Rigid Role Patterns - Week 10

The pattern rigid complementary would be the most difficult to change because it implies one partner showing dominance, while the other partner is submissive.  Rigid complementary is very common, and used in most types of relationships (from personal experience and based on where I was raised) because it serves a negative/positive balance in the relationship.  The common phrase "who wears the pants in the relationship" directly showcases what rigid complementary is and how it does take affect.  Changing this pattern would be the most difficult because the partner in dominance usually is a natural leader, and wants to show off authority.  Like the book entails, a parent-child relationship is complementary, thus changing it would ruin the empowerment of the parent. Also, the submissive partner, usually chooses to be submissive because they wish not to argue, participate, or make the decisions due to easiness.
The competitive symmetrical pattern would be the most damaging to a relationship because it would constantly be a battle between two people. Although gym partners are competitive symmetrical, relationships between lovers, parents, and even coworkers can cause harm when competing becomes a priority.  If I was constantly fighting with my boyfriend/girlfriend on day to day issues, it would become emotionally and physically exhausting to eradicate decisions.  Parents arguing how they should raise a child can ultimately destroy a family.  Coworkers competing does give motivation to be the best, but can also harm the environment in allocating intense relationships.
The most damaging to individuals involved is a close tie to both the rigid complementary and competitive symmetrical.  I would dislike not being in control ever or always being in control.  Sharing a mutual standpoint and allowing both parties to speak is needed to pursue a happy relationship. (unless playing an up or down role is okay with personal beliefs).  Also, the competitive symmetrical would wear and tear on my emotional self esteem by making me feel down about myself.  What if I could never win and life was a constant battle with my partner? I would be damaged and distraught of the exhausting idea of trying to constantly regain control and my stand point.

Chapter Concept - Week 8

The concept in intercultural communication that caught my attention the most was "cognitive biases used to maintain prejudices" on pg. 339. Being prejudice is a negative attitude towards a different group of people by one group.  The attribution bias defines as classifying a person of a group to be rude, because they are that way naturally, not because of a stressful day or event.  I have come across this situation numerous of times, being an outside onlooker of people judging others for their act of rudeness.  Yes, a person should not act rude to another in venting after a day, but it does happen.  We are all human and we have emotions that reveal themselves time to time.  Labeling a person of a group as rude because "they" as a whole are all rude, it prejudice. In customer service, an individual must be patient and not assume because a person is a certain race, gender, culture, religion, or even hair color, they are going to come off rude by nature.  I have had experience with others assuming I was rude, even based on my culture, hair color, and skin tone, when in reality, the others never gave me a chance to speak, or interact to provide my kindness. It is heart-breaking that these biases constrict the intercultural communication from furthering and benefiting the community as a whole.

Rational, Perfect, Mutual -Week 8

The rationality premise of the belief that most people are capable of discovering truth through logical analyisis is somewhat true. I can only agree that because of institutions like trial by jury, that truth may be revealed after time.  But then again, we tend to be want to be seen as "good" rather than "true" or honest at that matter.  I believe it is extremely hard to discover truth through annalysis because there are so many sneaky, conniving, and manipulative people out in the world today. Wrongful convictions have occurred by trail by jury.  Also, as a relate-able example, to find out if your significant other is cheating, they are going to deny deny deny at first, and may or may not reveal themselves.  You may be crazy thinking your boyfriend (girlfriend) is cheating on you when they are not, or they may just hide away the truth.  I think humans want to be seen as "good" and wholesome for a frontal aspect, yet we cannot convey the truth and boil it down into an ultimatum, it is almost impossible.
The perfectibility premise that humans are born sin but are capable of achieving goodness through effort and control is true. The book "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding attributes this idea extremely well.(Spoiler alert) Some children are put into a lonesome island without any rules or restrictions or adults, and eventually come around to being savages and end up murdering a fellow child. Humans are born sinful, and without government and control, bad things will happen because goodness is not recognized by a higher authority.
Mutability premise that human behavior is shaped by environmental factors is true as well.  Prime example is this is advertising, the media, and even political gossip.  People are surrounded by these influences that generally shape our culture and beliefs, and because of this, a negative (or positive) impact can be directly related. Wanting to look "sexy", have "clear skin", and become like a "celebrity" is constantly in our face showing us the "right" way of doing things. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to attain a strong founded education to abide by these factors, and choose what they want to believe in because their is no other or former source of education. If education was universal, than the belief of shaping our social and cultural behavior may be attainable. 

Creatures of Our Culture - Week 8

Ruth Benedict stated we are "creatures of our culture" and our habits, beliefs and possibilities are shaped by our culture, in which I agree.  Because of my culture and the way my family has raised me, I am accustom to follow into the same habits, beliefs and impossibilities.  Not only my parents, but my family and American attitude has justified what I choose to believe in, what I choose to inhabit, and how I choose my possibilities.  I see how a culture can definitely sway or persuade an individual to act upon a certain way, but I also do believe there are individuals whom rebel against "tradition" and "customs" for further individualism.
We can "break the limits" of our cultures by adhering to what personal beliefs speak to a person, also known as individualism.  Yes, it would be hard to break from a culture, but accepting other values may determine a better or different fate. Having an open mind, or even studying intercultural behaviors and communications, can also alter a person's perception on how they see their own culture. Honesty, it wasn't until I had an open mind to others customs and cultures, that I realized people are indeed different, think different, and act differently based upon their characteristics of growing up. 

Week 7- Chapter Concept

In Chapter 5, the concept of how furniture arrangement can effect communication caught my attention.  In this section, it entails how seating placements of chairs on a table can elaborate whether two people will end up cooperating, competing, or working independently.  The closer the chairs are, the more likely people will talk to each other, versus if they are spread out or separated, defines competition.  Through experience, I can relate that seating arrangements do greatly effect how my communication is directed towards another individual.  For example, when I went into an interview, I sat across the authoritative person, and took direction, answered questions, and the tension grew between us like the barrier (table). On the other hand, when I went in for a "walk through" interview, I sat next to the authoritative person and felt less tension and more at ease because the seating wasn't as nerve racking.  Dominance and power also tie into seating arrangements, just look at the way college classrooms, debates, and theaters are set up.  The audience or group of students are suppose to face the professor, politician, or show and focus their attention on the most important person(s).  I already acknowledged that seating arrangements effected communication, but the Figure 5.1 on page 121, really outlined the meaning on how crucial seating can be used or interpreted.

Week 7- Nonverbal Differences

Nonverbal messages retain different meanings in different cultures.  From experience, in my culture and as a family on how I grew up, putting your feet up on the couch and showing your heel was okay.  In Arab culture, my brother-in-laws, who are Jordanian,  it is considered disrespectful and belittling to show the bottom of one's feet.  In Arab culture, the sole of an individual's feet (or foot for that matter) is seen as the lowest point and dirtiest part of the body, and to show that or direct it towards another person is extremely rude.  In my family, we didn't see this nonverbal message perceived as disrespectful, because it was just a form of relaxation.  Of course, we do our best to be respectful towards every culture and would never intentionally disregard different cultures. I have also encountered another clash of nonverbal messages between cultures due to work experience.  My coworker, who is Chinese, takes orders from customers politely, but does not stare at the individual directly in their eyes.  Some customers of different cultures find this rude or annoying, yet my coworker was raised that giving direct eye contact is rude in his culture.  In this case, I do find it sad that nonverbal messages can clash between cultures due to ignorance and not being accepting or forgiving that maybe it is different for every culture.  Unfortunately, I have not traveled within this region or noticed regional differences.

Week 7- Nonverbal Mistake

Because nonverbal messages can be ambiguous, they can be misinterpreted often.  I have been wrong, as so I assume everyone else has been wrong, about misinterpreting a nonverbal message.  For example, one time I misinformed a person putting out his arm as a hug, when he really meant to give me a handshake.  I guess I overlooked the way his arm was positioned, and the way his body was as well.  Because I had been recently giving hugs to other individuals when leaving an occasion, I misunderstood and assumed a hug was in place.  The situation was slightly awkward, for he didn't want to hug me.  But I just laughed it off and apologized and informed the other person that is what I'm used to doing when leaving.  He understood, and thank goodness it wasn't anything like an interview or professional setting, because I could have easily offended a person.
People can increase the accuracy of how they interpret nonverbal messages by looking at outside sources first.  If a girl scoots away from a person and turns her head down like she smelt something awful, that may not be the case.  She may have to sneeze, got a sudden pain, or is reacting to an outside source.  An individual should take note if she has severe allergies when talking outside, or she complained about a stomach ache all day.  Noticing not only, another person's surroundings, but also their personality and background, may help with interpreting the right forms of nonverbal communication.