Alligator River Story

Triangle of meaning
Symbol- Word, sound, or visual device that
represents an object, sound, concept, or
experience.

Referent- Thing that a symbol represents.

Thought- Mental process of creating an image,

sound, concept, or experience triggered by a
referent or symbol.
Using the Alligator River Story, provide an example of
the following concepts:

Words are arbitrary

Words are context-bound

Words are culture-bound

The ladder of abstraction

Word Barriers:

Bypassing

Polarization

Static evaluation

Assertiveness vs. Aggressiveness

Extended I language
A brief preface to a feedback statement intended
to communicate that you value or care, even
though you are about to share a negative
message.

I dont want you to misinterpret what Im about

to say because I really do care about you

I dont feel it is entirely your fault, but Im

feeling frustrated when I experience
A Constructive Complaint
The first minute of conflict with married
couples predicts for 96% of couples whether
they will stay married or divorce. Gottman
(1999)

Use I statements

Describe the undesirable behavior

Use neutral, not nonjudgmental language.

Ask for a specific, behavioral change

Scenario: You are excited to go to dinner
with one of your best friends. You havent
seen this person in awhile because you have
been so busy. You have been looking forward
to it all week. Fifteen minutes before you are
about to meet your friend, you receive a text
that s/he wont be able to make it. You later
find out that your friend ended up going out
with a mutual friend that night.
In a group of two or three, write a brief
dialogue (four responses for each character)
of how a conflict would play out between you
and your friend.

The first dialogue should be an example of an

escalatory spiral (The conflict gets
progressively worse). The complaint should
be destructive.

The second dialogue should be an example

using a constructive complaint. (Hopefully,
the dialogue is more constructive).
Supportive Communication
Is:
Descriptive

Problem Oriented

Spontaneously Genuine

Empathic

Flexible

Equal
Defensive Communication
Is:
Evaluative

Controlling

Strategically Manipulative

Neutrally Detached

Certain and Rigid

Superior
Linguistic Determinism
Language shapes the way we think. Our words
reflect our thoughts and our culture. The language
we use defines the boundaries of our thinking.
Gumperz & Levinson 1996

Linguistic relativity states that each culture has

unique elements embedded within it. Language
creates variations in the way co-cultures think and
perceive about the world.
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
Benjamin Whorf and Edward Sapir

Language shapes our thoughts and culture and

our thoughts and culture affect the language we
use to describe our world.

Words people use affect their worldview. Think of

the Perception process.

Firm and soft interpretations of the Sapir- Whorf

hypothesis
Symbolic Interaction Theory

A semantic theory developed by sociologists that

suggests that society is bound together by the
common use of symbols.

Even within the same culture people

misunderstand messages. Meanings are in people,
not symbols