To show that I am also thinking and working, here is an illustration from me (very original!). I have to remind you that my analysis is not as complete as I expect from you for this assignment. You should follow the sample illustrations.
Do wild geese have "personal space" as humans do? You will know the answer after you watch the video below:
This video clip was taken on the TCNJ campus in the dusk of Jan 18. A good pool of wild geese, usually floating on Lake Sylva, appeared surprisingly on the grassy lawn in front of Paul Loser Hall. When I approached them, they became alert to my "invading" their "personal space" and started to wobble away. I walked closer, intending to feed them. Obviously, my unexpected behavior was not received positively by these geese. Had they learned Expectancy Violations Theory, they would have seen me as a rewarding person, thus positively evaluated my violation.
Another illustration from a former Com 103 student.
The Color Purple - Celie Liberation Scene (8:33)
The Color Purple, directed by Steven Spielberg exemplifies some of the important aspects of Standpoint Theory. From 1909 to 1946, Celie Johnson, an African American woman’s live was illustrated. Celie is ridiculed, mistreated, and subordinated by her master, also known as her husband. She, however, during the liberation scene, finds the courage to stand up to him and decides to leave and go live with her good friend, Shug. Everyone seated at the dinner table is astonished with Celie’s ability to finally speak up and acquire freedom from enslaved situation.
Standpoint Theory assumes that ”all standpoints are partial, but those of the ruling class can actually harm those of the subordinate group” (West & Turner, 2007, p. 503). Most women from an early age are told that they have to be dainty, dependent on a man, and submissive to men, a father or husband mostly. Obtaining such characteristics would make them more appealing to men. Because women often felt inferior to men, they were and sometimes are mentally harmed. They allow themselves to continually be oppressed by the dominant species- men. In this scene from The Color Purple, however, Celie challenged the norm and liberated herself.
Standpoint Theory also argues that people on the lower rungs of the social hierarchy see more than their own position. In other words, “the lower positions on the hierarchy posses the greatest accuracy in their standpoints, where accuracy refers to the ability to transcend the limits of partial vision and see beyond one’s own specific social location” (West & Turner, 2007, p. 507). In the course of the liberation scene, Celie’s father-in-law directs his son to control his wife. The father-in-law is appalled by Celie’s behavior. As Celie departs from the house, her husband shouts how she will never make it on her own because she is Black, poor, ugly, and a woman. Her husband never attained accuracy. He was never capable of seeing things from her perspective or social location.
The following illustration (the clip and the writing) was provided by a former student of Com 103.
Brothers & Sisters: Justin’s Intervention (8:32)
This video clip embodied Face-Negotiation Theory which describes how people from different cultures, small groups or close relationships manage conflict negotiation to maintain face.
The clip “Justin’s Intervention” from the series Brothers & Sisters is about one brother, Justin, who is addicted to pain killers and the entire family of six, plus two concerned friends (non-family) gather to confront him. However, Justin feels it is an ambush and feels cornered and embarrassed –he loses face and with that goes his self-respect within his family dynamics and relationships. Face is defined as a metaphor for the public image people display, the image of the self that people display in their conversations with others (p 483). Initially Justin attempts to save-face, defined as to prevent embarrassment or vulnerability to himself. He uses a negative face in his desire to be autonomous and free from the others. Justin employs face-threatening acts (FTA’s) to threaten each person with insults and embarrassing information, and directly challenges each person present for the intervention in order to restore his face within the family this leads to two people (non-family) leaving the house. Finally his sister, Kitty, steps up to manage the conflict that has escalated between the family members. Justin begins to attack her and she provokes him calmly with “go ahead, say it” and instead Kitty confronts him with his addiction, “I’m here and dealing with your addiction”. Kitty employs two types of facework strategies. Initially she uses tact facework where she allowes Justin the freedom to act as he feels and does not restrict or interrupt his insulting tirade on the others. Kitty then moves to solidarity facework to enhance the connection between the two of them. She does this by telling Justin, “I’m bleeding and aching, I just had a miscarriage but I’m dealing with you. Tell me what is it that I am doing that isn’t all about how much I love you”. Justin then changes his face to face restoration, which occurs after the loss of face has happened and he says he is sorry and states that he needs time to think.
This clip also shows the collectivism orientation within the family. I believe who they accomplish this through their family solidarity to heal one person in the family that needs all of their support and love. Collectivism is the “we” identity and places emphasis on the group’s goals, groups obligations and in-group needs over the individuals. This was evident when they all received the telephone call summoning them to the intervention for their brother. Although they may all operate most of the time within individualism, which emphasizes the individual identity and needs over the group identity, they also value inclusion and the desire to fulfill another’s needs within their family.
Originally Erving Goffman (1967) did not feel that the term, face would be applied to close relationships and was more pertinent to the study of social groups. However, over time the study of face has come to include close relationships and small groups which would include family members and a family.
This is a group blog for Yifeng Hu's Introduction to Communication Studies classes at The College of New Jersey for Spring 2008. Students will be posting to this blog throughout the semester and making comments on each others' posts.
This theory illustration blog was set up for Yifeng Hu's Introduction to Communication Studies course, Spring 2008, at The College of New Jersey. We study various theories of communication.
