CHAPTER 5: EVALUATING MESSAGES AND IMAGES Flashcards
“If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant. If
what is said is not what is meant, then what ought to be done remains undone”
Confucius
Lasswell’s (1948) Model of Five Levels of Communication
- Source
- Message
- Channel/Medium
- Audience
- Effect or feedback
William McGuire (1981) added “Output Factors” in Communication to the “input factors” which are the Source, Message, Channel and Receiver or S-M-C-R. These
are:
- Attention
- Liking
- Comprehension
- Yielding
- Remembering
- Action
3 Elements that are Vital for all Social or Business Interactions (McGuire)
- Use of Language
- Behavior
- Other Symbols
loudness, intonation, clarity, use of jargon, aggressive words and colloquialisms contribute to changing the understanding of what people hear
Use of Language
body language can affect the whole meaning of communication in face to face meetings
Behavior
– exs. Of this are hand-outs, presentations, stage props, examples
of work, etc.
Other Symbols
*_________ are in people, not in words.
*_________is abused and misused.
*__________ and ________ play a vital role in assessment and/or interpretation of messages.
a. Meanings
b. Communication
c. Culture and language
Barriers to Effective Listening
- Hastily branding the subject matter as uninteresting or irrelevant.
- Focusing attention on appearance and delivery
- Avoiding difficult and unpleasant material
- Getting overstimulated by what the speaker says
- Listening primarily for facts
- Trying to outline everything the speaker says
- Faking attention
- Creating or yielding easily to distraction
- Engaging in private planning
10.Wasting the advantages of thought speed
Guides to Effective Listening
- Stop talking
- Look at the speaker
- Get rid of distractions
- Get the main points
- Don’t argue mentally
- Listen for what is not said
- Avoid to conclusions
- Avoid hasty judgements
10.Recognize your own prejudice.
Becoming a Better Critical Listener
- Be skeptic
- Evaluate a speaker’s credibility
- Understand Probability
Set aside biases and be willing to be persuaded by the merits of the
argument and the quality of the evidence
Be skeptic
- Expertise
- Bias
Evaluate a speaker’s credibility
evaluate the merits of a claim
Understand Probability
When analyzing a text, assess the data by spending time __________ and _________ the material.
examining and contemplating
The following are some tips for reading critically:
- Recognize the author’s point and the support for that point
- Evaluate an author’s support for a point and determine whether it’s solid or not
recognize the
author’s perspective and the supporting evidence. Be open to new ideas and carefully recognize the main idea.
Recognize the author’s point and the support for that point
evaluate the strength of the author’s arguments. Separate fact from opinion (inference). Detect propaganda, especially in advertisements or ads.
Evaluate an author’s support for a point and determine whether it’s solid or not
employs emotional appeals rather than presenting solid evidence to support a point.
Propaganda
Advertisers, salespeople, and politicians often rely on _____________ when they lack substantial factual support for their claims.
emotional manipulation
Detecting Propaganda
CRITICAL READING
*Tips on How to Become a Critical Reader
- Prepare to become part of the writer’s audience.
- Prepare to read with an open mind
- Consider the title
- Read slowly
- Use the dictionary and other appropriate references
- Take down notes.
- Keep a reading journal.
Exploring Six Common Propaganda Techniques
- Bandwagon
- Testimonial
- Transfer
- Plain Folks
- Name Calling
- Glittering Generalities
Buy it because everybody else is doing it
Bandwagon
Buy it because a celebrity is endorsing it
Testimonial
This technique involves associating products or candidates with things
people admire or love.
Transfer
Individuals present themselves as ordinary, average citizens to
foster a sense of identification and likability.
Plain Folks
This technique employs emotionally charged language or negative comments to turn people against rival products, candidates, or movements.
Name Calling
Important – sounding but unspecific claim about something or someone
Glittering Generalities
Guide Questions in Unlocking Messages
- What is the general motif of the picture?
- How does the motif reflect interrelatedness of the elements?
- What objects/elements stand out?
- What objects/words seem out of place?
- What culture prevails in understanding the meaning conveyed?
- What general note can be drawn from the picture?
Guide Questions in Evaluating Messages
- How is the message conveyed?
- What belief is used to support the message?
- In what way is the message best delivered?
- To what extent is the impact of the message felt?
- Who is the addressee or the target audience of the message?
- What ethos does the message support? (Ethos is the distinguishing character,
sentiment, moral nature or guiding beliefs of a person, group or institution)
Steps in Evaluating Messages
- Determine what you will evaluate
- Define your goal
- State your objective
- Identify your audience
- Establish your baseline or starting point
