CH 3-4: One Concept I Found Interesting

Ch: 3 Pick one concept from the assigned readings that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

When we hear the word ‘listening’ many of us do not understand how many factors there are to fulfill the action of listening. With that said, I chose to pick the concept listening because I found it very interesting how this word and action is not fully used in everyday society. Many individuals believe they are good communicators, but with being a good communicator involve the action of listening. Our text book address four factors to being a good listener, they are “attending to the sensory stimuli that make up a message, making those stimuli meaningful by using our own experiences to interpret them, critically evaluating our interpretations, responding to the message, storing the message for future use” (Trenholm 45). Overall, it is clear we need to be active listeners to be clear communicators.

Also we must remember that listening is different then just hearing an individual’s message. For instance, hearing is more of a science relationship to being able to translate information to the brain, while listening is creating meaning to better understand the messages. Listening will always be a major factor in the growth of our society even with the new styles of communicating through electronics. We need to listen to be able to grow within our economy, friendship, family, school and etc.

Have a Fantastic Week!

Thanks,
Blondie

CH 9: Influenced by a Speaker

CH 9: Have you ever been influenced by a speaker? Think of the best speaker you’ve ever heard? What was it about that speaker that made his or her communication memorable? Think of the worst speaker you’ve heard. What do you remember about his or her message?

Many of us are inspired, motivated and encouraged by speakers we hear throughout our lifetime. However, I believe there is only a true handful of speakers who can influence an individual that will stay in that individuals mind for years. One of the speakers who influenced me that I still remember is Julie Johnson, Kappa Delta National President when I was an active member of Kappa Delta Sorority (2002-2006). We were celebrating our 50th anniversary at San Jose State University and our National President was planned to make a speech to active members, alumnus, parents and friends at our evening dinner. Mrs. Johnson was full of knowledge and was able to gain the attention of all the different individuals in the room. Her speech encouraged many individuals to become involved in organizations they love and enjoyed. Julie mentioned the history of Kappa Delta and the devoted members who made a change because they believed in the organization. She did not just talk about the sorority, but other interests in organizations that helped her grow and continue to grow at her age. I remember her saying something along the line of ‘if you enjoy school, stay in school and earn your masters, if you like volunteering start a community service event at your work, if you love your field of work then show younger individuals your passion, etc.’ She encouraged all the people not to just live life, but enjoy life to the fullest. I believe her visit and the discussion of her speech with others gave me the confidences to stay in school to earn my masters in a subject I really enjoy studying.

On the other hand, I have heard my fair share of bad speakers. For example, in my economics class a few years ago we had to attend a speaker to earn credit for the class. I believe earning this credit for the class was extremely difficult because he was horrible speaker. Yes, he was full of knowledge of the topic, but I did not hear a word because his delivery was awful. His voice never changed, did not know his audience, no movements, no humor, no interesting introduction and no passion behind his words. Lets just say the time stood still for those two-hours and I still remember this awful speaker and not an idea of what his message was about.

Have a Blast this weekend!

Thanks,
Blondie

CH 9: Well-known speaker

CH 9: Consider a well-known speaker, for example, the current President of the U.S. (or Presidential candidate). What this speaker’s strongest characteristics as a speaker? Is it credibility, attractiveness, power, or all three? In what ways could the speaker build ethos in these areas?

This year’s presidential election will make history, with either party winning. However, I feel this years Presidential candidates have really made the American people interested in what each party is saying to the public. I have never seen so many individuals on our campus so involved with candidates and their speeches. Nevertheless, it is great to see so many young voters listening to the candidates and what each side has to say. I may be Republican, but I really enjoy listening to Obama and how he delivery’s speeches. He has gained the ears of so many Americans, both young and old through his passionate, well-worded, and entertaining speeches.

He has the attractiveness by his personal appearance, familiarity and his humor/respect in the public eye. I believe knowledge is power and in his speeches or just in an interview he always presents quotes from someone famous or even someone he has learned from that shows his true personal characteristics, which our textbook refers to as expert power and referent power. Obama does use ethos to gain audience attention, which is a great ability to have when speaking to large groups. Obama is a very well spoken Presidential candidate, with that said I would not have him change anything from his personal style of giving speeches because his style is what got so many young individuals interested in this years elections.

Have a Wonderful Week!

Thanks,
Blondie

CH 9: Interesting Concept/Terms

Ch 9: Pick one concept from the assigned reading that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Many have us have beliefs, attitudes and values that some may be similar, while others may be complete opposite. These three factors must be kept in mind when speaking to any audience. I found these terms under ‘the audience- speaker relationship’ very interesting because even though we express our beliefs, attitudes and values everyday they do not have the same meaning or affect. Trenholm (2008) writes, “An individual may have thousands of beliefs and hundreds of attitudes but only ten or twenty values” (p. 259). Trenholm continues to explain the different meaning for these terms and how values can be stronger then ones attitudes about certain topics/issues. Beliefs are more related persons opinions; attitudes are more related to how people act; values are more related to what is right and wrong (p. 259). I decided to use the ‘the audience-speaker relationship’ that expresses the terms of beliefs, attitudes and values because I believe people sometimes mixes these terms up. Also, sometimes speakers/listeners do not understand what these terms mean to the everyday person. Having a good understanding of these terms and what they mean to the audience will allow the speakers message to reach the people.

Hope your week starts off GREAT!!

Thanks,
Blondie

CH 2: Social Constructionist Perspective

3. Consider the social constructionist perspective. How do we “build worlds” through communication? Think of some ideas we talk about in our culture that may not exist in other cultures. How do these concepts contribute to our happiness or success (of the lack of these) in our culture?

Communication is the key to building a world and the many different cultures in our world. We have the ability to build worlds by expressing the importance of each other’s cultures and the positive and negative effects we make as one world. Communication both verbal and nonverbal has allowed us to see our past and look towards our future. For example, the growth of women holding high management position in larger corporate companies. The US is one area of the world that has seen this social change and have adapted well to the change of the many years. Our culture now in the US sees women as having a choice to be stay-home mother/women or be working mother/women. I believe this growth has allowed our world to grow in a positive direction, which includes women to have more of a corporate role in our country. Having a choice in any culture may encourage more open communication within that culture and a possible better understand of multiple cultures.

Hope you had an awesome weekend!

Blondie

CH 2: Pragmatic Perspective (Patterns)

2. Consider the pragmatic perspective. Does it make sense to think of communication as patterned interaction? How is communication like a game? How is it different from a game?

I think it does make sense that communication is from some pattern interaction. The reason in our everyday life we communicate from patterns we have learned that work with different individuals. For example, that way you answer the phone with a friend compared to the way you answer the phone with when your mother or father are on the other line. I believe we pick up patterns in our style of communication and learn to what works and does not work well with certain individuals, such as different groups of friends.

Naturally, we are individuals who work off of systems or patterns that keep order in our everyday life. For instance, I have a friend who makes a pattern of communicating with me when she is driving home from work. Almost every time she calls she says, “just driving home from work, so I have time to talk with you. What are you up to?” And it seems every time we both get of the phone it always ends with one of us saying, “Well girlie, give me a call when you have time. Talk later.” I have never noticed what a pattern of communication I have with one of my longest friends, until reading about pragmatic perspective.

I believe communication is a game because we are always waiting to see who will make the next move. For example, should I call her or should I wait for her to call me when she has time to talk? Relationships build off of people making a move in communication both verbally and non-verbally. A great example of this could is be the bar scene. However, the only difference I can think of that communication is not a game would be that some times players do not follow the “rules/norms.” When players make bold moves or questioning moves it makes the other question the player’s actions. Our life is more then just a game, because our life is reality.

Have an excellent Week!

Blonde

CH 2: Interesting Concept from Chapter 2

Chapter 2) 1. Pick one concept from the assigned reading that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

I found it very interesting when reading how we use models to gain a better understanding when it comes to the communication field. Even the simplest model can help an individual gain a better understanding of both verbal and non-verbal areas, such as cultures, how the a message is received/sent, groups, patterns and etc. A model can help the viewer or researcher answer more questions by organizing ones ideas, make more detailed questions of the communication subject and make conclusions of the topic (Trenholm 23). I believe the use of models can truly help support certain ideas of communication and encourage the viewer and researcher to truly understand all aspects of the question, method and conclusion.

I am a visual learner, so when reading how multiple well know models can help explain communication questions I realized building models is not just for science class or math class. I realized when reviewing the sample models in each area of communication showed me that we rely on models more then we think we do. For example, the Pragmatic Model which focuses on patterns displayed to me that many of our society lives off of patterns in our communication styles.

Hope your Monday went WELL!

Blondie

CH 1: Speaker I Admire

1. Think of a speaker you admire. Does his or her power to persuade come from ethos, pathos, or logos? Think about your own ability to persuade others. What personal qualities do you have that make you persuasive? Does Aristotle’s classification scheme work for them, or do they fit into another category?

There are many well spoken women I admire from the past to the present that helped shape our world to what it is today. For example, there have been many great “first ladies” of the US who have gone above and upon their role as women to make a change in the world we live into today. To choose one speaker I admire would be a women who was a first lady in 1974 who spoke on what she believed and the values and morals her and her family lived by. Betty Ford was filled with self-confidence, which allowed her to speak so well towards both men and women of all walks of life. She also would sometimes try to use humor to relate to individuals or gain their attention. Once she had their attention she would discuses her views on issues, such as controversial topics and Equal Rights Amendment she believe in. She did all this while raising a family, fighting breast cancer, speaking openly on topics she believed in and supporting her husband as the president of the United States.

I believe what made Betty Ford such an outstanding speaker was her ability to use ethos, pathos, and logos not just focusing on one of the power of persuasion, Aristotle points out. She had amazing presences in front of groups, used of emotions to gain true understanding of the importance of the topic and the choice of words she would carefully use to gain support towards issues to change the future.

I believe it took a great woman, such as Betty Ford to make such an impact on our world through the messages she spoke of in both the public and private life.
When I speak in front of a large or small group I try to make sure that I gain attention at the beginning with important facts or with personal examples to help others relate. I am not an emotion individual, so pathos is something I would love to work on to become a better speaker. However, for now I rely on my ability to gain attention from the crowd and my choice of words or example I use during my speech to get the message out clearly to the listener.

Have a Great Day!!!

Blondie

CH 1:

2. The Greeks believed that to be an orator, an individual had to be morally good. Comment on whether you agree or disagree. What, if any, is the connection between goodness, truth, and public communication?

Even in today’s world people question if you have to be morally good to be a great speaker. Well, I would say no. Yes, it would be nice if every speaker were truly morally good in his or her messages and methods. However, many of us listen to speakers that are great at banning the truth, making the bad sound good, giving solutions that are not necessarily possible and not to mention are expressing values that they do not practice themselves. I can not help but think of the many speakers who expressed the importance of slavery, not giving women rights and other important issues of our history, which at the time sounded morally good to many of the listeners, but today those same speakers would be kicked of the stage.

I believe the Ancient Greeks teaching methods about making the truth, credibility and proof such important factors helped make great speakers and communicators during their time period (p. 6). These methods from Ancient Greeks really allowed the average citizen of their society to understand more factors about their society by believing in a speaker. Back then many listeners would only know the truth of the speaker through words or actions, so being truthful and honest was a true importance. However, in today’s U.S. society more individuals are educated, have access to internet, books and viewing speeches from radio or television. With all these means to understanding and becoming familiar with the speaker we as individuals can deicide if they are truthful, thinking about the good of the public and truly have goodness behind their words.

My argument and debate professor at SJSU mentioned, that it is never worth winning an argument or debate if there is no truth behind your sources or words. I agree with my professors comment and believe that a speaker must use truth behind all their words if they wish for viewers/listeners to not question their morals and values on a daily bases.

Hi- Sorry this blog is a little long, but this is a difficult topic to express :)

Hope your week is going GREAT!

Blondie