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Chapter 2
Perceiving the Self
and Others
Perception
A cognitive process
through which we
interpret our
experiences and come
to our own unique
understandings
Communication Processing
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Gathering, organizing,
& evaluating
information
Goes beyond senses
Involves personal
factors
The Perception Process
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Selecting
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Organizing
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Interpreting
Schemas:
Organizing Perceptions
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Mental structures that put together
related bits of information
Help you understand how things
work and how they should proceed
Evolve and change over time
Challenges with Schemas
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Mindlessness
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Selective perception
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“Uh huh… what?”
We evaluate based on our schemas
Undue influence
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Do men always know more about sports
than women?
Attributions: Interpreting
Perceptions
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Using personal characteristics to
explain others’ behavior when they
don’t fit into our schemas
Emma: “I’m heading over to Mark’s place to help
him study for our midterm. He has really been
struggling this semester.”
Caleb: “Well, he was never really a rocket
scientist.”
Attributions Cont.
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Interaction appearance theory
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Have you ever found someone more
attractive after getting to know them?
Fundamental Attribution Error
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Attributing cause to internal factors for
others
Opposite for ourselves
Improving Your Perceptions
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Verify your perceptions
Be thoughtful when
seeking explanations
Look beyond first
impressions
Schema & Perception Exercise
Perception in a Diverse World
Culture affects how we
perceive ourselves &
others
*Remember, culture
isn’t just limited to race
and/or ethnicity
Perceptual Barriers
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The narrow perspective
(Cultural myopia)
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Stereotyping
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Applying your already existing
schema
Prejudice
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Based on negative stereotypes –
rooted in unkindness and ill will
Discussion – “And you?”
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What is your opinion on Bill O’Reilly’s
comments? Is it insensitive to wish
someone “Merry Christmas” if one is not
sure that the individual celebrates the
holiday? Should salespeople avoid
messages about religion entirely? How
might your religious beliefs (or lack of
beliefs) affect your perceptions on the
issue?
Removing Perceptual Barriers
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Be mindful
Consider multiple identities and cocultures
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Expand your perspective
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Deconstruct your schemas
Cognition:
Perceiving Ourselves
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Self-concept
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Self-esteem
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Self-efficacy
Self-Concept
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Who you think you are
Influenced by thoughts, actions, abilities,
values, goals, ideas…
Influences how you communicate
Comes from how others communicate
with you
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Direct & indirect evidence
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Getting compliments vs. overhearing gossip
Social comparison theory
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E.G. Women in magazine ads
Self-Esteem
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A set of attitudes you hold
about your own emotions,
thoughts, abilities, skills,
behavior, and beliefs.
How you feel about yourself in
a particular situation
Linked to Self-Concept: Must
know yourself to have attitudes
about self.
Self-Efficacy
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Ability to predict actual success based on
yourself-concept and self-esteem
Self-Efficacy determines the actual choices
you will make
Affects your ability to cope with failure and
success
Can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies
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“I can’t do this” often leads to less effort, and
actual failure.
Assessing Our
Perceptions of Self
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Self-Actualization
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The feelings & thoughts you get when
you know you have negotiated a
communication situation as well as you
possibly could
Leads to sense of satisfaction &
fulfillment
Assessing Our
Perceptions of Self
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Self-Adequacy
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Assessing your communication
competence as sufficient or acceptable
Can lead to contentment or selfimprovement
Assessing Our
Perceptions of Self
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Self-Denigration
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A negative assessment about a
communication experience.
Self-criticism
Often unwarranted. Often occurs when
communicators place undue importance
on weaknesses
Behavior:
Managing Our Identities
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Self-presentation
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Intentional communication designed to
show elements of self for strategic
purposes
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Occurs through various channels
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Requires self-monitoring
Behavior:
Managing Our Identities
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Self-disclosure
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Revealing yourself to others by sharing
personal information
Must not be information easily known to
others
Sharing must be voluntary
Behavior:
Managing Our Identities
Technology:
Managing the Self Online
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Self-presentation can be more
controlled
Make conscious choices about what
to reveal to others
Allows for experimentation with
identity
Chip Kidd