Chapter 1 Topics for Discussion

  1. At the beginning of this chapter, we tried to draw a parallel between extraterrestrial and interpersonal communication. Think of at least five additional ways that communicating across cultures is like the process of communicating interpersonally. (We consider communication with extraterrestrials to be the ultimate in cross-cultural communication).
  2. Define communication. What kinds of behavior are included and excluded from your definition? Be sure students distinguish communication from concepts like "behavior." Remind students that a concept that covers everything defines nothing. Also discuss notion of intentionality, and be able to provide examples of unintended communication. According to your definition, would a person sitting alone in a room, thinking about a friend be communicating? Would a blush of embarrassment be communication? If you became tongue-tied, so that the message you were trying to get across became distorted, would communication have taken place? For a behavior to qualify as communication, does it have to involve two people? Be intentional? Be successful?
  3. In this chapter we suggested that the realities people create through communication often control them. We used the example of Balinese demon worship. Can you think of words or concepts that control the lives of people in our culture? Discuss.
  4. Goffman argues that much of what we do, including our communication, results because society says we must. To what extent do you believe you are controlled by social rules and roles? How much freedom do you have?
  5. Perception is a complex process which involves the ability to interpret situations and episodes, to know what other people are like, and to understand what we ourselves are thinking and feeling. Think of at least three examples of how problems in perception could lead to failures in communication.
  6. Discuss the relationship between role competence and goal competence. Is it possible to have one without the other? What would a person who was role competent but had no goal competence be like? Is it possible to be goal competent without being role competent?
  7. Assume that a visitor from another planet asked you to give it some advice on how to get along at your college or university. Pick a simple activity, say, attending a one-hour class, working out at the gym, or going out for pizza. Perceptually, what would the alien have to be able to do to handle these situations? What social roles would it have to master? What kinds of plans and strategies would it need? What verbal and nonverbal rules would it have to follow to be communicatively competent?
  8. Have you ever been in a situation where your inability to handle language effectively caused an interpersonal problem? Have you ever committed a nonverbal faux pas? If they aren’t too personal, share these experiences. What do they tell you about message competence?
  9. In this chapter we argue that mastering process doesn’t always lead to perfect performance. What factors can intervene between process and performance? What can be done about them?
  10. Discuss the ritual of insulting the meat (Box 1.2). Can you think of other rituals in our culture that have a social-control function?
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