Week #9 Questions

In Chapter 8, Woodward and Denton describe different types of Compliance-Seeking Messages in order for people to comply with one’s wishes. They state that the most popular form of this is Direct Request. “Responding to a friend or boss is different than responding to a total stranger. In addition, the size or magnitude of the request impacts compliance,” (193). Being able to ask a direct request of someone can be quite a chore, especially as the request gets larger as Woodward and Denton point out. Why then is this the most popular form of Compliance-Seeking Messages? With many other to chose from, you would think that humans would go for a much more rationale or protective form of seeking compliance. Which form introduced in the book do you use most? Do you generally find this to be affective?

When reading about conflict in Chapter 8, it was interesting to read about the research that has been done according to men and women with conflict resolution. We all seem to see conflict between men and women in the media, but the results of that seem to vary from that which the studies prove. “In an extensive examination of sex differences, researchers found more similarities than differences in the conflict behaviors of men and women. Areas of similarity included: positive affect behavior, influence strategies, autocratic behavior, democratic behavior, communication, facilitation, and leader emergence,” (205). Why do you think that the media vary so much from the truth? Describe a time that you have seen conflict between a man and a women in the media and how it is different from the above results.

Woodward and Denton speak a lot about selling yourself in Chapter 8; especially in an interview. They say that it is very much about not only the interviewer but the interviewee as well. “Without such an exchange, participants sacrifice power, control, and personal motives. This perspective recognizes that each participant in an interview has a purpose, and each must prepare for the encounter accordingly,” (222). Tell us about a time when you had an interview and the role of not only you, but your interviewer as well. Was the communication flowing fairly or did one person seem to control the whole situation? What was the result of this interview?