1
A Todd Jones overhead
Interpersonal Communication 8-04
Self presentation, our statements, Assertiveness & Verbal Abuse
Chapter 2 part 2
1. Self presentation - the way one person presents him/herself to others
A. Identity management – the way we influence how others see us.
2. We all make statements daily about the way we Dress, Speak, Stand, etc.
3. The statement others perceive and the one we intend to make are often two different things.
4. Stereotypes –
5. Activity – What are your statements
II. What does assertiveness mean?
1. Making a positive request or statement. Then being ready to respond a possible objection, refusal, or disapproval from a listener.
III. Six- Step Assertiveness strategy
1. Repeat your assertiveness rights to yourself
2. Request a private moment
3. Briefly describe the problem behavior
4. Describe how the problem behavior adversely affects you.
5. State what the particular behavior is that you want to change
6. Repeat your position and ask for a response.
IV. Assertiveness Activity: Break into groups and respond to these scenarios.
1. How would you explain the communication styles of some of the popular characters on Friends or Seinfeld? Who is the most assertive character on these shows? Who is the least assertive? What causes you to form this opinion?
2. Your boss at work consistently ignores your contributions at meetings. Comments you made ten minutes earlier are responded to as wise and insightful when made by others, while your comments were listened to politely and ignored. At your next meeting, you’ll be more assertive. What specifically would you say?
3. How useful do you think these six steps will be to enabling someone to be more assertive? Would you add or amend any of these steps?
4. Does your culture have different rules of assertiveness for men and women or are men and women expected to be similarly assertive or nonassertive? If your culture does have different rules, can you identify different situations in which one sex is expected to be unassertive?
V. Verbal Abuse is a consistent pattern of attacking another person’s self-concept and self-esteem through communication that is closed, non-empathetic, unsupportive, negative, and unequal.
VI. Dealing with verbal abuse
1. First you must be aware of it
2. Second, recognize the significant consequences of such behavior on your own interpersonal relationships.
3. Change the behavior