COM 450 Module 1 Assignment 1: Introduction to Classmates and This Course

Begin this assignment by introducing yourself to your classmates—giving your name, current occupation, and areas of interest that might be covered by this course.

If you would like, post a picture of yourself, your family or significant other, a pet, or your favorite place to visit.

Write your responses in one to two paragraphs.

COM 450 Module 1Assignment 2: Personal Effectiveness in Communication

In this assignment, you will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your communication based on your personal perceptions and the perceptions others have of you. Personal effectiveness begins with you and also includes views others may have of you as an individual. You will go beyond your personal viewpoint and seek feedback from others in order to achieve a more accurate understanding of self.

To prepare for this discussion, research effective communication using your textbook readings and the Argosy University online library resources. Reflect on your personal effectiveness as a communicator, and then interview two to four people to find out how others perceive your communication. Be ready for a discussion based on the following questions.

• Define what you consider to be your strengths as a communicator. Consider talking, listening, empathy, and so on.
• Discuss what you consider to be some important areas for improvement in your communication.
• Explain how different your personal perceptions of your strengths and weaknesses are compared to the perceptions others have of you.
• Distinguish what changes, if any, you would like to make in your communication style.
• How effective do you think you are when communicating with those of a different gender? Different culture?
• Formulate a plan as to how to improve your communication abilities and effectiveness with people different than yourself.

COM 450 Module 1Assignment 3: Perspectives on Gender Identity

This assignment challenges you to examine theoretical perspectives about gender identity and compare them to your own gender identity development. You will use your personal experiences to answer questions about identity and explore any related conflicts or affirmations as to whether you agree or disagree with the accuracy of the theory you picked.

Using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet, research theories of gender development (such as Social Learning Theory, Cognitive Development Theory, Gender Schema Theory, Gilligan's Gender Identity Theory, and Gender Transcendence) and current perspectives on the role of nature and nurture in gender identity development that might help explain your own gender identity development. Answer the following questions.

• Describe the gender theory that you picked.
• Analyze the accuracy of the interpretation of the theory and how it relates to you—do you fit the mold?
• Explain how gender identity may have changed in the past 2–3 generations (i.e., your parents and grandparents) with changing dynamics in family (divorce, single parents, women in the workforce, Title IX, etc.).
• Reflect on how your gender identity impacts the way you communicate with those of the same gender, different gender, etc.

Include a reference page in APA format of your research resources.

Write a 2- to 3-page essay in Word format. Apply APA standards for writing style to your work. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M1_A3.doc. For example, if your name is John Smith, your document will be named SmithJ_M1_A3.doc.

COM 450 Module 2 Assignment 1: Listening Styles

We are told men and women have different listening styles. Reflect on your own perspective and understanding about how you listen and communicate in all aspects of life. Use the following questions to guide your thoughts:

What are the different types of listening styles, and what style do you most closely identify with?

• Explain what your listening style is and what you have observed about how you listen.
• To what degree do you think your gender influences how well you listen?
• Evaluate what other factors you think influence your listening ability. Use the theories and research you learned this module to support your conclusion and personal examples.

Post your responses in one or two paragraphs.

COM 450 Module 2Assignment 2: Nonverbal Communication and Culture

Using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet, research the differences in culture and nonverbal communication. Every culture has a different understanding of what is appropriate nonverbal communication. In the United States, eye contact is a sign of attention or respect. In other cultures, eye contact is seen as rude and disrespectful. In this assignment, you will compare and contrast how a different culture you interact with in your daily life may interpret nonverbal communication differently than what is "culturally acceptable" in the United States. Make sure to take into account nonverbal gestures such as appearance, tone, space, eye contact, gestures, etc.

Based on your research and your personal experience, answer the following questions:

• Explain why you picked the different culture that you are researching. How do you interact with that culture on a regular basis?
• Compare and contrast the different cultures. Describe the similarities and differences in the way they both nonverbally communicate.
• As the world becomes more global and cultures intersect, describe and analyze at least two ways you can use your findings in your daily life to help you be a more culturally competent communicator.

Write a 2- to 3-page paper in Word format (not counting title and reference pages). Apply APA standards for writing style to your work. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M2_A2.doc.

COM 450 Module 3 Assignment 1: Self-Disclosure in Relationships

In this assignment, you examine the concept and role of self-disclosure in same-sex friendship and opposite-sex friendship. Researchers maintain that self-disclosure is the most important way to establish a close relationship with another person.

Prepare for this discussion by researching self-disclosure in friendships using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet.

Think about a friendship you have with a friend of the same sex and a friendship you have with a friend of the opposite sex. Compare the levels of self-disclosure in these two types of friendships.

Respond to the following:

• Analyze the level of self-disclosure in the same-sex friendship in relation to the level in the opposite-sex friendship.
• Compare and contrast the differences between the two. Provide support to justify your response, referring to examples, theories, and research from your text and other readings.
• Propose what methods you can use to establish a common thread of mutual trust and respect that binds the friendship, regardless of differences in gender.

Post your responses in one or two paragraphs.

COM 450 Module 3Assignment 2: LASA 1: Gender Perception in Nonverbal Communication

In this assignment, you will explore the role of nonverbal communication in interactions between genders.

Using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet, research the differences in nonverbal communication between genders.

Once you have an understanding, observe a small group of people, which can be comprised of friends, family, or a group of strangers. The small group should have three to six people and be composed of both male and female members. Observe the group for 15–30 minutes, looking for the types of interactions taking place and how each person uses nonverbal communication to make oneself understood. Pay special attention to nonverbal signals and gestures (body language, facial expressions, eye contact, hand gestures, space, tone, appearance, etc.).

** Understand when doing your observations that you must protect the privacy of the people you observe. Anything you discover as part of your observation that does not relate directly to the objective of the assignment needs to be kept confidential. There are three different roles that you, as the observer, may have as defined below (Patton, 1986). In your paper, please discuss the type of observation you did and what you learned from that aspect.

• Full participant observation: You took part in the conversation and were part of the "observation."
• Partial observation: You were sometimes part of the conversation, but mostly stayed on the outer edge of it.
• Onlooker: You were an outsider and simply observed another group's interactions. (this is recommended for the assignment)

Note the number of people in the group and briefly describe the interactions that you observed (who is doing most of the talking, number of people involved, the way members are seated, clothes, and the topic of conversation, if you know it, etc.). Create a matrix to present your observations (an example of a completed matrix is shown below—you will create your own to fit your specific observations).

Based on your observations on how nonverbal cues are regulating the flow of conversation, write an analysis including answers to the following questions. Be sure to use terms and concepts from the textbook, research, and module readings.

• What do you think is the topic of conversation? Describe the topic of conversation.
• Assess how each member’s body posture and movements convey his or her status and attitude.
• Deduce which nonverbal signals are responsible for showing emotion and feeling.  Examine how these nonverbal signals help to explain what is going on.
• Differentiate between the gestures used by males vs. females—conclude if there is a noticeable difference.
• Compare what the research says in relation to what you observed.
• Identify any inconsistencies in the person’s nonverbal communication with what he or she was talking about (ex: shaking head “yes” and saying “no”).
• Examine what type of observation you did in reference to this assignment (types are listed above).
• What did you find most challenging about interpreting nonverbal behaviors in this setting?
• How does this assignment help you to better understand nonverbal communication and gender?

COM 450 Module 4 Assignment 1: Family Communication

To prepare for this discussion, reread “Becoming a woman, becoming a man, and becoming a person” in your textbook.Your book talks about "the family as a primary socializing agent" (Ivy, 2008, p. 78). Using the Argosy University online library resources, the Internet, and your own unique family perspective, prepare a response related to the following questions:

• Distinguish how gender may have influenced the communication within your family. How about birth order (youngest, middle, oldest, only)? Other factors?
• Analyze what worked well and what did not work well as far as communication went within your family (listening, conflict resolution, pattern of communication, etc.).

Post your responses in one or two paragraphs.

COM 450 Module 4Assignment 2: Effective Managers and Leaders—Gender and Cultural Diversity

In this assignment, you will examine men and women as managers and leaders. All of us have experienced either being managed by a man or a woman, some of us by both. Using the Argosy University online library, the Internet, and your personal experience, respond to the following questions:

• Analyze what you consider to be the four characteristics of an effective manager or leader in the workplace. Consider characteristics such as honesty, integrity, or people skills. Should managers and leaders perform the same task?

• Compare and contrast the difference between a male and female manager and/or leader.

• Using the four characteristics you chose, evaluate how one gender may possess the four characteristics to a greater or lesser degree. Based on this evaluation, does gender impact whether or not an individual is a good manager or leader? Explain why, and provide support for your conclusions.

• Using the four characteristics you chose, evaluate how culture might impact an individual's leadership abilities. Based on this evaluation, does culture impact whether or not an individual is a good manager or leader? Explain why, and provide support for your conclusions.

Write a 3–4-page paper in Word format (not counting title and references pages), citing examples using APA rules for attributing sources.

COM 450 Module 5 Assignment 2: Discussion—Power Styles

Women and men use power in different ways. Research power styles and the impact of gender on power in relationships using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet. Examine your personal power style and how you use your power in different communication contexts.

Reflect on your relationships in one of the following areas:

• Personal
• Family
• Work

Answer the following:

• Explain the power style you use when looking at your personal, family, and work life.
• Analyze how you use these power styles in each relationship.
• Reflect on how your gender or the gender of those with whom you are interacting impacts your use and level of power.

COM 450 Modul5Assignment 1: LASA 2: Presentation—Bridging the Cultural Gap

In this assignment, you will research and develop a presentation about the culture of a particular ethnic group different from your own (for example, Asian, Euro-American, Scandinavian, African American, Latin American, or Anglo-Saxon) as related to communication. This will help you increase your awareness of your own perspectives and the limitations of your perspectives. You will gain a better understanding of the link between culture and gender and how both impact communication.

Using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet, research the culture you have chosen. Prepare a presentation with detailed speaker's notes and use scholarly resources for support. Use the speaker's notes area for explanatory comments and citation of sources.

In your presentation, include the following sections:

• Introduction to the culture
• Background information (history, government, cultural traditions [practices], health care practices, values, beliefs, etc.)
• An overview of gender roles in the selected culture
• Observations and analysis of the culture that distinguish the culture as unique
• A discussion of how what you have learned about the culture you researched has impacted your general view about communicating with others different from yourself
• A comparison of the culture you researched and your own cultural traditions, values, and beliefs
• Conclusions and recommendations of how to "bridge the communication gap" between the culture you researched and your own
• References

 

Develop a 10 to 15-slide presentation in PowerPoint format. Apply APA standards for writing style to your work. Be sure to cite your sources using APA standards and include a separate slide(s) with a complete reference list of any resources used in your research.