caused by factors unrelated to personal qualities Signup and view all the answers

What is the Fundamental Attribution Error?

The tendency to attribute others' behavior solely to internal causes. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the Actor-Observer Effect.

The tendency of people to make external attributions regarding their own behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Self-Serving Bias?

Taking credit for noteworthy successes by making an internal attribution. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Uncertainty Reduction Theory?

A theory that explains how we reduce uncertainty about communication partners by gathering information. Signup and view all the answers

What factors influence perception?

Culture, gender, and personality. Signup and view all the answers

What is empathy?

Feeling into others' thoughts and emotions, making an attempt to understand their perspectives. Signup and view all the answers

What is world-mindedness?

Acceptance of and respect toward other cultures' beliefs, values, and customs. Signup and view all the answers

What is ethnocentrism?

The belief that one's own cultural beliefs and practices are superior to those of others. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Healthy Relationships

Built on awareness of perceptual limits and effort to appreciate differing viewpoints.

Perception

Involves selecting, organizing, and interpreting sensory information, determining reality.

Selection

Involves choosing which sensory information to focus on.

Salience

Refers to how noticeable and significant certain communications or aspects are, influenced by deviations from expectations.

Factors Influencing Salience

Notable behavior diverging from norms and visually or audibly stimulating communication draws attention.

Organization

Structuring selected information into coherent patterns for comprehension.

Punctuation

Process of arranging selected information chronologically; can lead to conflicts if perceptions of events differ.

Interpretation

The act of assigning meaning to information, influenced by personal experiences and knowledge.

Schemata

Mental structures that guide our understanding and expectations of different concepts.

Attributions

Explanations for others' behavior, addressing the reasoning behind their actions.

Types of Attributions

Internal Attributions focus on individual traits, while External Attributions consider environmental factors.

Fundamental Attribution Error

Incorrectly attributing others' behaviors to their personalities, overlooking environmental influences.

Actor-Observer Effect

Individuals tend to attribute their own actions to external factors while attributing others' actions to internal causes.

Self-Serving Bias

Involves crediting oneself for successes through internal attributions, often for ego protection.

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Aims to minimize uncertainty about others in initial interactions by gathering information.

Reducing Uncertainty

Achieved through different methods including passive observation, active inquiry, and direct interaction.

Key Influences on Perception

Culture, Gender, and Personality play significant roles in how we perceive and evaluate interactions.

Cultural Perception

Different cultural schemata lead to various interpretations of communication; cultural backgrounds influence perceived similarities or differences.

Ingroupers vs. Outgroupers

Ingroupers share cultural commonalities, often favored, whereas outgroupers lack similarity which risks misunderstandings.

Gender Differences in Perception

Men generally excel in spatial tasks and problem-solving while women are adept in language processing and emotional identification.

Communication and Gender

Only 1% of communication behavior is attributed to gender differences, with cultural socialization affecting perceptions.

Personality

Defined by consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting influenced by traits.

OCEAN Model

Personality is measured by five traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.

Implicit Personality Theories

Personal beliefs about personality traits and their relationships shape perceptions of others.

Interpersonal Impressions

Initial mental images of others based on perceptions can be positive, neutral, or negative.

Gestalt Impressions

Overall assessments of people formed quickly, often relying on easily discernible traits.

Pollyanna Effects

The tendency to believe positive outcomes are more frequent than negative ones.

Negativity Effect

People emphasize negative information about others, perceiving it as more insightful.

Halo and Horn Effects

Positive or negative overall impressions influence interpretations of specific behaviors.

Algebraic Impressions

Involve more careful evaluations, adapting perceptions as new information is introduced.

Stereotyping

Simplistically categorizing individuals based on group characteristics, often leading to biased impressions.

Improving Perception

Empathy, world-mindedness, and perception-checking are vital for better interpersonal understanding.

Empathy Framework

Involves perspective-taking and empathic concern to connect with others' feelings.

World-Mindedness

Acceptance and respect for cultural diversity, opposing ethnocentrism.

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the superiority of one’s own culture, often hindering understanding of others.

Perception-Checking

A process of verifying and correcting perceptions through specific steps that encourage clearer understanding.

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Description

Explore the key concepts of healthy relationships and perception in Interpersonal Communication through flashcards. This quiz focuses on understanding the complexities of how we perceive and interpret information in social interactions. Test your knowledge and improve your interpersonal skills with this interactive quiz.