Filtering Theory

The filtering theory is defined in the book as using a series of filters to judge how close to others we want to become, at each filter, some potential partners are eliminated and some move on. This process involves four different filters that people go through to develop relationships, which are social or incidental cues, pre interaction cues, interaction cues, and cognitive cues. The filtering theory runs true in the movie “Bad Teacher”, where a character played by Cameron Diaz, tries to force a relationship with a character played by Justin Timberlake.

                Social or incidental cues are essentially how much two people come into contact with each other. In the case of Cameron Diaz and Timberlake in Bad Teacher, their characters came into contact every day considering they were both teachers. Pre interaction cues are non verbal messages used by people to decide if they want to contact someone. Diaz’s character became attracted quickly to the physical appearance of Timberlake, and particularly an extremely expensive watch that Timberlake’s character was wearing. The interaction cues occur when first contact happens with two people; this can become smooth or awkward. This initial conversation in the movie displayed the two characters personalities not clicking, but Diaz still forced the conversation due to the expensive watch. Cognitive cues deal with psychological factors that create long lasting relationships. By the end of the movie, the two characters simply do not bond psychologically and the forced relationship does not work out.

                The filtering theory portrays how every day relationships break down from person to person. This theory can explain in simple terms why relationships can flourish or end. In the movie Bad Teacher, the filtering theory shows clearly how the relationship of two characters played by Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake simply does not work out.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7li6gJA1hY&noredirect=1

How Language Shapes Our World

                I completely agree with the theory presented in this article with the evidence that Boroditsky found through her experiments. When dealing with language and how it shapes thought, most people focus too much on our own American language and how people here react to our language. Boroditsky brought in other countries and cultures to show how their understanding of language can be completely different from ours and others. For example when she talked about the bridge in France, Germans saw the bridge as having feminine features because their word for bridge is feminine. On the other hand, the French saw the bridge with masculine features because their word for bridge is a masculine one.

                Language also varies across the world through things like war. How war is described in America from the news to the public can be interpreted in an opposite way in another country depending on what their words mean. This comes into great importance with things like the United Nations, when leaders of countries meet, or simply just a tourist traveling in another country. Another simple example is how you greet someone from another country. What we say and how we say it may seem normal to us, but completely rude to someone from another country. When it comes to the fashion industry, more complex names are used for colors. This makes it so that when someone looks at a shirt that seems blue at first glance, once a different name is used people can recognize the different and distinct hue in the color of the shirt and not just plain old blue.

Improving Listening

                My sister and I have a bond that most siblings do not have with each other. Because of certain circumstances, my brother and I serve as father figures to her and many times need to be there for her as more than a brother. My sister is nine years old, making her twelve years younger than me, and fourteen years younger than my brother, which sometimes makes me become a bad listener. A lot of times when she tries to tell me something, I find myself pre determining the argument because of how much older than her I am, and do not truly listen to what she is really trying to get across.

                I now realize I need to improve my interpretation skills. For example, when she comes to me with a problem, I quickly relate it to old information that I have and make a quick assumption that my solution will work the same for her, which causes me to ignore the important details. This also means I skip the whole step of asking for clarification. Also, with my sister being so young, I automatically deny her credibility with the pre determination that little kids like to lie.

                With some of these examples, I need to concentrate more on improving my responding to her and realize that I may be older, but may not always be right, especially when I am missing out on the full story. I need to start seeing from her perspective and realize that nine years old is not as young as I realize and that she’s only getting older and smarter. 

Publication

                Our content analysis exercise from class revealed how different types of magazines use their advertisements to target different groups of people. I will use my magazine, ESPN the Magazine, to talk about the process and findings from the advertisements in the magazine. ESPN the Magazine uses mostly average middle aged person’s with a “sports fan” look in their advertisements, with the occasional star athlete or super model type girl.

                ESPN the Magazine first had to ask themselves what type of people would be reading their magazine, and what these people will be interested in to keep them immersed in the magazine, and buy another copy of course. The reality of this question is, the typical “sports fan” is usually a non athletic white male who also likes to drink, which explains the multiple beer advertisements. ESPN realizes this and uses their advertisements to make the reader feel as if they are a part of the magazine by seeing people that look like themselves. The magazine creates a world where the fan can feel as if they are closer to the athletes and can be a part of the games. This strategy is extremely effective because it removes the thought of just being someone who pays too much attention and money to sports and doesn’t exactly get anything back.

                The process and results delivered by ESPN the magazine are extremely effective to their target audience. The magazine uses their advertisements to make the reader feel as if they are a more important part to sports than just a crazed fan.    

Communication is an art

     Communication and the variety of ways it is used can only be limited to the creativity of the mind, which is why communication is an art, not science. Communication is no different than a way an artist paints a picture, it can be designed and delivered however someone wishes. Communication is no doubt an art because of how senders and receivers interpret information.

                One definition I like is that, “communication is a process of acting on information”. I like this because the way someone interprets this definition is exactly what the definition is talking about. In other words, information about communication is given, and how you interpret the information is completely up to you and how you act on it. I think this agrees with a more cultural studies approach and how individual’s process information and how it is original to each individual, like interpreting art.

                Relationships can be good examples when dealing with communication, not in the sense that relationships fail because of lack of communication, but more because there is miscommunication. How each person in a couple acts on each other’s communication can bond or break them. For example when someone say’s “that’s not what I meant”, one side took what was said in a bad way because of how the communication was sent and received. Whatever was said was interpreted in two completely different ways between each other.

                I believe communication is one hundred percent art over science because of the endless possibilities and creativity that communication can be sent, received, and interpreted.