Speakers: The transcript does not name the speaker.
Duration: 00:04:51
Introduction
This video lecture explains the theory of Constructivism in communication. It focuses on the key communication processes—social perception and message production—that shape functional communication competence.
Key Takeaways
Functional Competence: Effective communication involves both message production and reception, and achieving goals through message interpretation is called functional competence. Constructivism primarily focuses on this competence.
Social Perception: This is the process of understanding the social world, including people and relationships. It involves spontaneously asking questions about others to understand their characteristics, intentions, and motivations. Our communication behaviors are based on these perceptions.
Constructivism and Social Perception Skills: Constructivism highlights that social perception is a skill where individuals differ. Some individuals form richer, more organized impressions of others than others. The example of Beth and Brian illustrates this difference in skill levels.
Personal Constructs: Constructivism utilizes George Kelly's theory of personal constructs. These are cognitive templates (also called interpersonal constructs) we use to categorize people and events based on similarities and differences (e.g., tall vs. short, smart vs. dumb), bringing order to perceptions.
