The Realm of Communication L7 PDF

Corvinus University of Budapest The Realm of Communication 7th lecture Alexandra Nagy-Béni, PhD  Agenda SCHOOLS OF C OMMU NIC A T ION T H EORY DIMENSIONS OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS Palo Alto, Chi...

Corvinus University of Budapest The Realm of Communication 7th lecture Alexandra Nagy-Béni, PhD  Agenda SCHOOLS OF C OMMU NIC A T ION T H EORY DIMENSIONS OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS Palo Alto, Chicago, Toronto, Frankfurt, Birmingham Schools of Communication Communication competence Models of relational dynamics  Communication and influence Presentation of group projects CommVille Written test 1. 12 Roadmap 8 6 11 7 9 10 5 Nonverbal Dimensions of 3 Written test 2. 2 communication interpersonal relationships Mass (media) 1 Introduction to communication & 4 mass (media) Mass media Introduction to communication & effects II. interpersonal Mass media Overview communication Interpersonal effects I. of the communication Models and semester and culture theories of interpersonal communication  Schools of communication theory "School": discourse or school of thought; a place where a discipline has been studied and the theories of the individuals working in that institution Palo Alto School Trigger: the need for developing a communication model for human sciences Gregory Bateson, Ray Birdwhistell, Edward T. Hall, Erwing Goffman, Paul Watzlawick etc. The "Invisible College" Watzlavick: the interactional view - axioms: (Some of) One cannot not communicate. It is impossible not to communicate. Watzlavick's axioms Every communication has a content and relationship aspect such that the latter classifies the former Human communication involves both digital (what is said) and analog (how it is said) modalities Inter-human communication procedures are either symmetric or complementary, whether they are based on equality or difference Chicago School John Dewey, Charles Cooley and George Herbert Mead Mead: communication that allows the unique individual to appreciate the attitudes, viewpoints and positions of others Dewey: the "great community" Cooley: political communication makes public opinion possible (which promotes democracy) Focus: electronic communication as a facilitator of democracy, faith in the informed electorate, the individual vs. the mass Toronto School “the primacy of communication in the structuring of human cultures and the structuring of the human mind” Marshall McLuhan: “the medium is the message” - importance of the conveyance of information and the social agency that medium can have Frankfurt School Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Jürgen Habermas The "culture industry": increase in technology produces commodities - the consumption of cultural products led to formulas of producing them for entertainment purposes - underlying ideological purpose? Entertainment blinds people from questioning the prevailing system Mass culture vs. high culture Birmingham School Richard Hoggart, Stuart Hall, Richard Johnson The roots of the cultural movement Evolved from a complex moment within British post-war history: the rise of the anti- Stalinist New Left and the growing multiculturalism of British society Variety of approaches to the study of culture: ideological analysis; studies of working-class cultures and subcultures; the role of media audiences; feminist cultural research; hegemonic struggles in state politics etc.  What does it take to communicate well? How would you decline an unwanted invitation? How would you ask sy. to stop an annoying behaviour? Communication competence: The ability to achieve goals in a manner both effective and appropriate (Spitzberg, 2000) There is no single “ideal” or “effective” way to communicate: depends on the setting, personality, flexibility etc. COMPETEN C E IS SITUATIONAL Communication competence is not a trait that a person either possesses or lacks - better to talk about degrees or areas of competence COMPETEN C E CAN BE LEARNED Biology is a determinant to some extent, e.g., conscientious people find it easier to be appropriate and harder to be assertive Communication competence is a set of skills that anyone can learn  A LA RG E RE PE RT OI RE OF S KI LLS The chances of reaching your personal and relational goals increase with the number of options you have A D A PTA BI LI TY Selecting appropriate responses for each situation and for each recipient “The hallmark of interpersonal communication skills” Professors vs. students with casual text language Characteristics A BI LI TY TO PERFORM SKILFULLY Performing behaviour effectively - theory vs. of competent practice communication Practice is the key to skilful performance  EM PA TH Y/PERS PECTI V E TAKING Empathizing and understanding lead to more effective messages - vital to communicate this understanding COG N I TI V E COMPLEX ITY The ability to construct a variety of different frameworks for viewing an issue, e.g., no response from your old friend Leads to greater “conversational sensitivity” and satisfying results - strong connection between cognitive complexity and empathy Characteristics S ELF - M ONI TORI NG The process of paying close attention to one’s own of competent behavior and using these observations to shape it communication This "detached" viewpoint is a great asset EX ER CIS E: S K ETC H I T! The group votes on who should be the leader; the person stands in front of the others. It is your job to describe the sketch in as much detail and comprehensibility as possible. The others do not see the image and must draw it solely on the basis of the description.  Models of relational dynamics GO A L: T O DESCRIBE A N D EXP LAIN HO W CO MMUNICATION CREA T ES A N D REFLECTS T HE CH A N GING D Y N A MICS O F R ELA TIONSHIPS 1) Stages of relational development by Knapp 2) Relational dialectics by Baxter & Montgomery Stages of relationship development by Mark Knapp Focus: how relationships grow and last and also how they end Relationship escalation + relationship termination Developed the staircase model: 10 steps that involve coming together and coming apart Third area: relational maintenance - keeping relationships operating smoothly and satisfactorily Diverse levels of speed and altered time between steps + steps can be even skipped 1) I N I T I A T I N G To show that you are interested in making contact and to demonstrate that you are a person worth talking to Brief communication and conventional formulas 2 ) EXP ER I MEN TI N G The search for common ground Small talk - a way to “audition” the other person—to help us decide whether a relationship is worth pursuing 3) I N T EN S I FYI N G Increase in contact and depth of self-disclosure - time of relational excitement 4 ) I N T EG RA TI N G Individuals begin to take on an identity as a social unit - routines and rituals that reinforce their identity Giving up some characteristics of our former selves 5 ) BOND ING Symbolic public gestures to show commitment and "officialize" the integration Important turning point: surge of commitment 6) D I F F EREN TI A TI N G The need to re-establish individual identities We vs. I - can be positive as well 7) C I R CUMSCRI BI N G Partners reduce the scope of their contact with each other - "to draw circles around Clearly marked distinctions: "my bank account" vs. "your bank account" Healthy balance is needed 8 ) S T A GN A TI N G The old, familiar ways without much feeling - relational boredom sets in 9 ) AV OID ING People in a relationship begin to create distance between each other - drifting apart Need for some degree of relationship closure: 10) T ER M I N AT I NG Summary dialogues, desire to dissociate - can be both short and drawn over time Not all relationships end! Are relational stages the best way to explain relational dynamics?  Relational Dialectics Theory by Leslie Baxter & Barbara Montgomery (William Rawlins) Can a relationship have attributes of both “coming together” and “coming apart” at the same time? Maintaining relationships = managing competing goals Dialectical tensions: conflicts that arise when two opposing or incompatible desires exist simultaneously in a relationship Dialectic approach: multiple points of view play off one another in every contradiction Focus: “on the messier, less logical, and more inconsistent unfolding practices” Assumptions: Relationships are not linear Relational life is characterized by change Contradiction is the fundamental fact of relational life Communication is central to organizing and negotiating relational contradictions Dialectical I N TEG R ATI O N VER S U S S EPARATI ON tensions Our desire for involvement vs. our unwillingness to sacrifice our entire identity Internally: connection–autonomy dialectic We want to be close to others versus we seek independence E.g., who expects you to be always responsive? Externally: inclusion–seclusion dialectic The desire for both involvement with others outside the relationship and time together within the relationship E.g., do you accept or decline an invitation? Dialectical S TAB I LI TY VERS U S CHANGE tensions Our desire for stability vs. avoiding feelings of staleness Internally: predictability–novelty dialectic Externally: conventionality– uniqueness dialectic Trying to meet others’ expectations while being true to themselves E.g., the role of "happy family" during the time of conflict Dialectical EX PR ES S I O N VERS U S PRI VACY tensions Disclosure vs. maintaining space between ourselves and others Internally: openness–closedness dialectic E.g., what do you do when a person you care about asks an important question that you don’t want to answer? Externally: revelation–concealment dialectic E.g., If your family has had a run of bad financial luck and a friend asks to borrow money, do you share your situation or keep quiet? Which dialectical tension do we see in action in the following clips? Catherine Ziemann. (2013, April 10). Relational Dialectics [video]. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY9wkrgtGX0 Ellescene. (2007, May 8). Relational Dialectics 3 [video]. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnPZMozo5cQ&t=8s ShortFunnyClips. (2020, July 12). Banana Hammock and Crap Bag || Friends 10E14 [video]. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sGU7Tco_l4 TBS. (2021, November 12). Friends: Ross Lies To Rachel About Getting An Annulment (Season 6 Clip) | TBS [video]. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2QcP1OF6P0  DENIAL Pretending that the conflict doesn't exist COMPROMISI N G Neither this nor that - settling for something ALTERNATIN G Choosing one end of the dialectical spectrum at some times and the other end on different occasions COMPARTMENTA LIZI N G Sharing some parts but keeping others private ACCEPTANC E Strategies for Embracing opposing desires managing REFRAMIN G Different interpretation of the same situation dialectical REAFFIRMIN G tensions the fact that dialectical tensions will never disappear Anybody looking for some extra points?  Thank you for the attention! [email protected] Sources: Adler, R. B., Rosenfeld, L. B., Towne, N., & Scott, M. (2018). Interplay: The process of interpersonal communication (14th edition). New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Baxter, L. A., & Braithwaite, D. O. (2008). Relational dialectics theory. In L. A. Baxter & D. O. Braithwaite (Eds.), Engaging theories in interpersonal communication: Multiple perspectives (pp. 349–361). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Griffin, E. M. (2006). A first look at communication theory. McGraw-hill. Knapp, M. L., Vangelisti, A. L., & Caughlin, J. P. (2014). Interpersonal communication in human relationships (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Media Literacy (2012). Schools of thought. Retrieved from https://comsf12.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/class-6/ Spitzberg, B. H. (2000). What is good communication? Journal of the Association for Communication Administration, 29, 103–119.