Group Problem Solving

  The first step in the group problem solving is problem identification. Here the group must clarify what it wants to do or what it is being asked to do. A good way to start is to ask this question: What exactly is the problem before the group? Too frequently, groups overlook this step. When this happens, each group member can have a different idea of what constitutes the problem and assume that other group members have the same problem in mind. For example, suppose a student group is seeking a solution to the lack of food services on the north campus. All of the food outlets are at least a mile away from this part of campus. So what precisely is the problem? Is it that students, faculty, and staff do not have access to food for lunch and dinner? To be sure, the group members canvass students to examine the problem from their point of view. This helps them be certain that they are on track before going ahead with the rest of the project. Before going on to the next step, each group member should be able to state the problem clearly and succinctly.
  The second step is problem analysis. Here group members gather information, data, and even opinions to help them understand the history and causes of the problem. Group members need to decide how serious or widespread the problem is. Considering solutions that will resolve a problem for a few isolated people is quite different from considering solutions that will resolve a problem that affects many. Continuing with the previous example, the group surveys students for the type of food service they might prefer. Their next step is to contact the food services department on campus to discuss the types of services they could make available on north campus. With both sets of information, the group can compare the foods that are easily accessible from food services with the foods students want. And, although the general focus is on problems, group members also need to think about any hidden issues. One hidden issue—and the real reasonfood is not available on this part of campus—is that custodial staff is limited on this part of campus, meaning that there are not enough custodians to keep the food areas up to health department standards of sanitation.
  The third step involves identifying the minimal criteria for the solution. In the food problem, the primary criterion is money. How much are students willing to spend for the convenience of eating near their classes? How much money can food services allot in their budget to establish food service on the north campus? How much money will be required for extra custodial help? In discussing these issues, the group finds other criteria that need to be considered. For example, where will these new food services be located? Who will give permission to install food outlets in classroom buildings? Because space is so tight, the only place that can reasonably hold a food outlet is the theatre department’s ticket office. But the group does not pursue the issue of what will happen to the ticket office if it is moved to accommodate food outlets. The more criteria group members can think of for evaluating solutions, the more complete and the more useful their decisions will be.
  In the fourth step, group members generate solutions. As you might guess, it is difficult to keep from doing this throughout the discussion generated in the first three steps. But groups that generate solutions too quickly can come to premature conclusions without fully investigating all potential solutions. For example, the group studying the problem of food on the north campus fails to generate other solutions such as independent food cart vendors, which do not require permanent space. It is a good idea to allow at least two meetings for idea generation. That way, group members have the opportunity to think about the problem individually before coming back to the group.
  The fifth step is evaluating solutions and selecting one as best. If the group has followed the standard agenda, this step will be relatively easy because the group has access to all needed information. Using the criteria generated in the third step, the group should evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each solution generated in the fourth step. What about our campus food group? Unfortunately, they get stuck early on in the process. That is, they become so focused on moving the ticket office and installing a fast food outlet that they have no other options to evaluate at this stage. As a result, they force themselves into recommending a solution that will not be approved.

  The sixth step of the standard agenda is solution implementation. But followthrough can be a weak area for groups. Sometimes the charge of the group does not include implementation, so group members get little practice in this area. Other times the group has used all of its energy in making a decision and has little left over for implementing the decision. Using these six steps maximizes group effectiveness in decision making because it provides equal opportunity to all proposals, no matter who makes them. Highly cohesive groups benefit from using the group problem solving procedure because members of such groups can feel inhibited about criticizing an idea or proposal before the group.

Social needs of friend, lover & family

  Last week, Sir Anwari had covered the chapter 9 during the lecture class. This chapter is about the social need that we needed in our daily life which includes friends, lover, and also families.
  Interpersonal relationship between two persons that is mutually productive and characterized by mutual positive regard is called friendships. The needs that friendships may serve are utility which is someone that may have special skills or resources that will help to achieve goals. Next, affirmation is someone who will affirm our personal value. Ego support is someone who behaves in a supportive, encouraging, and helpful manner. Stimulation is someone who introduces us to new ideas and new ways of seeing the world. The last one is security which mean someone who does nothing to hurt us. Moreover, three main stages of friendship are initial contact and acquaintanceship, two individuals see themselves as separate and distinct, rather than one unit; casual friendship, a clear sense of We,more open; close and intimate friendship, an exclusive unit, view as important. For culture and friendships, generally, friendships are closer in collectivist cultures than in individualist cultures. Gender and friendships: women self-disclose more than men. Women offer more intimate details and more affection. Men build friendships around shared activities. Technology and friendships: online relationships by texting. Online friendships offer a sense of belonging without face to face contact.

Where there are friends, there is wealth.

  There are six major types of love which are eros, beauty and sexuality (physical attractions); ludus, entertainment and excitement (ludic lover retains partner as long as the partner is amusing or interesting); storge, peaceful and slow (establish companionship with someone that has common interests); pragma, practical and traditional (seeks relationships that will work); mania, elation and depression (extreme highs and lows); agape, compassionate and selfless (compassionate, egoless, and self-giving).

Life is nothing without love.

  Last, traditional couples is one of the types of family which mean share a basic belief system and philosophy of life. Independent couples are stress their individuality and separate couples are live together but view their relationships a a convenience. 4 generational communication patterns includes equality, balanced split, unbalanced split and monopoly. Through this, each person shares equally and has authority over different domains. One person dominates in more than half of the areas.

Family is not an important thing, it is EVERYTHING.

 

Interpersonal conversation

  During this week, we learned about interpersonal communication in our daily life. Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information, feelings, and meaning through verbal and non-verbal messages. It is also face-to-face communication. The communication process is the guide toward realizing effective communication. It is through the communication process that the sharing of a common meaning between the sender and the receiver takes place. Individuals that follow the communication process will have the opportunity to become more productive in every aspect of their profession. Effective communication leads to understanding.

  Everyday conversation includes small talk, excuses and apologies, complimenting and advice. For small talk, is used to pass time, make sure be polite and confirm all is well.  Excuses is explanations or actions that lessen the negative implications of an actor's performance thereby maintaining a positive image for oneself and others. Apologies are expressions of regret or sorrow for having done what you did or what happened; often include a request for forgiveness; help repair the relationship the the reputation of the wrong doer. Next, complimenting is message of praise, flattery or congratulations; functions as a way of relating to another person with positiveness and immediacy as a conversation start, and to encourage other person to compliment you. The last one is advice which mean the process of giving another person a suggestion for thinking or behaving, usually to effect a change.

Apologies does not always mean that you are wrong and the other person is right.
It's just mean that you value your relationship more than you ego.

Furthermore,  the relationship stages are:

1.  Contact- you see what the person looks like
2. Involvement- a sense of mutuality, of being connected and develops
3. Intimacy- feeling that you can be honest and open when talking about yourself
4. Deterioration- the stages that sees the weakening bonds between the parties and represents the downsides of the relationship progression
5. Repair- consider ways of solving your relational difficulties
6. Dissolution- is the cutting of the bonds tying you together

  In addition, relationship theories includes:

1. Attraction theory- holds that people form relationships on the basis of attraction
2. Relationship Rules theory- held together by adherence to certain rules
3. Relationship Dialectics theory- tensions between pairs of opposing motives or desire\
4. Social penetration theory- what happen when relationships develop
5. Social Exchange theory- develop relationships that will enable you to maximize your profits
6. Equity theory- uses the ideas of social exchange

  Lastly, the dark side of interpersonal relationships is the use of interpersonal communication in DAMAGING, unethical ways. For instance, the cognitive jealousy is thoughts about your partner, reflections on decrease in time spent with your partner. The emotional on affective jealousy is feelings of anger, hurt, worry, or concern aroused by the threat of losing a relationship. While the behavioural jealousy is actions taken to monitor or alter a partners jealousy-evoking activity's.

  Language is a collection of symbols, letters, and words with arbitrary meanings that are governed by rules and are used to communicate. People sometimes use language in unconventional ways, which can present a barrier or a bonus to communication. These unconventional language include racism, sexism, heterosexism, and ageism which I had learned after the last human communication lecture class yesterday. 

  First, prejudice or discrimination by one group toward others perceived as a different 'race', plus the power to enforce it.'' Groups may be almost identical physiologically, yet be divided against each other on the basis of culture, language, religion, nationality, or any combination of the above. Prejudice that remains an attitude can be emotionally painful and demoralizing, but it is not racism until it is put into action. The actions of individuals, in turn, are harmful to the degree that they are supported by power. Imagine, for example, that a Muslim applied to rent an apartment from Hindu landlord. If the landlord hates Muslims personally but rents the apartment and treats the tenant on an equal basis with any other in charging rent, maintaining the apartment, etc, that is an example of prejudice but not of racism. If the landlord refuses to rent the apartment to a Muslim, the landlord's action is individual racism, but can be only a temporary setback if it is not supported by the society. It, however, the rest of the tenants and neighbours support the landlord's decision, if no local media find it to be news, if the applicant finds no official avenue for appeal or redress, that is institutionalized racism. The following link is about the article of racism:

http://www.globalissues.org/article/165/racism

  Second, sexism is a form of discrimination based on gender. Discrimination on the basis of gender can take a wide variety of forms. For example, some people believe that women should stay at home to focus on rearing children and keeping house, rather than pursuing professional careers. This attitude can lead to severe criticism when career women are involved, and as seen in the 2008 US presidential primaries, high-profile women are not exempt from sexism, even when they are running for the office of president of the United States. Others may feel that men should not pursue “women's work” such as nursing, teaching, or homemaking, criticizing men who pursue these activities.

Incidents of sexism may be ambiguous and come from men, women or both.

Third, heterosexism is the system of oppression of persons who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual based on homophobia. Prejudice and discrimination against persons who are LGBT based on the assumption that heterosexuality is the only "normal" sexual orientation and therefore preferable. For instance, assuming that all unmarried people are "single," while in reality they may have a same-sex partner or all children live in families with a male-female couple in parental roles. Let me share a short video clip which is about the heterosexism.

  Fourth, ageism is discrimination based on age. Ageism is often a cause for individual acts of age discrimination and also discrimination that is more systemic in nature, such as in the design and implementation of services, programs and facilities. Age discrimination involves treating persons in an unequal fashion due to age in a way that is contrary to human rights law. Both seniors and children are marginalized in many societies. Seniors, for example, are presumed to be incapable of making decisions because of their advanced age, while children are not allowed to make choices because they are perceived as too young. Some regions of the world have laws which are considered ageist by activists, such as laws limiting the drinking age, or laws mandating retirement at a specific age. 

World of communication

  Last Saturday, we had make-up class (class replacement) of human communication to replace the classes of the oncoming Chinese New Year. We presented according to the subtopic of the chapter which is chapter 5 verbal messages and chapter 6 non-verbal messages. As the popular saying by Chip Rose, an attorney and mediator, '' We all use language to communicate, to express ourselves, to get our ideas across, and to connect with the person to whom we are speaking.'' Communication involves verbal messages and non-verbal messages which mean the words we choose and our body language respectively. For example, to convey an exact though, teachers must carefully select words their students will understanding. Therefore, we should use short words for best understanding, and adjust our speaking volume to a level that seems effective for each circumstance. The effective of verbal messages are free of jargon and do not create resistance in the listener.

  Next, the power of non-verbal messages cannot be underestimated. The messages we send through our posture, gestures, and facial expression are perceived and understood by others. In fact, through our body language we are always communicating, whether we want to or not! For instance, relationships depend on non-verbal communication, if they are to be strong and lasting. The quality of your relationships can be improved if you can skillfully read people, and understand the emotions behind their words. The important thing to remember when looking at such non-verbal behaviours are to consider the actions in groups. What a person actually says along with his or her expressions, appearance, and tone of voice might tell you a great deal about what that person is really trying to say. Although verbal output can be turned off, non-verbal cannot. Even silence speaks. Last, the following video will helps illustrate the wide variety of messages that might be sent and received without saying a word.

After watching the video, can you think of a message that you might commonly see communicated in a school setting that could be acted out like the ones in the video?

Miracle Worker

  

 

We had watched a movie from last Wednesday during the Human Communication lecture class. The title of the movie is " The Miracle Worker". The Miracle worker recounts Helen Keller's discovery of language , through the teaching of Annie Sullivan, after losing her sight and hearing in early childhood. I like the way that follows Helen's progress and pursues her clown the road beyond that water pump. When Annie first encounters Helen, the child has never been discipline. Isolated in silence and darkness, Helen wanders the house and is prone to tantrums. Annie has herself been institutionalized, so she sympathizes with the urgency Kate feels about Helen. Annie is also blind. so she knows partly what Helen's world is like. She knows that the key to Helen's transformation is language. Annie succeeds in teaching Helen to finger-spell several words, realizing that her pupil understands this activity only as a memorization game. Helen does not understand that the sequences of letters have meaning. Meanwhile, Annie begins the task of teaching Helen manners. Lacking words, Helen expresses her emotions through actions, smashing objects when she is angry and striking people when frustrated. Annie responds with patience and determination.










The Keller family must also be taught to help Helen. Out of pity and guilt, they have allowed the child to rule the household, as Annie observes. To avoid enraged outbursts, family members indulge Helen's misbehaviour. With difficulty, Annie persuades the Kellers to give her two weeks of isolation with Helen in the garden house. During this time, she makes progress only to see it erode upon returning to the main house; family members are unwiling to enforce the new rules.

In a crucial encounter, Helen pours out a pitcher of water in rage; Annie takes her forcibly to the pump to refill it and out of habit finger-spells 'water' as Helen feels liquid gush over her hand. Suddenly, Helen understands that things have names, and that she can learn them through this new game and communicate her inner world to others. In the closing scene, Kate, Helen, and Annie go to the Perkins Institute. Helen is no longer isolated.

Selves

  This week is week 4,so, Sir Anwari taught us chapter 4 'The Self". There are a lot of things that we can talk about the self. The self is very significant to everyone and they have to know about themselves. The self is not something that one finds. It is something that one create. The term self concept is a general term used to refer to how someone think about or perceive themselves. We can view self concept as the labels we constantly use to describe ourselves to others. Who you are is also reflected in the attitudes, beliefs, and values that you hold.

  Next, the self-awareness is having a clear perception of your personality, including strengths, weakness, thoughts, beliefs, motivation,  and emotions. Self-awareness allow to understand other people, how they perceive you, your attitude and your responses to them in the moment.

  For self-esteem, it is based on how you see yourself you will conclude, what your worth is and how valuable you are. Person of high self-esteem are not driven to make themselves superior to others, they do not seek t prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard. 

Lastly, self-disclosure is sharing with someone information which helps him or her understand you. Self-disclosure is most revealing when the sharing is in the present and least revealing when the sharing is about the past.