(eTextbook PDF) for Reflect and Relate: An Introduction to Interpersonal Communication 5th Edition
https://ebookmass.com/product/etextbook-pdf-for-reflect-andrelate-an-introduction-to-interpersonal-communication-5thedition/ (eBook PDF) Media & Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication 12th Edition
students to interact and engage with the material and, by emphasizing the application of communication skills, it prepares students to excel both in the course and in their real-life communication. We hope that having a lower price than many other human communication books will allow Communication and You to be accessible to students and instructors seeking an affordable option for their classrooms.
Teachers and students using the focused yet comprehensive pedagogy and accompanying digital resources of Communication and You should find that the human communication course becomes more manageable and easier to understand. We’re excited for students to connect the study of communication with the study of their own lives.
Features of Communication and You: A Closer Look
A focus on skills and their application. Communication and You delivers everything students need in an introduction to human communication text, in an accessible and relevant voice, and offers plenty of opportunities for students to apply the material to their own lives. Throughout the book students are prompted to reexamine and reinforce concepts like perception, cognition, intercultural communication, nonverbal messages, and group roles through their own experiences.
“What About You?” self-assessment quizzes. These quizzes, appearing toward the end of each chapter, use a variety of formats, all prompting students to examine their own communication techniques, tendencies, and skills. By answering questions about themselves, readers can see the way the chapter’s concepts apply to their daily interactions.
“And You” boxes. Throughout each chapter, short boxes pose thought-provoking, self-examining questions related to culture, technology, and ethics in communication. These questions, drawing on readers’ experiences, infuse these three core topics with real-world
resonance. They also make great prompts for classroom discussion or quick response assignments.
“Things to Try” activities. Each chapter also includes activities that provide more involved writing and research assignments. The “Things to Try” boxes maintain the book’s self-reflection focus, with activities that blend the book’s concepts with personal application.
Adaptive learning and integrated self-assessment with LearningCurve. An online learning tool that adapts to what students already know and helps them practice what they don’t yet understand, LearningCurve ensures that students receive as much targeted instruction and practice as they need. The goal of the program is learning, not proving what has been learned, and the practice it offers in understanding and applying communication skills helps students gain the confidence they need in their courses. At the end of major headings, as well as at the beginning and end of each chapter, integrated call-outs prompt students to visit the book’s LearningCurve Web site and take adaptive review quizzes, testing their knowledge of the material. Free access to LearningCurve comes with every new copy of Communication and You.
Video resources. New copies of Communication and You also come with access to VideoCentral: Human Communication, an online resource featuring hundreds of short video clips illustrating the most important terms from the text.
Print and Digital Formats
For more information on these formats, please visit the online catalog at bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou /catalog.
The loose-leaf edition of Communication and You features the same print text in a convenient, budget-priced format, designed to fit into any threering binder.
The Bedford e-Book to Go for Communication and You includes the same content as the print book and provides an affordable, tech-savvy PDF e-book option for students. Instructors can customize the e-book by adding their own content and deleting or rearranging chapters. Learn more about custom Bedford e-Books to Go and about other e-book versions of Communication and You in a variety of formats at bedfordstmartins.com/ebooks.
Coming soon! The Bedford x-Book for Communication and You reimagines what a text can do online, integrating video and social tools that let instructors and students get into the book in a whole new way. Assignments are organized into a clear road map so that students can focus on what they need, detailed reports give instructors insight into what students have read and how they’ve performed on assigned activities, and handy course links let instructors upload or link to important course resources. Instructors can also customize the x-book, changing the table of contents or embedding their own materials. Learn more at bedfordstmartins.com /catalog/ebooks.
Launchpad for Communication and you is designed to support students in all aspects of the introduction to communication course. It’s fully loaded with the x-book, hundreds of video clips, and opportunities for students to assess their learning. Launchpad makes it easy to upload and annotate video, embed YouTube clips, and create video assignments.
Resources for Students
For more information on these resources or to learn about package options, please visit the online catalog at bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou/catalog
Integrated media for Communication and You. Every new copy of Communication and You comes with access to LearningCurve, an adaptive online learning tool that helps students study, practice, and apply
their communication skills. At the end of major headings, prompts refer students to the book’s LearningCurve Web site, where they can answer questions about the material in each chapter. New copies of Communication and You also come with access to VideoCentral: Human Communication, an online resource of short video clips that define important terms from the text (see last page of book for a list). Finally, the book has a companion Web site with free and open access to a host of resources and study tools, including chapter outlines and review quizzes, activities, and more.
The Essential Guide to Intercultural Communication by Jennifer Willis-Rivera (University of Wisconsin, River Falls). This useful guide offers an overview of key communication areas, including perception, verbal and nonverbal communication, interpersonal relationships, and organizations, from a uniquely intercultural perspective. Enhancing the discussion are contemporary and fun examples drawn from real life as well as an entire chapter devoted to intercultural communication in popular culture.
The Essential Guide to Rhetoric by William M. Keith (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) and Christian O. Lundberg (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill). This handy guide is a powerful addition to the public speaking portion of the human communication course, providing an accessible and balanced overview of key historical and contemporary rhetorical theories. Written by two leaders in the field, this brief introduction uses concrete, relevant examples and jargon-free language to bring concepts to life.
The Essential Guide to Presentation Software by Allison Ainsworth (Gainesville State College) and Rob Patterson (University of Virginia). This guide shows students how presentation software can be used to support but not overtake their speeches. Sample screens and practical advice make this an indispensable resource for students preparing electronic visual aids.
Outlining and Organizing Your Speech by Merry Buchanan (University of Central Oklahoma). This student workbook provides step-by-step guidance for preparing informative, persuasive, and professional presentations and gives students the opportunity to practice the critical skills of conducting audience analysis, dealing with communication apprehension, selecting a speech topic and purpose, researching support materials, organizing and outlining, developing introductions and conclusions, enhancing language and delivery, and preparing and using presentation aids.
Media Career Guide: Preparing for Jobs in the 21st Century, Ninth Edition, by Sherri Hope Culver (Temple University) and James Seguin (Robert Morris University). Practical and studentfriendly, this guide includes a comprehensive directory of media jobs, practical tips, and career guidance for students considering a major in communication studies and mass media.
Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age, Fifth Edition, by Diana Hacker (late, of Prince George’s Community College) and Barbara Fister (Gustavus Adolphus College). This handy booklet covers everything students need for college research assignments at the library and on the Internet, including advice for finding and evaluating Internet sources.
Resources for Instructors
For more information or to order or download these resources, please visit the online catalog at bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou/catalog.
Instructor’s Resource Manual. This manual contains helpful tips and teaching assistance for new and seasoned instructors alike. Content includes learning objectives, lecture outlines, general classroom activities, and review questions as well as suggestions for
setting up a syllabus, tips on managing your classroom, and general notes on teaching the course.
ESL Students in the Public Speaking Classroom: A Guide for Teachers by Robbin Crabtree (Fairfield University) and Robert Weissberg (New Mexico State University). As the United States increasingly becomes a nation of non-native speakers, instructors must find new pedagogical tools to aid students for whom English is a second language. This guide specifically addresses the needs of ESL students in the public speaking arena and offers instructors valuable advice for helping students deal successfully with the unique challenges they face. Free to adopters.
Professional and student speeches. Available on DVD, volume 19 of the esteemed Great Speeches series offers dynamic professional speeches for today’s classroom, featuring such compelling speakers as Bill Clinton, Christopher Reeve, and the Dalai Lama. Additional professional videos are available from the Bedford/St. Martin’s Video Library. In addition, three recordings of student speeches (featuring students of varying abilities from Texas Tech and the University of Oklahoma) provide models for study and analysis. These professional and student speech resources are free to qualified adopters. Please contact your sales representative for more information.
Coordinating the Communication Course: A Guidebook by Deanna L. Fassett and John T. Warren. This guidebook offers the most practical advice on every topic central to the coordinator/ director role. Starting with setting a strong foundation, this professional resource continues on with thoughtful guidance, tips, and best practices on crucial topics such as creating community across multiple sections, orchestrating meaningful assessment, hiring and training instructors, and more. Model course materials, recommended readings, and insights from successful coordinators make this resource a must-have for anyone directing a course in communication.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, we owe a great deal of gratitude to our families and friends who supported us and listened to us as we worked through ideas for the book, who made us laugh during bouts of writer’s block, and who were understanding when we had to cancel plans to meet deadlines. So thank you, Mary, John, Erica, and Jonathan, as well as John, Molly, Chad, William, Jackson, John, and Andrea. You will always remain our litmus tests for just how real our communication is across its many applications. In addition, we both wish to credit and thank Gus Friedrich and John Wiemann, whose contributions to this book and our discipline are far too many to list. Thanks also to John O’Loughlin of HR Capital Partners and vice president of Global Human Resources at SkinIt, for consulting on and reviewing the Interviewing Appendix. And, of course, we must thank our students—including Daniel Bernard, Cory Cunningham, Vanessa Gonzales, Cynthia Inda, Michel Haigh, and Kim Potts, among countless others—who continue to inspire us as teachers. We’re grateful for the frank discussions that have opened our eyes to many of the challenges of this course from your point of view, and we are grateful for your helpful and thoughtful suggestions for examples.
We would also like to thank everyone at Bedford/ St. Martin’s who helped make this book possible, including President Denise Wydra, Director of Development Erica Appel, and Director of Production Sue Brown. We owe a particular debt of gratitude to our
Dan O’Hair is dean of the University of Kentucky College of Communications and Information Studies. He is past presidential professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma and past president of the National Communication Association. He is coauthor or coeditor of fifteen communication texts and scholarly volumes and has published more than eighty research articles and chapters in dozens of communication, psychology, and health journals and books. He is a frequent presenter at national and international communication conferences, is on the editorial boards of various journals, and has served on numerous committees and task forces for regional and national communication associations.
Dorothy “Dolly” Imrich Mullin is a continuing lecturer in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her published research is in the area of media policy and effects. Her current focus is on teaching communication to undergraduates. She specializes in large introductory communication courses, including research methods and theory, and has been recognized for her efforts with a Distinguished Teaching Award. She also trains and supervises the graduate student teaching assistants, working to develop and promote excellent teaching skills among the professors of the future.
Mary Wiemann is professor emeritus in the Department of Communication at Santa Barbara City College in California. Her books, book chapters, journal articles, student and instructor manuals, and online instructional materials all reflect her commitment to making effective communication real and accessible for students. A recipient of awards for outstanding teaching, she is also a communication laboratory innovator and has directed classroom research projects in the community college setting. She serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Literacy and Technology, is a frequent presenter at the National Communication Association convention, and has held a number of offices in the Human Communication and Technology Division of that organization.
Jason J. Teven, an award-winning scholar and teacher, is professor of Human Communication Studies and the basic course coordinator at California State University, Fullerton. He has published widely in academic journals and is devoted to programmatic research and the social scientific approach to human communication, with research relating to credibility, caring, and social influence within instructional, interpersonal, and organizational communication contexts. His most recent scholarly activities include the examination of superior-subordinate relationships within organizations; communication competence; and the impact of personality traits on communication within the workplace and interpersonal relationships.
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Communicating Competently 12 Competent Communication Is Process Oriented 13 Competent Communication Is Appropriate and Effective 15
Competent Communication Involves Communication Skills 16 Competent Communication Involves Using Technology 17
2
Perceiving the Self and Others 29
Perception: Making Sense of Your World 30
Selecting Information 31
Schemas: Organizing Perceptions 31
Attributions: Interpreting Your Perceptions 33
Improving Your Perceptions 34
Perception in a Diverse World 35
The Cultural Context 35
Perceptual Barriers 35
Cognition: Perceiving Ourselves 37
Self-Concept: Who You Think You Are 37
Self-Esteem: How You Feel About Yourself 39
Self-Efficacy: Assessing Your Own Abilities 40
Assessing Our Perceptions of Self 42
Behavior: Managing Our Identities 43
Self-Presentation 43
Self-Disclosure 45
what about You? Self-Monitoring Test 46
Technology: Managing the Self and Perceptions 47
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 49
3
Communication and Culture 51
Understanding Culture 52
Culture Is Learned 52
Culture Affects Communication 53
Intercultural Communication Matters 53
Communication and Cultural Variations 55
High- and Low-Context Cultures 56
Collectivist and Individualist Orientations 56
Comfort with Uncertainty 57
Masculine and Feminine Orientations 58
Approaches to Power Distance 58
Time Orientation 59
Value of Emotional Expression 60
Understanding Group Affiliations 60 what about You? Discovering Your Cultural Values 61
Co-cultural Communication 61
Social Identity and Intergroup Communication 64
Intercultural Communication Challenges 66
Anxiety 66
Ethnocentrism 67
Discrimination 67
Improving Intercultural Communication 68 Be Mindful 68
Desire to Learn 69
Overcome Intergroup Biases 69
Accommodate Appropriately 70
Practice Your Skills 71
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 73
Verbal Communication 75
The Nature of Language 76
Language Is Symbolic 76
Words Have Multiple Meanings 76
Thought Informs Language 77
Language Is Ruled by Grammar 78
Language Is Bound by Context 78
The Functions of Language 78
Using Language as a Means of Control 79 Using Language to Share Information 80 Using Language to Express Feelings 80 Using Language to Express Creativity 80 Using Language as Ritual 81
Problems with Language 81
Abstraction and Meaning 81
Situation and Meaning 82
The Limits of Labeling 83 what about You? How Vague Are You? 84
The Dangers of Biased Language 86 Profanity, Rudeness, and Civility 86
Language in Context 87
The Relational Context 88
The Situational Context 88
The Cultural Context 89
Mediated Contexts 92
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 95
5
Nonverbal Communication 97
The Nature of Nonverbal Communication 98
Nonverbal Behavior Is Communicative 98
Nonverbal Communication Is Often Spontaneous and Unintentional 99
Nonverbal Communication Is Ambiguous 99
Nonverbal Communication Is More Believable Than Verbal Communication 100
Functions of Nonverbal Communication 101
Reinforcing Verbal Messages 101
Substituting Verbal Messages 101
Contradicting Verbal Messages 101
Regulating Interactions 102
Creating Immediacy 102
Deceiving Others 103
Nonverbal Communication Codes 104
Gestures and Body Movements 104
Facial Expressions 105
Eye Behavior 106
Voice 106
Physical Appearance 108
Space and Environment 108
what about You? You and Your Artifacts 109
Touch 111
Time Orientation 112
Influences on Nonverbal Communication 113
Culture and Nonverbal Communication 113
Mediated Nonverbal Communication 114
The Situational Context 115
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 117
6
Listening 119
How We Listen 120
The Listening Process 120
Personal Listening Preferences 122
Why We Listen 123
Meeting Listening Goals 123
The Value of Listening Well 125
Listening Challenges 128
Environmental Factors 128
Hearing and Processing Challenges 128
Multitasking 129
Boredom and Overexcitement 130
Attitudes About Listening 130
Unethical Listening Behaviors 131 what about You? Your Listening Apprehension 132
Listening in Context 134
The Relational and Situational Listening Contexts 135 The Cultural Listening Context 135 The Technology Listening Context 137
Why We Form Relationships 149 Functions of Relationships 149 Interpersonal Attraction 150
Managing Relationship Dynamics 152 Costs and Rewards 152 what about You? Determining Your Own Costs and Rewards 153
Reducing Uncertainty 154
Dialectical Tensions 155
Self-Disclosure and Interpersonal Relationships 157
Social Penetration Theory 157
Communication Privacy Management 157
Strategic Topic Avoidance 158
Stages of a Relationship 159
Initiating Stage 159
Exploratory Stage 159
Intensification Stage 160
Stable Stage 160
Declining Stage 160
Relationship Repair 162
Termination Stage 162
Reconciliation 163
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 165
Managing Conflict in Relationships
Understanding Conflict 168
Unproductive Conflict 168
Productive Conflict 169
Conflict Triggers 170
Inaccurate Perceptions 171
Incompatible Goals 171
Unbalanced Costs and Rewards 171
Provocation 171
Factors Affecting Conflict 172
Power Dynamics 172
Attitudes Toward Conflict 173
Communication Climate 174
Culture and Conflict 174
Communication Channel 177
Online Anonymity and Conflict 178
Strategies for Managing Conflict 179
Escapist Strategies 180
Challenging Strategies 181
Cooperative Strategies 181
167
what about You? Hitting Above and Below the Belt 182
Conflict Outcomes 184
Compromise 184
Win-Win 184
Lose-Lose 185
Separation 185
Allocation of Power 186
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 187
Communicating in Groups 189
Understanding Groups 190
Characteristics of Groups 190
Group Types 191
Group Development 192
Group Size and Communication 194
Size and Complexity 194
Size and the Formation of Cliques 195
Group Size and Social Loafing 196
Group Networks 197
Understanding Group Roles 199
Task Roles 199
Social Roles 200
Antigroup Roles 200
Role Conflict 201
Additional Factors Affecting Group Communication 201
Cohesion 201
Groupthink 202
Norms 203
Clarity of Goals 204
Individual Differences 205 what about You? How Well Do You Interact in a Group Setting? 206
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 209
Leadership and Decision Making in Groups 211
Understanding Group Leadership 212
Five Sources of Power 212
Shared Leadership 214
Leadership Styles 214 what about You? What Type of Leader Are You? 216
Competence and Ethics 217
Culture and Group Leadership 218
Gender and Leadership 218
Context and Power Distance 219
four
Decision Making in Groups 219
Forces That Shape a Group’s Decisions 220
The Problem-Solving Process 220
Leadership in Meetings 223
Planning Meetings Effectively 224
Managing Meetings Effectively 225
Using Technology in Meetings 227
Evaluating Group Performance 228
Informational Considerations 228
Procedural Effectiveness 228
Interpersonal Performance 229
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 231
Public Speaking
Preparing and Researching Presentations 233
The Power of Public Speaking 234
Clarifying the General Purpose of Your Speech 235
Informative Speeches 235
j Sample Speech: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Fireside Chat on the Bank Crisis 236
Persuasive Speeches 237
j Sample Speech: Ricky Martin, Speech at the Vienna Forum 237
Special-Occasion Speeches 238
Analyzing Your Audience 238
j Sample Speech: Bruce Springsteen, U2 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction 239
Considering Audience Expectations and Situational Factors 240
Considering Audience Demographics 240
Anticipating Your Audience’s Response 242
Choosing Your Topic 243
Finding a Topic That Intrigues You 243
Brainstorming and Clustering 243
Narrowing Your Topic 244
Determining the Specific Purpose of Your Speech 244
Developing a Thesis Statement 245
Researching the Topic 245
Types of Information to Consider 246
Researching Supporting Material 247
Evaluating Supporting Material 249 what about You? Assessing Your Sources 251
Ethical Speaking: Taking Responsibility for Your Speech 251
Recognizing Plagiarism 252
Taking Accurate Notes 252
Speaking Ethically and Responsibly 254
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 257
Organizing, Writing, and Outlining Presentations 259
Organizing Your Speech Points 260
Identifying Your Main Points 260
Supporting Your Main Points 261
Arranging Your Points 262
Connecting Your Points 264
Using Language That Works 266
Respect Your Audience 266
Keep It Simple 266
Use Vivid Language 266
Incorporate Repetition, Allusion, and Comparisons 267
j Sample Speech: Sojourner Truth, Ain’t I a Woman? 268
Writing a Strong Introduction 268
Capture Your Audience’s Attention 269
Introduce Your Purpose and Topic 271
Preview Your Main Points 271
Connect with Your Audience 271
Writing a Strong Conclusion 272
Signal the End 272
Reinforce Your Topic, Purpose, and Main Points 272
Make an Impact 272
Challenge the Audience to Respond 273
Outlining Your Speech 273
Essentials of Outlining 274
Styles of Outlines 275
From Preparation Outline to Speaking Outline 276 what about You? Assessing Your Outline 277
j Sample Speech Outline: From Preparation Outline to Speaking Outline 278
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 285
13
Delivering Presentations 287
Understanding and Addressing Anxiety 288
Identifying Anxiety Triggers 288
Building Your Confidence 289
Methods of Delivery 291
Speaking from Manuscript 291
Speaking from Memory 291
Speaking Spontaneously 292
Speaking Extemporaneously 292
Guidelines for Effective Delivery 293
Effective Vocal Delivery 294
Effective Visual Delivery 295
Connecting with Your Audience 297
Effective Presentation Aids 299
The Function of Presentation Aids 299
Types of Presentation Aids 299
Practicing Your Speech 303
Remember Your Speaking Outline 303
Practice Using Presentation Aids 303
Simulate the Situation 303 what about You? Assessing Your Practice Session 304
Practice Your Delivery 305
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 307
14
Informative
Speaking 309
The Goals of Informative Speaking 310
Meeting the Audience’s Informational Needs 310
Informing, Not Persuading 311
Speaking Appropriately and Ethically 312
Topics for Informative Presentations 313 People 313
Places 313
Objects and Phenomena 313
Events 314
Processes 314
Concepts 315
Issues 315
Plans and Policies 316
Approaches to Conveying Information 316
Description 316
Demonstration 317
Definition 317
Explanation 318
Guidelines for Informative Speeches 319
Create Information Hunger 319 Make It Easy 320 what about You? Assessing Your Informative Speech 326
j Sample Student Informative Speech: Zachary Dominque, The History and Sport of Mountain Biking 327
Learning Curve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 333
Persuasive Speaking
335
The Goals of Persuasive Speaking 336
Developing a Persuasive Topic and Thesis 337
Propositions of Fact 337
Propositions of Value 338
Propositions of Policy 338
Persuading Your Audience 338
Understanding Your Audience’s Disposition 339
Understanding Your Audience’s Needs 340
Understanding What Is Relevant to Your Audience 341
Strategies for Persuasive Speaking 342
Ethos 343
Logos 343
Pathos 344
Logical Fallacies 345
Organizing Patterns in Persuasive Speaking 347
Problem-Solution Pattern 347
Refutational Organizational Pattern 348
Comparative Advantage Pattern 349
Monroe’s Motivated Sequence 350 what about You? Assessing Your Persuasive Speech 351
j Sample Student persuasive Speech: Una Chua, Preventing Cyberbullying 352
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 359
Appendix A: Competent Interviewing 361
The Nature of Interviews 362
Types of Interviews 363
The Information-Gathering Interview 363
The Appraisal Interview 364
The Problem-Solving Interview 364
The Exit Interview 364
The Persuasive Interview 365
The Service-Oriented Interview 365
The Selection Interview 365
The Format of an Interview 366
The Opening 366
The Questions 367
The Conclusion 370
Understanding Roles and Responsibilities in Interviews 371
Roles and Responsibilities of the Interviewer 372
Roles and Responsibilities of the Interviewee 372
The Job Interview 374
Getting the Interview 375
During the Interview 378 what about You? Your Career Preparation 383
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 385
Appendix B: Understanding Mass and Mediated Communication 387
The Nature of Media 388
Defining Mass and Mediated Communication 388
The Pervasiveness of Media 389
Understanding Mass Media Messages 389 The Business of Media 389
Free Speech and Media Bias 392
Effects of Mass Media 395
Selectivity and the Active Audience 395 Influences on Attitudes and Behaviors 397
Converging Media Technologies 399 Democratic and Social Participation 399 Barriers to Participation 400
Becoming a More Mindful Media Consumer 401 Monitor Your Media Use and Exposure 401 Consider the Source of Media Messages 401 Be Aware of Media Effects 402 Understand the Grammar of Media 402 Actively Evaluate Media Messages 402 what about You? Your Media Diet 403
LearningCurve bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Your reference: A Study Tool 405
Glossary G-1
References R-1
Index I-1
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Communication and You
An Introduct I on
We Must Communicate: The Functional Perspective
How We Communicate
Communicating Competently
Modeling Communication
The Study of Communication
bedfordstmartins.com/commandyou
Communication: Essential Human Behavior 1
It was the very definition of a catastrophe: eleven men were killed on April 20, 2010, when an explosion rocked the BP drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, sparking a fire that was visible for more than thirty miles and burned for two days before the entire rig sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Afterward, millions of gallons of oil gushed from the blown-out rig, assaulting wildlife, beaches, and the livelihoods of Gulf Coast residents still reeling from Hurricane Katrina. Attempts to stop the leak failed. Americans were further horrified when, on May 31, BP chief executive Tony Hayward told reporters, “We’re sorry for the massive disruption it’s caused. . . . There’s no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back”
(Mouawad & Krauss, 2010, p. A1). When the embattled CEO spent a day watching his yacht compete in a big race the following month— with oil still spilling into the Gulf of Mexico at an alarming rate—one Alabama senator commented on Hayward’s activity as the “height of arrogance” (Robbins, 2010, p. A20).
Fingers were pointed in many directions. Some blamed BP; BP blamed Transocean (the company from which it rented the rig); others blamed the government agencies that had failed to enforce safety regulations (Barstow, Dodd, Glanz, Saul, & Urbina, 2010). Amid all the accusations, a generation of Gulf Coast residents braced themselves for an even more uncertain future.
After you have finished reading this chapter, you will be able to
Define the communication process.
Describe the functions of communication.
Assess the quality (communicative value) of communication by examining its six characteristics.
Define what communication scholars consider to be competent communication.
Describe the visual representations, or models, of communication.
Describe why communication is vital to everyone.
Communication is the process by which we use symbols, signs, and behaviors to exchange information. That process is so crucial that communication is described as “the process through which the social fabric of relationships, groups, organizations, societies, and world order—and disorder—is created and maintained” (Ruben, 2005, pp. 294–295). Successful communication allows us to satisfy our most basic needs, from finding food and shelter to functioning in our communities and developing meaningful relationships. Because communication is such a natural part of our daily lives, we often take it for granted. Yet every day, communication failures lead to failed plans, isolation, misunderstandings, hurt feelings—and disasters like the BP oil spill.
Communication challenges exist in every profession and every personal relationship. For example, communication professor (and reserve police officer) Howard Giles claims that 97 percent of law enforcement practices involve communication skills (Giles et al., 2006). But police academies usually spend little time teaching those skills. Most citizens lack these
crucial skills as well. One professor who teaches college-level communication classes to prisoners notes that “the vast majority of [his] imprisoned students have been caged, in large part, because of their communicative illiteracy” (Hartnett, 2010, p. 68).
Effective communicators understand how their communication choices affect others and why others’ communication choices affect them as they do. So in this chapter, we look at why we communicate, how we communicate, and what it means to communicate well. Then we examine ways of visualizing the communication process and consider the history of this rich discipline.
We Must Communicate: The Functional Perspective
We communicate from the moment we’re born. A baby’s cry lets everyone within earshot know that something isn’t right: he’s hungry, cold, or has a painful ear infection. Throughout our lives, we dedicate a huge amount of time to communicating with others to ensure that our needs are met—though in more sophisticated ways than we did as infants. We talk, listen, smile, and nod; we write up résumés and go on dates. In these ways, we learn, express ourselves, form relationships, and gain employment. This functional perspective of communication examines how our communication helps (or doesn’t help) us accomplish our goals in personal, group, organizational, or public situations.
technology and You
Many technologies that you may think of as having fun or leisure uses also have a functional side. Do you use technology like text messaging, Facebook updates, or Twitter posts for fun, function, or both?
All communication “works” (or not) within the context of relationships—the interconnections between
Box 1.1 Communication Is Not Just Common Sense
Everyone has ideas about what constitutes good communication. But just how correct are those ideas? Do your personal theories of communication match what social science tells us about the way we communicate? Consider the following questions:
j Does talking equal effective communication? Have you ever sat through a lecture only to find that your instructor was boring, unclear, disorganized, or even offensive? Talking is one way of giving information, but it isn’t always effective on its own. To communicate effectively, we also need to be thoughtful and to use silence, listening skills, and symbols other than words.
j Do body movements (often called “body language”) constitute a language? As you will learn in Chapter 5, nonverbal communication is important and useful, but there is no direct translation for what body movements mean. Because nonverbal communication can be interpreted in many different ways, it is not a true language.
people that function to achieve some goal. Our relationships involve interdependence, meaning that our actions affect one another. For example, Jamie flips burgers to get a paycheck to help pay for college—that’s her goal. Her boss depends on Jamie to do her job well and keep the business profitable. The customers, who want an inexpensive and quick lunch, depend on both of them. Jamie, the boss, and the lunch customers are interdependent.
A long line of research conducted in a variety of contexts—including work groups, families, and friendships—has found that virtually all communication behavior serves one or more primary functions, such as expressing affiliation, achieving goals, or influencing others (Wiemann & Krueger, 1980). Let’s consider each of these functions, keeping in mind that they are often intertwined.
j is more control necessarily better in communication? While we admire people who can articulate their point of view, if we think they are trying to trick us or force us, we often resist what they are saying. Your father may stay on topic and clearly state his case against your choice of a major, for example, but he still can’t make you do what he wants.
j are most communication behaviors inborn and entirely natural? No. Although we are certainly born with some ability to communicate, most of the skills we need to communicate must be learned—otherwise we’d go through life crying whenever we needed something. The best communicators never stop learning.
j is speaking well more important than listening? If you talk and nobody listens, has communication taken place? No. Communication is a two-way street, and listening is a crucial part of the process.
Expressing Affiliation
affiliation is the feelings you have for others. You show how much you want to be connected to or associated with someone by expressing liking, love, or respect—or alternatively, dislike, hatred, or disrespect (Wiemann, 2009). This love-hate continuum works to establish and maintain relationships happily (or unhappily).
Obviously, it feels good to be loved, liked, and respected. But affiliation may also meet practical needs, as when you marry someone you believe can offer you stability and security. Other times affiliation fulfills emotional needs, offering companionship or intellectual stimulation (or both).
Affiliation can be expressed in many different ways—verbally (by saying “I love you”) and nonverbally (with a big hug) and through face-to-face or
All communication relationships, whether fleeting or enduring, involve interdependence.
mediated (like when sending text messages or using social-networking sites) channels. In fact, we are increasingly using media technologies to develop and maintain a positive affiliation with each other (Walther & Ramirez, 2009), especially with people who are physically far away. A “U can do it!” text message from Mom can help you go into your midterm exam with confidence. A simple click of the “Like” thumbs-up icon on Facebook can show that you enjoy something a friend posted.
Achieving Goals
To reach our goals, we must communicate. Without communication, such things as becoming educated,
technology and You
Can you think of a recent situation in which you expressed or received a positive affiliation through Facebook or other social media? What was the situation, and what technology was involved?
getting a job, and completing tasks like opening a bank account or making dinner for a large group would be impossible. We need communication to accomplish particular objectives, a function we call goal achievement
Without communication, such things as becoming educated, getting a job, and completing tasks like opening a bank account or making dinner for a large group would be impossible.
There are usually multiple goals at play in any given situation. For example, you may want to host Thanksgiving this year to illustrate your adult status in the family, but your mother-in-law may insist on keeping the holiday at her home out of tradition. If you and she are interdependent, both of you will likely try to accomplish your individual goal without losing any affection for each other. In addition, goals may change during a communication encounter. For instance, you initially think you want to host Thanksgiving but then realize you don’t want that responsibility once you recognize how much work is involved. We achieve our goals in a variety of ways too. To illustrate, you might simply ask your sister to help you host Thanksgiving. You might try to bully her into it. Or you might hint at what you want or suggest that she’s lazy if she doesn’t help you host.
Contestants in demanding competitions, such as on the show Hell’s Kitchen, know that it would be impossible to achieve goals without clear communication.
Influencing Others
Most communication is influential in one way or another. Some influence is intentional: a politician uses gestures strategically during a press conference to shape how voters perceive her. Other influence is unintentional; Michaela’s lack of eye contact during an after-class meeting gives her professor the sense that she lacks confidence, but she’s really just having trouble with her contact lenses.
The ability of one person, group, or organization to influence others, and the manner in which their relationships are conducted, is called control. Unlike affection, which you can give and receive infinitely, control is finite: the more control one person has in a relationship, the less the others in the relationship have. Distribution of control is worked out between the relational partners through communication— by how they talk with each other, what they say, and when they interact. This negotiation of control may seem like a power struggle at times.1 But it is a necessary aspect of every type of relationship: between family members, friends, romantic partners, colleagues, doctors and patients, teachers and students, and advertisers and consumers.
The amount of control you have over others or that they have over you varies, depending on the
culture and You
In your family's culture and relationships, are there members who tend to have greater control than others? If so, who are they, and why do you think that is? Have you noticed different distributions of control in other families or groups of friends?
1Some scholars use dominance as a synonym for control. See, for example, Dillard, Solomon, and Palmer (1999).
