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

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

4. Communication Processing
Gathering, organizing, & evaluating information
Goes beyond senses
Involves personal factors

5. The Perception Process
Selecting
Organizing
Interpreting

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

7. Challenges with Schemas
Mindlessness
“Uh huh… what?”
Selective perception
We evaluate based on our schemas
Undue influence
Do men always know more about sports than women?

8. Attributions: Interpreting Perceptions
Using personal characteristics to explain others’ behavior when they don’t fit into our schemas
Emma: “I’m heading over to Mark’s place to help him study for our midterm. He has really been struggling this semester.”
Caleb: “Well, he was never really a rocket scientist.”

9. Attributions Cont. Interaction appearance theory
Have you ever found someone more attractive after getting to know them?
Fundamental Attribution Error
Attributing cause to internal factors for others
Opposite for ourselves

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

11. Schema & Perception Exercise

19. Perception in a Diverse World
Culture affects how we perceive ourselves & others
*Remember, culture isn’t just limited to race and/or ethnicity

20. Perceptual Barriers The narrow perspective Stereotyping Prejudice
(Cultural myopia)
Stereotyping
Applying your already existing schema
Prejudice
Based on negative stereotypes – rooted in unkindness and ill will

21. Discussion – “And you?”
What is your opinion on Bill O’Reilly’s comments? Is it insensitive to wish someone “Merry Christmas” if one is not sure that the individual celebrates the holiday? Should salespeople avoid messages about religion entirely? How might your religious beliefs (or lack of beliefs) affect your perceptions on the issue?

22. Removing Perceptual Barriers
Be mindful
Consider multiple identities and co-cultures
Expand your perspective
Deconstruct your schemas

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

24. Self-Concept Who you think you are
Influenced by thoughts, actions, abilities, values, goals, ideas…
Influences how you communicate
Comes from how others communicate with you
Direct & indirect evidence
Getting compliments vs. overhearing gossip
Social comparison theory
E.G. Women in magazine ads

25. Self-Esteem
A set of attitudes you hold about your own emotions, thoughts, abilities, skills, behavior, and beliefs.
How you feel about yourself in a particular situation
Linked to Self-Concept: Must know yourself to have attitudes about self.

26. Self-Efficacy
Ability to predict actual success based on yourself-concept and self-esteem
Self-Efficacy determines the actual choices you will make
Affects your ability to cope with failure and success
Can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies
“I can’t do this” often leads to less effort, and actual failure.

27. Assessing Our Perceptions of Self
Self-Actualization
The feelings & thoughts you get when you know you have negotiated a communication situation as well as you possibly could
Leads to sense of satisfaction & fulfillment

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

29. Assessing Our Perceptions of Self
Self-Denigration
A negative assessment about a communication experience.
Self-criticism
Often unwarranted. Often occurs when communicators place undue importance on weaknesses

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

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

32. Behavior: Managing Our Identities

33. Technology: Managing the Self Online
Self-presentation can be more controlled
Make conscious choices about what to reveal to others
Allows for experimentation with identity

34. Chip Kidd