Technology and Interpersonal Communication

The four assumptions of online presentation are:

1.      The computer screen can deceive

2.      Online discussions often prompt introspection

3.      Online discussions promote self-orientation

4.      Self- Disclosure occurs online

On Facebook, many people perceive others by the information that is shown on someone’s profile. With this being said, not only do friends and acquaintances create their own  opinion about the person they are looking up, but so do business’ who are looking for potential employees. For example, if you have a profile picture of yourself partying and improper spelling or profanity, the person who is looking at your page or looking you up may automatically think that you always party or talk the way you write. (Ex. Abbreviated language or writing literally) This can also lead to job loss. Also, just by looking at someone’s profile may give off the wrong image, when in reality the person may be the complete opposite of what you assumed in the first place. Facebook allows people to think about what they are going to write before posting a comment or sending a message. Another feature that Facebook allows is to delete post that have been commented on others pages and also on your page, whereas face to face conversation nothing can be deleted nor taken back.  This concept applies to the second assumption. This is helpful because it can give people better judgment of what to post or say before anybody else can see. Facebook allows others to friend request, message, or invite people that you do not know. Usually when I receive a friend request from someone I do not know or receive a message from someone I do not recognize, I will usually delete the message or ignore them. I probably would not ignore someone in person if they were to speak to me; however my views about people on the internet vary. By displaying your likes, interest, hometown, school, and friends it will help others either accept or decline you. These are different examples of assumption three. Similar to assumption three, I feel that assumption four is how you “promote” yourself online or want others to see you.  Facebook allows you to put up a variety of different subjects. The common tools people display is their full name, date of birth, hometown, sexual orientation and religious views. Other features are likes, preferred television shows, your email, favorite music, address, and the college you attend. Normally someone will not give out this type of information in person if they do not know someone, however; the internet does have a powerful effect on people’s views. I assume posting information on Facebook or any webpage makes people feel more secure because they are just writing what they want to present to others rather than being asked or obligated to do so.

Adaptation Theory

The adaptation theory is based on our expectations and requirements when speaking or interacting with others. When people speak with one another, often there will be some sort of verbal or non verbal feedback in return. Usually, the best way of seeing others feedback is by holding a conversation in person. An example of adaptation theory is when I spoke to my friends about a recent suicide in my hometown this week. Midweek, I received a text from my boyfriend who said a young girl from my high school committed suicide. The response I received from others when I told them I knew someone who had just killed herself was the response I was expecting to get. I knew that once I told my story to others they would either listen or get freaked out about the situation. Some of my friends asked questions, covered their mouths, said oh my God, and even began a conversation about other related stories. One thing I noticed was that everybody had the same initial reaction but responded differently. What I mean by this is some people felt sad in the beginning and then told similar stories, and some were eager to find out what happened. Although I told more than three people about the suicide, the way I responded was also an example of how I applied adaptation theory to my boyfriend’s question. When I received his text I responded my asking who the girl was, if I knew her, and how old she was. After my boyfriend saw that I was curious as to finding out what happened, he responded by telling me how he felt about the situation and how he knew the girl for years. This is an example my feedback towards his question and the response he was looking for. Similar, when I told my friends I was with, they responded by giving me feedback on their experiences with knowing people who committed suicide and how interested they were as to finding out what had really happened to the girl. The topic of the conversation was suicidal death; I feel that most people responded in a similar manner to the topic because they all have been affected by it in some way.

Words Are Powerful

I believe a message can cause much impact on an individual by the words that are chosen. The saying “choose your words wisely” applies to this entry because what we say can often be misinterpreted. In some cases, a words meaning could have changed overtime. One word which I feel is often used and its meaning has changed is retarded. As defined in dictionary.com, the word retard means to make slow; delay the development or progress of. When someone calls you retarded or says that something is retarded it usually refers to that person as being challenged or boring. I feel like some people say retarded without even thinking what its original context means. This is the greatest form of ignorance. People who use the word do not consider it to be offensive. There are times when people feel the word is socially acceptable but times when it is not. For example, a person may say, “You’re so retarded” and not think twice about who they just said it to and if it hurt their feelings; but if someone said the same quote to someone who is mentally challenged or someone who knows a mentally challenged individual the context may be much more powerful. Sometimes a word like retarded doesn’t really mean anything to an individual because it does not affect them; however if this applies to you or someone you know, it takes on a whole new meaning. I do believe that the selection of one word can be much greater than another. Using words like “silly” “boring” or even “dumb” rather than retarded can lighten situations or avoid hurtful sayings. There is no appropriate time or instance to call someone retarded but changing the word to another could make a significant difference in the way a person interprets what you say.

Assignment 2

The film clip shown in class about Professor Randy Paush was moving and at the same time informative. It was moving and heartfelt because it spoke about his boyhood dreams, aspirations, and accomplishments. The beginning of the film was an introduction of who Professor Randy Paush was and his lifetime achievements. He not only spoke about the impressions others had in his life, but the impressions he left onto others.  Although Professor Paush spoke little about his battle with cancer, he managed to keep the lecture positive and away from the cancer subject. By doing so he was able to have the audience stay mind free about his health condition and focus more on his lifelong doings. Prof. Paush used quotes, pictures, video’s, and even stuffed animals to keep the energy in the room upbeat and sympathy free.

Prof. Paush’s speech was informative because it made people aware of the fact that just because someone is sick doesn’t always mean you should stop and give up on things. He said for people not to feel sorry for him because he is sick but rather remember him by his aspirations. Paush uses his boyhood dreams as examples of what he always dreamt of becoming when he was a young child and that although times got rough, to never stop trying. He refers to brick walls as something that is meant to stop us, but for those who want things badly it is just something for us to go over. When Prof. Paush said this I thought of this as the way he sees his cancer. Instead of letting his cancer stopping him from going out and living life, he decides to preach what he’s done throughout his years and what he has done to show others that nothing is impossible even when you are diagnosed with something so horrible.

Going into the lecture with a positive face rather than a negative face it was helped the audience see who he was rather than just a sick/dying patient. The intentions Prof. Paush had for his lecture was just to show others what he has done in his life and what he has done in others lives. Because someone is diagnosed with a fatal disease such as cancer, people normally pity them because they feel sorry or sad, but Prof. Paush’s speech was so effective in the way he geared away from his health condition that audiences and viewers seem to forget that he even had cancer to begin with. This way of communication is related to implicit personality theory and the way we assume things about others.  I would say that this is effective communication.

  “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you want.” – Randy Paush

Assignment 1

An example that I can think of when a breakdown in communication occurred was just yesterday. I work for an eye doctor’s office and at times it gets extremely hectic. My position at work is one of many. Myself and the rest of my staff are to answer phones, greet patients, check insurance, hand out paperwork, pre-test patients, train new contact lens wearers (if any), and many other jobs all before they can been taken back to see the doctor.  Most of my work deals with face to face communication, therefore when the office is behind on schedule it impairs the way I and the staff do and handle things. Yesterday, a patient came into my job and said that she had a supply of contact lenses to be picked up. So, I went to the back, checked the contact lens dispense cabinet and did not find, them. Next, I tried to locate her file and I could not find that either. Confused, I went to the front desk and asked the patient if she received a phone call indicating that her contact lenses have arrived and that she could come get them? She responded by saying that she called the Thursday before Labor Day and placed the order over the phone with my manager. After asking the patient questions like: When did you place the order? Did you already pay for the contacts? Did you have them shipped to your house? The patient was frustrated and ended up leaving the office later to return. First I thought to myself, where did Laura, my manager, put the file and if she placed the order in? When the patient returned I managed to locate her file and also see if there was any documentation of a transaction being made on her credit card or bill. [Not even thinking about it, when someone writes something down that’s also a means of communicating with others.] As I checked the ledgers, patient’s payment history, I come to the realization that my manager must had forgotten to place the patients order.

Because I know how the office gets during back to school season and holiday weekends, we (the staff) get bombarded with a lot of work; therefore when patients call over the phone to order something, rarely do we forget about the call. Since my manager is in charge of the office, most likely when the patient called my manager, Laura must have had her mind on something else while juggling patients around and must have forgotten to place the patients order.

I think if the patient came into the office and spoke to my manager, Laura wouldn’t have forgotten to call in the order. This has happened to me several times, however, I remember before the shift was over once my mind was cleared and the office calmed. This goes to show that communication over the phone can be put aside but communication in person is often settled at that moment.  I believe speaking to someone in person is a better way of communicating because you remember a lot more and you can get things done then and there.