My Thoughts on Chapter 1: A First Look At

Interpersonal Communication

   The first item we look at in chapter one is why we communicate. The first reason we communicate is because of our physical needs. The book discusses several interesting points regarding this matter. It tells us that people who are socially isolated are four times more likely to catch the common cold. Also, people who form relationships with spouses, friends, religion, or the community statistically live longer. Isolated individuals are two to three times more likely to die prematurely. Other reasons we form relationships include identity needs, social needs, and practical goals. 

   Martin Scorsese created a film in 1976 by the name of Taxi Driver which starred Robert De Niro as a Vietnam War veteran who works as a taxi driver at night. De Niro is mentally unstable and is on his own most of the time. The movie is very powerful and portrays in an extreme context the effects of loneliness on people. At the end of the picture De Niro's character Travis Bickle lashes out against the filth of New York by killing several individuals involved in teenage prostitution. When people are alone a lot their minds get the better of them. It is very difficult to act socially acceptable if you are never around people and therefore have nothing to base your behavior on (a process known as social comparison). Chapter 1 of our textbook on page 8 points out that "...relationships with others are so vital, some theorists have gone as far as to argue that positive relationships may be the single most important source of life satisfaction..." This would than imply that loneliness and isolation are the number one cause of dissatisfaction out of life. 

   The early days of communication resulted in what is called a linear communication model. This involved a sender who would encode a message sending it through a channel to a receiver who would than decode or make sense out of that message. All of this was done while competing with noise or distractions that get in the way of transmitting the message. Later a transactional communication model would come into play that shows how people send and receive messages simultaneously. It also took into account the different environments that affect how people understand others' behavior. 

This model also discusses how we have both external noise (car alarms, cigarette smoke, etc.) and internal noise (physiological and psychological) that play a big part in communicating. For instance, if this little boy was in a crowded room lighting up a cigarette, the smoke might distract us from getting an appropriate understanding of the message. (Than again this image on its own might be enough to distract us.)

   No single person or event causes another's reaction. Every event and conversation we have works towards building our perceptions of life as well as determining how we will act in a certain situation. A few important pieces of information that the book covers and that we discussed in class include the ideas that more communication is not always better. Meanings are not in words, they also come  from the way that we present the message. It is also impossible not to communicate. Actions speak louder than words. This old saying displays that even when we are not verbally speaking, we are definitely still communicating. If someone says something obnoxious we role our eyes. When we are tired we yawn. At any time in the day we are relaying a variety of different messages whether we mean to or not.

   The final key element that I found in Chapter 1 involves mediated communication. Mediated communication involves blogging like what I am doing right now, text messaging, emailing, and using various social media websites like facebook, twitter, and Google plus.

Millions of people today are using these different communication channels to keep in touch with family and friends around the globe. Technological advances are making globalization a reality. It is important for communication professionals to keep up with the times and stay current with mediated communication.

Reflection on Chapter 2: Creating and Presenting Self

   What's the difference between self-concept, and self-esteem? Self concept is who you think you are. Self esteem involves evaluations of your self worth, and is more how you feel about  your self concept. How we feel about ourselves has both biological and social roots. The book describes a person's personality on page 43 as being "characteristic ways that you think and behave across a variety of situations." We all are bothered by different things. I personally dislike slow drivers, rude people, and feet. Obviously I wouldn't be angry at an old 

lady driving in the road like the one presented below, but you get the point.
   We all develop a self-concept that reflects the way we believe others see us. This is known as reflected appraisal, which was illustrated by Charles Cooley using his mirror metaphor. We all also have significant others who play a large role in influencing our personal self-concepts.

   Another interesting point is that we as human beings tend to resist change. The self-concept is no different. When I was younger I always hated moving. I got used to my friends and school and found the idea of starting over to be very stressful. Some of the problems that prevent us from altering our self-concept include: self-delusion and defensiveness. We often choose to refute new information that could help us better our personal self-concept. To change we should try and have a realistic perception of ourselves, keep realistic expectations, and have the will to change.

   

   When I read about how we all strive to construct multiple identities my mind immediately raced to multiple personality disorder. The book describes how in some contexts we are a responsible adult, other times we can act like a helpless child. When I go to church, I dress in my best clothes, put on a watch, wear cologne, and act reverent. When I go to a movie with the guys, I often feel no need to shower, my humor at times develops a sense of vulgarity, and I feel like I can be myself. We all act differently in different situations, and have multiple identities to manage.