Self, Social Interaction, Relationships and Influence:
The objective of this exercise is for you to apply the perspectives and concepts from the course to your own life and life course experiences, and in doing so to show that you have mastered the course material. This is an independent assignment, thus each student’s answers must be unique; “shared” work will result in a shared failing grade. As well as self-reflection, you will need to purchase a newspaper to complete this assignment (you will need to cut out pieces to turn in with your assignment; please tape them to a regular size sheet of paper), and arrange to watch TV. Points are indicated in [brackets], with a total of 100 possible.
Please make your answers concise; extra words will not get you extra points! List the question number, followed by the letter, and then your answer (do not re-type the questions).
1) Self, Identity, and Self-Presentation.
a) Complete Box 3.1 (page 6 of your textbook). NOTE: you do not need to include the actual list – the primary purpose is to analyze it. Are your descriptors primarily role or dispositional identities? What does this suggest about your identity?
b) Make a list of the ten terms a best friend or family member would use to describe you, and then obtain the ten words that person actually uses.
Compare the lists, focusing on the difference between self-perception and reflected appraisals; how do they differ? To what extent are the differences a result of something about you (E.g., differences in the way you behave toward these others), and differences about these people (E.g., their different personalities)?
c) Would a job interview most likely consist of authentic, ideal, or tactical self-presentation; why?
d) Describe how a public restroom is both a front region and a back region of self-presentation.
2) Social Interaction.
Select a comic strip (must have multiple frames).
a) Briefly describe the place/event/scene, and the participants/roles/relationships. How is the conversation/ communication initiated (or if it is in progress, how do you know?)
b) What non-verbal symbolic vehicles are used – gestures, body language, spacing, physical characteristics and personal effects? How is paralanguage represented?
c) To analyze the verbal communication, consider the type of content, any jargon, the rules of conversation that are followed or not, and the purpose/success of the interaction. Consider the relative “talk time” of each participant, interruptions, topic changes, questions, and requests. Is one participant dominant – how do you now?
d) What social structural differences are evident among the participants (gender, age, SES, ethnicity)? What identities are the participants trying to establish?
e) What impression management techniques does she/he use? Are they successful?
3) Social Relationships.
Map the major relationships and groups of which you are a part.
a) For each relational tie, describe the bond profile – primary or secondary; including intimacy, task, social power/influence, and/or self-involvement. Contrast the bond profile of your social relationship with your best friend and with your teaching assistant.
b) Returning to the best friend/family member from Question 1 (of this assignment) – make a comic strip of a typical (most usual or most important) interaction between yourself and that significant other. What identities are you trying to establish? What impression management techniques do you use? Are you successful?
4) Social Influence.
a) Watch TV for a short while and observe the commercials (keep a list with details). Provide examples of all the social influence techniques used. What appeared most effective ?
b) Observe a political speech (any media), and briefly describe the speaker’s efforts – who was he/she trying to persuade, and how?
c) Search any media to find an example of when authority was defied. What were the consequences; why did they defy authority?