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Communication Skills Check-In Discussion [WLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4] [CLOs: 1, 4, 5]ResourcesClick each source below:Week 5 Discussion Advice(attach below)Week 5 Discussion Video ResourcesPrior to beginning work on this discussion forum, revisit and retake The Communication Quiz from Week 1 - How Good Are Your Communication Skills? Speaking, Listening, Writing, and Reading Effectively. (Links to an external site.)(results attach blow in pdf)An important theme throughout this course is being a competent communicator, which is the ability to choose a communication behavior that is both effective and appropriate for a given situation. For this final discussion forum, you are required to do the following:Complete the assessment and compare your results from Week 1(results from week 1 attach below) to today.How are they different, if at all, from Week 1?Identify one of your communication strengths, using and citing your textbook.(Chpt 2 from the txt book is attach)Identify one of your communication weaknesses, using and citing your textbook.(Chpt 2 from the txt book is attach)Explain how working on your communication weaknesses will improve your personal relationships.Explain how working on your communication weaknesses will improve your professional relationships.For this discussion forum, your initial post should be 300 to 350 words in length. For additional advice about how to approach this discussion and resources for thinking about the value of listening and how to improve, review the documents in the “Resources” box above.Majority of the materiels you will need for this discussion is attach below, will send the rest when assigned. let me know if you have any question. chpt_2.pdf week_1_discussion.docx week_1_quiz_result_1.pdf week_1_quiz_result_2.pdf week_1_quiz_result_strongest__3.pdf Unformatted Attachment Preview 5/28/2020 Print Jennifer L. Bevan Contributor: Tessa Urbanovich Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication, Third Edition Zovio Inc Vice President, Learning Resources: Steve Wainwright Associate Director, Sponsoring Editor: Greer Lleuad Development Editors: Jessica Sarra, Shannon LeMay-Finn Assistant Editor: Taylor Holmes Production Editor: Julie Mashburn Media Editor: Jaime LeClair Cover Design: Tara Mayberry Printer: Lightning Source Production Service: Hespenheide Design ePub Development: M & R Consultants Corporation (MRCC) Video Production: Illuminating Pictures Cover Image: Kubkoo / iStock / Getty Images Plus ISBN-13: 978-1-62178-624-5 Copyright © 2020, 2014, 2011 Zovio Inc All rights reserved. GRANT OF PERMISSION TO PRINT: The copyright owner of this material hereby grants the holder of this publication the right to print these materials for personal use. The holder of this material may print the materials herein for personal use only. Any print, reprint, reproduction or distribution of these materials for commercial use without the express written consent of the copyright owner constitutes a violation of the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101-810, as amended. https://content.ashford.edu/print/Bevan.6245.19.1?sections=fm,ch02,ch02intro,sec2.1,sec2.2,sec2.3,ch02summary&content=all&clientToken=9a020… 1/13 5/28/2020 Print Interpersonal Communication Begins with the Self: An Introduction to Intrapersonal Communication 2 Willem Dijkstra/iStockphoto/Thinkstock Learning Outcomes After reading this chapter, you should be able to █ Understand the relationship between intrapersonal and interpersonal communication. █ █ █ █ De ine self-concept and self-esteem. Examine the role of both intrapersonal and interpersonal communication in forming one’s self-concept, self-esteem, and body image. Explain how biological sex and gender orientation shape identity. Implement strategies for improving the relationship between your intrapersonal and interpersonal communication. https://content.ashford.edu/print/Bevan.6245.19.1?sections=fm,ch02,ch02intro,sec2.1,sec2.2,sec2.3,ch02summary&content=all&clientToken=9a020… 2/13 5/28/2020 Print Introduction The relationship between intrapersonal and interpersonal communication can be explained as follows: Who you are as an individual is inextricably linked with how you see the world, how you communicate with others, and with how others see you. Thus, understanding the different aspects of self—self-concept and self-esteem—can help you become a more competent communicator. If you are asked to tell someone about yourself, to introduce who you are as an individual, what do you say? Try this short, simple exercise. Take out a piece of paper and a pen or open a blank document on your computer and write “I am . . . .” Now set a timer for ive minutes and complete this sentence by writing as many brief, different descriptions of yourself as possible. Try not to think too much about each description; just jot down what comes to mind. When the ive minutes are over, review the list of traits and characteristics you compiled. What kinds of categories emerged? Did you list physical qualities such as biological sex, ethnicity, or an aspect of your appearance (e.g., “I am female” or “I am tall”)? Did you include roles that you play in your life, such as student, accountant, or parent? Did you associate yourself with a group, such as a religious af iliation, cultural identity, or sports team, or with a hobby or activity that you enjoy? Were any of your descriptions about the relationships you have with others (e.g., “I am Carl’s girlfriend” or “I am Abby’s father”)? Did you describe any of your personality characteristics, talents, or abilities (e.g., “I am introverted” or “I am a good writer”)? Did you note an aspect of your online persona (e.g., “I am a food blogger”)? Each of these are about the labels you embrace about yourself. You use these labels as identi iers for both yourself and others and they are central to your identity formation. As we discuss in this chapter, we all create our own reality. Social scientists use many terms such as self-concept and self-esteem to describe all the many aspects that make up your “self”—your identity and identity markers, or the consistent grouping of attitudes that de ine who you are. Intrapersonal communication refers to the internal communication within and to yourself. You communicate with yourself in a number of ways, some of which are similar to the conversations you have with other people. Your thoughts are a form of intrapersonal communication. You also communicate with yourself via verbal messages to yourself, either out loud or silently. For instance, you might congratulate yourself with a message such as, “Wow, I did a great job on that project,” or scold yourself by saying, “I’m an idiot for doing that!” You also communicate by being a friend to yourself with statements such as, “You need a break,” or by encouraging yourself with statements like, “You can do this.” As with the interpersonal communication we have with others, these intrapersonal messages are shaped and formed by our relationships with those around us, the culture(s) in which we were raised, and where we are currently immersed. Chapter 2 examines the conscious and unconscious factors that in luence how you see yourself and how you communicate with yourself. In this chapter, you will attempt to answer the question “Who am I?” by exploring the terms self-concept and self-esteem along with factors such as biological sex, gender orientation, and online presentation of self that in luence your communication with yourself and with others. You will also learn ways to improve your intrapersonal communication competence over your lifetime. https://content.ashford.edu/print/Bevan.6245.19.1?sections=fm,ch02,ch02intro,sec2.1,sec2.2,sec2.3,ch02summary&content=all&clientToken=9a020… 3/13 5/28/2020 Print 2.1 Communication and the Self-Concept Consider again the exercise presented in the chapter introduction. The contents of this list differ for every person, but taken together, they represent their unique self-concept. Self-concept can be de ined as one’s broad description or perception of him- or herself as a person, “based on an organized collection of beliefs and feelings about oneself” (Myers, 1993, p. 188). It is your sense of you, who you are as an individual, as well as how you make sense of your place in the world. The list that you created, which we will refer to throughout this chapter, shows that you have several components to your self-concept. These components of “you” are shaped and altered by aspects of self-concept, including the looking-glass self, social comparisons, culture, and the self-ful illing prophecy. Together, these components combine to create who you are and shape your self-concept over time and are linked to both self-talk and interpersonal communication. How Self-Concept Is Created Where does your concept of self come from? Most researchers believe that who you think you are is a complex mix of how you see yourself, how others see you, what others have told you about yourself that you have recognized and internalized, and what your society or culture tells you that you are or should be. For example, psychologist Michael Argyle (1983) described four key factors that contribute to development of self-concept. An example of how communication messages further help the in luence of these factors are provided in parentheses: the reaction of others (A coworker complimenting you on how nice you look wearing a new shirt may encourage you to wear it more often. You might say to yourself, “I’m attractive.” If said enough, you might even believe it to be true.) your comparison with others (Your parents telling you to be more like your older sibling may create feelings of competition and resentment as you try to forge your own path. If you internalize this belief that you should be Bill Losh/The Image Bank/Getty Images different, it might make you change your behavior or have thoughts about █ The social roles you play and the groups you identify with can yourself as inadequate. It is not just about what others say, but what we contribute to your self-concept. internalize.) the social roles you play in society (You are an elementary school teacher, so, when you are in this role, your students call you “Mr. Montgomery” and your employer classi ies you that way.) the groups with which you identify (As someone diagnosed with a speci ic chronic health condition, you may embrace labels such as “chronic pain sufferer” and this is integrated into your identity. You might seek out others who also have that condition via online support groups so you can discuss your situation with others. The more time spent with similarly-identi ied others, the more likely you are to integrate those labels into your selfconcept.) Your self-concept is learned; it is organized, it is dynamic, and it is ever-changing (Purkey, 1988). You construct this sense of self through communication with yourself and others—by what you tell yourself and what others tell you about yourself. In other words, your self-concept is irst externally imposed by others and then internally incorporated in your thoughts, feelings, actions, and communication. For example, when you were born, you had no clear concept of yourself. However, you expressed yourself by communicating with others through cries and other sounds, through facial expressions, and through bodily actions such as grabbing a inger that was extended toward you. At some point, you realized that your behavior resulted in responses from others. You cried and received something to eat or your diaper was changed. Then your behavior became purposeful; you made that cry because you learned that doing so would elicit a response from others. You most likely did not think through this action and reason, “If I cry, I will be fed or changed,” but, at a conscious or unconscious level, you communicated because you wanted to achieve a speci ic goal. As you matured, your behavior was more consciously planned to get your needs and desires met. And as you got even older, you started to develop your own sense of who you were, what you wanted to be, and what others were telling you was valued and devalued in your culture. Throughout life, you have an in inite number of opportunities to express yourself and to interact with people. These people may express opinions about your behavior by smiling or frowning at you or by making verbal judgments about your behavior or appearance. “That baby sure cries a lot, doesn’t he?” “You are a very pretty child.” “She plays well with other children.” The opinions that other people express to you or about you affect you in ways you might not realize. They in luence the way you see yourself, the way you respond to dif iculties in life, and the way you interact with others. All the feedback you get from others, whether verbal or nonverbal, are early instances of you learning about the cultural standards that surround you and what is right or wrong or good or bad. We subtly and not-so-subtly learn that crying is not appreciated, being pretty is good, and getting along with others is bene icial. Though we will address culture more directly in the next chapter, culture is a central force in shaping our ideas of the self. Though self-concept is an internal process, it is learned, maintained, and can change through interpersonal communication. Now, let’s look more at what contributes to our self-concept. The Looking-Glass Self Humans are social beings, and in the early 20th century, American sociologist Charles Horton Cooley posited that people always see themselves in relation to other people. Your sense of self, he believed, is formed by imagining how you appear to other people. Cooley used the term looking-glass self to describe this view of your self-concept, and the looking-glass self is the irst way that self-concept is created. Cooley suggests that other people are like a looking glass, or a mirror, in which you can view yourself from others’ perspectives. In other words, you are always considering how you look to other people. You might have a speci ic person in mind that you want to impress, or you might have a general sense of “other people” and how they might judge you. In essence, we treat others’ views of us as clues to who we are. We gather this information about their “views” through the verbal and nonverbal cues they provide, giving us clues about how we have met or not met cultural expectations. These clues to who we are may be accurate or inaccurate, harmful or bene icial, temporary or enduring. Look back at the “Who am I?” list that you created. Are those descriptions at all based on how you think others view you? To what degree do these descriptions re lect how you view yourself? When you see yourself in a mirror, or think about yourself, you may be pleased or displeased by what you see, but not simply because it does or does not re lect who you want to be. You are likely also imagining how other people will judge you. In fact, we might even be visualizing what others might say about us https://content.ashford.edu/print/Bevan.6245.19.1?sections=fm,ch02,ch02intro,sec2.1,sec2.2,sec2.3,ch02summary&content=all&clientToken=9a020… 4/13 5/28/2020 Print as we look into that mirror. These judgments create feelings in you such as pride or embarrassment. For example, in the presence of a person you think is beautiful, you may feel ugly. In the presence of someone who seems to be less fashionable than you, you may feel sophisticated. You might argue that you, or someone you know, are not affected by what other people think. However, when you say, “I don’t care about other people’s opinions,” that does not mean that you have not considered them. In fact, to come to this decision, you had to make a conscious choice to disregard the judgment of others. Instead of shame about an action you took, for example, you might choose an attitude of apathy and not allow yourself to be bothered by the opinion of others, or you might even feel pride at disobeying the rules of society. In any case, Cooley (1902) believed that the thoughts of other people are always there. Social Comparison According to social psychologist Leon Festinger’s (1954) social comparison theory, humans have a fundamental impulse to evaluate their abilities and opinions. When there is no objective assessment such as a test or a numerical evaluation available, we rely on social comparisons and evaluate our abilities and opinions by comparing ourselves to other people. In particular, Festinger’s (1954) theory speci ies that this act of social comparison is more likely to occur in relation to a particular group that is important or central to you in some way, called a reference group. The results of these social comparisons— whether you conclude that you compare favorably or unfavorably to members of a group on a particular characteristic—is the second element that contributes to your self-concept. For example, you may think that you must have certain possessions because others in your reference group have them, or you must communicate in a certain way to it in with a group you want to impress. Comparisons to certain reference groups can explain why teenagers adopt the dress and the slang expressions of their peers, or why cultural identi ication can in luence how to care for an elderly family member or take part in particular holiday celebrations. Research has consistently found that individuals who compare themselves to images in different forms of media such as magazine advertisements, television shows, and commercials also feel dissatis ied with their own bodies (Nabi, 2009). Such indings support Festinger’s (1954) social comparison theory. Online interactions are also a source of social comparison. For example, one research study examined how the content of others’ social media pro iles could impact users’ social comparison processes (Haferkamp & Kramer, 2011). Using ictitious social media pro iles, the researchers found that users who viewed pro ile pictures of individuals who were deemed “very attractive” had a more negative image of their own bodies than those who viewed pro ile pictures of individuals who were deemed to be “unattractive.” When male participants viewed pro iles of successful males, they perceived a larger discrepancy between their ideal and their current career paths compared with men who viewed pro iles of less successful males (Haferkamp & Kramer, 2011). As the size and number of our reference groups expand along with the growth of social media, social comparisons are likely even more signi icant in shaping self-concept. Culture At the broadest level, the culture in which we are raised is a third source of self-concept. Culture, as we discuss in greater detail in Chapter 3, is inherently interrelated with how we communicate, as well as how we form and reinforce views of our self. The impact of culture is re lected in what others—including our parents, authority igures, peer groups, and larger social structures such as the media, political parties, and organizations—tell us about ideals we should strive for and about ourselves. Culture also helps to shape our identity, which we will discuss in more detail in Chapter 3. Culture also in luences what its members consider socially signi icant and personally valuable. For example, psychologist Bella DePaulo (2007) calls American cultural bias against individuals who are not in romantic relationships “singlism,” and this prevailing cultural belief could make individuals who are single (an identity marker) feel as if they do not measure up to those who are in relationships, thus contributing to a more negative self-concept. So, because culture is such a major part of who we are, it can also have an impact on self-concept. A Closer Look at Self-Concept Narrated video explaining self-concept.    0:00 / 3:10    Self-Ful illing Prophecy Your interpretation of situations, as well as the messages that you use to describe them, can affect your approach to particular situations and, subsequently, your behavior in these situations. Your experiences condition you to see the world in a particular way, and such perceptions are dif icult to change. Thus, in a very real way, you create your own reality. You approach communication encounters with certain expectations and, through your perception and your symbolic use of language, you can create a self-ful illing prophecy in which you see what you expect to see and hear what you expect to hear. For example, when college students enter into a con lict interaction expecting that it will be intense, they later report that it indeed involved a number of intense https://content.ashford.edu/print/Bevan.6245.19.1?sections=fm,ch02,ch02intro,sec2.1,sec2.2,sec2.3,ch02summary&content=all&clientToken=9a020… 5/13 5/28/2020 Print components, including the use of personal attacks, and they experienced emotional upset and subsequent interference with their day-to-day activities (DiPaola, Roloff, & Peters, 2010). Health communication researchers also describe a self-ful illing prophecy that can occur in doctor–patient interactions (Perloff, Bonder, Ray, Berlin Ray, & Siminoff, 2006): If a patient believes that the doctor will not respect him or the questions that he asks, he is likely to make fewer inquiries during an appointment. The doctor will then think the patient is not motivated or interested in his health and will provide less information or information that uses too much confusing medical jargon. The doctor’s response affec ... Purchase answer to see full attachment