Posted: February 7th, 2016

Explain how your culture shapes how you communicate with others, including those from different cultures.

Some students think that they do not have much of a cultural background because they were not born outside of the United States or because they do not speak another language. The truth is that everyone has a culture!

Prepare: As you prepare to write your discussion for this topic, take time to do the following:

• Read the writing prompt below in its entirety. Note that there are three tasks to complete:
  • Define culture and explain its importance in communication.
  • Describe your own culture.
  • Explain how your culture shapes how you communicate with others, including those from different cultures.
• Review Chapter 3 of your text and identify at least one point about culture and communication to discuss in your post.
• Develop a definition of culture and explain its importance in communication.
• Review the   grading rubric and note that 25% of your grade is based on your application of course material (Content/Subject Knowledge) and 25% is based on your ability to demonstrate you are thinking critically and presenting original ideas.

Reflect: Based on what you have learned in Chapter 3, think about key elements of your own culture and how it influences both the style and content of your communication. Think about how your culture shapes how you communicate with others, especially those who are from other cultures. Why is culture important in understanding effective communication? How can knowing about your own culture help you build bonds and/or bridge cultural divides?

Write: Based on what you have learned in class this week

• Define culture and explain why it is important to understanding communication.
• Explain how paying attention to culture can make you a better communicator.
• Describe your own culture and share with us what makes you who you are. Your culture can be related to your race, ethnicity, gender, age, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, media preferences, hobbies, religion, etc. Try not to focus on just one of these aspects of yourself, but instead utilize as many cultural elements as possible. Think about both style (how you speak) and content (what interests you).
• How does your culture affect your communication with those in your own culture and those from other cultures?

Thoroughly respond to the discussion elements by writing at least one to two sentences on your definition and then two to three sentences on each of the remaining two elements. Use the course readings, with full APA citations, at least once to help you make your points. Consider copying and pasting all three tasks into a word file and addressing each of them separately.

Your initial response should be 200 to 300 words in length and is due by Thursday, Day 3.

Discussion 2 ( Due 2/4/16 )

Gender and Communication

Bevan and Sole (2014) present theories that women and men communicate differently based growing up in “different cultures” or that they are similar based on the “gender similarities” hypothesis. For this discussion, you will be required to think through these ideas by relating these arguments to what you learn in a video you will watch on gender and communication and your own experience.

Prepare: As you prepare to write this discussion post, take a few moments to do the following:

• Read the writing prompt below in its entirety. Notice that there are three tasks:
  • Explain the “different cultures” and the “gender similarities” hypotheses.
  • Discuss whether or not, based on what you have learned in class and in your experience, women and men are socialized to speak differently and use different types of body language.
  • Consider the importance of gender in how we use language and how we communicate more generally.
• Watch at least the first 15 minutes of   Gender & Communication Male Female Differences in Language and Nonverbal Behavior.
• You have the option of using one of the supplemental readings, listed below.
• Review the   grading rubric and remember that 25% of your grade is based on your application of course material (Content/Subject Knowledge) and 25% is based on your ability to demonstrate you are thinking critically and presenting original ideas.

Supplemental Reading Options

• Cameron, D. (2007, October 1). Do men and women speak the same language?The Guardian. Retrieved fromhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/oct/01/gender.books

• Rogers, T. (2011, October 16). Why do men and women talk differently? A new book argues that guys argue and girls overshare for a reason: Evolution. The author explains. Retrieved fromhttp://www.salon.com/2011/10/16/why_do_men_and_women_talk_differently/

Reflect: Take time to reflect on the role of language in communication. Consider whether or not women and men communicate differently and whether language itself is embedded with ideas about gender.

Write: Based on what you have learned this week from our text and the video, answer the following questions:

• What are the gender similarities and gender differences hypotheses?
• How does gender influence how we communicate verbally and nonverbally?
• In your own experience, do men and women communicate differently? If so, how and why?
• Why is it important to think about gender when thinking about communication?

Please spend at least two sentences on each of the questions.

Note: While we want you to think through your own experience, this should not be the primary basis of your response. You should use your experience to think through what you have learned in class. Think of your experience as potential evidence you can use to support or refute some claims made in the book or video.

Thoroughly address all three elements of this prompt by writing at least two to three sentences on each element. Use the course readings at least once to help you make your points. Consider copying and pasting these tasks into a word file and addressing each of them separately. Your answers should begin with some points about the importance of understanding nonverbal communication generally and then provide examples.