I'll be continuing to update this study guide as I also finish writing the exam - here's what I have so far. It should be finalized sometime tomorrow.
Exam will cover Ch. 1-5 as well as all of the lecture material.
From Ch. 1 and related lectures/class discussions
Principles of Interpersonal Communication
What is communication?
Be able to articulate what we mean by creation of meaning, symbolic nature of communication, that communication is a process, that communication is functional, systematic, interactional and transactional.
Definition & Elements of Interpersonal Communication
What needs are met via communication and how?
What is meant by the statement “Meanings are in people, not in words”?
Myths/Misconceptions of Communication
What makes a relationship “personal” as opposed to “impersonal” (what are the criteria)?
Face to face vs. CMC
What are the two criteria for communication competence and what are the characteristics of a competent communicator?
What distinguishes a social relationship from a personal relationship?
Explain the claim that “we all need to communicate”. Explain that claim and give two examples of what needs communication might fulfill.
Discuss the difference between effective communication and appropriate communication as they relate to communication competence.
Attachment and Bonding
What is attachment and how do primate studies inform our understanding of it?
PowerPoint on Harry Harlow’s experiments - Be articulate in the major findings of Harlow’s study and implications those findings have for human relationships.
Based on Harlow’s research (not just your own opinion), be able to articulate in specific terms how you would go about choosing a day care for your child.
Chapter on Self & related lectures/class discussions
PowerPoint presentation on the development of the self through interaction (James, Mead, Cooley, Goffman)
Characteristics of the self-concept
What 4 requirements must be met in order for an appraisal to be regarded as important?
Ways to change/improve self-concept (& exercise I gave you) – How is it possible to change your self-concept?
The self-fulfilling prophecy
Explain the difference between self-concept and self-esteem.
Self Esteem – characteristics of people with high or low SE, Coopersmith SE inventory – what was your score? How does this impact your communication?
Public vs. private selves - how do you navigate the different arenas?
Goffman - identity management, perceived vs. presenting selves & facework
How do we manage impressions online?
According to the things we talked about in class as well as your textbook, what are some steps you could take to improve your self-concept?
Chapter on Perception and related lectures/class discussions
Perception - 3 steps in the process (text & lecture),
Influences on perception
Filters and common tendencies in perception (text & lecture)
Standpoint theory (text) Stereotyping – what it is, steps/stages
Attribution and self-serving bias Empathy (text)
Imagine that you work for a publisher – and they want to remove the chapter on perception from the Interpersonal Communication textbook that they publish, and because you had a class in it, your boss asks your opinion. Of course, you are strongly opposed. Explain, as you would to your boss, why the study of perception is so central to an understanding of interpersonal communication.
Emotions - Ch. 4
Facilitative and debilitative emotions
Fallacies (be able to identify the fallacy in a matching section with
examples)
What kinds of changes, reactions, interpretations, and expressions do emotions involve?
What variables influence our emotional expression? Be able to provide examples for any of the variables your textbook discusses.
Of all the guidelines for expressing emotions – which are you best at? Worst at?
How do these relate to your personal conflict style?
What are facilitative and debilitative emotions? How can self-talk be either one?
Why is it important to identify an activating event when dealing with emotions?
Fallacies - how can they be debilitative? How could determining an activating event help us rid ourselves of these fallacies? How do they impact your relationships?
Language - Ch. 5
Using the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, explain how the documentary "The N Word: Divided We Stand" illustrates that "lanugage has the power to both affect and reflect culture".
Possible Short Answer Questions:
Understanding the research of Harry Harlow on forming secure bonds and attachments, explain how you would go into potential daycare centers and choose one for your child. What are three specific things you would be looking for (that Harlow's work informed your understanding of)?
What is the difference between self-concept and self-esteem?
What is the difference between sympathy and empathy? How can you experience empathy even if you have never been through or experienced what someone is going through?
Explain how your gender has shaped your self-concept, perception, emotions and expression of them, language, and nonverbal communication via your understanding of research concerning gender differences in these things throughout the chapters you have read.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Discussion Guide for "The N-Word: Divided We Stand"
Important Caveat: Your professor for this class despises the N-word, and uses it here only because it is how Dr. Randall Kennedy (whom you saw a lot in the documentary) writes. I've chosen not to censor his writing, but rather present his questions to you as he wrote them.
Writing from Randall Kennedy, in papragraph 2, in which he justifies learning about this, no matter how profane we feel it is:
http://blackhistory.harpweek.com/1Introduction/RandallKennedyEssay.htm
Should it be eradicated from dictionaries and the language? Should it be, somehow, regulated? What is the significance of its emergence among some blacks as a term with "undertones of warmth and good will"? Do blacks have a historical right to its use or does that place the term under a "protectionist pall"?
Can the usage of the word "N" word change it from a negative connotation to a positive? In greeting each other and attempting to use the "N" word as an everyday phrase, we frequently confuse white, Latinos, etc. The practice is so pervasive modern day musicians like J-Lo and Kid Rock have used the word in their lyrics. But, why is their usage of the word offensive while Jay-Z and other popular rappers are considered "hip?" I am sure the answer would be that what we say among ourselves as African-Americans does not give "outsiders" license to use the "N" word. But, how can we censor the usage of the "N" word when we continue to flaunt it?
Discussion Guide:
1. How should nigger be defined? Is there only one meaning of the word? How has the semantics of the word evolved over time? What does this term mean to you personally? What do you think it means to your parents’ generation? What does it mean to those in other racial communities? Does its meaning vary depending upon age, race, community, class, and setting?
2. Is nigger part of the American cultural inheritance that should be preserved? Should we ban books from the nineteenth century such as Huckleberry Finn that contain the word? What about books from the twentieth century such as To Kill a Mockingbird or Uncle Tom’s Children or Invisible Man? What about contemporary works such as the movie Rush Hour?
3. Why does nigger generate such powerful reactions? Is it more hurtful than other racial, ethnic, and religious epithets? Why are such words so plentiful? Should nigger be treated differently that other racial or ethnic slurs?
4. Should Kennedy have used “the n-word” instead of nigger in his book? Should the title have been “The N-Word”? Does the title or Kennedy’s continued use of the word throughout the book offend you? Why do you think that Kennedy used nigger as the only word in the title?
5. Should blacks be able to use the word nigger in ways forbidden to others? Why or why not?
6. Is there an important distinction between “nigger” and “niggah”?
7. Under what conditions, if any, should a person be ousted from his or her job or school for saying nigger?
8. How can we go about changing the connotations of the word nigger?
9. In an episode of the television show “Boston Public,” Marla Hendricks, a black teacher, wants Danny Hanson, who is white, to be fired for discussing the word nigger in his classroom. She says, “That word has always stood for hatred coming out of a white mouth. No teacher in any school is good enough to erase that in a sensitivity class.” Do you agree with her? Would it have made a difference if Danny Hanson was black? Is a commercial television show an appropriate forum in which to explore this type of issue? What do you think the program hoped to achieve? Has it succeeded?
10. Do you feel we should be discussing the word and its social and cultural connotations? Or is this issue too explosive to be resolved? What do you think about discussing this word in the classroom?
11. What is your reaction to hearing nigger or niggah in rap lyrics sung by blacks? How about when used in skits by black comedians? How would you react if you heard these words used in a routine performed by a white comedian on “Saturday Night Live” or Comedy Central?
12. Andy Rooney of “60 Minutes” has said that “the best way to get rid of a problem is to hold it up to the bright light and look at all sides of it, and that’s what Kennedy does in this book.” Do you agree?
Writing from Randall Kennedy, in papragraph 2, in which he justifies learning about this, no matter how profane we feel it is:
http://blackhistory.harpweek.com/1Introduction/RandallKennedyEssay.htm
Should it be eradicated from dictionaries and the language? Should it be, somehow, regulated? What is the significance of its emergence among some blacks as a term with "undertones of warmth and good will"? Do blacks have a historical right to its use or does that place the term under a "protectionist pall"?
Can the usage of the word "N" word change it from a negative connotation to a positive? In greeting each other and attempting to use the "N" word as an everyday phrase, we frequently confuse white, Latinos, etc. The practice is so pervasive modern day musicians like J-Lo and Kid Rock have used the word in their lyrics. But, why is their usage of the word offensive while Jay-Z and other popular rappers are considered "hip?" I am sure the answer would be that what we say among ourselves as African-Americans does not give "outsiders" license to use the "N" word. But, how can we censor the usage of the "N" word when we continue to flaunt it?
Discussion Guide:
1. How should nigger be defined? Is there only one meaning of the word? How has the semantics of the word evolved over time? What does this term mean to you personally? What do you think it means to your parents’ generation? What does it mean to those in other racial communities? Does its meaning vary depending upon age, race, community, class, and setting?
2. Is nigger part of the American cultural inheritance that should be preserved? Should we ban books from the nineteenth century such as Huckleberry Finn that contain the word? What about books from the twentieth century such as To Kill a Mockingbird or Uncle Tom’s Children or Invisible Man? What about contemporary works such as the movie Rush Hour?
3. Why does nigger generate such powerful reactions? Is it more hurtful than other racial, ethnic, and religious epithets? Why are such words so plentiful? Should nigger be treated differently that other racial or ethnic slurs?
4. Should Kennedy have used “the n-word” instead of nigger in his book? Should the title have been “The N-Word”? Does the title or Kennedy’s continued use of the word throughout the book offend you? Why do you think that Kennedy used nigger as the only word in the title?
5. Should blacks be able to use the word nigger in ways forbidden to others? Why or why not?
6. Is there an important distinction between “nigger” and “niggah”?
7. Under what conditions, if any, should a person be ousted from his or her job or school for saying nigger?
8. How can we go about changing the connotations of the word nigger?
9. In an episode of the television show “Boston Public,” Marla Hendricks, a black teacher, wants Danny Hanson, who is white, to be fired for discussing the word nigger in his classroom. She says, “That word has always stood for hatred coming out of a white mouth. No teacher in any school is good enough to erase that in a sensitivity class.” Do you agree with her? Would it have made a difference if Danny Hanson was black? Is a commercial television show an appropriate forum in which to explore this type of issue? What do you think the program hoped to achieve? Has it succeeded?
10. Do you feel we should be discussing the word and its social and cultural connotations? Or is this issue too explosive to be resolved? What do you think about discussing this word in the classroom?
11. What is your reaction to hearing nigger or niggah in rap lyrics sung by blacks? How about when used in skits by black comedians? How would you react if you heard these words used in a routine performed by a white comedian on “Saturday Night Live” or Comedy Central?
12. Andy Rooney of “60 Minutes” has said that “the best way to get rid of a problem is to hold it up to the bright light and look at all sides of it, and that’s what Kennedy does in this book.” Do you agree?
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