CONSTRUCTIVISM

Of Jesse Delia

Core Ideas
Persons make sense of the world through systems of personal constructs Constructs are templates we use to order our reality, made up of the contrasting features (categories of personality and action) we use to define the character of another person Crocketts Role Category Questionnaire (RCQ) samples personal constructs

Cognitive complexity
RCQ measures differentiation the number of separate personality constructs used to portray a person RCQ scores are independent of empathy, IQ, writing skills, extroversion. How about loquacity? Cognitive complexity enhances communication

Person-Centered Communication
Cognitive complexity is a necessary but not sufficient condition for personcentered communication (PCC) PCC: awareness of, adaptation to subjective, affective and relational aspects of the communication context. PCC speaker anticipates how others might respond to message and adjusts PCC: rhetorical sensitivity, taking role of the other, identification, self-monitoring, audience awareness and listener adaptation, handling multiple goals

Message Design Logics (MDLs): explain why PCC works best

MDLs explain link between cognitive complexity and PCC They are implicit theories people have about the way in which messages can be shaped as means to ends Expressive MDL: language skill to express what one thinks and feels; Conventional MDL: tailoring messages to main goal, using socially conventional means, appropriate to the particular situation; Rhetorical MDL: negotiating social self and situation, redefining situation, achieving multiple goals, defusing conflict in present and in future

Advantages of Rhetorical MDL

Comforting messages - ease emotional stress Relational maintenance - esp. among people of similar PCC skill Organizational effectiveness

Critique
Sophisticated communication is more comforting than clumsy But similarity of communication skill may be important for durable relationships Skills of sophisticated communication may be transmitted from parent to child, and may enhance socio-economic privileges Too much reliance on one tool (RCQ) Theory needs to take more account of intercultural dimensions

Some questions
Should physical characteristics and demographic labels be excluded in RCQ? HOW do people determine who they should write about for RCSs? Do RCQs differ according to whether person is liked or disliked, or to intensity of like or dislike?

Do social environments affect how people might respond to RCQs?

Do MDLs change according to culture, task and situation?

Should PCC be tested for admission to university, jobs, etc.?

Does cognitive complexity cause sophisticated communication or are both these things caused by some third factor?