I found the Social Construction of Reality difficult to read and apply to my life. It felt more of a technical piece than the others. With that, though, I did relate to the various ways our own reality can be shaped based on what we know, what we are surrounded with, etc.
The discussion on perceptions was very interesting to me; I feel it is so important to recognize the factors that can shape and change ones perception of a situation. It can change the dynamics and understanding of a conversation drastically.
I was also interested in the discussion on visualization. When I was college swimmer, we would have to do that before big races. At the time, I thought it was silly - we all did! We would gather in a room and find as spot on the floor away from our teammates. My coach would describe the meet we were about to compete in and we would need to imagine being there. He would tell us to go through our biggest races - the one we had been training for the most - and think about every detail of how it would go. Sometimes I would do but not completely. I might not think about the temperature of the water in my visualization and when the race came that would throw me off. After studying this technique more since then, I can see how it can be a positive influence on perceptions in communications as well as ways of forming outcomes that you want.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Discussion Questions for Week 2 Readings
I will not be able to attend our next class as I am out of town; I generated a few discussion questions from our readings:
3. Where does language and knowledge fit into the reality of our everyday life? How can the differences in those areas among individuals create a social distortion? How can that be overcome for a successful encounter?
Making Connections by Galvin and Cooper:
1. Is there a person or group of people who had an influence in your life? How have they shaped who you are today?
2. How do you define yourself? Can/does that definition change with different situations you are in and/or when associating with different groups of people?
3. The development of self-concept comes from 'significant others - people whose opinions we especially value'. The reading talks about that being a positive affect on our lives; can a significant other shape your self concept if they had a negative impact? Does that always lead to a negative self concept or would it push for the opposite to occur?
1. Is there a person or group of people who had an influence in your life? How have they shaped who you are today?
2. How do you define yourself? Can/does that definition change with different situations you are in and/or when associating with different groups of people?
3. The development of self-concept comes from 'significant others - people whose opinions we especially value'. The reading talks about that being a positive affect on our lives; can a significant other shape your self concept if they had a negative impact? Does that always lead to a negative self concept or would it push for the opposite to occur?
The Social Construction of Reality by Berger and Luckmann:
1. How is reality of everyday life different for each person?
2. Why are face-to-face situations most important to shaping the reality of everyday life? How does that shape it differently for each person, if they are involved in the face-to-face situation?
2. Why are face-to-face situations most important to shaping the reality of everyday life? How does that shape it differently for each person, if they are involved in the face-to-face situation?
3. Where does language and knowledge fit into the reality of our everyday life? How can the differences in those areas among individuals create a social distortion? How can that be overcome for a successful encounter?
Communication Mosaics – Chapter 3 by Wood:
1. Why do perceptions vary among people? How does that affect the outcome?
2. How do cultures and social communities influence perception? What are examples we see today?
3. Of the four guidelines for improving skill in perceiving, which is most important? Can you have/do one and not the others? What affect does that have on perception?
2. How do cultures and social communities influence perception? What are examples we see today?
3. Of the four guidelines for improving skill in perceiving, which is most important? Can you have/do one and not the others? What affect does that have on perception?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Importance of Communication
I am new to blog sites so this will be an experience for me as a whole.
As I read through the chapters for this week, many things came up with regard to communication. As I child, I remember my mother sharing/teaching us how your tone can change the way a conversation goes. Later, teachers, friends and even strangers, made it clear how the non-verbal cues can also change how a message is sent and how it is received. I feel effective communication is so important to successful relationships - with friends, family, coworkers - anyone. With so many different styles, that can be very difficult. Understanding the theories and foundations might help everyone to come together in the end.
About an hour ago, something happened in my office that resonated with me from what I read already in our book. I had sent an email with an attachment to someone my boss has been working with. I recognized the attachment document as one of our consulting agreements. This is usually sent to people we are going into partnership with. My boss had signed it on behalf of our company and I was sending it back to the the sender for him to counter-sign. I have emailed with him in the past and just pulled up the email address I had. I wrote a brief note about what I was sending back to him and copied my boss. About 30 minutes later, my boss called me into his office over the phone - his tone was angry. Appartently, I had sent that email to this man's business email and it was a HUGE mistake. I immediately apologized but really it was an honest mistake. My boss didn't seem to care, put his hand up, indicating I needed to leave his office. The back story is that my boss and I have a great relationship and communicate well together. This was first mis-communication we have ever had. It is not sitting well with me.
My initial reaction is to defend myself for not knowing any different and for him not including me in what this document was all about. I know that doesn't always lead to a positive outcome; actually, rarely does that lead to anything good but pointing fingers. I guess the outcome of this story is still to come.
I am excited for this course - for what I will learn and for what will be stuff I know but can see differently.
As I read through the chapters for this week, many things came up with regard to communication. As I child, I remember my mother sharing/teaching us how your tone can change the way a conversation goes. Later, teachers, friends and even strangers, made it clear how the non-verbal cues can also change how a message is sent and how it is received. I feel effective communication is so important to successful relationships - with friends, family, coworkers - anyone. With so many different styles, that can be very difficult. Understanding the theories and foundations might help everyone to come together in the end.
About an hour ago, something happened in my office that resonated with me from what I read already in our book. I had sent an email with an attachment to someone my boss has been working with. I recognized the attachment document as one of our consulting agreements. This is usually sent to people we are going into partnership with. My boss had signed it on behalf of our company and I was sending it back to the the sender for him to counter-sign. I have emailed with him in the past and just pulled up the email address I had. I wrote a brief note about what I was sending back to him and copied my boss. About 30 minutes later, my boss called me into his office over the phone - his tone was angry. Appartently, I had sent that email to this man's business email and it was a HUGE mistake. I immediately apologized but really it was an honest mistake. My boss didn't seem to care, put his hand up, indicating I needed to leave his office. The back story is that my boss and I have a great relationship and communicate well together. This was first mis-communication we have ever had. It is not sitting well with me.
My initial reaction is to defend myself for not knowing any different and for him not including me in what this document was all about. I know that doesn't always lead to a positive outcome; actually, rarely does that lead to anything good but pointing fingers. I guess the outcome of this story is still to come.
I am excited for this course - for what I will learn and for what will be stuff I know but can see differently.
Some options for your journal entries
**use these as guidelines, but PLEASE feel free to stray from them as well! Be creative in your application.
- You may discuss similarities and differences in two of the theories from the readings.
- You may discuss how a theory applies to some aspect, context, scenario, relationship, or event in your life (personal and/or professional).
- You may consider your business goals and address how applying a theory may help you attain them.
- You may assess a theory’s strengths and weaknesses. What does it help you understand more clearly? What does not make sense to you? What do you disagree with? How has it helped you gain a clearer understanding of your personal and/or professional life?
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