The communicator

Question 1

Name the theories in “the communicator”

Answer 1

Symbolic interactionism by Mead
The presentational self by Goffmann
The Communication theory of identity by Micheal Hect
Identity negotiation theory by Stella Ting-Toomey

Standpoint theory by Harding and Collins
Identity as constructed and performed -> a Hoffmann theory
Queer Theory from 1990, by de Lauretis and Butler.

How we communicate -> the rhetorical tradition

Question 2

Who is behind the Symbolic Interactionism?

Answer 2

Herbert Mead

Question 3

Define the Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 3

The self is a social object, defined and understood over time through interact with our oriental others.

Question 4

In the Symbolic Interactionism, we have the concept social object - what is it?

Answer 4

The social object is something that we understand through interaction. This could be the concept telephone, we understand it because we use it interaction with others. How we understand it is learned/experienced with others.

Question 5

In the Social Interactionism, we have the concept Plan of Action -> what is it?

Answer 5

How we act towards the social object, is our plan of action.
Our plan of action is guided through attitudes, verbal statements (our values against the social object)
Our plan of action is influenced by others (the oriental others)

Question 6

Who is behind the Presentational Self?

Answer 6

Erving Goffmann

Question 7

Explain the Presentational Self

Answer 7

We tell stories to present to others in a desired way. The self presentation is about impression management. We play roles and have more than one self, depending on the situations we find ourself in.

Question 8

What is the metaphor in the Presentational Self?

Answer 8

The settings are viewed as a stage, the persons are actors, and they perform to make an impression on the audience.

Question 9

In the Presentational Self, there are the concepts Framing Analysis and Framework -> what are they?

Answer 9

Framing Analysis is how the person understand the situation. Strips are the activities, and the frame is the definition of the stripes -> these gives us the framework, this is where we understand our experience.

Question 10

The Presentational Self also mentions the concept Face Engangement -> can you elaborate on what it is?

Answer 10

Face engangment occurs when there is a focused interaction between people.

Question 11

In 2 words, define the Presentational Self

Answer 11

Telling Stories

Impression Management

Playing Roles

Question 12

Who is behind the Communication Theory of Identity?

Answer 12

Michael Hect

Question 13

What is the Communication Theory of Identity about?

Answer 13

About linking the individual and society together.

Identity is in the bigger picture cultural determined

Question 14

In Communication Theory of Identity, we have 4 dimensions of identity, what are they and what do they consist of?

Answer 14

1. Affective dimensions -> our feelings
2. Cognitive dimensions -> our thoughts
3. Behavioral dimensions -> our actions
4. Spiritual dimension -> our relationship to the transcendent.

Question 15

In Communication Theory of Identity, what is Identity?

Answer 15

Identity is a code, that defines our relationship within the communities we are in.. Identity consists of symbols, meanings and words.

Question 16

In Communication Theory of Identity, what is the role of communication?

Answer 16

Communication is how the identity is established, and how it changes over time.
It can change in the personal sense of self (subjective dimension), and what others say about you (ascribed dimensions)

Question 17

In Communication Theory of Identity, there is the concepts of layers -> name these

Answer 17

1. Personal layer -> our own concept of self
2. Enactment layer -> Others concept of us
3. Relational layer -> who we are in relation to others
4. Communal layer -> Who we are in relation to our community.

Note that cultures emphasize different layers, but they are all four present

Question 18

Who is behind the Identity Negotiation Theory?

Answer 18

Stella Ting-Toomey

Question 19

What is Identity Negotiation Theory about?

Answer 19

About communication within cultural groups, and how we negotiate identities in interaction with others. She focus upon cultures.

Question 20

In Identity Negotiation Theory we have 4 different identities, please name these

Answer 20

1. Personal Identity -> what we characterize with ourselves
2. Social Identity -> Our initial development, often learned from family
3. Cultural Identity -> Our attachment to a larger group, like being a teen, or a student.
4. Ethnic Identity -> Our association with groups.

Both 3 and 4 are characterized by value and our strength of connection.

Question 21

In Identity Negotiation Theory, there are different levels of connection to the cultural and ethnic identities.
These are functional biculturalism, cultural transformer and intercultural competence -> please explain them further.

Answer 21

Functional biculturalism -> About maintaining a strong self, but still being able to understand/consider the identities of others.

Cultural transformer -> you are able to adapt to different cultures.

Intercultural competence -> when you have knowledge, mindfuldness and negotiations skills about the other culture.

Question 22

Who is behind Standpoint Theory

Answer 22

Harding / Collins

Question 23

What is Standpoint Theory?

Answer 23

Standpoint Thory is concerned with how circumstances in an individual’s life affects how the individual understands and constructs a social world.

Question 24

Standpoint Theory claims that we have “multiple identities”, how is that?

Answer 24

We have different strandpoints to different social objects, standpoint occurs when a person challenge/acknowledge and recognize cultural values and power relations concerned with oppressions.

Question 25

In Standpoint Theory, how can influence the other person’s standpoint?

Answer 25

You can only do so, if you understand the individual first - their standpoints on e.g. racism might be different from yours.

Question 26

What are the key concepts in “Identity as Constructed and Performed?”

Answer 26

Identity do not exist outside the social construction -> our identities are a part of identities in larger groups (family, subgroups etc)

Identity is performed -> either according to norms and expectations, or against them.

Identity are always in the process of developing/becoming, because we are around things that affect us.

Question 27

Can you define Queer Theory?

Answer 27

Queer Theory refuse to be put in boxes.
It critize and refuse to use “groups” and “categories” to describe and understand social objects/things..

Queer Theory are often concerned with gender and sexual standpoints.

Question 28

As communicators, we are speakers in life, we listens to others perspectives -> What context/tradition does this come from?

Answer 28

The rhetorical tradition.

Question 29

When we speak, and wish to either persuade, inform and entertain - what do we do to seem convincing?

Answer 29

We want to seem logical (we have syllogism) in our arguments.

Question 30

What is syllogism?

Answer 30

It is a set of proportions, we have

- A major premise –> A minor premise –> A conclusion

Question 31

How many types of rhetoric are there? Name them and elaborate on them.

You are welcome to come with examples.

Answer 31

3 types

• Forensic -> establishing a fact, to feel guilt or innocence. Courtroom.
• Epideietic -> Praise or blame, also called ceremonial.
• Deliberative -> Create a course of action, future…

Question 32

In rhetoric, we deal with 3 ways of use language/or to persuade. Name them.

Answer 32

Logos -> to seem logical
Ethos -> to seem convincing (like expert knowledge)
Pathos -> to touch the audience’s feelings.

Question 33

What are “Canons”?

Answer 33

A technique of speaking, guidelines/principles for having a efficient speech

Question 34

There are 5 Canons, please name them and elaborate on them.

Answer 34

1. Invention -> using logic and evidence in speech.
   It makes a speech more persuasive.
2. Arrangement -> Organizing the speech, so it has structure and makes it feel more credible.
3. Style -> The use of language in speech, e.g metaphors. It makes the speech memorable.
4. Delivery -> The presentation of the speech
5. Memory -> If the speaker remembers the speech, so he knows what to say when…

Question 35

What is feminism?

Answer 35

An ideology and a movement focusing on women’s social position and desiring to end oppression based on gender and sex.

Question 36

Feminist stand point theory is?

Answer 36

Highlighting the relationship between power and knowledge. A framework for understanding women’s positions relative to the system of power. The framework is build on knowledge from everyday lives of people.
You can share standpoints if you e.g. is from the same cultural background, but you can also not necessarily agree with the other person’s standpoint perhaps because of an age-difference. The age-difference can explain why you have interpreted things differently, e.g. the use of Nigga - if you are older than 20-30-something, you know/feels/have experienced more closely what the consequences of the word had, than if you only knew it personally from the rap-songs.

Question 37

What is a standpoint?

Answer 37

An achieved position based on social location that comes from an interpretative aspect to a person’s life.

You can share standpoints if you e.g. is from the same cultural background, but you can also not necessarily agree with the other person’s standpoint perhaps because of an age-difference. The age-difference can explain why you have interpreted things differently, e.g. the use of Nigga - if you are older than 20-30-something, you know/feels/have experienced more closely what the consequences of the word had, than if you only knew it personally from the rap-songs.