Communication and the Self

1. CHAPTER 3 Communication and the Self

3. Self-Concept • Composed of stable ideas about who you are • Multifaceted • We define ourselves in many ways • Partly subjective • Based on our impression of ourselves—difficult to judge ourselves objectively • Enduring but changeable • Significant life events

4. How Self-Concept Develops • Personality and Biology • Pattern of distinctive ways you tend to think and act across most situations • Nature vs. Nuture • Culture and Gender Roles

5. How Self-Concept Develops • Reflected Appraisal • Process where a person’s self-concept is influenced by our beliefs regarding what other people think of us • Movie Clip: https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVi_kSbBZMUgASBwnnIlQ?p=dead+poet%27s+society+man+or+amoeba&fr=yhs-mozilla-002&fr2=piv-web&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-002#action=view&id=1&vid=09076df190de3ca5610c19af212b7ca1 • Social Comparison Theory • We compare ourselves to others around us • Reference Groups

6. Self-Concept Management • Self-Monitoring • High and low • Self-Fulfilling Prophecy • A prediction causes people to act and communicate in ways that make the prediction come true • Our expectations and others’ expectations influence behavior • Our expectation causes something to happen

7. Valuing the Self: Self-Esteem • Self-Esteem • Subjective evaluation of your value and worth as a person.

8. BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF SELF-ESTEEM • Social Behavior • Positive self-esteem correlates with outgoing social behavior • How we See Ourselves and Others • People with positive self-esteem are happier with their lives—have higher emotional intelligence • Performance • Not a major correlation for sports, school, or work performance

9. Image management is collaborative Others help us present ourselves We manage multiple identities Multiple role expectations Image management is complex Competing goals Image Management Principles Image management is the process by which our behavior reflects a specific image we want to present

10. MANAGING FACE NEEDS • Erving Goffman • Face • We each have a desired public image • Facework • The behaviors we use to maintain that image.

11. MANAGING FACE NEEDS • Face and Face Needs • Fellowship—need to have others like and accept us • Autonomy—need to avoid being imposed upon by others • Competence—need to have others respect us and acknowledge our abilities and intelligence • Face Threats • Something fails to fulfill one of your face needs • “Saving face”—defense mechanism

12. The Self and Interpersonal Needs • William Schutz • Self-esteem interacts with interpersonal needs to affect our communication: • Control • Inclusion • Affection

13. Self-disclosure is the act of intentionally giving others information about ourselves that we believe to be true but we think they don’t already have. Self-Disclosure

14. Principles of Self-Disclosure • Self-Disclosure • Is Intentional and Truthful • Varies in Breadth and Depth • Social Penetration Theory

15. Social Penetration Theory

16. Principles of Self-Disclosure • Self-Disclosure • Varies among Relationships • Follows a Gradual Process • Online Self-disclosure Follows a Different Pattern • Self-Disclosure • Is Usually Reciprocal • Can serve many Purposes • Is influenced by Cultural and Gender Roles

17. The Johari Window

18. A unique window exists for each person in a relationship. Degree of self-disclosure and receptivity to feedback in a relationship changes the window panes. The panes could reflect one of four extremes. Johari Window and Self-Disclosure

19. Self-Disclosure Benefits • Enhancement of Relationships and Trust • Reciprocity • Emotional Release • Assistance to Others

20. Self-Disclosure Risks • Rejection • Chance of Obligating Others • Hurt to Others • Violation of Others’ Privacy • Risks of Disclosing Online

21. Guidelines for Self-Disclosure • Importance • Reasonable Risk • Appropriate • Reciprocated • Constructive

22. Self-Disclosure Alternatives • Silence • Lying • Evasion • Hinting • Equivocation