Week 1 - Five axioms of human communication

Question 1

What are the 5 axioms of communication?

Answer 1

1. One cannot not communicate
2. Every communication has a content and a relationship (meta-communication)
3. The nature of a relationship depends on punctuation.
4. People communicate both digitally (verbal communication) and analogically (non-verbal communication)
5. All communications interchanges are either symmetrical (mirroring) or complementary (moving in unison).

Question 2

What is a fixed mindset/entity theory?

Answer 2

Intelligence is a fixed trait that cannot be changed - looking smart is most important

Question 3

Examples of a fixed mindset

Answer 3

Effort is negative, it should come naturally.

Question 4

What is the growth mindset/incremental theory?

Answer 4

Intelligence is a malleable quality, a potential trait that can be developed.
Learning is the most important

Question 5

Examples of growth mindset

Answer 5

Effort is positive, work hard, learning is key.

Question 6

What are the pragmatics of human communication?

Answer 6

Syntatic - transmission of information
Semantics - meaning of communication
Pragmatics - behavioral effects of communication

Question 7

What type of goals to incremental theorists set?

Answer 7

Learning goals (growth mindset)

Question 8

What type of goals to entity theorists set?

Answer 8

Performance goals (fixed mindset)

Question 9

Difference in self-assessment between incremental and entity theorists

Answer 9

Incremental theorists use personal standards, while entity theorists compare themselves to others

Question 10

Difference in self-enhancement between incremental and entity theorists

Answer 10

Entity theorists attribute failures to external causes and success to personal competence

Question 11

Difference in self-improvement between incremental and entity theorists

Answer 11

Incremental theorists seek feedback and information to improve abilities.

Question 12

How do entity theorists view success?

Answer 12

They believe that success is the result of innate talent which limits their motivation to practice

Question 13

Consequences of praising intelligence vs effort

Answer 13

Praising intelligence can lead individuals to adopt a fixed mindset which negatively affects persistence.
Praising effort can reinforce a growth mindset and lead to continued effort.

Question 14

How do entity theorists handle growth?

Answer 14

They are less inclined to focus on improvement, and more concerned with what their evaluation will say about their abilities.

Question 15

How do incremental theorists handle growth?

Answer 15

They seek information that leads to improvement, regardless of whether failure is anticipated or experienced.

Question 16

What do entity theorists do when they anticipate failure?

Answer 16

Self-handicapping: purposeful sabotage of one’s performance to provide an excuse for expected failure.
Feedback avoidance

Question 17

What do entity theorists do when they anticipate failure?

Answer 17

Assume they have not yet mastered the relevant skill and keep going.

Question 18

How do incremental theorists recover after failure?

Answer 18

Resilient
Mastery-oriented
Upward comparison (comparing yourself to someone who is more successful)

Question 19

How do entity theorists recover after failure?

Answer 19

Helplessness
Self-serving bias
Downward comparison (comparing yourself to someone lower than you)