Lecture A systems approach to small group interaction (8/e): Chapter 2 - Stewart L. Tubbs

Chapter 2 - Communication processes. Chapter 2 focuses on four of the internal influences of the system''s Model of Small Group Interaction: communication, language behavior, self-disclosure, and interaction roles. This chapter concentrates on the important topic of communication. Because communication is one of the most important aspects of group interaction, a thorough discussion of it is necessary.

CCHH AAPP TT EE RR 21 Communication Processes Stewart L Tubbs McGrawưHill â2004TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.Allrightsreserved Slide Communication Processes ã ã • • • • • • • McGraw­Hill Glossary Case Study Communication Case Study Language Behavior Case Study Self­Disclosure Interaction Roles The Systems Approach © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide Glossary • Appropriateness—includes several factors that help  determine the timing and extent of self­disclosure • Bypassing—a misunderstanding that occurs when the  sender . . . and the receiver . . . miss each other with their  meaning • ContentandProcesscontentofagroupdiscussion includescommentsaboutthetopicofthediscussion. Processisthemannerinwhichthediscussionisconducted McGrawưHill â2004TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.Allrightsreserved Slide Glossary ã Defensive­Supportive Communication —  defensive communication occurs when a psychological  barrier is created, known as a defense mechanism. This  barrier acts to reduce effective communication. Supportive  communication minimizes these types of problems • Emotional Intelligence—personal and interpersonal  skills that enable one to induce desired responses in others • Group­Building and Maintenance Roles— helptheinterpersonalfunctioningofthegroupandalterthe wayofworkingbystrengthening,regulating,and perpetuatingthegroup McGrawưHill â2004TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.Allrightsreserved Slide Glossary ã Group Task Roles—identifiable behaviors that are  • • • McGraw­Hill directed toward accomplishing the group’s objective Individual Roles—roles that are designed to satisfy an  individual’s needs rather than to contribute to satisfying the  needs of the group Inference Making—refers to going beyond  observations and what we know. Inferences have only a  low probability of coming true Intentional­Unintentional Communication— Intentional communication occurs when we communicate  what we mean to. Unintentional communication occurs  when we communicate something different from what we  intend © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide Glossary • Polarizing—the exaggeration that occurs when people  attempt to make a point • Signal Reactions—learned responses to certain  stimuli, such as emotional reactions to offensive swear  words or racial slurs • Verbal­Nonverbal Communication—verbal  communication is the use of words to get across a message.  Nonverbal communication is the use of physical actions,  such as facial expression or tone of voice, to get across a  message McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide Case Study The Departmental E­mail 1. What do you think would have been your reactions if  you were Jones, Cameron, or Hotchkiss? 2. What would have been your reactions if you were one  of the members of the department? McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide Communication • Emotional Intelligence – A combination of intrapersonal communication  (personal competence) and interpersonal  communication (social competence) • Communication Defined – The process of creating meanings in the minds  of others McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide Communication • Communication Defined . . . (continued) – O’Hair, Friedrich, and Shaver (1998, pp. 4­5)  identify six key components of effective  communication skills: 1. Creative insight is the ability to ask the right  questions 2. Sensitivity means [a person] practices the golden  rule 3. Vision means being able to create the future 4. Versatility is the capacity for anticipating change 5. Focus is required to implement the change 6. Patience allows . . . people to live in the long term.  McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 10 Communication • Communication Defined . . . (continued) – Communication among group members may  depend on the nature of the group • Intentional­Unintentional Communication – Unintentional messages may be transmitted by  action as well as by words – Like the intended message, feedback also has  content and relationship levels McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 32 Language Behavior— Practical Tips • Idea Killer Phrases –“That’s ridiculous.” – “You can’t teach an old dog  new tricks.” –“We tried that before.” –“That will never work.” – “We’ll be the laughingstock.” – “You’re absolutely wrong.” –“That’s crazy.” –“It’s too radical a change.” – “You don’t know what you’re  talking about.” –“We’re too small for it.” – “It’s impossible.” –“It’s not practical.” –“Let’s get back to reality.” – “There’s no way it can be  one.” McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 33 Language Behavior— Practical Tips • Igniter Phrases – “I agree.” – “That’s good!” – “I made a mistake. I’m     sorry.” – “That’s a great idea.” – “I’m glad you brought     that up.” – “You’re on the right     track.” – “I know it will work.” McGraw­Hill – “We’re going to try  something different today.” – “I never thought of that.” – “We can do a lot with that  idea.” – “Real good, anyone else?” – “I like that!” – “That would be worth a try.” – “Why don’t we assume it  would work and go from  there.” © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 34 Case Study Niggardly Controversy (B) 1. What do you now think of Mr. Howard’s use of the  word? 2. What do you now think of the mayor’s actions? 3. What lessons have you learned about language behavior  from this case? McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 35 Self-Disclosure • Perhaps one of the greatest dilemmas facing  a group member is the choice between  openly expressing his or her thoughts and  feelings and concealing or distorting inner  feelings,thoughts,orperceptions McGrawưHill â2004TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.Allrightsreserved Slide 36 Self-Disclosure ã TheJohariWindow The Johari window classifies an individual’s  relating to others according to four quadrants   (or windowpanes) • Quadrant 1, the open quadrant, represents our  willingness to share with others our views on general  topics • Quadrant 2, the blind quadrant, represents the things  others may know about us that we do unintentionally  andunknowingly McGrawưHill â2004TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.Allrightsreserved Slide 37 Self-Disclosure ã TheJohariWindow The Johari window . . . (continued) • Quadrant 3, the hidden area, represents the feelings  about ourselves that we know but are unwilling to  reveal to others • Quadrant 4, the area of the unknown, includes  almost anything outside our experience – Luft advocates changing the shape of the  windowsothatquadrant1enlargeswhileallthe othersbecomesmaller McGrawưHill â2004TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.Allrightsreserved Slide 38 Self-Disclosure ã TheJohariWindow McGrawưHill Source:JosephLuft.GroupProcesses:AnIntroductiontoGroupDynamics,bypermission â2004TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.Allrightsreserved ofMayfieldPublishingCompany.Copyrightâ1963,1970byJosephLuft. Slide 39 Self-Disclosure ã WhenIsSelfưDisclosureAppropriate? Luft (1969) proposes the following guidelines: 1. When it is a function of the ongoing relationship 2. When it occurs reciprocally 3. When it is timed to fit what is happening 4. When it concerns what is going on within and  between persons in the present 5. When it moves by relatively small increments McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 40 Self-Disclosure • When Is Self­Disclosure Appropriate? – Luft (1969) . . . (continued)   6. When it is confirmable by the other person   7. When account is taken of the effect disclosure has  on the other person(s)   8. When it creates a reasonable risk   9. When it is speeded up in a crisis 10. When the context is mutually shared McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 41 Interaction Roles • Group Task Roles – – – – – – McGraw­Hill Initiating­contributing Information seeking Opinion seeking Information giving Opinion giving Coordinating © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 42 Interaction Roles • Group Task Roles . . . (continued) – – – – – – McGraw­Hill Elaborating Orienting Evaluating Energizing Assisting on procedure Recording © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 43 Interaction Roles • Group­Building and Maintenance Roles – – – – – – – McGraw­Hill Encouraging Harmonizing Compromising Gatekeeping and expediting Setting standards or ideals Observing Following © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 44 Interaction Roles • Individual Roles – – – – – – – – McGraw­Hill Aggressing Blocking Recognition seeking Self­confessing Acting the playboy Dominating Help seeking Special­interest pleading © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 45 The Systems Approach • Many authors stress that the participants in  any communication event are highly  dependent on one another • The type of group and the personalities,  genders, body shapes, and ability levels all  interact to produce the outcome McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Slide 46 The Systems Approach • Four problems related to language behavior —bypassing, inference making, polarizing,  and signal reactions—are related to both the  background factors of the individuals and  the eventual consequences of group  discussion • Appropriate self­disclosure will vary  considerably from group to group • Group task and group maintenance roles  contribute the group’s needs McGraw­Hill © 2004 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved ... communicationistheuseofwordstogetacrossamessage. Nonverbalcommunicationistheuseofphysicalactions, suchasfacialexpressionortoneofvoice,togetacrossa message McGrawưHill ? ?20 04TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.Allrightsreserved... Polarizing—the exaggeration that occurs when people  attempt? ?to? ?make? ?a? ?point • Signal Reactions—learned responses? ?to? ?certain  stimuli, such as emotional reactions? ?to? ?offensive swear  wordsorracialslurs ã VerbalưNonverbalCommunicationverbal communicationistheuseofwordstogetacrossamessage.... Verbal­Nonverbal Communication (cont’d) – All verbal and nonverbal cues are perceived as? ?a? ? whole – Nonverbal communication takes? ?a? ?different  form at the organizational level • An open­office layout, as opposed? ?to? ?the