Chapter 5 (b) Verbal Message

Areas that affected by disconfirmation

1) Racism - a person who believes that a particular race is superior to another.










Suggestion to avoid racism
Avoid confirming and disconfirming to statement or message because of skin color.



2) Sexism - Having bias towards a specific gender.







Don't always assume BOY prefer BLUE
GIRL prefer PINK

Sex-role stereotyping

- The assumption that certain roles or professions belong to Men and others belong to Women.

Suggestion to avoid sexism
-Avoid confirming and disconfirming to statement because of gender.

3) Heterosexism 
- Having bias towards gays and lesbians, persume all people are heterosexual. 

Suggestion to avoid heterosexism
- Avoid "complimenting" gay and lesbians on their heterosexual appearance.

Ageism-  stereotyping and discriminating against individuals or groups on the basis of their age.

But...below 55 is welcomed! 

Suggestion to avoid sexism

- Avoid putting off elderly

- Be patient with elderly

Cultural Identifier

- Using preferred terms in talking to members of different cultures;

 language that is free of sexism, heterosexism, racism or ageism. 

1) Races (Malay, Chinese, India)

2) Avoid using words :GAY, LESBIAN

3) Age: older person ( > 65yrs) : elderly / senior citizen)

                                       

4) Sex

Young male (< 17 yrs) : Boy

Young female (< 17 yrs) : Girl

(> 17yrs) MAN, WOMAN

Using Verbal Message Effectively

Verbal message can

1) Symbolize reality (partially)

- Don't present reality, but symbolize reality 

Therefore, you purchase the Prada handbag not because it is really good (reality)

but you believe people said it is good (symbol).

Your mindset is following what other people said - Intensional orientation

Extensional orientation

You try to understand and know about something or a person before you make any judgement

Allness- describe the world in extreme terms that imply one knows all

2) Messages / languages express both facts and inferences

-We must clear that an accurate message must be made up of facts instead of inference.

I hate bright colors (inferential statement)

I love red colors (factual statement)

3) Messages and languages can be relatively static

Messages or words used are formed based on our judgement and perception, how often do we update our perception?

Static Evaluation

-retain evaluation despite changes in a person or thing?

Tom is a lazy boy. (Five years ago)

Five years later, you still perceive Tom is a lazy boy even though he is now becoming hardworking.

Is it Fair for him??!

4) Messages/ language can obscure distinction

- Over generalize people or things, blurring the distinction between people, objects or events.

Indiscrimination

- Fail to distinguish similar but different things or people

Example: You can't differentiate which chocolate is belonged to which brand without looking the packaging.

           

Polarization

-Tend to look at the worlds in term of opposite and describe in extreme.

-Not allowing the possibility.

Example: If most of the Chinese follow the teaching of Buddhism, you perceived that ALL CHINESE follow the teaching of Buddhism.