1. Perceiving the Self and Others
Chapter 2
Perceiving the Self
and Others

2. Chapter Outcomes
Describe how our personal perspective on the world influences our communication
Explain how we use and misuse schemas when communicating with others
Define the attributions we use to explain behavior

3. Chapter Outcomes (cont.)‏
Describe cultural differences that influence perception
Identify how our self-concept—who we think we are—influences communication
Describe how our cognitions about ourselves and our behavior affect our communication with others

4. Perception
A cognitive process through which we interpret our experiences and come to our own unique understandings 4

5. Communication Processing
Gathering, organizing, and evaluating the information we receive
Also involves our basic senses, along with personal factors 5

6. The Perception Process
Selecting information
Organizing perceptions
Interpreting perceptions
Improving perceptions 6

7. Schemas: Organizing Perceptions
Mental structures that put together related bits of information
Help us understand how things work and how they should proceed
Evolve and change over time 7

8. Challenges with Schemas and Perception
Mindlessness
Passive information processing vs. mindfulness
Selective perception
Receiving only the information we want
Undue influence
Giving another person power over our perceptions 8

9. Attributions: Interpreting Your Perceptions
Attributions: personal characteristics used to explain others’ behaviors
Fundamental attribution error: overemphasizing internal, underestimating external causes of behaviors 9

10. Attributions: Interpreting Your Perceptions (cont.)‏
Self-serving bias: attributing personal success to internal factors
Interaction appearance theory: changing another’s attributions based on increased contact

11. Improving Your Perceptions
Verify your perceptions.
Be thoughtful when seeking explanations.
Look beyond first impressions. 11

12. Perception in a Diverse World
Culture affects how we perceive ourselves and others. 12

13. Perceptual Barriers Narrow perspective Stereotyping
Cultural myopia: believing one’s own culture is appropriate and relevant in all situations
Stereotyping
Fitting others into an existing schema without adjusting the schema appropriately
May be positive, negative, or neutral 13

14. Perceptual Barriers (cont.)‏
Prejudice
Deep-seated feelings of unkindness and ill will toward particular groups
Usually based on negative stereotypes and feelings of superiority over those groups

15. Cognition: Perceiving Ourselves
Self-concept
Self-esteem
Self-efficacy

16. Self-Concept: Who You Think You Are
Influenced by thoughts, actions, abilities, values, goals, and ideals
Influences how you communicate with others
Reinforced by how others communicate with you based on:
Direct and indirect evidence
Social comparison theory

17. Self-Esteem: How You Feel About Yourself
A set of attitudes you hold about your own emotions, thoughts, abilities, skills, behavior, and beliefs
Linked to self-concept: You must know yourself to have attitudes about your self.

18. Self-Efficacy: Assessing Your Own Abilities
Ability to predict actual success based on your self-concept and self- esteem
Affects your ability to interpret events and cope with failure and success
Inaccurate self-efficacy can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies.

19. Assessing Our Perceptions of Self
Self-Actualization
Feelings and thoughts resulting from negotiating a communication situation as well as you possibly could
Can lead to satisfaction

20. Assessing Our Perceptions of Self (cont.)‏
Self-Adequacy
Assessing your communication competence as sufficient or acceptable
Can lead to contentment or self- improvement

21. Assessing Our Perceptions of Self (cont.)‏
Self-Denigration
A negative assessment (self- criticism) about a communication experience.
Often unwarranted that occurs when communicators place undue importance on weaknesses

22. Behavior: Managing Our Identities
Self-presentation
Intentional communication designed to show elements of self for strategic purposes
Occurs through various channels
Requires self-monitoring

23. Behavior: Managing Our Identities (cont.)‏
Self-disclosure
Revealing yourself to others by sharing personal information
Must not be information easily known to others
Sharing must be voluntary

24. Behavior: Managing Our Identities (cont.)‏

25. Technology: Managing the Self and Perceptions
Self-presentation can be more controlled online than in person.
Make conscious choices about what to reveal to others.
Others may create perceptions about you based upon what you reveal.
Technology allows for experimentation with identity.