COMM 103 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Fundamental Attribution Error, Controllability, Johari Window
Chapter 3
Perceiving Ourselves and Others
How We Perceive Others
Perception
Process of making meaning from what we experience in the world
around us
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Perception is a Process
Selection
The process by which your mind and body help you isolate certain stimuli
to pay attention to
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Organization
Classification of information by allowing you to see its similarities to and
differences from other things you know about
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Perceptual schema
A mental framework for organizing information into categories we
call constructs
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Interpretation
Figure out its meaning for you
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The Circular Nature of Perception
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We Commonly Misperceive Others' Communication Behaviors
Cultures and Co-Cultures influence perceptions
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Stereotypes influence perceptions
Stereotype
A generalization about a group or category of people that can have
a powerful influence on how we perceive others and their
communication behavior
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Primacy and recency effects influence perceptions
Primary effect
First impressions are critical because they set the tone for all future
interactions
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Recency effect
The most recent impression we have of a person's communication
is more powerful than our earlier impressions
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Perceptual sets influence perceptions
Perceptual set
A predisposition to perceive only what we want or expect to
perceive
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We Explain Behavior Through Attributions
Attribution
An explanation of an observed behavior, the answer to the question "why
did this occur?"
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Locus
Refers to where the cause of a behavior is "located," whether within or
outside ourselves
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Stability
A stable cause is one that is permanent, semipermanent, or at least not
easily changed
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Controllability
You make a controllable attribution for someone's behavior when you
believe the cause of the behavior was under that person's control
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Avoiding Two Common Attribution Errors
Self-serving bias
Refers to our tendency to attribute our successes to stable, internal
causes while attributing our failures to unstable, external causes
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Fundamental attribution error
Which we attribute other people's behaviors to internal rather than
external causes
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Self-Concept Defined
Self-concept
Also called your identity
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Composed of your own stable perceptions about who you are
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Self-Concept is multifaceted
Johari window
Visual representation of the self as composed of four separate parts
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Self-Concept is partly subjective•
Awareness and Management of the Self-Concept
Self-Monitoring•
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
A situation in which a prediction causes people to act and communicate in
ways that make that prediction come true
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Valuing the Self: Self-Esteem
Self-esteem
Your subjective evaluation of your value and worth as a person
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Managing Our Image
Image
The personal "face" we want others to see
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Communication and Image Management
Image management
The process of behavioral adjustment to project a desired image
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Image management is collaborative
Life story
A way of presenting ourselves to others that is based on our slef-
concept but is also influenced by other people
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We manage multiple identities•
Image management is complex•
Communication and Face Needs
Face and face needs
Face
Describes our desired public image
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Facework
Describes the behaviors we use to project that image to others
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Face needs
Important components of our desired public image
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Fellowship face
Refers to the need to have others like and accept us
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Autonomy face
Refers to our need to avoid being imposed on by others
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Competence face
Our need to be respected--to have others acknowledge our abilities
and intelligence
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Face threats
Face-threatening act
Hinders the fulfillment of one or more of your face needs
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Face threats in socially marginalized groups •
Chapter 3 Notes
Thursday, April 26, 2018
10:54 AM
