Co-Researchers: What's Next?
Ok team, here's the challenge. Please read this thread, How Far Shall We Go?", which is about me giving the "Teacher's Body" presentation at a conference last year, and then how people responded afterwards, including more information and thinking shared with me by others (students who were part of the project, colleagues, and my own teachers).
The posts are "backwards" in time, so you may want to start at the bottom and read up. There are comments too.
Now, think of the worksheets/discussion in class on Thursday, and just write down some ideas about what seems most interesting to you as a project. If YOU were The Researcher, what "problem" do you think you would pick? Or, what angle or issue seems the most interesting to you? Don't get too stuck on how to formulate, I'm really interested in what all this information makes you think about. So, whatever you come up with, try to explain it as fully as you can, why you think its interesting, what you think you/we might learn, why it matters....all of that info will help us set up the parameters of the study. Ok? Feel free to ask questions of me - and each other - too.
The posts are "backwards" in time, so you may want to start at the bottom and read up. There are comments too.
Now, think of the worksheets/discussion in class on Thursday, and just write down some ideas about what seems most interesting to you as a project. If YOU were The Researcher, what "problem" do you think you would pick? Or, what angle or issue seems the most interesting to you? Don't get too stuck on how to formulate, I'm really interested in what all this information makes you think about. So, whatever you come up with, try to explain it as fully as you can, why you think its interesting, what you think you/we might learn, why it matters....all of that info will help us set up the parameters of the study. Ok? Feel free to ask questions of me - and each other - too.
posted by Steph at 1:30 PM
62 Comments:
Per Dave's request, here is the abstract for last year's research project. I'll post the umbrella description for this year in the next comment.
“I am (not?) my mullet.”
The Teacher’s Body: Performance and Pedagogy
This presentation unpacks the different ways whiteness, gender and sexuality is read in and through the teacher’s body. The stability of the body-as-sign and the ability of the teacher to articulate the boundaries (public and private) of how her body is understood (as white, as lesbian, as female) is explored through an analysis of the discourses around her identity performance. The movement from explicit articulation of herself as lesbian to opening up her identity performance to question provides a space for destabilizing the presumed status of the normative (teacher’s) body. As students struggle with their own attempts to confirm particular identities, the role of ideology in closing off ambiguity becomes evident. The paper addresses particular episodes of identity (dis)confirmation and the pedagogy that such moments provide.
This is the new framework, so whatever we come up with I have to somehow make fit or join up with this umbrella:
The (In)visibility of Teachers: On Meaning, Body and Pedagogy"From Jesus, to Augustine, to Locke to Kant (and beyond), the body in Western philosphy and religion has been seen as the conduit through which one communicated meaning, knowledge, or information to another or others. The implications for education and for teaching were/are that learning can be achieved when perfect communication takes place and the message is delivered
intact from teacher to student. This legacy of the body as carrier of communication remains firmly in place in contemporary times; indeed, it could be said that in the “information age” the body as formed in and through
communication is in danger of disappearing altogether. And yet, the body remains---the matter of identity--bones and flesh, blood and guts, more (in)visible in a mediated society than ever.
The problem of the (in)visibility of the teacher’s body is the focus of our proposed panel. Last year this same panel of scholars presented a series of papers on the philosophical problem of the female (thin, fat, lesbian, pregnant, White, Black) teacher’s body in the context of the classroom. The panel met with great enthusiasm and participation on the part of the audience.
The audience urged us to consider implications of possible interventions into the contexts we discussed. As a consequence, the current panel will focus on interventions into the classroom spaces and performances. Our focus will be on the process and consequences of introducing an awareness of bodies, and on the meanings made in and through communication about bodies."
Just read through all your notes. Great work! I realized it might help for me to list the questions that came up in the other groups. Then, the task is how to summarize them in some way that speaks to the larger task of researching the (in)visibility of the body. I reworded a few of the questions just a little bit. Some of them were written about me specifically (I think), and we do want to think about me as the teacher, but also generalize to you as students, and all of us as persons inhabiting bodies.
Why does this stuff matter?
What do your first impressions say about who you are, who they are?
How do first impressions affect future communication in a small group?
How do you trust someone & gain their trust?
Does your identity play a role in your interaction in a small group?
Is Steph judging us?
Do others' identities play a role in your interaction in a small group?
What are the physical appearance traits (hair, clothing, poise, attitude, etc.) that contribute individually to how society views a person - both inside and out?
How do you approach someone?
What affect do personal factors have on a group's communication? (Do they make it easier or more difficult to communicate? When do they go away, and how?)
Does it affect you emotionally, the way everyone analyzes you as a whole?
Does learning about others' identities help us learn about the identity of a group?
If Steph altered her appearance what would we think?
What aspects of meeting people (both physical and interactional) elicit stereotypes and lead to assumptions about lifestyle, financial status, age, etc.?
How do we trust higher-authority -- how do we know what they say is true or false?
What if this class were more formal?
Have you altered yourself in any way, not that you are aware of how people perceive you?
Is there a purpose in creating the image you have right now?
Are differences in appearance between group members deliberate in affecting communicative performativity?
It was funny being one of the co-researchers for our activity today, which was on our teacher, Steph's, 'identity'. I think one of the most interesting things in meeting new people are first impressions. So to hear my group asses Steph and their first impressions of her were somewhat funny and dead on. To go further in depth of first impressions, our group started thinking about: what makes first impressions and appearances so significant eventhough it is usually unconscious...how do we find that trust in one another based on first impressions? How do we know that as soon as we first saw Steph stand in front of the classroom, she 'appeared' as a professor and therefore we automatically trusted her. I dont know... but these were just a few of the things I was interested in with my group.
ummm...so I dont know why I appeared as anonymous? I signed in with my name? So I dont' really understand what just happened. Anyways...this is Jenn.
Hey Jenn, I'm not sure what that happened either, especially since your name showed up with the next comment. (At first, I thought someone was already messing with "trust" in the group, by posting anonymously. Interesting, huh?!)
Just wanted to be sure you understand to click through on the highlighted text in the assignment to the thread in my weblog, "How Far..." and then add any more thoughts, reflections, ideas about where we can go with this. For instance, I think its interesting (and useful!) that you mentioned your group acknowledging the "unconscious" aspect of first impressions (could we say perceptions?), and how this relates to issues of trust.
I thought the assignment on Thursday in class was very interesting and I give Steph my respects for being so brave about doing that. I would hate to ask people to analyze me like that after having a couple of classes with me. I thought it was interesting that we all basically came up with the same conclusions about Steph on first impressions. There weren't many outliers and we all generally had a stereotype about her and what kind of teacher she would be. I find it interesting that although Steph might or might not have been offended by our first impressions of her, it seems she wasn't surprised at what our first impressions of her were. Is this true, Steph?
What I noticed about about this exercise that seemed most interesting to me was how students, atleast in my group, jumped at the chance to criticize our professor. It seems for all our lives we are taught that teachers/professors are authority figures, they are superior and we as students are the subordinates. Now, offered the opportunity to openly and without consequence judge a professor's appearance, attitudes, movements etc. it seemed to me that my group took a more critical approach to interpreting who is Steph. Many of the comments we collected as a group were more negative than possitive, of course all in teasing and fun. But I find it hard to beleive that all of our first impressions were negative ones, so I was trying to think why most of what we discussed as a group consisted of jokingly harsh criticism. I reached the conclusion that it was just fun for us students to have the formal roles of the classroom reversed. For this exercise, the boundries between student and teacher, appropriate classroom discussions, and even common courtesies did not apply. That is what I found most interesting, but it also raises some problems, for me anyway, about the experiment. If it is true that students in a way took advantage of the exercise by focusing on negatives, then did we succeed in describing what our actual first impressions of Steph were?
These were just some things I found interesting about our class on thursday and thought they might apply to the questons presented here.
Thinking back to Thursday's class, I think it would be interesting to examine why people think the way they do. What causes certain first impressions to be picked up, such as dress, attitude, and how you carry yourself, over other things, such as being white, or what religion you may be? I am curious if first impressions are based upon a stereotypical view of society. While no one in my group characterized you as being white, we realized that we might have if you were a different ethnicity. Could this be because everyone has some typical idea of the 'common' American?
Also, to respond to Joel, he mentioned that he noticed that most of the first impressions were negative rather than positive. I also noticed this in my group. Could this be because negative indications of an instructor's personality are the first things students look for? If a student is trying to judge how a class will turn out for the rest of the semester, I can imagine that looking at all the negative aspects may be the best way to do so. Yes, positive impressions could mean the class will be good, but perhaps it is easier to pick out the negative impressions. Or perhaps picking up on the negative allows one to justify dropping the class, or bracing themselves for a hard semester.
Hey Suzy, no, I wasn't really surprised, although some of the particular phrases and comments were new (I hadn't heard them before), they're all "of a sort." I'm intrigued by Joel and Robb's thoughts on the reversal of roles being something that inspired more negative expressions, that's a contextual feature which may influence the kind of data we get quite a bit. And, to consider the functions of such negative impressions is also interesting - what I'm thinking is that perhaps it opens up more permission for disagreement in general? For instance, if we recognize the role/influence of appearance, then maybe we can better identify when its "in the way" and distorting communication, and when its really not a factor at all. If disagreement gets separated from appearance, maybe it becomes safer to disagree because then its less "personal"?
Being a co-reasearcher in "The Teachers Body" was very intersesting. I noticed that it appeared people did not necessarily say what they wanted to or in another case beyond the claroom doors would say although there was a good chance you woukd not who who specifically said what. I think its interesting that your past students were willing to really dish out things about you (maybe because they knew you longer and felt comfortable?) while in my group I got the sense that people did not want to be hurtful. This is all my interpretation so I could be dead wrong. Overall however we can see how your past students can say teh comments they said ut in the end peopl ehave a posite, comfortable feeling around you. I hope that helps with your presentation :)
Contributing as a co-researcher, I found it fascinating that we were able to break down and analyze our teacher's body, movements, and overall first impressions of her. I think it is in human nature to have all kinds of impressions about someone whether they be negative or positive, but rarely do students get a chance to express themselves out loud in this kind of manner. So as my group discussed the explicit details of our teacher's body, we came up with the notion whether or not Steph was affected in anyway by what her students have said about her in the past and the the present. Is there a reason why this topic is important to you? If other people percieved you in a different way, would you still be intersted in this topic? I feel sometimes the judgements I make on other people are almost subconscious and I do it because of the influences society and the culture I grew up in puts in my head. I know people are formulating impressions of me the minute the see me, and you just have to accept yourself for you. The thing is we seemed to see "different" and not what is norm in some sense. Our group didn't notice you were White because you were not a minority. If you were obsese, we would have noticed that right away. So your shape was not the first factor we noticed because you were in good shape. But even so, all the tangible assests on the outside are not exactly who a person is on the inside. Even though my group did have some comments that seemed negative about the teacher, who is to say what negative really is. A mullet in some cultures can be considered beauty and prestiege. I know in many cultures being heavy is a sign of wealth because you can afford to eat luxurious and be big. So all the impressions we have on you are in some ways culturally relative to me. So does culture and our society have much influence on the way we judge someone? Overall, I found the activity interesting and quite engaging because I was able to not hold back but say what's really on my mind.
On Thursday our group ended up having a really interesting conversation about race after the class discussed the lack of mention of Steph's whiteness. I got to hear some interesting views of the way white people are perceived by other races in class. I know this is a problem in society and it's not the easiest to change, but hearing the opposite side of the story can really make you understand things better.
Another thing that got me thinking a lot was the fact that we did this project at all. I know I wouldn't have the courage to have a room full of people write down all their first impressions of me. First impressions always seem to be negative as almost a defense of yourself against the new person. Besides that, women's bodies are one of the most critiqued and self-analyzed things in the world. We're taught to hate everything about ourself and strive to look like the models and if it even matters in an educational setting where looks aren't supposed to have anything to do with it, then I guess I don't have much hope for the confidence of the female species. However, I give Steph much credit for voluntarily doing this because it must be difficult.
What do you all think about this as an abstract?
Panel: The (In)visibility of Teachers: On Meaning, Body, and PedagogyLeading with the BodyBringing attention to the teacher’s body reciprocally draws attention to all bodies in the classroom. What pedagogical issues are raised when the body is posed as a central feature of the communicative process? This problem was introduced as an intervention in an undergraduate small group communication course and developed into a participatory research project. Questions raised by students concern identity, relationship, performance, performativity, and the modification of appearance to achieve desired ends. Issues of trust, judgment, politeness, race, gender, and authority are also acknowledged. This paper will report on the unfolding of this project over a semester with eight student co-researchers in a class of 30 utilizing both face-to-face and computer-mediated communication.
Let me first start off by saying that like many other groups, we came to many of the same conclusions and recorded many of the same notes as all of the other groups, and that was of course expected of us, as there are a faw outstanding trademarks that Steph possesses. Naturally, Steph's hairstyle was addressed first, followed by her choice of clothing, the way in which she carries herself and speaks, followed by the discussion and refusal to record questions surrounding her sexual orientation.
I believe the point of this discussion is to begin to forumlate research questions that fall under the same category of first impressions affecting the interpersonal or small group communication process. One of the hypotheses that we had about Steph's personality was that she is very confident and assured, aware of how she fits into her surroundings and aware of the discussions that may surround her appearance or mannerisms. Assuming that hypothesis to be true, it was more than likely easy for Steph to use herself as an example to stimulte discussion on the subject, since the idea of using a student in the class could be quite dangerous, especially so early in the semester. As a group, we agreed that perhaps the real question to seek the answer to is: To what extent do first impressions affect the way in which we interact with others, and for how long does the effect last before we use other signifiers to guage our impressions of our peers?
Excellent question, Dave, that what we want to observe now is how people keep, adjust, or reject their first impressions of each other. Can folks acknowledge if/when/how first impressions are influencing their communication? and in what ways? (I assume there can be positive first impressions that turn out inaccurate, not just negative ones.) There is a lot of other stuff written in here too, I think each of you has articulated something quite important.
Luce, I know your group was a bit worried I might overhear something, and you also had an official observer (Phee). That might have altered the group's sense of trust. It may have been harder to cut loose in as harsh a way as other group's did because you all had to contend with a slightly different context.
Robb's question about whether or not we got an accurate read of people's first impressions brings up something we've got to figure out how to work with. Temporality. Just the basic facts of time, and the passage of time. Because this activity was based on memory, and because it occurred at a certain stage in the class's development. I assigned a specific task (record your first impressions) but as your own small groups you ALSO have other "tasks" to attend to - all those interpersonal and comparative needs! I'm wondering if the function of the heightened negativity might have had something to do with joining? By joking and making fun of "the teacher", you emphasize a commonality among yourselves as "students".
I guess it is also worth asking if the extremity of the humor has to do with the degree of difference that is perceived between us? Is this where you were going, Tina? Would the jokes/criticism have been so "harsh" if I fit the norms more closely? Does that mean people "shouldn't" have said what you were really thinking? No - I'm not interested in a "PC" classroom like that. Did any of you actually intend disrespect to me as a person? It's certainly possible, but I didn't get that vibe. I have experienced that vibe at times, and its not pleasant. I have to remind myself in those situations that it really isn't about me, except in my persistence in looking different even though I know some people will react poorly to it.
Just going along Steph's idea on first impressions...So they're based on memory. And it can be kinda hazy. If we remember only one concrete thing about a person that stood out..there is a great possibility that we may just concentrate on that one thing and build upon that whether it is true or not. So yes, I believe that first impressions influence how we act and communicate towards that person because we have a certain idea in our heads of who they are (again..if it is true or not).
Hey steph, whats next for coresearchers? Do you still need our help?
Hey Luce,
Yeah, I still need your help. :-) First, I've got to get the informed consent form distributed, signed, and collected before we do a whole lot more. I hope to do that this week.
I'm thinking what would be useful now would be how you all "read" or perceive me as "the teacher" while we go through the group stages of storming, norming, and performing. What do you see me do that influences students? Do I contribute, from my role as teacher, in productive ways to the movement through the stages or do I get in our way?
For instance, I'm thinking about the recent confusion with the trust thread. What did my reaction mean to people? Was it "good" for it to be so transparent in the class? Did I handle it well in the blog? What other times do I react in a way that students notice? Which of my reactions help learning and which hinder it?
So, you and the other co-researchers can be watching for this and blogging about it anytime it comes up. You can always post here instead of one of the assigned posts (so you don't have to do more work than the other students) if you have something to contribute.
Does this make sense? I'm asking in very general and broad terms because I don't want to limit what you/we discover. But if you want more guidance, you can always re-read the "abstract" which summarizes most of the specific questions that have been raised.
After we had the "test" on Tuesday did anyone go up to you to hand in the assignment? I just thought it was interesting that instead of going up to give you the test, most of us just sat back and waited for you to say or do something. I was waiting for you to acknowledge that the majority of us were done so we can do something else. Were you waiting for the whole class to finish? Was it a dependence/codependence thing or were you just preoccupied?
Steph,so the day you were informed by Ruthann and Lucienne that the Trust blog was gone, you did seem really worried and confused. But I was just thinking was it possible you do in fact trust what your students say to you until they break that trust. I think you trust each student to some extent unless they do something intentfully untrustworthy and then you would tell them. I saw how you right away assumed the two of them were right, and you jumped to a conclusion of perplexity. Even so, I am glad you didn't handle it in a way of disregarding what they told you, and just told them they don't know what they are talking about because that would have sounded kind of condenscending. That's all for now.
Tina, yeah - I panicked in the moment! I did definitely trust Ruthann and Luce both telling me they couldn't find it. I was sure I'd screwed something up. But then when I found the thread, just where it was supposed to be, I started to wonder....and we had just discussed the evidence of counterdependence, so I think I was primed to wonder. I hesitated with making an accusation though, because that has def backfired in my face before, and wow, I'm glad I did! I didn't realize that your interface with the blog is a bit different than mine, and that you had settings you needed to adjust. It's a good lesson for me about jumping to conclusions, and especially true in a situation where there is evidence that leads me to expect certain things based on the model. Real life never follows a model exactly - remember how some groups found evidence in both the forming and storming stages? And, as the teacher, my actions carry a lot of weight... so if I act on suspicion - especially inaccurate or illfounded! - then that can sabotage a group just as surely by accident as any deliberate attempts that students might make. Does this make sense? Its almost as if I reacted to conditions that were only probable, not definite, but if I assume them as definite, then it can become a self-fulfilling prohecy. The lesson for me, then, is that I can't always trust my own intuition! Which means, "proceed with caution" by "checking things out" (ask questions, explain my reasoning, reflect).
Luce, on one level your question is "easy" to answer, and on another its hard. I was waiting for everyone to finish, and I consciously decided not to pressure the one group that was taking longer. I had provided a set time frame of 30-45 minutes for the team worksheet. Three teams finished in about 30 minutes, and the last team used most of the 45. The rest of you finished the test early....and did whatever you chose to do with that time. It is interesting that no one brought their paper up to me or otherwise tried to "force" me into acknowledging that most of you were done. What your teams chose to do with that "extra" time is information for your team - what roles did people take on then?
The harder level has to do with if my appearance prevented or otherwise gave off some kind of message of "unapproachability". What do you think? Was I "open" and "available" or did I seem so "preoccupied" that I shouldn't be interrupted? (And what could I be doing that was more important than being there for any of you who needed me during class time?)
At the very end of class, I complimented everyone and said something about maybe you hadn't heard that from me recently. Someone said, "It's been awhile." So I'm curious if that had something to do with any reticence to approach me? Did the perceived lack of positive feedback contribute to an atmosphere that increased the distance between you all and me?
Ok crew, we've got serious action going down and you're on! Please pay attention this week to how students seem to be perceiving and reacting to me. What am I "sending out" or "putting off" by the way I act or look that they (and you, smile) are reacting to? Are people being responsive to what I say or to some other elements of my role performance? Which ones?
Have fun! :-)
Hi Steph...I just wanted to suggest that if we do feedback and wrappings in class tomorrow if we can do live vocal examples? I think if there are examples spoken its easier to understand feedback and the wrappings and all that stuff. I think it might help people to understand it....just an idea.
Luce, let's compromise, can we? I want to start with a written example (me, from the Trust thread) and then i'm hoping we'll have spontaneous verbal examples from me and others in the class. If you hear me say something that seems wrapped or indicates filtering, jump on me, ko? :-)
So, what a class huh? Finally, I felt like everyone was on the same page, including Steph and myself. I feel like we are now understanding where eachother stand and stood since the time of my first and last post. I noticed when i first walked in the door today that Steph stopped speaking and said, "RIGHT ON QUE!" I knew it was about to happen...lol. I liked how me and Steph interacted with eachother to tell the class what the hell happened. I felt we both held our composure. I flat out told her I was pissed and she took it but then worked with my response to her eventhough, me being pissed was already past. Between the emails and the posts I felt that I could finally exhale after we spoke in class today. When Steph was speaking before I had the opportunity to speak on the whole drama, I noticed she had a little smile that made this drama turn very light and into a learning experience. She still stood firm and stated that this is still very important, and that eventhough its over, more issues like this will happen...When I talked I could tell she was very attentive and processing every single move, eye-contact, figit, and word I said/did. I felt like eventhough she looked like she was listening, was she really hearing me out? I honestlky think so, but for a moment I felt like I was talking to myself again and no one was really hearing me out....I noticed yawns, and cringed faces and some sincere eyes. I can't read minds, but I got a vibe....i'm not saying the vibe is completely true, this is just a feeling. I think Steph was trying to helpo defend my side, while keeping up her guards for her own reasoning of why and how she responded in the blog. I think this class was very productive and reviving!!! for me at least. Moving on, bring it...haha
ps.- "helpo"- spanish for help.
hehe
Hrmm..class today..haha well what can I say? Or rather..where do I start? It was quite interesting..especially for those observing. Truthfully, I felt very out of the loop. Perhaps that was my fault for not keeping up to date with the threads and posts going on in the Trust thread. The class began with a direct dive into the 'situation' between Mary and you, Steph. I think the instigation immediately began when Mary walked in and you said, "Right on cue!". So I think this brought questions of "What is she talking about?" "What is going on between her and Mary?" , "Did I miss something?" and that sort of deal. I think everyone was confused, including myself at the beginning. It seemed like there was a separate situation happening within our class (which there was!) and others perhaps felt they were out of the loop. However, as the 'problem' unfolded, we soon began to understand what the deal was. By the end when Steph and Mary explained both their sides, I think the observation I received was that a good portion of the class was sympathetic towards Mary. This possibly could be because we understand as students where she is coming from. I saw some people nodding their heads in understanding what Mary was explaining (I think I found myself nodding to her as well!). However, through both explanations..both Steph and Mary kept their composures really well and the situation did not get out of hand or any worse. When the class began to sympathize or see the situation from Mary's point of view, I think some may have or could have taken sides. And perhaps you were prepared for this Steph. But you seemed to deal with it with an open mind and even understanding Mary's side to the story.
I'd have to copy Jenn and say I felt out of the loop at the bginning of class as well. I dont know why, but perhaps this is a topic that is generally more of a private issue, so in the group setting I felt out of place.
Unfortuneately I don't feel that I noticed much from students that differed from other classes. I did notice a general "Uh-Oh" at the beginning of class when students found out what was happening. This may have been a result similar to my reaction of feeling out of place. During class, I also noticed that many students exhibited confusion during the discussion. Again, this could be because we were allo viewing something we rarely see as a bystander. I also saw that a few students were unwilling to take sides, it seemed. For instance, Drew made a comment at one point (I forget what he said exactly), and he phrased it in a way that stated that he might have been against the a comment Mary made, but that he completely understood why she said it and would probably have done the same thing. This was mimiced to a lesser degree by other students. Could this be a result of wrappings and filters? What I mean is, could this be the student reading the wrapping of Power of Deliverence of the teacher and responding to it, while at the same time dealing with a filter of resemblence causing the student to identify with the other student?
hey steph,
sorry about the late post but it was real hard for me to post last night. I can't post now either however (i am at work all day) but the minute i get a break i will post. thanks and sorry about any inconvience this might cause you
Interesting class to say the least. What I noticed about Steph today, which I felt seemed different from her usual presentation of herself, was she let her gaurd down. Steph took what I would call one hell of a toungue lashing from Mary, and did so without counter arguements or butting in to defend herself. Whether Steph allowed this to happen because she felt that she acted wrong in the Blog, or because she felt it would create a great class excersize, I cannot say. The result is a great class exercise perfect for the co-researchers to observe and analyse.
Watching Mary "scold" Steph about making assumptions and pigeon holing students negatively, which Steph accepted, I felt may have taken some power from Steph and placed it in the hands of Mary. Steph touched on this in class, mentioning the irony of the situation: Mary had issues with an individual whose actions resulted in his or her possibly gaining hand(as George Castanza would put it). Then she reacted by adressing the situation which gave her power, and then tearing Steph a new one could only raise her class standing on the totem pole of power. Steph mentioned that this is all characteristic of the Storming stage, which it seems we as a class didn't just enter, we crashed into it.
While I usually just post comments based on my own two cents, I couldn't help but notice Joel's post as I was clicking the "post a comment" button and have to say that I can't agree more. What I noticed most about Steph was the fact that she let her guard down in front of the class for what I think might have been the first time. Normally I have a certain perception of Steph, one of objectivity and a sort of disconnectedness from the class. However, today, I noticed that she indeed was tkaing a specific matter personally and I noticed that her usually calm demeanor had shifted into a considerably more emotional one. I suppose the real question here is, did Steph merely put on a show for us so that we would perhaps discuss it in this homework assignment, or was it authentic? I ask this because this homework question had been written prior to the start of class.
Steph, I noticed that you were very calm and composed but you also appeared to be a bit apprehensive...I am not sure how to describe it. The way Mary was itching to tell her side and even while she was you seem to look at her and listen intently and then go back to the overhead to relate that to wrapping and filters. You also smiled a lot, perhaps nerves? Like Joel said, I thought you seemed a bit different today but I don't thing you let your guard down, I think you put it up. It was already a weird situation to be in and I think you took a back seat kind of to let Mary express herself to the fullest. We didn't spend that much time as I thought we would- probably due to time constraints of the project- but you did not seem to convinced that we as a class knew what you were trying to tell us. I will add more if I can think of more...
The first thing I noticed about Steph in class on Friday was that she was calm when she was going throught the wrappings again. Like Lucienne, I saw Steph sort of laugh at times that seemed like she was perhaps nervous or just just having a good day. When you were speaking to Mary, you seemed like someone easy to talk but at the same time were able to convey your message to her. I didn't think the conflict Mary had with someone was going to be such a deal in class, but I guess the situation is all relevant to what we are learning so it should be addressed. You looked attentive when Mary and Terri were telling you their side of the story because you would nod and give them feedback. I remember you would repeat what they said to show you were listening. And when Mary told you maybe you should have handled this in a different way, you were able to admit that perhaps you could have done things differently. To me that is being mature and open minded about other people's feelings. I just felt that you handled it well because even though you are suppose to an authoritive figure being a professor, you make it comfortable for people to share their thoughts and feelings with you. So that's basically all I have for now...
Ok, I’m going to just respond chronologically to posts here, because I don’t want to miss anyone and there are several things ‘going on’ relevant to small group communication. :-) I am rather persistent on that subject, don’t you think? :-) Mary was onto me when she wrote that I continued to hold up my own rationale about my trust issue while upholding her point-of-view and her experience. You see, in a group (even in an interpersonal encounter), there is no way to say that “my” experience is such-and-such which means your experience “can’t be” so-and-so! Each of us have the experience that we have. The place where the learning is, is in how we come to understand the ways our perceptions filter those experiences and the ways we then wrap our communication about our experience/perceptions.
It was not comfortable for me when I realized how suspiciously I’d reacted to Mary’s absence (and I just noticed I wrote about suspicion before the “critical incident” (a term from organizational communication) back on February 24th! How embarrassing! What helped me was the fact that the issue did unfold in a non-assigned thread over a few days before the whole class knew, so I was able to process some of my own internal (intrapersonal!) chagrin. I had some time to prepare for the stress of using myself as the bad example. :-/
And so did Mary. :-) And I’m super-proud of how you handled yourself in class last Thursday. Here’s what I think – no, Paul, we didn’t plan it, but isn’t it amazing how we handled it? THAT is the sign of a group dealing assertively with the axes of uncertainty! I know there’s been a lot of questioning concerning my use of the term “choice” – that Mary “chose” not to come to class and Meg is now worried if she’s absent I’ll assume she also “chose” not to come. And basically, that is how I view it. Not necessarily as a conscious, deliberate choice (although most of the absences have been clear choices between conflicting obligations, let’s be real!), but sometimes as an unintended consequence of other choices (like partying so hard one has an awful hangover – but I’m sure that never happens to any of you!) Sometimes, circumstances force us into “choices” that we’d rather not have to make, and even then, we decide how to respond to the pressures and responsibilities of that situation. For instance, in designing the curriculum for this class in an organic and process-oriented way, I chose to put the pressure on me, as well as on you, to respond as flexibly as possible to whatever develops.
The only place I’ll disagree with Mary is about everyone in the class being “on the same page.” The trust thread shows quite a range of different responses to the whole event, and I value this! My guess is that most of the time, in real life, we’re not “on the same page,” but there are many pressures to convince us we ought to be. The fact that there is so much expression of disagreement (!) means folks are doing a lot of disclosing (did someone say Johari Window?) - which is an indicator of a healthy group. :-) With that said, though, Mary, I do think you and I did really listen to each other and can now build on a strong sense of mutual respect.
Jenn, yeah, I was prepared for some heat. :-) One of the ways I understand it though, is through the stages of development. In one sense, it’s really not personal, it’s about us working those two axes of uncertainty. As long as I can remember that, I can stay more relaxed through the feedback process. Of course, being human too, sometimes the tension gets to me as well, but I think the deeper level of trust I had in our group’s process overall helped me stay calm on Thursday. As for “out-of-loopness”, welcome to small group communication! That kind of thing is always going on; it’s a bit wild that we had such a powerful example of it. The confusion that usually accompanies that sense of having missed something is a dynamic that can be a destructive or counterproductive element in a group’s process, which is why I didn’t hesitate too much in going ahead with Thursday’s discussion even though I knew not everyone had been following the Trust thread at that time. Better to get it “out there” then let it simmer away among a sub-group of the class.
Hey Robb. “Uh oh!” I like that. :-) (Seems part of my style to invoke that feeling – some days I think it’s a good quality other days I’m pretty sure it sucks.) I would shift the frame on Drew’s balancing act a bit. Yes, it might have been interpersonal in the sense of wrappings and filters, but I think its more useful to think of Drew’s role in the class as a whole (as well as the role of everyone else who spoke up, or didn’t, and what was said/not said, to the class as a whole, in side comments, within groups, or even later outside of class). I’m not sure how far into this we’ll get on Tuesday, but part of the group development theory I’m applying to our class (Bennis and Shepard) is that only “unconflicted” group members can guide the group through a crisis like this, when people either are, or could become, polarized into "sides." The folks on each “side” can’t do it, because they’re sortof “locked in” to their own view. For the group to move, there need to be group members who can see both sides and navigate the group through the disagreement. I think several people in class played this role.
And what a crash it was, eh Joel? :-) I have to wonder, though, is there any way to ease into the storming stage? Probably. Could I have responded in a way that softened or smoothed our entry? Well, that’s an unknown. I do see how my direct style and wrapping (esp. power of delivery) precipitated a full-scale dive, and … that’s just how it happened this time! (What I need to pay attention to is if this is a pattern for me, and then think about what such a pattern might indicate about my own role in groups.) I will say I don’t think I was “wrong” anymore than I think Mary was “wrong” or Terri, or anybody else. Emotions can’t be “wrong”, in my view. We might be able to make different choices about how to address them, but that – to me – is a learning process. I guess I give myself permission to learn, even when it makes me vulnerable in ways that I might prefer to avoid.
Dave, I smiled when I read your post. So much suspicion! I posted the homework assignment early because I knew where I felt we needed to go as a class to deal with the issue – particularly and especially because it’s directly related to our subject matter! Having the intuition about where to go, however, doesn’t imply prediction about how it will come out! Anyway, questioning someone’s “authenticity” is a form of distrust, eh? ;-) AND – I wouldn’t expect that to go away completely, and certainly not immediately. We’ve entered storming – who knows how long we’ll stay here?
Luce, you’re perceptive. :-) Apprehensive is a good descriptor, although I wouldn’t say I kept my guard up. I think I let it down, at least to the extent I could (deliberately), but it is a bit nerve-wracking to be so vulnerable, especially when (as the teacher!) I’m supposed to be “authoritative.” Did everyone catch the main points as far as what I was trying to teach through this example? I don’t know for sure. There is a lot of evidence in the blogposts that people did get it, or at least got major parts of it. And other parts may need time. I’m thinking I should try to articulate the major points … there was the obvious lesson about wrappings and filters (and none of us are immune!), but it was the example of the situation itself as evidence of the group being in the storming stage that was the “deeper” lesson. I guess the ideal learning would be individual’s ability to generalize from this one specific situation to other examples that are indicative of the storming stage, and then, on top of that, to become aware of how one typically deals with this stage in groups, whether or not these strategies are effective in the long run, and some identification of which parts of these strategies to keep and which to experiment with changing.
Tina, here you are at the end of my longest post yet! At least, it feels that way to me, maybe because I’m having to think so hard. :-) I did have a good day on Thursday. I was grounded and pleased with the energy everyone brought to the discussion. I felt satisfied with the way it went and with the learning I think occurred. I’ll be writing more in the Trust thread, I think, about why the situation with Mary was “such a big deal” from the vantage point of small group communication. (Maybe I’ll write it in the Systems thread, haven’t decided yet where it will best “fit”, smile.) At any rate, I appreciate your feedback. Of course it feels good to be read positively (!), but it also meshes with my internal sense of myself that day. I’d be in trouble if I felt I’d done lousy, and you thought I’d done great, or if I thought I did great, and most folk felt I’d done lousy. %-) Hopefully, all of you are also receiving validation that your external performance “matches” your internal perception ~ if not, then that’s a Prime Location for you to be wondering about a filter, and considering the whole Johari Window – has something been hidden from you that is just now coming into view through feedback?
Homework due Wednesday, March 9, by midnight:
Select two of the following questions (read them all first), and then try to answer them, using evidence from the weblog and/or in class. Do spread your choices out, so we get at least a few responses for each one. Please use names and specific details to the extent you feel comfortable doing so. We started out with this project being solely about me, but it changed very quickly into questions about all of us, so you may answer using me, yourself, or others, as you see fit. :-) (There is no priority to the list, I just numbered them to make it easier to identify them, but please use a clear thesis statement so we know what you're talking about!)
1. To what extent do first impressions affect the way in which we interact with others, and for how long does the effect last before we use other signifiers to guage our impressions of our peers?
2. Why does this stuff matter?
3. What do your first impressions say about who you are, who they are?
4. How do first impressions affect future communication in a small group?
5. How do you trust someone & gain their trust?
6. Does your identity play a role in your interaction in a small group?
7. Is Steph judging us?
8. Do others' identities play a role in your interaction in a small group?
9. What are the physical appearance traits (hair, clothing, poise, attitude, etc.) that contribute individually to how society views a person - both inside and out?
10. How do you approach someone?
11. What affect do personal factors have on a group's communication? (Do they make it easier or more difficult to communicate? When do they go away, and how?)
12. Does it affect you emotionally, the way everyone analyzes you as a whole?
13. Does learning about others' identities help us learn about the identity of a group?
14. If Steph altered her appearance what would we think?
15. What aspects of meeting people (both physical and interactional) elicit stereotypes and lead to assumptions about lifestyle, financial status, age, etc.?
16. How do we trust higher-authority -- how do we know what they say is true or false?
17. What if this class were more formal?
18. Have you altered yourself in any way, not that you are aware of how people perceive you?
19. Is there a purpose in creating the image you have right now?
20. Are differences in appearance between group members deliberate in affecting communicative performativity?
1. To what extent do first impressions affect the way in which we interact with others, and for how long does the effect last before we use other signifiers to guage our impressions of our peers?
I feel that first impressions are often times significant when trying to get a feel for what another person is like. Although I personally try to avoid making any siginificant judgments based on physical appearance, it is almost impossible not to let physical attributes affect our first impression of others, even if it's to a small degree. These initial judgments on others aren't necessarily a bad thing but we can often be wrong in interpreting what another person is like basing our reasoning on nothing more than clothing style or physical traits. As I get to know people, first impressions eventually fade and I try to learn more about personalities and interactions to see how I really feel about someone.
12. Does it affect you emotionally, the way everyone analyzes you as a whole?
I am definately affected emotionally when I'm being analyzed. I don't get emotionally scarred if someone doesn't perceive me the way that I would like, but it is somewhat annoying to me when I feel as though I am being judged in an incorrect way. The first day of class for example I can honestly say that I may have come across more quiet than I normally am when completely comfortable. This may be a result from not knowing everyone yet and avoiding negative impressions. But all in all I will get to a point of not caring what is thought of me when I'm at the stage of being able to completely be myself.
19. Is there a purpose in creating the image you have right now?
The way I dress and act is not necessarily chosen to display a specific image but it obviously expresses who I am. What I mean by this is I'm not aiming for people to see me as preppy, laid back or whatever it may be, but I wear what things I like, talk when I feel appropriate and express my thoughts in whatever way fits with my personality.
Question: What if this class were more formal?
Answer: If this class were more formal we would be moving in a much slower pace. We would not feel as comfortable as we do now with each other. Thus we would not express our ideas, beliefs, and personalities so open. I also feel that we wouldnt be able to disect and think about others ideas and opinions so freely because we prob wouldnt have that option in a formal class. In past experiences I have def learned more in a relaxed type of classroom compared to a formal environment.
Question: How do you approach someone?
Answer: This answer depends on a few things. If I were in a class setting I would prob approach a stranger, male or female, with a casual "Hello" or something of that nature. If I were drinking and were to approach a male I would prob just spark up a casual conversation. Such as, "So come here often?" But that is just an example I dont think Im that cheesy. I think an approach usually starts with some sort of eye contact or physical acknowledgement.
4. How do first impressions affect future communication in a small group?
It think that first impressions affect a group greatly in how the group is initially set up and the roles in which people initially fall into. Once the group interacts more and people become more comfortable with the other members, personalities and opinions tend to come out. For instance, in our presentation group; my first impression of Terri was that she was outspoken and wasn't afraid to say her thoughts and opinions, so naturally I looked a little bit to her for leadership qualities. So, from that, I already knew there was a 'leadership personality' in the group and didn't feel the need to step up and start organizing or lead anything, I just sat back a little bit, putting in my opinions where I thought nessisary. But, as time went on, and I wasn't thinking about my first impression of Terri as a 'leader' and became unconcerned with those initial 'roles' I put the others into , I began to attain some leadership roles, such as trying to organize the group to meet together for the presentation.
So, I hope that illustrate what I'm trying to say. And I guess the only time where a first impression can have a massive and lasting role on a group would be in the instance of a person who exagerates thier role greatly and forces it on people, like a really demanding leader or a really shy person who won't speak up, then people are more likely to remember those people's initial personalities and apply them to future group interactions...
17. What if this class were more formal?
I think that the whole dynamic of this class is based on the fact that it is so informal. The class is based on small group commication, and how we as small groups within the class interact and answer questions. The groups would not interact in such a natural way if the class was more structured. We would feel like we had to follow a set of rules or be overly concerned with how we were being graded on our group answers, which would deflect from the actual interaction. This way, our personalities can all come out in the relaxed atmosphere.
14) If Steph altered her appearance it would be very dignificant to everyone in the class. I get haircuts all the time but no one notices, I dress differently, wear glasses, not wear glasses and never get a comment. People don't expect me to look one way or another. We have come to accept the mullet as steph. Steph has a very unique look that seems t5o be constant. When someone is describing steph they would begin with her appearance because she chose that look based on who she is and she obviously conciously looks that way. If she changed it I would assume that she wanted to move to a new chapter in her life, or that she no longer found the look acceptable, or she got tired of the old look and chose to represent herself physically in a different way. I think I would assume that if she changed her look it would to shock us because she knows how she looks is recieved and that we expect her to look like that everyday.
7) Steph is judging us. We all judge wether or not we admit that. She would not be a good evaluator if she did not judge. Perhaps she doesn't always let her judgements determine how she interacts with a person but I'm positive that she does judge us. We assume things based on how people look because we all choose our clothes, we all pick our haircuts, when we shave, and maybe we were taught to be that way from past experiences. Some people maintain their image more than others also so we draw conclusions on who is sloppy and who is neat also. If someone wears a dirty teeshirt and has greasy hair the first time we meet them we will tend to assume they are sloppy. If the next time we meet them they are in a suit we scrap that impression and regard it as a fluke. I don't know how steph judged me on the first day, but I'm sure she did. She remembered my name and I assume she thought i was a poor student because I missed the first reading and maybe seemed kind of disoriented which is why i went out of my way to assure her that this wasn't always going to be the case; i didn't want my instructor to judge me unfavorably. I hope that she shares her first imopressions of us so we can know how we have been judged by steph and what our individualities mean to her.
16.) When it comes to trusting higher authority, especially in the classroom situation, i think that it would be in your best interest to trust, at first anyway, to trust that the person would not be intentionally leading you astray. however, the key word there is intentionally. they may not be including everything, leaving things out...etc, but then the ball is in your hands to make your move. you can investigate anything further. i guess you can never fully trust that what someone in an authoritative position is telling you is true, but, in most circumstances, you can give them the benefit of the doubt and then do some of your own research on the subject.
18.) i haven't altered myself due to any of these exercises that we've done in class. i don't really think that i got useful feedback as to how i am percieved, but in anycase, it was all positive feedback so i wouldn't change anything based on those comments. if the feedback was critical in a negetive way, whether it was constructive criticism or not, then maybe i would reconsider how i act and how i look, and then maybe make some changes from there on.
3.) What do first impressions say about who you are, who they are?
I have always had trouble with first impressions, particularly in high school. My Junior year of high school I moved and started going to a new high school where I only knew a few people. I tend to be a quiet person at first, and one who does not self disclose. I don't consider myself shy, but I am definitely quiet. This has always had a negative effect, in that people took my being quiet as me being a "bitch" and someone who thought they were better than everyone else. Anyone who knows me will vouche that I am none of the above. I am a very caring person, and very self conscious- I don't by any means think that I'm better than anyone. SO this caused some problems for me in high school with other girls. In college it hasn't been a problem because obviously it's a whole different environment than high school. However, I would say that what this first impression of me that people had (or have?) says that they were just closed minded, and probably self conscious themselves, because they let it bother them that I am the way I am, even if that is not what really defines me.
14.)If Steph altered her appearance what would we think?
Well, I would be disappointed but I would hope that it was an alteration she would make for herself and not to please anyone else. Though that's what I would think it would be anyway, because I think Steph is very comfortable with herself and definitely knows who she is, and I really don't think that Steph could be influenced to change her appearance for anyone else's sake but her own. I would only be disappointed because she seems very comfortable with herself and who she is and what she looks like, so if she were to go and change that it would contradict my positive assumptions about her, and some of the reasons I have for respecting her.
5. How do you trust someone and gain their trust?
In my opinion, trusting someone is easy. Maybe this is just my philosophy, but I start off trusting everyone. I trust people until there is a reason or suspicion for me not to trust them. Maybe I am being neive, but I trust just about everyone. I'm probably the only person who doesnt lock their doors at night. In terms of being relative to what we are doing in class, everyone so far has earned my trust. My group members have done a great job (even though we definately got rejected in all our proposals by steph) in everything that they have done or attempted to do so far, and therefore have earned my trust, and I trust them that we will all do a great job on the project. So for me, trusting people is easy, but the hard part is maintaing that trust. The minute a person does something wrong that affects me or my group or team members in a negative way, is when I begin to question whether or not I trust that person.
12. Does it affect you emototionally the way everyoen analyzes you as a whole?
I think it definately does affect me emotionally the way everyone analyzes me as a whole. I am kinda of like george costanza from Seinfeld in the fact that I absolutely hate it when people do not like me. If I leave class knowing that someone has a problem with me or doesnt like me, I'm upset. No, I'm not going to lose sleep over it if someone in the class doesnt like me, but I want people to like me. I feel as though I go out of my way to try and be nice to people, and I would simply like the same courtesty in return. If a person has a problem with me for no apparent reason, I am going to view that person differently. I think to a certain extent, the way people analyze eachother effects everyone emotionally. If you know the way a person analyzes you, you are going to change your behavior around that person. I have certain grops of friends whom I act different around than another group of friends because of the way they may veiew me. So to answer the question, yes it does affect me emotionally the way people view me.
2. Why does this stuff matter?
What is meant by "stuff"? My interpretation of "stuff" for the purpose of answering this question are the activities we do, the readings we go over, and the interaction between classmates with each other and with Steph.
I think that this "stuff" matters because it is teaching us how to analyze how we behave in actual society, in the real world. Even though this is a set up environment, real issues do occur and the reading and activities help us to deal with them. This "stuff" matters because it gives us a chance to look at our interaction with others from a new angle. We can now realize that information is coming with wrappings and filters, and that we are on the "interdependent" or "dependent" axis of uncertainty with our peer, co-workers, etc. This "stuff" is what is helping us to shape how we want to come across to others. It is helping us to understand why we act the way we do and why others act certain ways toward us and toward others in a group. This "stuff" matters because it is giving us a chance to see where others are coming from and helping us to act accordingly.
11. What do personal factors have on a group's communication? (Do they make it easier or more difficult to communicate? When do they go away, and how?)
I think that personal factors have a huge role in a group's communication. If someone is racist, then they may not interact well with an interracial group. If someone is shy, they may not feel as though they could voice their opinions. If someone has a short attention span, they may distract other group members. The list goes on and on and everyone has their personal factors and those person factors definitely can affect a group's communication. Depending on what they are, they may help the group to communicate. For example, if one person is very outgoing, and another person is shy, the outgoing person could possibly make the shy person feel more comfortable, and more apt to contribute if they are introduced and feel acceptance into the group at an early stage. Other factors may hurt the group's communication. Like I said, if someone is racist, they may decided to shut themselves off from the group, not contributing at all, or they may also decided to act hostilely to the person(s) they are prejudice against, suppressing that other's person's ability to participate. I don't know if these personal differences every fully go away. People can change or adapt to new groups and situations after a period of time. Once people get to see other people for who they are and not what their first impressions say or their biases are, it is possible for the personal factors to lie dormant, or even change a bit. However, it is hard to get through to someone and change their total existence and views on life. I believe that is rarely achieved.
blog time!
10. How do you approach someone?
when i approach people i am nervous. i know this and i know people feel this way because this was the main answer i recieved when i gotr back my first day feed back. i feel this is because i feel alot of time like an outsider. in college i am a transfer student that communtes so i knew when introducing myself in class i was going to be different from most. i also work full time but in my work place i am different because i am also a student full time which only a few other workers are and they are all older that me and have gone back to school. Also i don't know why but i feel a great deal of anxiety when i know i need to aproach someone i don't really know. I don't know why this is but like if i miss a class i feel ashamed to ask someone for the notes becasue i feel i have never done anything for them and they don't know who i am.
19. Is there a purpose in creating the image you have right now?
Hell yea. Right now i am trying to grow a real shag beard. The reason being that i kniow i only have a year left untill it is time to go and get a real job. this sucks and i feel if i let myself go a little now it might actually help relax me and lower the streess level i have. I don't mind being clean cut but i know eventually we all sell out to the man for the money but in the present i don't need to worry about that so i am creating an image of someone a little more laid back. i am a very laid back person by my life requires me to always be working on a task. i think creating the image might help me to fit into it.
3. What do your first impressions say about who you are, who they are?
I think that they mean nothing. Although at times they are really important to the future of relationships, I think that you find out things that are relatively unimportant. It is a good way to find similarities and stimulate conversation, but what do you actually learn about someone when you first meet them? Does your major, hometown, favorite band, really mean all that much? I would say that doesn't define me at all. When I'm not comfortable with someone that I've just met I don't tell them anything of value at all.
10. How do you approach someone?
I don't do well approaching anyone. I learned this during the first few classes. I didn't remember most people's names, nor did most people remember my name. The actual approach often never occurs. I hate approaching random people. I am the type of person that would rather drive around lost than approach a stranger, especially a male. My girlfriend pretty much had to accost me to get me to talk to her at first. I'm not shy though, I just chill in my comfort zone and have a very stand-offish demeanor.
3. What do your first impressions say about who you are, who they are?
First impressions mean a lot, even though they shouldn’t because it truly doesn’t show who that real person is. First impressions to me mean a lot. Unfortunately I tend to judge the majority of people by their first impression till they can prove they are different. For example, when I first got a glips of steph, I thought “ooo shit, shes a hard ass”, but now that I got to know her better she does have a soft side. ;) I thoght this because the first day steph was all like you gotta do this and this to get a good grade and I will decide on how I will grade you. But now that I’ve spent over a month with her, she is actually pretty understanding when it comes to things and she does use a method of grading that is fair. Every body has a tendency to judge people when they first meet them, the majority just don’t have the balls to admit it.
6. Is Steph judging us?
Of course she is!!!!! she is human after all. We judge her and she judges us. She judges us more so because she is the teacher. A teacher who above all things is using us for one of her projects. This means that she really observes us and makes a judgement. An example of how she judges us is when she thought mary was just “skipping”. Since she is human, she 100% gets first impressions on how we are. She thinks that I don’t like that class, which I do, but she judges the way I say I hate the readings as I hate the class as well (she called me out on it). But steph, to let you know, I do actually enjoy being part of this small group class!!! =)
7. I do not get the impression that Steph is judging us in terms of our personalities but rather she is analyzing our behavioral patterns for the sake of advancing knowledge in group behavior. Although I can understand why some people would take it personally and dislike the feeling of being analyzed because from their perspectives Steph maybe someone who could later write something about them which they don’t like. However taken from Stephs point of view, she does not think lowly of people but is just trying to see how groups work together.
10. There are many ways to approach someone and it is harder to do depending on the context. If you are approaching someone in terms of confrontational issues then that can be hard depending on what the issues are. Either way, I have found it that the best way to approach someone is to take whatever you know about that person and make sure to adapt your approach to that.
For example, if you know your roommate has a bad temper problem and you want to confront him about being too messy, then you def do not want to scream at him at first but perhaps use a calm tone to prevent provoking his temper.
Fanta.
Sorry i'm a little late....this was goin really slow
6)Does your identity plat a role in your interaction in a small group??
I believe that who you are as a person and your backround definetly plays a role in the interactions of a small group. Because you cannot tell how a person will act in a group right away, first impressions are not enough to judge someone on. After working with people in a group you can tell if someone is agreeable and easy going or stubborn and lazy. The roles people take on reflect their attitudes about the group and the work being done.
14) If Steph changed her appearence what would we think??
Well I'm sure if Steph came into class in a skirt and high heels with blonde hair or something we would all feel a little betrayed...She is not acting like the person we know her to be, does she dress like this outside of class?? is she changing her appearence to impress anyone?? I would hope that anyone who drastically changes their appearence is doing it for themselves and not anyone else.
I feel as though this may tie into #16. You are our teacher and no matter what you look like, we still have to respect you and do the work you assign us. Would you changing your appearence make us think that what you are saying is less valid, are we starting to lose trust in you?? Or would it not change anthing...Would class go on as if you looked exactly the same as you used to.
slow isnt even the word!!!!!
8. Do others' identities play a role in your interaction in a small group? I think the answer to this question is YES. I feel this is true because in order to work with someone else or another bunch of people, you are going to have to get along in some way, shape, or form with them. By this I mean, to be able to function in a group all of its participants must work together (even if they don't always agree) to achieve common group goals. Everyones personality is different and no two persons individual identity is the same. In order to be interacting successfully within a group, everyone must have useful and helpful ideas; and I feel each individuals unique identity must come into play to bring about suggestions and how each person feels in the group.
19. Is there a purpose in creating the image you have right now? I believe the answer to this question is also YES. I am the person I am today because I spent my entire life thus far, getting to this point. I like my image because I essentially created it, and I like where I am at in my life. "I am me," and no one else has the same identity. I like being unique; and all of my different qualities help people to decipher me from everyone else in the world. I like the image I portray to the public, my friends, family, and peers.
TAPE IT BACK...
My B...
2. Why does this stuff matter?
First impressions matter because they affect how you act towards a person and what you think about them. First impressions are interesting because they can easily be proven wrong, however, depending on the situation a there may never be a second impression, leaving the first impression as the only impression. I know personally that if I was only ever able to gather a first impression, I would have a very skewed idea of how people really were.
4. How do first impressions affect future communication in a small group?
In a small group first impressions could affect the work environment for the future. For instance if I perceive someone in my group to be s lacker from the beginning then I will have that impression until proven otherwise and might treat them a certain way. Similarly I may perceive someone to be all-knowing and modify the way I treat and act towards them becuase of these impressions I have of them. In this way first impressions affect the way we act towards people, and until proved or shown otherwise all we have to go on are our first impressions.
Summaries of findings for questions 3,7,and 10
3. What do your first impressions say about who you are, who they are?
In this question, I found that most people believed that first impressions were usually pre-conceived judgments of a person that they did not know. Those judgments were in fact rather insignificant information of a person but significant because it showed behavioral patterns of those doing the 'judging' based on their first impressions, which in turn brought out feelings and emotions from those that were 'judged'. There appears to be a direct causal relationship between the two (first impression and resulting into a personal emotion or feeling). People were greatly hurt orf affected by judgments and impressions that people received even though the impression they received were usually wrong.
7. Is Steph judging us?
For the most part, people agreed that Steph is judging us because we are human. Even though she may be judging us, she may push these aside and not that affect her judgment too much on the class. She may be concentrating more specifically for behaviors that individuals act out in order to support or prove wrong her judgment of individuals in our class. It seems as though people are saying our 'image' gives off an impression and can create judgments that may alter or falter our behavioral patterns.
10. how do you approach someone?
There were 2 general responses to this question. The first one being that it depends on the context of the situation. You have to adapt your ways to that specific person and place in order for the approach to be successful, smooth and normal. you don't one that is choppy, awkward or plain out of context. The other response was rather more personal. Brian and Jon felt that it is hard to approach someone because they are rather shy or rather not take the intiative in approaching someone. Perhaps both are out of fear? and outside their comfort zone?
Summaries of findings for questions 3,7,and 10
3. What do your first impressions say about who you are, who they are?
In this question, I found that most people believed that first impressions were usually pre-conceived judgments of a person that they did not know. Those judgments were in fact rather insignificant information of a person but significant because it showed behavioral patterns of those doing the 'judging' based on their first impressions, which in turn brought out feelings and emotions from those that were 'judged'. There appears to be a direct causal relationship between the two (first impression and resulting into a personal emotion or feeling). People were greatly hurt orf affected by judgments and impressions that people received even though the impression they received were usually wrong.
7. Is Steph judging us?
For the most part, people agreed that Steph is judging us because we are human. Even though she may be judging us, she may push these aside and not that affect her judgment too much on the class. She may be concentrating more specifically for behaviors that individuals act out in order to support or prove wrong her judgment of individuals in our class. It seems as though people are saying our 'image' gives off an impression and can create judgments that may alter or falter our behavioral patterns.
10. how do you approach someone?
There were 2 general responses to this question. The first one being that it depends on the context of the situation. You have to adapt your ways to that specific person and place in order for the approach to be successful, smooth and normal. you don't one that is choppy, awkward or plain out of context. The other response was rather more personal. Brian and Jon felt that it is hard to approach someone because they are rather shy or rather not take the intiative in approaching someone. Perhaps both are out of fear? and outside their comfort zone?
2. Why Does This Stuff Matter?
While the response rate to this question is not altogether that high, I think that the general consensus is that this stuff matters because it is helping to guide us in our analysis of our social behavior in other aspects of life, not just in a classroom environment.
10. How Do You APproach Someone?
There have been mixed emotions regarding this question and msot of those who replied took it as a personal question on how they personally approached others. Most of the responses reflect fear in approaching someone, or some degree of nervousness while others were simply guides on how they went about doing so. I think one idea that was mentioned and is of most importance is that it is necessary to try and find something that one can know about someone else before approaching them so as to find some sort of common ground for discussion.
19. Is There a Purpose in Creating the Image You Have Right Now?
Just about everyone who answered this question said that "yes, there is a purpose." Sure, people can create images of themselves unconsiously, but for the most part, people want to convey a certain image of themselves to others, one that will make them comfortable in their environment.
wow that took a while to load, whats up with that Steph? Anyhow I was hoping to find the time to blog this morning for the co-researchers assignment but I was unable to do so. I will do it tonight though after work if that isn't too late? Thanks
4) It would seem the class (or rather those that answered 4) feel that first impressions do affect group behavior. First impressions affectr how groups set up and the roles that individuals take. First impressions can also affect how people act towards each other within groups at first.
12) When one is being evaluated, it would seem that it does have an affect on the individual. If the evaluation seems to be nagative, it can cause people to be upset and act differently in order to appear more favorable. The fear of an incorrect evaluation can also cause people to change their behaviour in advance.
14) If Steph changed her appearance, it would appear that the class would definately react to it. As long as her reasons seemed to be for herself and not some other purpose, people would be fine with it. However, some have noted that as we expect Steph to act a certain way, our attitudes and expectations would change. Also, some may feel dissapointed as we expect Steph to appear and act in certain ways. If she were to change, that would effect our evaluations of her.
sorry for the late post but its been a real long day for me....
I chose the questions in which only one person might have responded to...maybe it means something about their personality, the questions people chose, or it could just be incidental but I just thought it was interesting some of the questions people chose to answer and not to answer.
18. Have you altered yourself in any way, now that you are aware of how people perceive you?
It was said that no there was not any altering particularly because the feedback was not useful. If indeed there was something worth altering or discovereed then yes but at this point no.
12. Does it affect you emotionally, the way everyone analyzes you as a whole?
This question both people who responded said yes, and I would have to agree. Although it may not be significant or something to cry over the way people percieve you lets you know if you are misrepresenting yourself or not.
11. What affect do personal factors have on a group's communication? (Do they make it easier or more difficult to communicate? When do they go away, and how?)
It was said that the personal factor is huge, which I agree with. What someone brings to the table or a clash in personalities can definitely coincide have a factor with the group's communication. Ruthanne used a great example of a shy person vs outspoken person and how that can affect the group.
I have decided to summarize for the findings for 1,5,and 7 because those are the questions that the other co-researchers have not covered so far.
1) Jill is the only person who answered this question, and from what I observed it seems as though it is pretty much impossible to not let someone's physical attributes affect the way the one sees someone for the first time. I understand a first impression is not always correct but people do take in that first image of a stranger and sometimes put labels or ideas about them before they even really understand them. Jill believes her first impression of someone fades once she gets to know them, which I find as common sense because once you do get to know someone you basically let your percieved notion about them down. I know this is cheesy but you basically can't jugde a book by its cover!
5) Trust is of course a very serious and important topic in this class besides the fact that we even have a Trust blog. Trust is something that some people find very easy to do with others in their small group because some feel as though they trust everyone in the class until a particular does something to break that trust. While I know other people don't feel like they can't really trust anyone in the class until each person has proved they deserve to be trusted. There can be many factors why some people are more trusting than others. For example, race,gender class,and sexual orientation can all be possible reasons why a person is trusting or untrusting toward others around them. But then again that's a whole different topic within itself. I agree with Mike in that I do trust my group Ichiban and everyone in the class, but if someone intentionally did something to me than I would have my doubts too.
17) My summary for what if this class was formal is that the whole dynamics would totally not be the same. People seem to like the relaxed atmosphere in this class because they can express themselves and analyze all the parts to what small group communication is all about. In a formal setting, many people might not be comfortable to voice their opinions and beliefs because they might be judged or even criticized by their peers or professor. The whole process of working and learning in a small group depends on the enviornment we as students are everytime we come to class. So a formal setting would definitly throw the energy and vibe our class has attained so far this semester. Besides, what other class do you get chocalate and starburst all the time, love it Steph!
Hey all...i dont know if anyone is reading this since its past its due date, but my blogger wouldn't post so i sent it VIA email to steph and now its working to blog....so here's my response...ugh.what a friggin semester.
ok.
I chose to answer 3,12, and 19.
3.I noticed that there were a few different opinions about this but generally everyone thought that first impressions were not that significant to determining a relationship, but they definately have a small, if any, impact on how we view a person till they prove themselves different(like Sarah said.) It's also been agreed that these first impressions aren't always bad, but that they are often wrong impressions. And like Sara said, we all judge and are judged to some extent.
12. Does it effect us emotionally, being judged?
Well from the responses I got in 3 and the responses I got to this specific question, there seems to be contradicting answers. I got the impression from reading the responses in 3 that no one really cared at all about first impressions, but isn't that what we judge people on first? Then the responses to 12 were clear about how they DO NOT LIKE to be judged and it "annoys" them or makes them uncomfortable. Mike said he was the George Costanza, cuz he does not like be disliked by anyone. He also stated that after he is judged wrong or disliked, he auotmatically changes his perceptions of that person and may behave differently around them. All together though, i found that eventhough it may make them cringe or "upset" they did mkae it clear that life moves on and its not the end of the world andf that they are "not going to lose sleep over it."
19. Image. I really liked Bryan's response. WAY TO GO! Jill was also very head strong about her image. Clearly the pattern here is that we chose to wear, say, think, do what we chose. And I like how Bryan made it clear that by doing this, we have come a long way to create what we are and that's what makes us unique and differs us from others. What i think people are forgetting is that the image we project often determines the response we get from others. I'm not stealing your thinder guys, but its how i see it...whether you guys disagree or not I don't know. But I am glad you guys are proud of your image and not afraid of what will be judge about you accordingly. ;)
Post a Comment
<< Home