Week #9--Question #1

1). Do you agree with anthropologist Ruth Benedict that we are "creatures of our culture" and that our habits, beliefs, and impossibilities are shaped by our culture? If so, how can we break through the limits of our cultures?

I completely agree with anthropologist Ruth Benedict when she says that we are “creatures for our culture” and that our habits, beliefs, and impossibilities are shaped by our culture. The reason I agree with Benedict is because I myself rely on my culture to make a lot of my decisions. My ethical questions are answered based on my culture. I am currently taking an ethics class and my professor is constantly stating that our upbringings and our morals are based on culture itself. We identify ourselves with what our culture is and that is the main reason as to why our decision making is based on our culture—it defines who we are as a person.

When trying to break through the limits of our culture, I believe that the only way is to be associated with people outside of our culture so that you are able to get a view/feel of their feelings/thoughts as well. When influenced by other people who are outside of your culture, I believe that decision making is a bit different because you see another perspective.

Week #7--Question #3

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading, that has not already been discussed this week, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it

One concept from the reading I found interesting was physical appearance. Mark Knapp says, “Physical appearance may be influential in determining whether you are sought out; it may have a bearing on whether you are able to persuade or manipulate others; it is often an important factor in the selection of dates and marriage partners;…it may be a major factor contributing to how others judge your personality, your sexuality, your popularity, your success, and often your happiness” (130). I completely agree with that statement because in the business world I work in, physical appearance is everything. For example, since I work at the bank, I have to always be in professional attire. Can you imagine a banker taking care of your money in sweats and an old t-shirt? I certainly cannot! Clothes can either make or break your appearance. It also does have an effect on how people perceive you. As horrible as that sounds, physical appearance has a huge toll on who we are.

Week #7--Question #2

2). Although nonverbal messages are more universal than verbal messages, nonverbals do not always carry the same meanings in other cultures. Can you give examples of some of the nonverbal displays that take on different meanings in other countries? If you have moved around within this country, have you ever encountered regional differences in nonverbal meaning?

The only example I can really think of nonverbal communication in other countries would be my trip to the Philippines back in 2004. I had never been out of the country and when I first arrived I was taken back by all the differences they have over there. Coming out of the plane, everyone had frowned faces and I didn't understand why. In my head, I was happy to be here because I was "home" and I am able to be with family members. People were walking around so upset that it scared me a bit because of their facial expressions. People would be throwing luggages everywhere and I still couldn't grasp the concept of their angriness. However, when my aunt picked me up, she was able to explain to me that people are upset with the weather. It is very hot in the Philippines and it is common for people to be constantly upset due to the unpleasant weather.

I haven't moved around the country, but I have been on vacations around the United States that have allowed me to open my eyes and have an understanding of the world around us. I went to New York a couple of years ago for spring break and everyone was constantly running and in a hurry. Of course I understand why they were all hectic--we live busy lives!! However, people would be at bakeries or deli shops and they basically would order with the look on their face. For example, I was at a deli and this lady was ordering a sandwich. The sandwich maker would ask if she wanted certain condiments on her sandwich and her facial expressions would say it all. The deli was completely quiet and needless to say, when I went in, I was so loud that people just frowned at me...

Week #7--Question #1

1). Because nonverbal messages can be ambiguous, they are open to misinterpretation. Have you ever been wrong about the meaning of someone’s nonverbal message? Describe what happened. How can people increase the accuracy with which they interpret nonverbal message?

There are times when I have been in a room for a meeting and was nonverbally communicating with a colleague of mine and at the end of the meeting when we all were able to communicate verbally with one another, my friends and I would crack up laughing because the signs being given to one another were completely off the charts. For example, my friends and I would be starving and one would have her hand over her stomach and the other would just be making cat faces. However, we weren’t sure if they were messages to let us know they were sick or that they thought the speaker was feisty. To me, nonverbal messages can mean a lot in the sense that you either know what they’re saying or you don’t. I don’t believe that there is a middle man in between due to the amount of effort being put into nonverbal messages.

However, when it comes to my boyfriend and myself, we are able to connect without verbally communicating. Having certain connections and knowing the person well is also a factor into interpreting nonverbal messages accurately because you already know information about each individual. You know how they think, feel, react, etc. Therefore, it leads into an easier way in interpreting nonverbal messages. I think people can increase the accuracy with which they interpret nonverbal messages by not always assuming what is being said right off the bat. Also, repeating what I said earlier, knowing the person on a deeper level is a helper when interpreting the accuracy of nonverbal messages.

Week 6--Question #3

1). Is it possible to perceive others without, in some way, judging or categorizing them? If so, how? If not, how can we make the judgments we do make, more fair?


As horrible as this sounds, I do not think it is possible to perceive others without judging them in some way. Just as I was saying on Paris’ blog…first impressions are everything. We live in such a stereotypical world that focuses and relies so much on first impressions and we judge them instantaneously as if it was normal to us. I see someone walk into my office, and I automatically have an opinion about him or her. I know that shouldn’t be that way but the world that we grow up in has caused us to think about others either positively or negatively—which is how first impressions and judging start. We live in such a judgemental world!

Week # 6--Question #2

3). Pick one concept from the assigned readings, other than what has already been discussed this week, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

One concept that I have found interesting in this week's reading is person protoypes. Person protypes are "idealized reprsentations of a certain kind of person" (Trenholm, 51). I find this interesting because it reminds me of stereotypes. However, it's different because rather than stereotyping as a whole, we focus on one person. The book shares examples of person protoypes...car salesman, professor, etc. Categorizing people into different categories is interesting and fun at the same time and in my opinion, we do it during first impressions. The book uses a ditzy girl as an example and that reminds me of my high school years where a teacher of mine yelled at a fellow student once because of an incident that doesn't even matters and automatically this teacher is considered rude and obnoxious regardless of the attitude he gives.

Week 6--Question #1

2). Do you agree that men and women use language differently? In what areas?

Yes, I do agree that men and women use language differently. However, they sometimes seem like a secret language that only the same sex would understand. There are also times when men and women express their opinions differently which would also, in my opinion, be along the same lines as using language differently. For example, women tend to express their opinion in an outspoken language. They are more vocal and use different forms of language in order to emphasize or give more enthusiasm into what they are saying. However men tend to the opposite. They are more subtle with languages. When speaking, they are clear and to the point as oppose to women who go round and round in circles in order to make one point clear. Trenholm states, “In every spoken language, sounds are combined into meaningful sequences called words” (80). Women and men combine different words in order to get messages across—which is how I see they use language differently.