Practical Value

Since starting school this last fall I have made more than 10 posts on a variety of communication theories. After studying all of this material I have found that many of these theories have practical applications in the "real world" and society would be a much better place as a whole if we taught them more. If everyone were taught the motivations behind the many behaviors we all do on daily basis then many of the problems stemming from the confusion of not knowing why something is happening would go down considerably in today's society. For example, when I learned about the Uncertainty Reduction Theory, I was able to understand that the reason some people I interact with who constantly asked questions me questions were not just doing so for the sake of asking, but in order to get to know me better and to reduce their anxiety about it. With this in mind I am now more patient with answering questions and is also something I keep in mind when I am the one asking questions. I feel that the ability for URT to translate to more patience is an incredibly useful transformation that can be used as a tool in today's world. In this video of Whose Line is it Anyway? Colin is answering question's from the the other three and all of them are asking questions in order to limit the uncertainty that Colin has about who he is. He is then able to guess his identity by being able to narrow down that uncertainty by obtaining more information. Usually it is the the person asking who is trying to narrow down the information in order to get a better understanding if a situation, but on this show its a game so it's in reverse order. I feel if URT were taught more broadly, relationships and occupations that involved gathering information such such as journalism would both benefit greatly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_KMYPsPNXQ

Unfortunately learning about communication theory is limited to just that, communication. My house has one psych major, one engineer, one computer science major, and two sports science majors. Unfortunately, whenever I ask them about any of the theories I have learned none of them know what I am talking about. I think many of the theories I have learned should be taught not just in upper level communication classes, but as a required bacc core class. The information you can gain by doing so is, in my opinion, to valuable to only be delivered to a selective group of individuals. The benefits won't just stop with my example of URT and its potential positive correlation with relationships and certain jobs. Social Information Processing theory may be the deciding factor on whether you decide to try dating online, or maybe learning about Feminist Stand Point Theory changes the way you conduct your business and view inequality in the world.

The knowledge I have obtained will help me become an overall better communicator and successful conversationalist. This means I will be a hit at parties, and you could be too! As I conclude I want to show the video I put on my first blog of the term. This video again puts emphasis on just how important communication and its concepts our in the world. Who knows, maybe one day knowing all of these theories may save your life! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwjAAgGi-90

Social Information Processing Theory

With technology making extreme leaps in recent years, the landscape of dating has drastically changed. Social Information Processing Theory deals with the ability to make an intimate connection via online and through other media outlets such as texting instead of your normal face to face encounter. In my experience, and after doing the readings, I believe that online relationships can be, just as, if not more, intimate than those that are developed face-to-face. To better understand what SIP theory can and can't do we need to break down a couple other components and assumptions within SIP's framework. To best illustrate these components let's use the time I met someone through online dating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg0wD8gNtgQ

Between being a full time student, and also working I found that the times when I was able to go out I was never able to meet anyone. After doing some research I decided I'd try to do the whole online dating thing. Just like the reading, I was randomly bored and sent a message to someone that looked very interesting. We started talking and really hit it off. We began sending text messages and soon enough we added each other on Facebook and talked on the phone. This brings up the idea of Social Presence Theory. This theory suggests that there are higher degrees of social media and lower degrees which can be used to gain knowledge and create better emotional growth in a relationship. For example; texting the person I met was nice, but still somewhat unemotional, however, when we became Facebook friends and talked on the phone, I could hear her voice and through Facebook send her messages and see pictures. All of these higher degrees of richness added to our relationship, a lot more than texting could. Now as the book stated, computer-mediated-communication or the process of people interpreting information via telecommunication sources can create unique opportunities to make connections with people. For example me being able to connect with someone that I wouldn't have been able to in face to face communication because of my lack of time and increased academic workload.

As I am sure we have heard of, there has been an increasing amount of cyber bullying and negative remarks on message boards and online forums. This has led to an outrage about online anonymity. I know, however, that there is a huge flip side to this debate. The friend that told me about online dating used it because he was a very shy person. The anonymity he gained from using online dating helped as a tool to build a report with someone before meeting them. This leads to the second assumption of SIP that it takes a longer period of time and more frequency of messages to develop a certain level of intimacy with someone than it would face to face. I however feel that even though it may take longer, the ability to talk about personal things while not having the constraints of being face to face has its advantages. In the book the example was that Corrina talked to Marcus about personal things like her being close with her parents after their divorce, would she have said those things in person though? My friend expressed that using other outlets like texting helped him talk about personal things he wouldn't have been able to discuss in person, and I also agree. I think a great illustration of this is in this scene of You Got Mail, both Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are interacting back and forth and in this clip are talking about a business plan. They have specific boundaries that makes it so there is still anonymity between them, but enough to make their exchange intimate as Tom Hanks helps her with her bookstore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB8xPnhpzAM

The last assumption that makes up this theory is the idea that the participants are motivated to present themselves in the very best light. In my case when I made my online dating profile I made sure it was made up of my best pictures. I feel we all do this in face to face communications though too. Girls wear make up, guys dress up; in my house on a typical Friday night everyone "gets ready." No one just leaves the house, you have to look your best, the same can be said for online communication. There is a fine line though and sometimes people cheat.

In the end I feel online interactions can create intimate relationships just as well, if not better than face to face communication can.

West, Richard, and Lynn H. Turner. Introducing Communication Theory Analysis and Application. 5thth ed. New York City: Mcgraw-Hill Education, 2014. Print.

Organizational Culture Theory

Have you ever been part of a club or organization? This could be anything from a sports team, to where you work. When you are in those setting it is said you have a specific cultural identity that permeates your organization and creates the reality for which you are apart of. This is the idea of Organization Culture Theory. For me, I think the organization that best illustrates Organizational Culture theory is was when I did Crew freshman year. Organization Culture Theory is the essence of the organizational life that you are apart of. You over time create rituals, symbols, and interpretations of events all while creating a shared reality with the organization. There are three main assumptions about this theory that really illustrate what organizational culture life is like. First is what I mentioned earlier in regards to a shared reality. When I was on the team there were 18 of us and we all hung out before, after, and (if we weren't caught)during practice. As the year progressed the reality we made together grew stronger as we started developing values and principles such as not being late for 5:00 am practice; we created standards such as getting good grades and not getting into trouble. All of these things were acted out by all individuals on the team, making everyone very close. Unfortunately for those who didn't notice we only really hung out with each other, even though other's tried they usually got a like this. This leads to the second assumption.

The second main assumption is the ability to maintain the shared reality created. This requires participation by all involved, and in my case it was my teammates and my coach. In order to maintain our organizational culture we used a variety of symbols; physical symbols, behavioral symbols, and verbal symbols. When we had practice at our weight lifting facility we all had to wear the same uniform, a Nike crew shirt and black Nike shorts or pants (this would be a physical symbol). As we got closer the symbols we used become more constant, almost like a habit; rituals and customs were made like all of us eating breakfast burritos after practice on Saturdays or always being ten minutes early to practice in order to avoid the wrath of the coach (All of these would be defined as behavioral symbols). Lastly were verbal symbols and much of these dealt with nicknames and jargon made from ourselves and coaches. We never called the rowing machine a rowing machine, instead it was referred to an erg or "erging." An erg is a unit of energy, described to us by our coach as work done by a force over time. We also had our fair share of anecdotes and jokes like when one of us fell out off the dock or when I crashed our boat on a Willamette River bank(yes it happened multiple times) and the coaches were never happy, but hey, no one ever got injured!

The third and last main assumption of the OCT is how different cultures vary. When talked about in the book the example that was given was about a woman named Amelia whose company was bought out. In this process of having a new employer she had to begin to do different actions and create new and different interpretations. Since all cultures vary it only makes sense that she had to create a whole new shared reality with her new employer. This was no different for Crew and a great way to illustrate it would be to look at the varying sports cultures we have across campus. To us, a rowing machine will always be an erg, for everyone else it is something completely different. I had to walk my friend on the basketball team through why it was called an erg in the first place. This goes to show that just because our team had a reality it didn't mean it was the same as everyone else's. Our team had different organizational practices as well, we had team meetings once a month and much if not all of the content was built around the aspects of the life of a rower, we even had to meet with a nutritionist to tailor make a diet for the amount of calories we needed to eat. This practice (as well as diet) would be much different than the kid who belongs to a differing organization such as radio or chess. All of this reiterates the fact that every culture has intricate components that make them different from others. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRteokw7m80

In conclusion this goes to show that organizations are everywhere and within each culture is a vary unique and differing culture and identity.

West, Richard, and Lynn H. Turner. Introducing Communication Theory Analysis and Application. 5thth ed. New York City: Mcgraw-Hill Education, 2014. Print.

Communication Privacy Management

Communication Privacy Management is an interesting theory in regards to both on-line communication and on-line relationships. Since the theory revolves around what people want to reveal and what they want to keep confidential, online profiles can be seen as entities that encompass many of the perimeters discussed in the book. A perfect example is the creation of a Facebook account. When making one the user has the power to configure their settings to fit their mold of what they deem is private information or information that matters deeply to them. For example, you can hide the fact you are in a relationship or only choose to show that fact to friends, ultimately allowing you to retain power over what you disclose or retain. It also builds off of the CPM's second principle of private information control. When user's make there settings to show very little about themselves they have high control over that information as opposed to them posting all of the their life details out there, which would give them low control.

When it comes to on-line relationships and dating I think this theory is particularly accurate. When's the last time you intentionally put a bad photo of yourself via online communication? That's the beauty of the internet, you can disclose whatever you want, retain whatever you want, and it doesn't even need to be true. How many times have you heard of an on line date story that went bad because the people talking to each other didn't look anything like their photo's? In fact, this is such a culturally relevant topic that there has been a movie and a show on it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuE98oeL-e0

We see only what people want us to see and vice versa. This is the important aspect of CPM that you need to keep in mind. I also believe the reason on-line communication is so big is because it remedies some of the downfalls addressed by CPM, such as the fifth principle of turbulence. The fifth principle is labeled turbulence and talks about the problems that can happen when someone's privacy rules get broken down or mistakes are made within a communication that make disclosure ambiguous. This issue isn't as big on-line as it would be in person as communication on-line can be calculated and be made over the course of weeks, where as a face to face communication lasts for a shorter period of time. In the end this theory applies to on-line relationships and communication because online media outlets and CPM both share overlap of idea's ranging from privacy and disclosure all the way to the very principles CPM uses and how they are applicable to on-line activities. www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6iAjEv9dQ

What does it mean to be a communication major?

To me, a communication major is a person who helps convey messages in ways that everybody understands; this to me is the cornerstone of what it means to have this degree. You are essentially helping link messages in a platform that can be widely accepted. I've been asked more than I can count about what type of future I could have while being in the Speech communication program at OSU, my favorite is when people scoff at my choice of major as if I'm wasting valuable time and money being in this field when I could become an engineer. This might be a shock for a lot of people but those who are in the communication field aren't just used car salesmen. I have many friends who have graduated and are now working regional manager positions at a variety of retail chains or are working with professional sports teams across the country. For me, having this major is an important stepping stone to not only the career I want down the road, but the life style I want as well. This means using the tools and resources I obtained as a communication major to be able to convey and communicate properly with various groups and entities, thus making a life that has open communication, something I think is very important. The funny thing is that you can ask all communication majors to define communication and you will get a variety of different answers. To me, communication is the process with which messages are being sent and received properly. By properly I mean they are conveyed in a way that is simple and is understandable to the masses. I feel that there is a disconnect in not only the work force but with social interactions as a whole that need to be remedied. Communication is the key cog in this process and should be a tool used to wield impressive results with the end goal being to limit the amount of confusion that goes along with not being able to articulate a particular message. I think a small example that many could relate to would be looking at a particular fight you had with a friend in the past. The fight the two of you had were over things that were said and then misinterpreted, you guys stopped talking and then talked to other people about what you think that other person meant. It gets worse and worse until you and the other friend actually sit down and talk and learn that what was trying to be communicated was no where near what you thought they were saying. Another great example is in this video, i'm pretty sure it's based on a true story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwjAAgGi-90 .Now take that great cartoon and ground breaking acting you saw of the miscommunication between the wildlife and imagine magnifying that process to an incredibly higher level such as international relations. This to me is why I am a speech communication major and why I am interested in the field; to be able to bridge the gap between what is being said, what is being understood, and what can be done about it.