Saturday, March 27, 2010

Week 9: 3/21-27 Question 3

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading, that has not already been discussed during this discussion week, that you found useful or interesting, and discuss it.

The memory is the concept that I have found useful and interesting in the discussion. Harris and Sherblom say, “Everyone in good mental health has both short-term memory and long-term memory” (pp.140). I absolutely agree with the authors’ illustration because they enlighten all of us to understand our memories are derived by the good mental health. In order to keep our memories lasting for long time, we should know the healthy and functional brain is the main concern to support our memories. For example, a good and fitted pair of shoes can protect and keep our feet comfortable.

In terms of the memories, the short-term and long-terms memories are the two memories that let us to remember the things in our mind. Harris and Sherblom say, “Short term memory is our working memory. It lasts from 1 to 60 seconds and decides which incoming messages should be preserved” (pp.140). In the authors’ statement, I understand the short-term memory means the momentary memory that can only keep in our mind maxium in 60 seconds. In order to make use of this short-term memory, we try to remember the simple stuff, such as your home address and the driver license numbers that related to daily lives.

Beside the short-term memory, the long-term memory is the key to store our memories in our mind. Harris and Sherblom say, “If we are stimulated to process and store particular bits of information, those bits gain access to our long-term memory. Although this part of our memory is relatively unlimited in its capacity, the message must first gain entry” (pp.141). In these sentences, we understand the long-term memory can store in the unlimited capacity in our mind. In my previous blogs, I have mentioned that speaking English is my second language. In order to memorize the stuff in the lecture, I always take notes and high-light all important points in the book that might strengthen the long-term memory in my mind. In addition, I always use the different colour stickers to identify the chapters in the text book that let me to flip and look for the chapters easily. More importantly, these attractive color stickers can gain the first entry in my mind and keep my memories properly.

Undoubtedly, the memories will fade out depending on the age that is the usual practice in our body structure and health. In order to keep the short-term and long-term memories properly and longer, I suggest taking pictures and notes, writing the dairy and blogs, and recording the videos to strengthen our memories as well as the images in our minds.

Re: Week 9: 3/21-27 Question 2

2). Give a personal example where you have had selective attention. Why do you think that is? Is there a way you were able to overcome it?

In Harris and Sherblom’s text who say, “Choosing one message over another is called selective attention” (pp.137). The authors illustrate the message conveying by someone that I may choose to listen or pay attention. I absolutely agree with Harris and Sherblom’s ideas because they indicate five reasons for the selective attention that let us have more in-depth ideas covering this concept. For instance, Harris and Sherblom say, “Some things are more important” (pp.138). In this statement, the authors reveal some things are more important that let us choose message and attention over another. With respect of this concept, I want to share an example about the incoming calls that happened in my cellular phone in last August in class.

Last August, in the middle of the communication class, there were few incoming calls from Hong Kong appeared in my cellular phone. Under this issue, I selected to pick up the call outside of the classroom. This particular call came from my brother who told me that my father passed away in the hospital. After I hung up the phone, I told my professor that I could not carry on the lecture because of my grief. When I read the chapter 7, the selective attention, I fully understand the important things are the motivation to select our attention.

In terms of the above said example and the reasons for the selective attention by Harris and Sherblom, I still support that some things are more important can drive us to the selective attention in the middle of the class, at the office, publicity or the events.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Re: Week 9 - Question 1

1. Think of a recent situation in which you found listening difficult. Which one (or more) of the four phases presented the most difficulty for you? Why? How could this have been overcome?

In Harris and Sherblom’s text of listening, interpreting the message is one of the four phases presented the most difficulty for me. Harris and Sherblom say, “In hearing the message and choosing to pay attention, we accept the message into our memory system. Interpreting the message is the next step. Our goal in this should be to understand the other person’s meaning” (Harris/Sherblom 139). In the authors expressions, Harris and Sherblom illustrate the key steps of interpreting the message are attention, memory, understanding, and interpreting. In my point of view, these four steps seem like the interlocking of chains that each part should not be missing.

In the small group discussion, we should pay more attention to someone’s ideas. If the contents are too long, I suggest memorize the general ideas that may be very helpful for us to understanding the meaning. After the understanding of the meaning, we go to the last step is to interpret the message. I am a Chinese and speaking English is my second language at my own situation. When I have a small group discussion with the members, the understanding is a bit hard for me before interpreting. In order to overcome my difficulty, I try every effort to memorize all in English instead of converting to Chinese in my brain. After the long time practice, I have found interpreting the message has improved. In addition, I always watch the TV news, interviews, and some TV shopping networks that will be very helpful for me to input all messages in English as these programs would definitely not have any Chinese interpretation.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Week 7 - Two Principles in Nonverbal Communication

1). Return to the eight principles of nonverbal communication. Pick two principles, and provide new examples of how they operate in a group or team.

The first principle of nonverbal communication that I want to share is the quality of the relationships between group members is established and perpetuated through nonverbal behavior. In Harris and Sherblom illustrates, “We provide a great deal of communication nonverbally to others that indicates how we feel about them” (Harris/Sherblom 118). The authors reveal that the nonverbal behaviors from an individual can definitely draw the other people’s attention. In terms of this principle in nonverbal communication, I want to share an example that happens in the church. In 2008, there was a pastor from Texas who shared his experience in South America. Because of his low voice and without any humor in his sharing, I had found lots of people left the conference room or went to rest room. Under this issue, I have known the pastor completely unsuccessfully brought his message to the audiences. The audiences’ nonverbal behavior completely let other people knew the sharing was really bored.

The second principle in nonverbal communication that I want to discuss is nonverbal communication becomes meaningful when one or more parties assign meaning to it. Harris and Sherblom say, “The importance of this is demonstrated when someone in our group assign meaning to our action, even when we did not intend to communicate that meaning” (Harris/Sherblom 119). In author’s statement, both of them reveal the further action depends on some particular nonverbal behaviors in group individuals. For instance, if someone needs to give a seat to an old person in the transportation vehicle, then he or she may stand up and let the old person to sit in. Under this issue, we have known the action is assigned under the nonverbal communication.

Re: Week 7: Sex-role stereotyping

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading, that has not already been discussed this week, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Sex-role stereotyping is the concept that I want to share in the following paragraphs. In Harris and Sherblom’s text who say, ”Numerous recent studies indicate that women are more effective as managers and leaders in the areas of motivating others, fostering communication, producing high-quality work, and listening to others than are men (Sharpe,2000)” (Harris/Sherblom 125). I fully agree with the authors’ ideas in the text. Due to the strong ability of effectiveness in communication and high quality of work, we have known most of the women hold the important positions as the leaders and executives in the government and organizations in the twenty first century. For examples, Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State and Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives who can definitely represent the outstanding and famous women in the United States as well as in the world. Literally, Mrs. Clinton and Mrs. Pelosi demonstrate as the role models and embrace in the hearts of most of the Americans. With respect of these two examples, we have seen the rapid and striking manifestation of social change in the last century that completely motivated the women to fight for the equality and justice for themselves in the society. Except working in the society, as a member in the family, the woman also understands who has the responsibility to share part of breadwinner work for the husband during the financial crisis and recession as well.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Week 7 - Proxemics and Chronemics

2). Explain proxemics and chronemics. Are there universal rules for all cultures regarding these concepts? Give personal examples if possible. Give examples of personal experience in other cultures regarding these two concepts.

In Harris and Sherblom’s text who mention, “Chronemics is the study of time” (Harris/Sherblom 123). In this statement, we understand chronenmics means time that is one of the important rules in small group discussion. In order to strengthen this rule, Harris and Sherblom also say, “In our culture, time is money. Small group organized in this context must be sensitive to the time-based expectations of many of their members and of the organizations within which they operate” (Harris/Sherblom 123-124). In these sentences, the authors completely reveal time is the important issue to operate in small group. In addition, we also understand time is related to punctuality. Generally, I agree with Harris and Sherblom’s expressions because the time and punctuality are the musts that the team members should comply with these particular rules in the meeting.

Luckily, the members working for my last project of “Group Facilitation” were very punctual when we had a meeting. Literally, all of them understood the time played the important role in group discussion. Before we had the meeting, I also updated our status and schedule by sending the emails to remind them that some members would leave earlier to go back to work or to class. Under this issue, the discussion of the project ended within our schedule. Clearly, we have seen the punctuality that also depends on the collaboration in small group. More importantly, the punctuality is the humanity because we understand that the time is money and would not be coming back again.

The proxemics means space. In Harris and Sherblom’s text who say,”How we structure, use and are affected by space in our interactions with others” (Harper, Wiens, & Matarazzo, 1978, p.xii) constitutes proxemics” (Harris/Sherblom 122). In this statement, the authors express that space plays the important role in the interaction. For example, in the meeting of an organization, we can see the “CEO” always has his or her own seat in the middle of the rectangular or round table that completely demonstrates the important position in the organization. In order to support his or her position, the rest of the staffs sit next to the CEO depending on their levels and positions in the company. Under this issue, we have known the space completely shown the hierarchy power in an organization. In Harris and Sherblom also mention, “More powerful people have freer use of the space around them than do less powerful individuals” (Harris and Sherblom 122). In this statement, we understand larger and lesser power are absolutely related to the space in groups and individuals' interaction.