Comm 1001 1st EditionExam # 2 Study Guide CHAPTER 5 George Herbert Mead believed that our thoughts, self-concept, and the wider community we live in are crested through communication—symbolic interactionSymbolic Interaction this term refers to the language and gestures a person uses in anticipation of the way others will respond. “A conversation” Mead thought that the true test of any theory is weather it is useful in solving complex social problems. The movie Nell Is based on IDIOLGOSSIS a Greek term meaning a personal or private language Blumer stated 3 core principles of symbolic interactionism that deal with meaning, language, and thinking. These premises lead to conclusions about the creation of a persons SELF and socialization into the larger society. MEANING: the construction of social reality - Humans act toward, people or things on the basis of the meanings they assign to those people or things - Its OUR interpretation that counts - Every one view situations and opportunities differently LANGUAGE: the source of meaning- Meaning arises out of he social interaction that people have with each other - Meaning is not inherent in objects; its not pre-existent in a state of nature - Meaning is negotiated through the use of language- “There is nothing inherently small, soft, or lovable in the kitten its only by talking to others—symbolic interaction—that we come to ascribe that meaning”- Symbolic interaction is not just a means for intelligent expression; its also the way we learn to interpret the world - A symbol is a stimulus that has a learned meaning and value to peopleTHINKING: the process of taking the role of the other - An individuals interpretation of symbols is modified by his or her own thought processes - Minding an inner dialogue used to test alternatives, rehearse actions, and anticipate reactions before responding o Its that 2 second delay while you think about what to say next - Taking the role of the other the process of mentally imagining that you are someone else who is viewing “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes”THE SELF: reflections in a looking glass - Meaning, language, and thinking are tightly interconnected, were able to grasp meads concept of the self. - Looking glass self the mental self-image the results from taking the role of the other; the objective self; me - Ithe subjective self; the spontaneous driving force that fosters all that is novel, unpredictable and unorganized in the self - Me the objective self; the image of self seen when one takes the role of the otherSOCIETY: the socializing effect of others expectations - Generalized other the composite mental image a person has of his or her self based on societal expectations and responses o The generalized other is an organized set of information that the individual carries in her or his head about what the general expectation and attitudes of the social group are. o Page 61CHAPTER 7Personal space expectations; conform or deviate? Personal space the invisible variable volume of space surrounding an individual that defines that individuals preferred distance from others FOUR DISTANCES Intimate distance 0-18 inchesPersonal distance 18inches-4 feet Social distance 4 feet-10feet Public distance 10 feet to infinity Expectancy violations theory EVT- PAGE 88 Core concepts of EVT expectancy, violation valence, and communicator reward valence. EXPECTANCY-what people predict will happen rather than what they desireContext-begins with cultural norms Relationship- factors include similarity, familiarity, liking and relative status. Communicator characteristics –include all of the age/sex/place of birth demographic facts asked for on application forms, but they also include personal features that may affect expectation even more- physical appearance, personality, and communication style. VIOLATION VALENCE- the perceived positive or negative value assigned to a breach of expectations regardless of who the violator is.COMMUNICATOR REWARD VALANCE- the sum of positive and negative attributes brought to the encounter plus the potential to reward or punish in the future Interaction adaption theory a systematic analysis of how people adjust their approach when another’sbehavior doesn’t mesh with what’s needed, anticipated or preferred Chapter8Constructivism is a communication theory that seeks to explain individual differences in peoples ability to communicate skillfully in social