Ok, seeing no one took the challenge, I’m moving on to something a little lighter. This will be a game review of the new Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare 3.
The game setting is world war 3. It starts out with an exciting battle in New York City. As far as the single player campaign is concerned, it’s a pretty good game. The one flaw I can really see in it is how short it is. I, being an average gamer, beat it in just under 5 hours. Not worth the $65 price tag, but still a fun game there.
Now, for the multiplayer portion of the game; I can honestly say I have never been more disappointed with a much hyped game then I am with MW3’s multiplayer system. Here are the pros and cons of it:
Maps:
The maps are possibly the worst set of maps I have ever seen in a CoD game. The creator’s of the game actually touted the maps as a unique and improved feature. Well, they were full of crap. The few maps they actually have are complete crap. Poorly designed with loads of blind corners and infested with camper friendly spots. Rushers are being owned by campers, strategic players are getting shot in the back, side, from up high, and everywhere else. The only strategy that works in these maps is camping, and that is a violation of FPS game etiquette. So, if you like to camp, this is your game. Unfortunately, with everyone camping, nothing gets done.
Hit Detection:
Again, this is another sore spot for me. On the PS3, the hit detection is terrible. In some cases its spot on, and in others it is like you are shooting at thin air when aiming down the site at someone standing a foot in front of you just letting you shoot at them. I do not know if it is a missed glitch in the game or just PS3’s crappy PlaystationNetwork, but I’m willing to bet it is a little of both.
Classes & Leveling:
This is a toss up. Some good features, some bad. MW3 has introduced “Strike Packages.” This is actually a pretty awesome new feature. On any class you create you have the options of what strike packages fits your play style or role in your team. The strike packages are designed well, and actually make for an interesting mix. Included in leveling is “weapon proficiencies.” This feature, while it has its good aspects, overall is pretty much stupid. The reason why it’s stupid is because it guarantees new player frustration. In 6 months, most players will be at max level except new players, who will have a tough time leveling up because while they are using lower level proficiencies or none at all, the people who bought the game at a midnight release will be tearing them up with unlock proficiencies. It has a good thought behind it, making players earn the cool stuff, but it will definitely kill sales later on when people switch to BF3.
Classes & Leveling pt. 2:
The major issue I have with the whole system is in two parts. First, it is overly complex, as you can tell from part 1. Not only are you leveling yourself, but for each new weapon unlock that you like, you have to level the weapon to make it worth using. Second, the max level cap is way too high. The high max level does two things. First, it makes it take a while to max out; this is actually a good thing that keeps you playing. Second, it slows down the new weapon, perk, etc. unlocking to a crawl. This is a bad thing. When you unlock something at a new level, you want a new gun or attachment, not a stupid title or emblem. People want to level up at a good pace, they want to reach that max level and have the entire arsenal at their disposal so they can actually compete. The leveling system makes this a pain in the ass.
Lag:
I have asked around to ensure this wasn’t just an issue with me, and its not. On the PS3 there are lag issues. You can be playing the entire first half of a match with smooth game play, then all of a sudden a ton of lag issues just pop up, seemingly at random. On Black Ops, this was not an issue so I have the feeling this is a game specific problem that should have been addressed in testing. Of course, I’m sure they tested on LAN games, so they would not have discovered this. I guess its time for them to start testing in closed online systems.
Perks:
In all the pre-release hype they mentioned “New Perks!!!” Well, yeah, if you consider the same perks with new names “new perks.” They have made some old perks “death streaks.” But these were perks that not many really liked, like what they call “final stand” is just CoD4’s “last stand” and Black Ops’ “Second Chance” perks. If it is going to be in the game, which I think it should have just been done away with, it is put in the right spot, a death streak perk.
Death Streaks:
These are just stupid. Hey bad players, they reward your failures too with “Death Streaks!” If you die a lot, you are given little boosts to help you not die or help you kill the player that just kicked your ass. Death streaks are and will always be a terrible idea. You do not reward failure in life; you should definitely NOT reward it in a CoD game.
11 Ideas to Improve Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3:
1. Get rid of death streaks. Again, this was a terrible idea and the designer who came up with it should be fired or made to make non-FPS games.
2. Redesign the maps to be less, camper friendly and more strategic player friendly. Black Ops did this very well. Yes, people camped in black ops, but strategic players and rushers always tore the campers up if they had at least an average level of skill.
3. Redesign the weapon proficiencies to be unlocked by weapon type. Right now they need to be unlocked with each specific weapon. Most players that I know stick to a weapon type or two, and should not have to start over again when they unlock the next weapon in the weapon type they prefer.
4. Simplify the class designs a bit. Yes, the personalization of the complex system can be nice, but it is a bit too complex. FPS games do not need to be complex to be fun. In fact, the over complex design in MW3 makes leveling a chore, and that is bad. Leveling should be fun, playing should be fun.
5. Lower the max level cap to what CoD players are used to. Max level does not need to be so high.
6. Get rid of titles and emblems. They are pointless, purely cosmetic, and simply do not belong in an FPS.
7. Get rid of ALL camper friendly areas in the maps. I absolutely HATE campers; if I am in a match with them, I make it my mission to make that match as aggravating as possible in hopes that they will rage quit. They are annoying, and make the game boring. If you are a camper, here’s a bit of wisdom for you that might make you think twice before continuing to camp: YOU ARE 100% PREDICTABLE AND IF YOU GET IN A MATCH WITH A PLAYER AS EQUALLY SKILLED AS ME (WHICH ISN’T HARD) YOU WILL DIE A LOT MORE THEN YOU KILL!! So, stop being so damn predictable, which doesn’t mean find a new camp spot after I kill you because I know all your stupid spots in every map, I will find you, I will kill you, and then I will rinse and repeat. I will skip rushers just to get to you. I will make you hate me. (wow, that felt good, lol).
8. To discourage camping, how about some destructible environment?!?! It is very stupid that I can call in a bomber and it not destroy buildings.
9. Fix the damn hit detection and lag issues already!
10. Make the weapon unlocks make sense. Here’s what I mean. If I am using a weapon for a while, and I unlock the next one in the weapon type, the next one should be BETTER then the one I’m using! I shouldn’t unlock a weapon that is weaker in damage, accuracy, rate of fire, etc. Why the hell would I switch to the next sub machine gun just because it has a better range but everything else is weaker?
11. Get rid of Sniper Rifles and LMG’s. Yes, I actually like these weapons, and occasionally used them in previous games. Unfortunately though, they just give people more incentive to camp. Oh, and if you think its not camping just because you are sniping, uh, you’re wrong. Camping is camping, regardless of the weapon you use. If these could be left in the game and people don’t camp, I would say keep them, but too many people find a spot, and sit there the entire match camping a door or field of vision. The campers ruin the sniper rifle and lmg.
Note: Yes, I know this reads like a rage letter to campers. But that does not invalidate my points.
“You camp, you die!” – Twitch_QQ
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
20 Things Americans Need to Stop Doing.
1. Stop blaming the devil for your own faults.
2. Stop blaming immigrants because you can’t find a job.
3. Stop blaming Obama for an economic crisis that started before he took office.
4. Stop blaming Bush for the gas prices.
5. Stop using religion to oppress gay Americans. (Didn’t you learn anything when you did this to women and black Americans?).
6. Stop watching Fox News, MSNBC, and every other news station for that matter.
7. Stop asking the poor of America to bear the burden of economic recovery (That is just backwards and stupid, they are frickin poor. That’d be like asking the starving man to be your waiter).
8. Stop giving tax breaks galore to the rich. (They actually can afford to bear the burden of the economic recovery, but choose not too).
9. Stop using logical fallacies to “prove” your points.
10. Stop allowing logical fallacies to convince you of complete nonsense.
11. Stop trying to mix your religious ideas in with federal policies; that is fucking illegal and unconstitutional.
12. Stop allowing yourself to be controlled by “popular opinion.”
13. Stop letting other people tell you what to think. (Refer to number 6 for an example).
14. Stop using the passing lane on highways as your personal race track.
15. Stop driving below the speed limit. (If you do this, you’re just an asshole).
16. Stop letting senior citizens drive. (Refer to number 15).
17. Stop letting big business control the state of the economy. (Refer to number 8).
18. Stop calling black Americans who have never even been to Africa “African Americans.” They are just Americans dammit! You don’t see me asking to be called a European American!
19. Stop allowing a difference in political ideology to build walls of distrust, arrogance, and hate.
20. Stop reading stupid lists that tell you how to behave! (Hey, at least you’ll listen to this one now that you’re done reading this list).
2. Stop blaming immigrants because you can’t find a job.
3. Stop blaming Obama for an economic crisis that started before he took office.
4. Stop blaming Bush for the gas prices.
5. Stop using religion to oppress gay Americans. (Didn’t you learn anything when you did this to women and black Americans?).
6. Stop watching Fox News, MSNBC, and every other news station for that matter.
7. Stop asking the poor of America to bear the burden of economic recovery (That is just backwards and stupid, they are frickin poor. That’d be like asking the starving man to be your waiter).
8. Stop giving tax breaks galore to the rich. (They actually can afford to bear the burden of the economic recovery, but choose not too).
9. Stop using logical fallacies to “prove” your points.
10. Stop allowing logical fallacies to convince you of complete nonsense.
11. Stop trying to mix your religious ideas in with federal policies; that is fucking illegal and unconstitutional.
12. Stop allowing yourself to be controlled by “popular opinion.”
13. Stop letting other people tell you what to think. (Refer to number 6 for an example).
14. Stop using the passing lane on highways as your personal race track.
15. Stop driving below the speed limit. (If you do this, you’re just an asshole).
16. Stop letting senior citizens drive. (Refer to number 15).
17. Stop letting big business control the state of the economy. (Refer to number 8).
18. Stop calling black Americans who have never even been to Africa “African Americans.” They are just Americans dammit! You don’t see me asking to be called a European American!
19. Stop allowing a difference in political ideology to build walls of distrust, arrogance, and hate.
20. Stop reading stupid lists that tell you how to behave! (Hey, at least you’ll listen to this one now that you’re done reading this list).
Monday, August 15, 2011
Essay I receied a perfect score on. Plus its informative!
Effective Listening:
Overcoming Our Perceptual Filters
Introduction
An individual’s view of the world and the people in it is a unique perspective specific to that individual. This suggests that “the reason people react differently to the same situations is that each person comes from a different background and views the situation in terms of his own experiences” (DeRamus, B. 1990). This can cause complications in a lot of situations, especially when attempting to communicate. We can say something with an intended meaning but the listener perceives a completely different message then the one we wished to convey.
One way to over come this barrier to communication is through the use of effective listening. “Listening refers to a complex set of interrelated activities including: apparent attentiveness, non-verbal and verbal behavior, attitudes, memory, and behavioral responses” (Helms, M., Haynes, P. 1992). Effective listening is more then staying silent as another speaks, it is actively pursuing to understand what the speakers intended message is. In this essay, I will describe perceptual filters, and how we can use effective listening to overcome this barrier to communication.
Part 1: Perception and Perceptual Filters
Our individual perceptions lead us to come to conclusions on not only what people say, but on everything we see and hear. If we are in a crowd and that crowd witnesses a car accident in the street, we will all have a different opinion on who caused the accident and how it was caused. These distinctive opinions come from who we are as people, what we have experienced in our lives, how we were raised, our cultural backgrounds, gender, our moral and ethical beliefs, and in the case of the accident how we drive and perceive other drivers.
“Even though we detect our surroundings in the same way through eyes, ears, nose, skin, and tongue, our brains actively filter that incoming information so that it "makes sense" according to our individual values and beliefs” (“People's perceptual filters,” 2008). What this means is that if two or more people hear the same bit of information their brains will structure that message into something that makes sense to them. For example, when three people, a working man, a church leader, and a CEO of a health insurance company are told the pros and cons of a single payer system type of universal health care they filter this information to receive three very different messages. The working man might receive the message of no more medical bills, no more worrying about their family’s health care costs, higher taxes but no longer paying for health insurance, and even a possible future job helping to manage the government ran health care system. A church leader might hear tax dollars paying for “sinful” procedures such as abortions or gender reassignment surgery. An insurance company’s CEO would almost definitely hear loss of a job, the destruction of his company, his thousands of employees losing their jobs, the stockholders losing millions, and government meddling into the free market.
Our perceptions can also be manipulated. In advertising companies try to make us see their products or services as the highest quality available. The professionals in the field are called Brand Managers, and they tend to be very good at their jobs. “Brand managers are seeking out the help of those who understand the psychology of individuals and the psychology of the mass that constitutes contemporary society today” (“It’s Perception Management…,” 2003). What this means is that Brand Managers specialize in mass manipulation, specifically as it relates to the product or service they are attempting to sell. They want us to believe their product or service is the highest quality, has the lowest price, or even how a specific competitor’s product or service is inferior to theirs. They use soft, friendly, and positive language and imagery to sell you on their product or service. They use harsh or mocking language and imagery to attempt to make you think negatively of their competitors. For example, a popular paper towel commercial theme is to show how one paper towel can easily pick up a spill with the competitor’s product leaving some of the mess or even just pushing it around without soaking anything up. Trash bag commercials show their bag as strong and easy to carry, while showing the competitor’s bag tearing and awkward. This manipulation is made very evident in infomercials. These thirty minute or longer commercials like to show how inconvenient life is without their product by showing people attempting to do things without their products and failing miserably. They exaggerate how hard the simplest of tasks are without the use of their products to the point of ridiculousness. In some of these infomercials they are selling courses, and exaggerate how well you’ll do or how rich you’ll become by either hiring actors or obtaining testimonials from people who have done exceptionally well with their course. They never tell you the success rate of their students however, knowing that the successful student is rare.
Another popular form of perception manipulation in advertising is attempting to convince you that you are saving money by spending more. They use terms like “package” or “multi-policy discount.” What is done here is the company with package several of their products or services together, and then gives you a marginally discounted rate on the package as a whole. They want you to think you are saving money, but you are actually spending more, and typically on extra stuff you do not particularly need or desire. In fact, if you were to buy the same exact products or services from separate companies, buying what is cheapest, you are more likely to spend less money then you would on a company’s prepackaged deal.
As you can see, perception is a strong and influential part of how we view the world and how we receive information that is being communicated to us. It is influenced not only by our own ideas and beliefs, but can also be influenced by external sources. It is important to be able to overcome these influences and barriers to accurately understand the intended message someone is trying to send, as well as see the truth behind the external manipulation of our perception. One vital resource we have in this struggle is our listening skills. Through the use of effective listening, we can overcome these barriers.
Part 2: Effective Listening
When someone is talking to us, trying to share some kind of information they deem important enough to tell us, it is important that we listen to what they have to say. Our perceptual filters can hinder this, but also contributing to the lack of understanding are things like indifference to what the other person is saying and inattentiveness. Sometimes, in the heat of an argument, we even tune out what the other is saying, and are just waiting for our turn to speak instead of listening to them. Also, people do not always, and in fact rarely, say exactly what they mean. Combine all this with our perceptual filters and we can easily see why miscommunication is an all too common barrier to understanding.
The first key to understanding is effective listening. In an organization, “failure to listen can result in letters having to be retyped, orders returned, appointments rescheduled, timetables revised, and lost productivity and profits” (Helms, M., Haynes, P. 1992). In our personal lives, it can result in many things, such as arguments, being late for appointments, missing out on fun activities, and more. We must be able to effectively listen to the information being presented to us if we have any hope of understanding the intended message.
Effective listening is active listening. Active listening is more then eye contact and paying attention. It is participating in the transfer of information through verbal and nonverbal queues about the information. It is maintaining the proper receptive attitude. It is committing to memory what the speaker has presented. And it is responding with the proper behavior to show that you understood the intended message.
Active listening through the use of verbal and non-verbal queues is important because it does two things. First, it shows the speaker that you are actually listening to them. A nod of the head, an appropriately time smile or other facial expression, and even making sure your body language shows you are listening, such as not crossing your arms or looking away or at your watch. Second, it helps to make sure you understand what the speaker is trying to say. Verbal responses, such as questions or rephrasing what has been said as you understand it shows interest and that you are trying to understand. It also tells the speaker whether the intended message is received. For example, your boss tells you they want you to take care of an important client. By “take care of” the boss could be implying many different things, and it is up to you as the listener to make sure you know what he or she means. The boss could mean make sure they have a fun visit to your organization or make sure they get fed and are set up in a nice hotel. They could also mean to handle all of the client’s business needs they have with your organization, such as any questions they may have or orders they want to make.
A proper receptive attitude is just as important as asking questions and giving nonverbal signs you are listening. You cannot allow emotional states to influence how well you are listening. If you are maintaining eye contact and nodding, but allowing yourself to become angry with the speaker or a bad mood in general effect how much information you receive, you are not effectively listening. If your opinions differ from that of the speaker, you should not allow this to effect how well you listen either. As the listener you must be able to put aside these negative influences on how well you listen, so that you can receive the message, and give the verbal and nonverbal responses necessary to achieve understanding.
Even if you receive the message as it was intended, showed the proper verbal and nonverbal responses, and maintained a receptive attitude, if you fail to commit to memory what the speaker has said you have failed at your part in the transfer of information. Everyone remembers information differently, some use memory tricks, while others just have a good memory. What ever works for you as the listener, you must use to make sure you remember the message a speaker was trying to send. For example, if a neighbor asks you to walk his dog twice a week while he is on a business trip, and all the active and effective listening skills were used to identify what days, what times, where the leash is, and other details that pertain to this, if you agree to walk the dog but you forget to, or forget the time or day, or to give the dog water after the walk, you have failed in your part, and also jeopardized the friendship, or even the dog’s health.
Most messages we transfer to other people have an intended behavioral response we want from a listener. You ask someone what time it is, you intend for them to tell you the time. If you ask your child to clean their room, you intend for them to clean their room. Even if you are just telling a story about something funny that happened earlier in the day, you expect or intend the behavioral response to be the listener’s laughter. As the listener, you should be prepared to show a behavioral response to the information you have received and made sure you understood. For example, if your boss asks you to file some paperwork by a certain time, your behavioral response will be to file the paperwork. If a client mentions they are hungry and like a certain type of food, they are looking for you to take them to a restaurant that serves that kind of food, or at least want you to recommend one and provide directions.
Some of the effective listening skills discussed, we use and do without really thinking about it. The behavioral response is something we do not really have to think about doing, we naturally do it. Even the committing to memory of an intended message is usually something we do naturally, unless it is a lot of information that needs special attention to remember. However, verbal and nonverbal queues and maintaining a receptive attitude are things that require more effort on the listener’s part. It takes time and effort to simply get in the practice of doing them, and even more effort to do them and stay in the practice.
By effectively and actively listening, we do several things. We maintain the open lines of communication between us and a speaker. We show the speaker that we respect what they have to say. We overcome our perceptual filters to make sure we accurately understand what the speaker is intending to send. And we make sure that outside influences have little to no effect on how we perceive the truth behind a manipulative message.
Conclusion
Our perceptual filters that are created by our beliefs, values, cultural backgrounds, gender, and personal opinions, influence how we receive and interpret information. We use these filters to make sense of the informational stimuli we are constantly receiving from the world and the people around us. We witness an event from a perspective completely unique to ourselves, and would tell someone of that event different from the person standing next to us. We perceive what people say to us in a unique and personal way too. Two people receiving the same information interpret that information differently from one another, and have two different responses to that information.
Effective listening helps us overcome our perceptual filters when trying to receive a speaker’s intended message. It helps us understand when someone is trying to use our perceptual filters to manipulate us. By using verbal and nonverbal queues, have a receptive attitude, committing a message to memory, and showing the proper behavioral response, we show a speaker we want to receive an intended message, are prepared to receive it, value it, and will respond appropriately.
Using the knowledge of our own perceptual filters and how to overcome them in everyday life through effective listening will help us in the working world too. In any organization, communication is important. Stepping into a new company or new position within a company prepared with good communication skills that are founded in good listening skills; we are prepared to handle the new jobs ahead of us. Communication skills deeply rooted in good, effective listening skills helps us in life, and prepares us for success in any organization.
References
DeRamus, Betty. (1990, March 29). What We See Is a Reflection of Who We Are. Detroit News,p. B1. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from ProQuest.
Helms, Marilyn M, & Haynes, Paula J. (1992). Are you really listening? The benefit of effective intra-organizational listening. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 7(6), 17. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from ProQuest.
It's perception management!: Brand is a function of the mind. It is perceptions which shape its personality and evolution over time so brand management is, in essence, management of perceptions. (2003, April). Businessline,1. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from ProQuest.
People's perceptual filters shape view of world. (2008, August 28). Peninsula News Review,9. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from ProQuest.
Shockley-Zalabak, P. (2009). Fundamentals of organizational communication: knowledge, sensitivity, skills, values. Illinois: Pearson
Overcoming Our Perceptual Filters
Introduction
An individual’s view of the world and the people in it is a unique perspective specific to that individual. This suggests that “the reason people react differently to the same situations is that each person comes from a different background and views the situation in terms of his own experiences” (DeRamus, B. 1990). This can cause complications in a lot of situations, especially when attempting to communicate. We can say something with an intended meaning but the listener perceives a completely different message then the one we wished to convey.
One way to over come this barrier to communication is through the use of effective listening. “Listening refers to a complex set of interrelated activities including: apparent attentiveness, non-verbal and verbal behavior, attitudes, memory, and behavioral responses” (Helms, M., Haynes, P. 1992). Effective listening is more then staying silent as another speaks, it is actively pursuing to understand what the speakers intended message is. In this essay, I will describe perceptual filters, and how we can use effective listening to overcome this barrier to communication.
Part 1: Perception and Perceptual Filters
Our individual perceptions lead us to come to conclusions on not only what people say, but on everything we see and hear. If we are in a crowd and that crowd witnesses a car accident in the street, we will all have a different opinion on who caused the accident and how it was caused. These distinctive opinions come from who we are as people, what we have experienced in our lives, how we were raised, our cultural backgrounds, gender, our moral and ethical beliefs, and in the case of the accident how we drive and perceive other drivers.
“Even though we detect our surroundings in the same way through eyes, ears, nose, skin, and tongue, our brains actively filter that incoming information so that it "makes sense" according to our individual values and beliefs” (“People's perceptual filters,” 2008). What this means is that if two or more people hear the same bit of information their brains will structure that message into something that makes sense to them. For example, when three people, a working man, a church leader, and a CEO of a health insurance company are told the pros and cons of a single payer system type of universal health care they filter this information to receive three very different messages. The working man might receive the message of no more medical bills, no more worrying about their family’s health care costs, higher taxes but no longer paying for health insurance, and even a possible future job helping to manage the government ran health care system. A church leader might hear tax dollars paying for “sinful” procedures such as abortions or gender reassignment surgery. An insurance company’s CEO would almost definitely hear loss of a job, the destruction of his company, his thousands of employees losing their jobs, the stockholders losing millions, and government meddling into the free market.
Our perceptions can also be manipulated. In advertising companies try to make us see their products or services as the highest quality available. The professionals in the field are called Brand Managers, and they tend to be very good at their jobs. “Brand managers are seeking out the help of those who understand the psychology of individuals and the psychology of the mass that constitutes contemporary society today” (“It’s Perception Management…,” 2003). What this means is that Brand Managers specialize in mass manipulation, specifically as it relates to the product or service they are attempting to sell. They want us to believe their product or service is the highest quality, has the lowest price, or even how a specific competitor’s product or service is inferior to theirs. They use soft, friendly, and positive language and imagery to sell you on their product or service. They use harsh or mocking language and imagery to attempt to make you think negatively of their competitors. For example, a popular paper towel commercial theme is to show how one paper towel can easily pick up a spill with the competitor’s product leaving some of the mess or even just pushing it around without soaking anything up. Trash bag commercials show their bag as strong and easy to carry, while showing the competitor’s bag tearing and awkward. This manipulation is made very evident in infomercials. These thirty minute or longer commercials like to show how inconvenient life is without their product by showing people attempting to do things without their products and failing miserably. They exaggerate how hard the simplest of tasks are without the use of their products to the point of ridiculousness. In some of these infomercials they are selling courses, and exaggerate how well you’ll do or how rich you’ll become by either hiring actors or obtaining testimonials from people who have done exceptionally well with their course. They never tell you the success rate of their students however, knowing that the successful student is rare.
Another popular form of perception manipulation in advertising is attempting to convince you that you are saving money by spending more. They use terms like “package” or “multi-policy discount.” What is done here is the company with package several of their products or services together, and then gives you a marginally discounted rate on the package as a whole. They want you to think you are saving money, but you are actually spending more, and typically on extra stuff you do not particularly need or desire. In fact, if you were to buy the same exact products or services from separate companies, buying what is cheapest, you are more likely to spend less money then you would on a company’s prepackaged deal.
As you can see, perception is a strong and influential part of how we view the world and how we receive information that is being communicated to us. It is influenced not only by our own ideas and beliefs, but can also be influenced by external sources. It is important to be able to overcome these influences and barriers to accurately understand the intended message someone is trying to send, as well as see the truth behind the external manipulation of our perception. One vital resource we have in this struggle is our listening skills. Through the use of effective listening, we can overcome these barriers.
Part 2: Effective Listening
When someone is talking to us, trying to share some kind of information they deem important enough to tell us, it is important that we listen to what they have to say. Our perceptual filters can hinder this, but also contributing to the lack of understanding are things like indifference to what the other person is saying and inattentiveness. Sometimes, in the heat of an argument, we even tune out what the other is saying, and are just waiting for our turn to speak instead of listening to them. Also, people do not always, and in fact rarely, say exactly what they mean. Combine all this with our perceptual filters and we can easily see why miscommunication is an all too common barrier to understanding.
The first key to understanding is effective listening. In an organization, “failure to listen can result in letters having to be retyped, orders returned, appointments rescheduled, timetables revised, and lost productivity and profits” (Helms, M., Haynes, P. 1992). In our personal lives, it can result in many things, such as arguments, being late for appointments, missing out on fun activities, and more. We must be able to effectively listen to the information being presented to us if we have any hope of understanding the intended message.
Effective listening is active listening. Active listening is more then eye contact and paying attention. It is participating in the transfer of information through verbal and nonverbal queues about the information. It is maintaining the proper receptive attitude. It is committing to memory what the speaker has presented. And it is responding with the proper behavior to show that you understood the intended message.
Active listening through the use of verbal and non-verbal queues is important because it does two things. First, it shows the speaker that you are actually listening to them. A nod of the head, an appropriately time smile or other facial expression, and even making sure your body language shows you are listening, such as not crossing your arms or looking away or at your watch. Second, it helps to make sure you understand what the speaker is trying to say. Verbal responses, such as questions or rephrasing what has been said as you understand it shows interest and that you are trying to understand. It also tells the speaker whether the intended message is received. For example, your boss tells you they want you to take care of an important client. By “take care of” the boss could be implying many different things, and it is up to you as the listener to make sure you know what he or she means. The boss could mean make sure they have a fun visit to your organization or make sure they get fed and are set up in a nice hotel. They could also mean to handle all of the client’s business needs they have with your organization, such as any questions they may have or orders they want to make.
A proper receptive attitude is just as important as asking questions and giving nonverbal signs you are listening. You cannot allow emotional states to influence how well you are listening. If you are maintaining eye contact and nodding, but allowing yourself to become angry with the speaker or a bad mood in general effect how much information you receive, you are not effectively listening. If your opinions differ from that of the speaker, you should not allow this to effect how well you listen either. As the listener you must be able to put aside these negative influences on how well you listen, so that you can receive the message, and give the verbal and nonverbal responses necessary to achieve understanding.
Even if you receive the message as it was intended, showed the proper verbal and nonverbal responses, and maintained a receptive attitude, if you fail to commit to memory what the speaker has said you have failed at your part in the transfer of information. Everyone remembers information differently, some use memory tricks, while others just have a good memory. What ever works for you as the listener, you must use to make sure you remember the message a speaker was trying to send. For example, if a neighbor asks you to walk his dog twice a week while he is on a business trip, and all the active and effective listening skills were used to identify what days, what times, where the leash is, and other details that pertain to this, if you agree to walk the dog but you forget to, or forget the time or day, or to give the dog water after the walk, you have failed in your part, and also jeopardized the friendship, or even the dog’s health.
Most messages we transfer to other people have an intended behavioral response we want from a listener. You ask someone what time it is, you intend for them to tell you the time. If you ask your child to clean their room, you intend for them to clean their room. Even if you are just telling a story about something funny that happened earlier in the day, you expect or intend the behavioral response to be the listener’s laughter. As the listener, you should be prepared to show a behavioral response to the information you have received and made sure you understood. For example, if your boss asks you to file some paperwork by a certain time, your behavioral response will be to file the paperwork. If a client mentions they are hungry and like a certain type of food, they are looking for you to take them to a restaurant that serves that kind of food, or at least want you to recommend one and provide directions.
Some of the effective listening skills discussed, we use and do without really thinking about it. The behavioral response is something we do not really have to think about doing, we naturally do it. Even the committing to memory of an intended message is usually something we do naturally, unless it is a lot of information that needs special attention to remember. However, verbal and nonverbal queues and maintaining a receptive attitude are things that require more effort on the listener’s part. It takes time and effort to simply get in the practice of doing them, and even more effort to do them and stay in the practice.
By effectively and actively listening, we do several things. We maintain the open lines of communication between us and a speaker. We show the speaker that we respect what they have to say. We overcome our perceptual filters to make sure we accurately understand what the speaker is intending to send. And we make sure that outside influences have little to no effect on how we perceive the truth behind a manipulative message.
Conclusion
Our perceptual filters that are created by our beliefs, values, cultural backgrounds, gender, and personal opinions, influence how we receive and interpret information. We use these filters to make sense of the informational stimuli we are constantly receiving from the world and the people around us. We witness an event from a perspective completely unique to ourselves, and would tell someone of that event different from the person standing next to us. We perceive what people say to us in a unique and personal way too. Two people receiving the same information interpret that information differently from one another, and have two different responses to that information.
Effective listening helps us overcome our perceptual filters when trying to receive a speaker’s intended message. It helps us understand when someone is trying to use our perceptual filters to manipulate us. By using verbal and nonverbal queues, have a receptive attitude, committing a message to memory, and showing the proper behavioral response, we show a speaker we want to receive an intended message, are prepared to receive it, value it, and will respond appropriately.
Using the knowledge of our own perceptual filters and how to overcome them in everyday life through effective listening will help us in the working world too. In any organization, communication is important. Stepping into a new company or new position within a company prepared with good communication skills that are founded in good listening skills; we are prepared to handle the new jobs ahead of us. Communication skills deeply rooted in good, effective listening skills helps us in life, and prepares us for success in any organization.
References
DeRamus, Betty. (1990, March 29). What We See Is a Reflection of Who We Are. Detroit News,p. B1. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from ProQuest.
Helms, Marilyn M, & Haynes, Paula J. (1992). Are you really listening? The benefit of effective intra-organizational listening. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 7(6), 17. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from ProQuest.
It's perception management!: Brand is a function of the mind. It is perceptions which shape its personality and evolution over time so brand management is, in essence, management of perceptions. (2003, April). Businessline,1. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from ProQuest.
People's perceptual filters shape view of world. (2008, August 28). Peninsula News Review,9. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from ProQuest.
Shockley-Zalabak, P. (2009). Fundamentals of organizational communication: knowledge, sensitivity, skills, values. Illinois: Pearson
Sunday, February 13, 2011
"Why can't we all be happy?" the answer...
Ok, so I am perusing facebook, looking at comments and posts left by friends. I come across a comment a friend left on someone else's post. I do not know this other person, the original poster so they are naturally not on my friends list. However, the post raised an interesting question that was followed with an interesting "debate."
The question was, "Why can't we all be happy, why, please tell me?" (Naturally I have corrected the grammar for this post).
What followed was evasive answers such as my friend's, "It's called life." Considering the question and exactly how valid it really is, I am compelled to try to give a more detailed, if not precise, answer.
My friend was right, it is the nature of life. What is left out of this simple but straight forward answer is explanation.
Human beings, as a species, are defined by two things; our successes and our failures. Success leads us forward beyond our current state. Failure teaches us that what we have tried is not the path to success. Two very different ideals that share one common factor that is the foundation of human existence.
We cannot always be happy because it is our struggles that are our foundation. Not only are our struggles the foundation of our lives, but they are the whole point of our existence. We exist to endeavor. Those who endeavor the most, over come more struggles, learn to endure. With this endurance, they take on more difficult endeavors. All of these endeavors, whether they end with success or not, serve us in some way or another. Failure teaches us the lessons we must learn in order to build the strength to endure. Success signals the end of one struggle, one endeavor, and the beginning of the next.
In the end, and my whole point to all of this is that we can find happiness. But in small doses, small successes. All of it surrounded by struggle, hardship, and the whole reason we seek happiness to begin with. In the end, seek to endeavor, endure, and examine and you will find happiness. Happiness is a consequence, not a goal. To seek happiness as a goal is to be forever looking, forever struggling.
The question was, "Why can't we all be happy, why, please tell me?" (Naturally I have corrected the grammar for this post).
What followed was evasive answers such as my friend's, "It's called life." Considering the question and exactly how valid it really is, I am compelled to try to give a more detailed, if not precise, answer.
My friend was right, it is the nature of life. What is left out of this simple but straight forward answer is explanation.
Human beings, as a species, are defined by two things; our successes and our failures. Success leads us forward beyond our current state. Failure teaches us that what we have tried is not the path to success. Two very different ideals that share one common factor that is the foundation of human existence.
We cannot always be happy because it is our struggles that are our foundation. Not only are our struggles the foundation of our lives, but they are the whole point of our existence. We exist to endeavor. Those who endeavor the most, over come more struggles, learn to endure. With this endurance, they take on more difficult endeavors. All of these endeavors, whether they end with success or not, serve us in some way or another. Failure teaches us the lessons we must learn in order to build the strength to endure. Success signals the end of one struggle, one endeavor, and the beginning of the next.
In the end, and my whole point to all of this is that we can find happiness. But in small doses, small successes. All of it surrounded by struggle, hardship, and the whole reason we seek happiness to begin with. In the end, seek to endeavor, endure, and examine and you will find happiness. Happiness is a consequence, not a goal. To seek happiness as a goal is to be forever looking, forever struggling.
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