Title: 2.4 Improving Perception – Communication in the Real World
Headings: 2.4 Improving Perception
2.4 Improving Perception
Learning Objectives
Improving Self-Perception
Avoid Reliance on Rigid Schema
Be Critical of Socializing Forces
Beware of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
Create and Maintain Supporting Interpersonal Relationships
Beware of Distorted Patterns of Thinking and Acting
Overcoming Barriers to Perceiving Others
Develop Empathetic Listening Skills
Beware of Stereotypes and Prejudice
Engage in Self-Reflection
Checking Perception
“Getting Competent”
Key Takeaways
Exercises
References

Content: Our self-perception can be improved by becoming aware of how schema, socializing forces, self-fulfilling prophecies, and negative patterns of thinking can distort our ability to describe and evaluate ourselves. How we perceive others can be improved by developing better listening and empathetic skills, becoming aware of stereotypes and prejudice, developing self-awareness through self-reflection, and engaging in perception checking. Improving Self-Perception
Our self-perceptions can and do change. Recall that we have an overall self-concept and self-esteem that are relatively stable, and we also have context-specific self-perceptions. Context-specific self-perceptions vary depending on the person with whom we are interacting, our emotional state, and the subject matter being discussed. Becoming aware of the process of self-perception and the various components of our self-concept (which you have already started to do by studying this chapter) will help you understand and improve your self-perceptions. Since self-concept and self-esteem are so subjective and personal, it would be inaccurate to say that someone’s self-concept is “right” or “wrong.” Instead, we can identify negative and positive aspects of self-perceptions as well as discuss common barriers to forming accurate and positive self-perceptions. We can also identify common patterns that people experience that interfere with their ability to monitor, understand, and change their self-perceptions. Changing your overall self-concept or self-esteem is not an easy task given that these are overall reflections on who we are and how we judge ourselves that are constructed over many interactions.