Week 11: D3

Pick one concept from the assigned reading this week, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

The idea of leading a CMC group meeting is pretty interesting. I think it is important to have a leader in a CMC meeting because I see how it is harder to conduct and keep the group on task over the computer or media. There are some common traits between leading a F2F and CMC group meetings, for instance being encouraging and being able to organize meetings. But as a CMC leader, as the book states, be aware of the nonverbal communication in the meeting. This might be hard because we cannot see the nonverbal cues in the messages through CMC. As leaders we should take that in account sometimes. Honestly I think that being a leader of a CMC group is a harder than being a leader in a F2F group. Overall I thought it was a neat idea since I never really think about the “leader” in a CMC group. 

Week 11: D2

How do anonymity, group size, and proximity influence participation and communication in CMC groups?

By not knowing the group members in a CMC group can be beneficial.  This is because people can communicate more freely with one another, not worried about the judgments others will make. For example last year I had to do a group project through CMC. Everyone was comfortable to share ideas with one another. Group size can be tricky with this type of communication. I believe that communication will be more effective because it will be convenient to everyone to meet up. More ideas can be thrown out as well. I know for me I tend to not participate as much in a big group during F2F because I feel like my voice and ideas get drowned.  As for participation, I believe it will be easier since no one will seem to be intimated. Since we can see others we would not be afraid to share. For proximity CMC allows everyone in the group to communicate with each other anywhere.  

Week 11: D1

How does CMC differ from f2f communication? 

CMC means that the communication takes place though the media such as the Internet and text messages. Face to face communication means that it takes place between two physical people. CMC differs from F2F communication in a lot of ways. One thing that is different is the interaction in CMC can be much slower. Because it is over the media, people tend to take their time while responding with each other. Another difference is that when we communicate through CMC we are able to think about what we say to the other person, giving a more thoughtful response. When communicating in person we are put on the spot and we have to basically speak what we could currently think of in that moment. CMC cannot capture the non-verbal cues of the person speaking due to the media barrier, unless the communication is done through video conferencing. This actually might be more convenient when meeting in bigger groups. Personally I like seeing those non-verbal cues during my conversation. 

Week 9: D3

Pick one concept from the assigned reading, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it

The thought speed for a barrier of listening is pretty interesting. This happens because we tend to think faster than we speak. I believe that we are all unintentionally applying this concept in our daily lives. I am guilty of wandering with my mind when I am "listening" to someone because I am more concentrated in my own thoughts. When this happens I would thinks out what I am and will say but when it finally comes down for me to say it I forget. For example when I am in an argument, I would tend to think faster than I speak because I have so much to say. So when the other party is talking, telling me their views, I would jump ahead and start to think about how I would reply along with my new comments. This is a bad habit because I feel like I am not giving the person my attention and that it is a form of disrespecting the person as well.

Week 9:D2

Give a personal example where you have had selective attention.  Why do you think this is?  Is there a way you were able to overcome it?

Selective attention means choosing a message that seems to have importance to us over another. We tend to pick out, sometimes unintentionally what we would rather listen to. It is also hard to give our full attention sometimes because of our internal noise. We tend to see how important our thoughts are over what is actually happening. For example when I am attending a conference or a big meeting where there is just one speaker, I tend to not listen as well. I would actually be thinking about what I would do next after the meeting or thinking about what an issue I have, totally zoning out the speaker. When the topic seems too hard or it doesn't interest us, we tend to not listen very well either. This can be overcome if one just listens to the speaker and give an undivided attention. It can also be helpful if one just looks at the speaker by giving them eye contact.

Week 9: D1

Think of a recent situation in which you found listening difficult.  Which one (or more) of the four phases of presented the most difficult for you?  Why?  How could this have been overcome?

For me I think the hardest part of listening is remembering the message. I am especially bad at short-term memory. I have to say that I am guilty of not remembering people’s name. Normally I would dismiss the facts or information because it does not seem important to me, or maybe because I just suck at remember things. When I am arguing with someone I seem to never really remember what he or she said because I am too distracted by my own thoughts. I could overcome this by just paying more attention to details and trying to take what they are saying important and having open ears. I can also try to remember what they are saying by not being distracted with outside noise or inner thoughts. I believe that being able to remember the message is important, especially during an argument. It might help prevent future arguments because I recall what their points of views were. Also I can just reflect on what the other persons said after the argument so I can try to remember what they said.

Week 7:D3

Pick one concept from the assigned reading, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it

One concept that I thought was interesting this week was eye contact as a type of nonverbal communication. It is somehow ingrain in us to use our eyes to react a certain way to bring out a different message to our audience. I believe that eye contact gives a strong nonverbal message. I agree that eye contact can be used to increase and decrease the amount of interaction in the discussion because I can totally see this being applied to my daily life. When I do not want to talk to someone, or I feel uncomfortable with someone it shows by the way that I do not make too much eye contact with him or her. When I don’t like someone in a group it also shows through my eyes because I will never gear them towards that person.  Often times when I am intrigue in the conversation with someone I will keep my eye contact with him or her which can tell them that I am fascinated in what they are saying and I am still listening. 

Week 7:D2

Explain proxemics and chronemics.  Are there universal rules for all cultures regarding these concepts?  Give personal examples if possible. Give examples of personal experience in other cultures regarding these two concepts. 

Proxemics is study of how people use the space around us to communicate. The book states how the seating arrangement gives off a non-verbal message. I believe that this can be true because I have seen it. In the Asian culture, or at least my culture, the person who sits at the head of the table is consider to be the more powerful one. The people sitting next to this person will be the second/third most powerful and so on. Whenever my grandpa has a meeting with his siblings, I would see them hanging out on a round table more than a rectangular one, because it shows that there is no one really in a higher position.

Chronemics is the study of how we use time. People will always have deadlines that are to be met. Sometimes deadlines aren’t met on time that can be okay, but sometimes it is not okay. When I am late to my friend’s house to hang out, it is okay. For us it is normal to be late and we don’t mind the extra wait. It does matter if I am late to my grandparent’s house though. They consider it rude that I do not respect their time and that I am wasting their time because they are waiting for me to show up. I think it is important to show up on time to their house because it shows the importance of their position in my life.

Weel 7: D1

Return to the eight principles of nonverbal communication.  Pick two principles, and provide new examples of how they operate in a group or team.

The first principle that I pick is the quality of relationships among group members is established and perpetuate through nonverbal behavior. This principle is extremely relevant when we first meet someone. It is because we barely know that person, our nonverbal communication will help them determine how we feel about that certain person. This principle can also be applied to people who already know each other. An example of this would be someone grabbing extra handouts for a friend during a meeting or class. This shows me that they are close enough friends that this person would do this for the other, also stating that this person kept the other person in mind.

I thought the third principle was pretty interesting as well; nonverbal communication becomes meaningful when one of more parties assigns meaning to it. For example when I am leaning on my friend, it means that I am tired and I want to take a nap. We both get that message because it is kind of a habit of mine in which my friends took notice and came to a realization that is what happens when I get tired.