UNIT 5: THE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATOR

1. UNIT OBJECTIVES At the end of this unit, you should be able to: define perception and describe the three stages in the perception process; explain how selected factors influence perception; define self-concept, self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-disclosure; explain theories relating to the self; and discuss guidelines and strategies towards developing and enhancing aspects of the self in communication. UNIT 5: THE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATOR

2. THE PERCEPTION PROCESS Factors that Influence an Individual’s Perception Critical Perception Strategies General Strategies for Reducing Uncertainty in Perception Specific Strategies for Increasing Awareness in Perception ADDRESSING INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, MOTIVES, AND DRIVES Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Drives McClelland’s Motive Clusters SUB-TOPICS

3. Self-concept Self-Awareness Self-esteem Self-disclosure IMAGES OF THE SELF

4. ‘perception’ means making sense of our environment to see how it relates to us. In speech communication, it refers to the process of examining how and why messages may differ in relation to one’s communication needs.

5. The process of making sense of our environment may be divided into three main stages or sub-processes: Sensory input is received Input is organised Input is interpreted and/or evaluated

6. Implicit personality theory culture-specific system of rules that tells us which characteristics go with other related characteristics e.g. the halo effect Self-fulfilling prophecy prediction or belief that comes true because it was acted as if it were true Pygmalion effect a widely known effect of the self-fulfilling prophecy Perceptual accentuation we see what we expect to see and what we want to see FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PERCEPTION

7. Primacy-recency the first impression is likely to be the most important Consistency strong tendency to maintain balance among perceptions Stereotyping shortcut in perception leading to a fixed impression of a group of people Attribution process of discovering why people behave in certain ways Factors (cont’d…)

8. Communication is a complex process: people attempt to find out more about each other both consciously and unconsciously each person involved learns more about the other relationships becomes more and more meaningful people learn to reduce uncertainty about each other through the use of a variety of strategies passive, active, and interactive strategies CRITICAL PERCEPTION STRATEGIES

9. Passive Strategies observing someone without that person being aware of it E.g. at a birthday party. Active Strategies active seeking of information about other people without actually interacting with them, including asking mutual friends and acquaintances Some people also manipulate the environment in which the subject performs e.g. student teaching situations, employment interviews, theatrical auditions, etc. Interactive Strategies involve direct contact with people promote interaction between you and the people you are interested in, and the asking of appropriate questions to maximise the reduction of uncertainty, people self-disclose and this encourages further interaction. PERCEPTION STRATEGIES

10. Look for a variety of cues - the more perceptual cues pointing to the same conclusions the better Formulate hypothesis think specific things about the people you are interested in seek information that will confirm your ideas and hunches Delay conclusions Examine a variety of cues before drawing conclusions Increasing Awareness in Perception

11. Avoid mind reading a person's motives, values, and needs are not open to outside inspection, so we can only make certain assumptions Check your perceptions Check own perceptions as well as other people's perceptions about you; the two basic forms of perception checking are: Describe tentatively what you think is happening e.g. "You sound upset with my plans for the evening…" Ask for confirmation e.g. "Would you rather watch TV?"

12. Motivational appeals: appeals to human needs, desires, and wants…are the most powerful means of persuasion you possess" (Devito, 1999: 397). speech communication: basically an exercise in persuasion to get people to listen to what we have to say to listen to what others have to say Addressing Individual Needs, Motives, and Drives

13. Motive is the power behind persuasion To become a better communicator, you must: be aware of and understand human motives and related drives, desires, and wants develop your strengths and change undesirable attitudes and behaviours Two systems of classification to group together individual needs and motives ie. Maslow (1970) and McClelland (1972) Needs, Motives, and Drives (Cont’d…)

14. Maslow (1970): a classic approach in the study of human motives major impact on consumer studies in marketing and sales and on the field of communication studies Categories of needs and desires drive people to think, act, and respond in certain innate or 'built in' ways Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Drives(1970)

15. PhysiologicalNeeds: food, water, air, sleep, and sex (basic bodily requirements) Safety: security, stability, protection from harm, shelter, clothes, structure, orderliness, predictability, freedom from fear and chaos Love and Belonging: devotion and warmth, affection with lovers, spouses, children, parents and close friends, feeling a sense of belonging to social groups, acceptance and approval Maslow’s Hierarchy (Cont’d…)

16. Esteem: self-esteem based on achievements and accomplishments, mastery, competence, confidence, freedom and independence, recognition by others, prestige and status Self-actualisation: self-fulfilment, knowing and understanding, realising individual potential and actualising capabilities, being true to the essential self and satisfying love for the aesthetic Maslow’s Hierarchy (Cont’d…)

17. Important points to observe about Maslow's taxonomy: interrelates biological drives and social motives a hierarchy of prepotency i.e. lower level needs must be satisfied in whole or in party before higher level desires can be addressed or realised Maslow’s Hierarchy (Cont’d…)

18. McClelland’s Motive Clusters (1972) – three primary motives: Affiliation Motives – desire to belong to a group and to be liked and accepted companionship conformity deference/dependence sympathy/generosity loyalty tradition reverence/worship sexual attraction McClelland’s Motive Clusters

19. b) Achievement Motives – desire for success, adventure, creativity, and personal enjoyment acquisition/saving success/display pride prestige adventure/change perseverance creativity curiosity personal enjoyment McClelland’s Motive Clusters (Cont’d…)

20. c) Power Motives – desire to influence others aggression authority/dominance defence fear autonomy/independence McClelland’s Motive Clusters (Cont’d…)

21. Important points to note about McClelland's Motive Types: Some motives are innate while others are acquired or learned from the environment in which human beings develop Some motives would seem to contradict each other e.g. fear versus adventure; generosity vs. aggression, but we must understand that the clusters are based on observations of human behaviour which often contains elements of contradictory impulses McClelland’s Motive Clusters (Cont’d…)

22. Developing and Using an Integrated Set of Motivational Appeals General Purpose:To persuade and/or to actuate Specific Purpose:To persuade fellow students at the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication UPM to pursue a flexible M.A. in English Language programme Central Claim:For many students, the M.A. (English Language Studies) is the one of the best degrees at the postgraduate level. Using Motivational Appeals: Appeal to creativity: The MA in English programme allows the entrant with a BA or a Bed degree to build a programme suited to your individual needs and desires Motivational Appeals…an example

23. Appeal to adventure: Break away from the masses and do something unique towards restructuring your life Appeal to curiosity: Explore subject areas and courses of instruction as deeply as you wish Appeal to success: Get a feeling of achievement from designing and completing your very own programme Appeal to acquisition/saving: get the degree and enjoy excellent employment opportunities that come with attractive salary packages and perks e.g. as lecturers in higher learning institutions, corporate public relations officers, personnel managers etc. Motivational Appeals…an example (Cont’d…)

24. What kind of motivational appeals will you use to address each of the following groups of people/audiences? Work in groups to prepare a short speech. A group of students protesting recent increases in the university student intake and the resultant shortage of facilities Women at a seminar on equal employment opportunities A meeting of Malaysian primary and secondary school teachers seeking better salaries for services rendered A meeting of undergraduates from the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication concerned about the employment prospects of graduates in language studies In-class Task