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Interpersonal Communication:

Perception

Listening:

“the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and/or nonverbal messages.” p. 175

PerceptionPerception

The process of selectively attending to sensory information and assigning

meaning to it. (pg. 30)

Our perception becomes our reality.

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5

AttendAttend

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Three psychological factors that Three psychological factors that influence influence selection/attendingselection/attending::

1. Our needs

2. Our interests

3. Our expectations

A sensory test of expectations:

Paris

in the

the springtime

Once

in a

a lifetime

Bird

in the

the hand

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AttendAttend

OrganizeOrganize

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OrganizationOrganization

Simplicity--the brain simplifies complex stimuli into a commonly recognized form (what we expect to perceive)

Pattern -- the brain organizes information according to patterns, sets of characteristics that differentiate some things from others. (differentiating by forming patterns)

521-4456080-44-78895360-7856-8834-3278

i.e. telephone #’s, SS #’s, credit card #’s 3-4 3-2-4 4-4-4-4

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AttendAttend

OrganizeOrganize

InterpretInterpret

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InterpretationInterpretation

The process of assigning meaning to the information that has been

selected and organized

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Social PerceptionSocial Perceptionaka Social Cognitionaka Social Cognition

A set of processes by which people perceive themselves and others.

Pause Here

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Self-concept – Self-concept –

Self-esteem -Self-esteem -

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Self-concept -Self-concept - the idea or mental image that we have about our skills, abilities, knowledge, competencies, and personality

Self-esteem -Self-esteem - our overall evaluation of our competence and personal worthiness

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Positive Self-EsteemPositive Self-Esteem

Perception of having a characteristic

+ Personal belief that the characteristic is of positive value

= Positive self-esteem

-Mruk

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Some Concept DefinitionsSome Concept Definitions

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1 - Incongruence1 - Incongruence

The gap between our inaccurate self-perceptions and reality

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2 - Self-fulfilling Prophecies2 - Self-fulfilling Prophecies

Events that happen as the result of being foretold, expected, or talked

about and that serve to reinforce an individual’s self-concept

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Presenting SelfPresenting Self

We present ourself-image to othersthrough various roles we enact.

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3 - Role3 - Role – A pattern of learned behaviors that people use to meet the perceived demands of a particular context

4 - Working self-concept4 - Working self-concept – The specific aspects of your identity that are activated by the role you are enacting at a particular time

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5 - Stereotypes5 - Stereotypes

Simplified and standardized conceptions about the characteristics or expected behavior of members of an identifiable group

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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Prejudice Prejudice – –

Discrimination – Discrimination –

Racism, Sexism, Ageism, & Racism, Sexism, Ageism, & Able-ism – Able-ism –

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Prejudice Prejudice –– a preconceived judgment, belief or opinion that a person holds without sufficient grounds ( + or - )

Discrimination –Discrimination – treating members of one group differently from members of another in a way that is unfair or harmful

Racism, Sexism, Ageism, Racism, Sexism, Ageism, Able-ism –Able-ism – belief that the behaviors or characteristics of one group are inherently superior to those of another

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Factors that Influence Our Social Factors that Influence Our Social PerceptionsPerceptions

Physical characteristics, social behaviors,

emotional states

Cultural backgrounds

Stereotyping

Who we are and what our experiences have

been

Improving Social PerceptionsImproving Social Perceptions

Come in Thursday prepared with a list of how we can “Improve Social Perceptions.”

HINT: Read the textbook.

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ImprovingImproving Social Perceptions Social Perceptions

Seek more information Actively question the accuracy of perceptions

(avoid mind reading) Realize that perceptions change Check perceptions verbally Realize that perception check is descriptive rather

than judgmental

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