Question 3

3). Pick one other concept in the book that you feel needs further discussion?

I think one important concept that should be further discussed is interview skills. There is not too much information about how to conduct and interview or even what to disclose within an interview. Especially right of college, new grads easily become nervous and unsure about what to say or not to say. I work in the HR and Staffing Dept at my company and I can tell when speaking to both experienced or inexperienced candidates that simple things like posture, tone, words or even how they carry them selves says a lot about who they are and motivation.

I had a few interviews this week and usually in the first 5 to 10 minutes of the interview, you can already get an impression of who someone is. It's like the saying goes, "you don't get a second chance at a first impression".

Question 2

2). What concept/s in this class have you found most interesting? What was it about that concept/s that you found interesting?

One thing that I found interesting was actually what we read this week and the different research methods. I did know of a few of them but ones that were new to me included the Unobtrusive Methods and Conversation Analysis. Another favorite concept that I really agreed with was the way media communicated to their audience, in particular, the media agenda. I am a firm believer in this especially when it comes to news reporting. I honestly do not watch the news too much because the concepts and ideas in which they show are all the same; who is corrupt, who is dying, who is killing. It's really sad but I do understand a lot of these type of events happen.

Duck's Attraction Filter of friends and romatic partners was also a very intersting concept. It is something we take for granted in everyday life and as apart of what we do. It is interseting how it is broken down into the 4 phases; sociological cues, preinteraction cues, interaction cues, and cognitive cues. Sub-conciously we do this on a daily basis and depending on where someone falls within these filters determines how we interact with them on a personal level.

Question 1

1). (Regarding Chapter 13) Which of the research methods listed in Table 13.3 seem the most interesting? Assume you want to study some aspect of deception. Frame a research question. Which method would you choose to answer the question. Why?

For me I think that performing an ethnography research would be the most interesting because you are actually apart of the group you study. It is also maybe the most challenging because as a researcher, you are trying to blend in and not influence the group that you are studying. I feel that you can not completely understand a group or people or person until you actually walk in their shoes without any previous bias.

To perform a study on deception, I would probably use the conversation analysis. I would use this because usually when people try to deceive each other, it is done by talking or some sort of messaging within the context. This method analyzes everyday interaction and the moves someone makes in a conversation.

A proposed research question would be: In what ways does an individual who is lying in a conversation, get to have someone believe what they are saying?

Question 3

My favorite and most interesting part of this weeks reading is media agendas. The gatekeepers especially in news reporting I feel are controversial because they get to choose what is relevant to them or the news station. Fox News is known as a republican type station where they tailor their news stories to the opinions of the republican party or to make the party look better. More times than not, the media, especially the use of television, brings stories their relevance even if there is not one. One of the stories lately that I feel the media has made a bigger deal than in reality is the pandemic of the swine flu. Yes it is important for health officials and people to be more aware of this but the media has made it to a point where people are over reacting about every little sniffle or cough.

Question 2

2). Do you agree with Marshall McLuhan that the medium is the message, i.e. that the format or logic of a medium is as important as its content and, in fact, determines what content will be broadcast through that channel? Evaluate his idea that television is a cool medium.

I would have to definitely agree with McLuhan about the medium as part of the message. Even today with the internet, the way we communicate on the internet today is a lot different than the messages that are displayed in both TV and print. I have heard this notion before that those who have grown up watching TV expect information to be more instant and are less likely to pick up a newspaper and read. The same is also turning true with those people who have grown up with the internet. Information is even faster and now people are watching shows, news, and downloading other information even faster without having to leave their comfort of their room.

McLuhan's notion of television being a cool medium refers to how much detailed information this form of communication gets out to audience. The cool medium allows its viewers to fill in the gaps of detail since the viewers can see actions and situations in which a particular message is being portrayed. Unlike the radio, detail information needs to be communicated because the audience can not get an actual picture and thus making messages hotter, or more detailed.

Question 1

1). Have you made friendships that exist exclusively in cyberspace? If so, how are they different from f2f relationships? If you have not formed cyber relationships, why not?

I have had, still have, and made relationships via cyber space. It almost seems like now, everything could be cyber space especially text messaging but for the sake of this argument I'll talk about online, email, or instant messengers. These friendships seem more accessible, meaning that you can talk to someone a lot more instantly than waiting to see them in person. By communicating via cyberspace, it is done more than if someone were to pick up the phone and talk.

For me personally, I really don't like having friendships that don't include some face to face time or even conversations on the phone because it seems more impersonal. I feel that by communicating via email, instant messenger, or online gives people an opportunity to be more scripted. For example, I find myself writing an email or instant message to someone but then delete what I wrote because I felt that I could word it differently, or I shouldn't say that. Too much can get lost in translation where as face to face friendships and conversations, context, tone, and pace of what you talk about can be better understood.

To me it is somewhat frustrating because I'd rather talk to people face to face or even on the phone because it does not give anyone the chance to hide behind a screen. Anyone can be anybody when they are communicating online but it is not until you see someones body language, demeanor, and actions that you can really get the chance to know someone. Communicating online is very convenient but at the same time, not as effective as communicating with someone face to face.

Question 3

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading (not already discussed for this week) that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

One of the things i found interesting and it actually did not hit me until i read it is how most organizations operate on a hierarchy and bureaucracy style of governing. It is ironic how America likes to show themselves as a democratic style government but in reality, most of the economic and business structures that the country operates on is based on both the hierarchy and bureaucracy styles of governing.

It is possible to have these types of governing and structures as long as there is a upward and downward flow of communication because typically, these structures show examples of downward communication which in turn becomes detrimental to the voice of the subordinates.