Chapter 3

Explaining Theories of Cognition and Intrapersonal Communication

BlackBoard Follow Up

Introductions

Who is Howard Gardner

Changing Minds

Brian Solis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3hi0V13oag

Social listening

Talking to you and through you

Investing in social capital

Cognitive Process

Communication has early roots in psychology

Cognitive scholars are concerned with the mental processes that are used to process stimuli and generate particular effects

Contrasts behavioral view that focuses solely on external causes (or stimuli) and behavioral effects

Cognitive/Intrapersonal Theories

Message Design Logics

Premise: Message Design Logics predicts that people strategically design messages sent to others

Message Design Logics

Three types of Design

Expressive design

Conventional design

Rhetorical design

Message Design Logics

Problems interacting with different MDL styles

When individuals share the same MDL: they are more likely to acknowledge

communication problems

When individuals have different MDLs: they are more likely to blame their problems

on the other’s bad intentions, mistaken beliefs, or undesirable personality characteristics

Cognitive/Intrapersonal Theories

Message Design Logics

Communication Accommodation Theory

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Expectancy Violations Theory

Communication Accommodation Theory Giles & Coupland

Premise: when individuals interact with others, they will:

accommodate their speech and language patterns

by matching their partner’s speech

by differentiating their speech and language use

Communication Accommodation Theory Individuals belong to a wide variety of social

groups

These groups shape each person’s collective identity

In-groups: social affiliations to which an individual feels he or she belongs

Out-groups: social affiliations to which a person feels that he or she does not belong

Language, speech, and nonverbal messages all communicate one’s in-group and out-group status

What In-groups are you part of?

Social affiliations to which an individual feels he or she belongs

What language, speech, and nonverbal messages are you aware of?

What out-groups are you aware of?

Social affiliations to which a person feels that he or she does not belong

What language, speech, and nonverbal messages did you observe?

Communication Accommodation Theory

Communication Accommodation Theory Individuals adjust their speech and

conversational patterns either to assimilate with or to deviate from others

Convergence: altering your speech and behavior so that it matches that of your conversational partner

Divergence: rather than match your partner’s communication patterns, you seek to make your speech different

Communication Accommodation Theory Predictions

When a person wants to be viewed as part of an in-group, s/he will accommodate by convergence

When a persona wants to be viewed as distinct from a certain group, s/he will alter your speech through divergence

In addition to expressing disagreement or rejection of a speaker, divergence also illustrates one’s cultural identity or differences in one’s status.

Communication Accommodation Theory Accommodation is not always appropriate or

effective

When in doubt, individuals rely on social norms to inform their decision to accommodate (or not)

Scenario #1

Convergence

Pros Cons

Divergence

Pros Cons

Communication Accommodation Theory

Positive Effects Increased attraction,

social approval, and increased persuasion

Negative Effects Incorrect stereotypes of

out-group, perceived condescension, loss of personal identity

Communication Accommodation Theory

Positive Effects Protects cultural

identity, asserts power differences, and increased sympathy

Negative Effects Perceived disdain for out-

group, perceived lack of effort, and increased psychological distance

Uncertainty Reduction

Theory

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Berger & Calabrese

Premise: URT explains and predict when, why, and how individuals use communication to minimize their doubts when interacting with others

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

URT functions based on three assumptions

Primary goal of communication is to minimize uncertainties that we have about the world

Individuals experience uncertainty regularly; the experience of uncertainty is unpleasant

Communication is the primary vehicle for reducing uncertainty

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Reducing uncertainty

3 antecedent conditions: influence whether we have the motivation to reduce uncertainty

Anticipation of future interaction

Incentive value

Deviance

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Two types of uncertainty

Behavioral uncertainty

Cognitive uncertainty

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

8 Axioms Explaining the Uncertainty Reduction Process

Axiom 1: Verbal communication

Axiom 2: Welcoming nonverbal communication

Axiom 3: Information-seeking behaviors

Axiom 4: Intimacy

Axiom 5: Reciprocal communication strategies

Axiom 6: Perceived similarities

Axiom 7: Liking

Axiom 8: Shared communication networks

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Berger (1995, 1997) noted that much of social interaction is goal driven; we communicate for a reason and we create plans to guide interaction

Uncertainty reduction strategies

Passive strategy

Active strategy

Interactive strategy

Expectancy Violations

Theory

Expectancy Violations Theory

Burgoon

Premise: explains the meanings that people attribute to the violation of their personal space and predicts their response to such infringements

Assumptions

EVT builds on numerous axioms

Primary assumption: humans have competing needs for personal space and for affiliation

Expectancy Violations Theory

EVT makes predictions as to how individuals will react to a given violation

Reciprocate: match someone’s behavior

Compensate: counteract by doing the opposite of your partner’s behavior

Expectancy Violations Theory

Core Concepts

Expectancy Context of the behavior Relationship with the person in question Communicator’s characteristics

BlackBoard Questions

What cultural differences have you observed related to any single theory we discussed?