I. Introduction:
Have you watched the Big Bang Theory? Have you noticed how awesome they are? There are multiple shows that could have been chosen to cover this theory. But I feel the Big bang theory has some pretty good examples. They have some pretty interesting interactions with each other. They talk in scientific terms and sometime have to dumb it down for Penny. But today let’s talk about a scene between Sheldon and Penny, and how it relates to the Interaction Adaptation Theory. Throughout the paper, I will give a summary of theory, a quick synopsis, and implications of the scene.
II. Summary of Interaction Adaptation Theory:
The book definition is it’s a theory that suggests individuals simultaneously adapt their communication behaviors to the communication behavior of others. This means when one person says something the other person tries to understand the message by adapting to their communication style. It is probably the most common thing in interactions between humans. . “Broadly construed as the modification of one’s behaviorto adjust to one’s communication partner(s), interpersonal adaptation has beendescribed as accommodation (Gallois, Ogay, & Giles, 2005; Giles, Coupland, & Coupland, 1991), mimicry (Chartrand & Bargh, 1999; Scheflen, 1964), reciprocity(Burgoon, Stern, & Dillman, 1995; Burgoon & White, 1997), synchrony (Bernieri,Reznick, & Rosenthal, 1988; Condon & Ogston, 1966), or style matching (Niederhoffer & Pennebaker, 2002; Scissors, Gill, Geraghty, & Gergle, 2009).”(C.L Toma Pg.156) This theory is used to understand the process of adaption. This theory can be used to predict if the listener understands the speaker. The IAT says everyone enters an interaction with requirements, expectations, and desires. The requirements mean the needs during the interaction like speaking louder or closer to the speaker. The expectations mean what to expect based on past experience or general communication, etc. And desires are the preferences and goals of the interaction. These things combine to form a speaker’s interaction position. “This determines the receiver’s behavior will be reciprocated or compensated.” (C.L. Toma 161)
III. Synopsis:
Characters in the Scene - Sheldon and Penny
Idea – Penny is adapting Sheldon’s problem with her personal experience
The clip comes from the hit TV Show, The Big Bang Theory. In this scene Sheldon and Penny are having a conversation. Sheldon is sad over the string theory and Penny is listening. Penny then tells him to move and then she compares it to her own personal experience. I will be focusing on the adaptation theory.
“Beyond Biocentrism is a joyride through the history of science and cutting-edge physics, all with a very serious purpose: to find the long-overlooked connection between the conscious self and the universe around us.”
The "Intelligent Design" pbs.org. PBS, 5 Aug. 2005. Web. The Web. The Web. 21 Mar. 2012.
Beebe, Steven A., Susan J. Beebe, and Mark V. Redmond. "Understanding Self and Others." Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others. Boston: Allyn and Bacon/Pearson, 2009. 43. Print.
John William Atkinson’s calculation identifies a student’s tendency of avoiding or engaging in tasks is helpful for teachers. The Expectancy x Value equation discovers the natural desires a student has to succeed (MS in the equation) and avoid failure (MAF in the equation). These are individual aspects of a person’s natural traits and defined as stable. Using the theory’s formula TA (resultant tendency to approach or avoid achievement activity) =(MS x Ps (Perceived probability of success) x ls (Pride for succeeding)-(MAF x Pf (Perceived probability of failing) x lf (shame for failing) we can calculate Pampered Patrick’s
Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor developed social penetration theory; the theory helps people understand human communication by closeness and self-discloser. The book describes social penetration theory by using the onion metaphor, known as the human personality, which is a multilayered onion. The outer layer of the onion is known as the public self, people’s personalities are rhetorically exchanged easily with people who met someone else immediately for the first time. For example, a persons gender, the way they dress, and occupation. The layer beneath the surfer of the onion is the known as the personal self and attitude. A person may only share information to someone who is closest to him or her such as family and friends. For example,
The term ‘stress’ was generally thought to have been a concept created by Robert Hooke in the 17th century. He worked on the design of physical structures, such as bridges; his concept of stress came from how much pressure a structure could withstand. However, Lazarus (1993) pointed out that the term ‘stress’ has been used as far back as the 14th century, when it meant hardship or adversity. Back then it referred to the external stressor, such as the death of a spouse or financial worry; in the 20th century, there are many different schools of thought on this area. Hans Selye (1956), brought together the work of Cannon and Bernard and devised a comprehensive system of physiological stress; which he termed the ‘General Adaptation Syndrome’, and is a 3-stage process. He theorised that a certain level of stress called ‘eustress’ (Cox, 1978) could actually be beneficial to our overall performance. Later In 1976, Cox & Mackay devised another model called the ‘Transactional model’. This model takes into account the individual differences in the perception of the amount of stress experienced by the person. The main difference between these two models is that Selye’s model only accounts for the physiological side of stress, whereas Cox’s model takes into account both the physiological and psychological aspects of stress. Therefore, both models will have slight similarities and differences in their explanation for how stress occurs in individuals, which is the main focus of this essay.
This theory has been subject to many articles and studies in the communication and social departments. Indeed, studying this theory can help us understanding human relations in interpersonal communication. Each of us has been one day confronted to uncertainty, whereas in initial encounters, or moving to a new a new place, or beginning a new work.
Interactionism is a combination of behaviourism and innatism. It involves both sides of the nature vs nurture debate. The theory of interactionism explains that both behaviourism and innatism are responsible for children to acquire language.
The first theory we will go in detail with is symbolic interactionism. The significant idea to this theory is that symbols are the key to understanding how we view the world and communicate with on another. George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley developed this theory. People use symbols in everyday life. Without symbols we would have no sense of relationships with people. With the use of symbols, we are able to tell the difference between our aunt and uncle or brother and sister. If we didn’t have symbols to tell us the difference between the two we would have no idea what our relations to that person may be. If you think someone is your aunt you will behave
2. Conformity, as studied by Solomon Asch, refers to one’s insecurities of themselves which leads to the final result of agreeing with others, even though they did not agree initially, as well as behaving similarly. Asch experimented with college students, and he had the students compare lines to the general, standard line. When answering alone, the answers given proved correct, but when other people answered aloud before the students, they quickly began to doubt themselves and more often than not, they changed their answers.
Social darwinism is about how one guy came up with the theory how all humans are the same as plants and animals it’s just that we are more advanced and educated in our lives than plants and animals. Although people as a society have these different images of people that are either black or white and that’s not right. People that are black have had to suffer an extrem amount poverty for example some blacks had to drink out of seperate water fountains which probably contained unhealthy elements also the blacks had to go to different areas if they were black or asian or europeon which were lower in quality as if it was a movie or a game or even a resturante. As for Social Darwinsm it is mainly about for the survival of the fittest so if a father
Higher social status or power and commonalities between the individuals may explain why they are willing to do so. In attempt to demonstrate associative behavior, these individuals will partake in accommodation. According to the Communication Accommodation Theory, the interactants converge either upward or downward, unimodal or multimodal, or symmetrical or asymmetrical in order to adapt to the conversational setting (Zhang & Imamura, 2017). For instances, adults would speak slowly and use simple vocabulary when talking with children. In A Class Divided, the teacher would converge downward for her third-grade students to understand the
"The Big Bang - NASA Science." The Big Bang - NASA Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr.
LaRocco, Chris, and Blair Rothstein. "THE BIG BANG." University of Michigan. University of Michigan. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. .
The Contribution of Interactionism to Our Understanding of Society The key underling principle that the interactionist perspective is based upon is the claim that social reality is constructed through actions and interactions of people. Interactionism developed rapidly in the 1960's as a response to structural perspectives like Functionalism and Marxism. There are 3 main branches of Interactionism, these are as follows. Social action theory argues that social 'actors' carry out actions to pursue goals. Their values and their perception of the situation influences their choice of goals and the selection of the means to achieve them.