Online Dating

Here's a great little piece on online dating which should spark considerable in-class discussion.

Culture and Naming

Here's a great little article on a group of 285 Indian girls who are having their names changed from names that meant "unwanted" to names of goddesses, Bollywood stars, or names that are simply positive. This is just one effort to combat discrimination but it's an interesting one from a communication point of view. It's also a great lead-in to a discussion of the importance of what we call ourselves and others.

Dating

Here's an interesting article and website for lots of stuff on dating. I think students would enjoy reading some of this material and then discussing it in terms of the available research on the varied topics.

Communication Strategies: Other-Orientation

Other-Orientation

Other-orientation is a quality of interpersonal effectiveness that includes the ability to adapt your messages to the other person.  It involves communicating attentiveness to and interest in the other person and genuine interest in what the person says.

Communicating Other-Orientation. You’ll recognize the following behaviors in those with whom you enjoy talking. As you read these suggestions you’ll note that these are also likely to serve the impression formation function of being liked.

<       Show consideration. Demonstrate respect, for example, ask if it’s all right to dump your troubles on someone before doing so, or ask if your phone call comes at a good time.

<       Acknowledge the other person’s feelings as legitimate: Expressions such as “You’re right” or “I can understand why you’re so angry” help focus the interaction on the other person and confirm that you’re listening.

<       Acknowledge the other person. Recognize the importance of the other person. Ask for suggestions, opinions, and clarification. This will ensure that you understand what the other person is saying from that person’s point of view.

<       Focus your messages on the other person. Use open-ended questions to involve the other person in the interaction (as opposed to questions that merely ask for a yes or no answer), and make statements that directly address the person. Use focused eye contact and appropriate facial expressions; smile, nod, and lean toward the other person.

<       Grant permission. Let the other person know that it’s o.k. to express (or to not express) her or his feelings. A simple statement such as “I know how difficult it is to talk about feelings” opens up the topic of feelings and gives the other person permission either to pursue such a discussion or to say nothing.

Steve Jobs Commencement Address

With the recent death of Steve Jobs--one of the real geniuses of our time--I thought that public speaking students (and actually just about anyone) would enjoy reading a commencement speech he delivered some years ago. I think this is a wonderful speech and I tried to reprint it in the last edition of my public speaking book but, unfortunately, permission was denied. But, it's a great speech and, fortunately, readily available online. I think students will find this interesting, relevant, instructive, and inspirational.

Reality TV

Here's an interesting post analyzing SuperNanny and Nanny 911 as reality. It can easily be used in connection with media literacy or critical thinking. Identifying the unreality of reality TV would make an interesting classroom exercise.

Communication Strategies. Cultural Sensitivity

Here is a brief explanation--all too brief probably--of cultural sensitivity as it applies particularly to communication. Cultural sensitivity is an attitude and way of behaving in which you’re aware of and acknowledge cultural differences; it’s crucial for such global goals as world peace and economic growth as well as for effective interpersonal communication (Franklin & Mizell, 1995). Without cultural sensitivity there can be no effective interpersonal communication between people who are different in gender or race or nationality or affectional orientation. So be mindful of the cultural differences between yourself and the other person. The techniques of interpersonal communication that work well with European Americans may not work well with Asian Americans; what proves effective in Japan may not in Mexico. The close physical distance that is normal in Arab cultures may seem too familiar or too intrusive in much of the United States and northern Europe. The empathy that most Americans welcome may be uncomfortable for most Koreans, Japanese, or Chinese.

Increasing Cultural Sensitivity. Only a few suggestions:

<       Prepare yourself. Read about and listen carefully for culturally influenced behaviors.

<       Recognize your fears. Recognize and face your own fears of acting inappropriately toward members of different cultures.

<       Recognize differences. Be mindful of the differences between yourself and those from other cultures.

<       Recognize differences within the group. At the same time that you recognize differences between yourself and others, recognize that there are often enormous differences within any given cultural group.

<       Recognize differences in meaning.  Words don’t always mean the same thing to members of different cultures.

<       Be rule conscious. Become aware of and thinking mindfully about the cultural rules and customs of others.