FOUNDATIONS

OF COMMUNICATION
(PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF ICB)

Lecture 2
Faculty: Rachana Negi Rana
1 Course : Communication & Interpersonal Skills
Course no. GEM202
 INTERPERSONAL ORIENTATION

FUNDAMENTAL INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS

ORIENTATION-BEHAVIOR(FIRO-B)

It
 is a theory of interpersonal relations, introduced by William
Schutz in 1958.

“FIRO-B
 Instrument: A Three-dimensional Theory of Interpersonal
Behavior” (1958)

The
 theory believes that when people get together in a group, there
are three main interpersonal needs they are looking to obtain –
affection/openness, control and inclusion. 2
FUNDAMENTAL INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS ORIENTATION-BEHAVIOR

 The FIRO-B-A self-analysis, self-report assessment of

interpersonal behavior in groups

 Schutz developed a measuring instrument that contains six scales

of nine-item questions, and this became version B (for
"Behavior").

 It measures inclusion, control, and affection/ openness or to be able

to get feedback from people in a group.

 It can help improve workplace interactions. 3

THE FIRO-B
 FIRO-B assessment provides understanding of behaviour in areas
such as:

 How they come across to others – and why this may not be the
way they see themselves

 How and why conflict develops between well-meaning people

 How to understand their own needs as they interact with others

 How to manage their own needs in most interpersonal
interactions 4
 FIRO-B

 INCLUSION- “In or Out”

 Inclusions is about them in relation to groups – small or large. i.e
attention, contact, and recognition they want from others
 CONTROL- “Top or Bottom”

 It about influence and responsibility an individual want and how

much they want others to lead and influence them.
 AFFECTION- “OPEN OR CLOSED”

 This indicates how close and warm someone is with others and
how close and warm they want others to be with them.

5
FIRO-B

 INCLUSION: degree to which a person associates with others

(moving toward or moving away)

 CONTROL: degree to which a person assumes responsibility,

makes decisions, or attempts to dominate others

 AFFECTION: degree to which a person becomes intensely/closely

involved with others (intimacy in a non-physical, non-sexual
sense); open, sharing, trusting, self-disclosing behavior with
others; closeness
6
FIRO-B

 Behaviour along the 3 dimensions has 2 components

E = Expressed What you do with regard to others; usually
observable behaviour

W = Wanted What you expect others to do in relation to you;

usually not directly observable by others

Expressed and Wanted aspects of behaviour are independent of

one another but their interaction has profound impact on
interpersonal and group relations
7
THE 3 INTERPERSONAL DIMENSIONS

 Inclusion: Social Interaction

Expressed: Do I “move toward” others socially?
Wanted: Do I want others to “move toward” me socially?

 Control: Decision Making and the Need to be in Control

Expressed: Do I like being the person in control when people
are making decisions?
Wanted: Do I want others to be in control when people are
making decisions?

 Affection: Openness and Emotional Closeness

Expressed: Do I initiate openness and closeness with others 8

Wanted: Do I want others to be open and close to me?

FIRO-B INSTRUMENT SCORING

 0 - 2 = I do this or respond this way occasionally and

selectively.

 3 - 6 = I am flexible in this behavior but can use the

entire range, depending upon the situation.

 7 - 9 = I do this or respond this way very frequently

and with almost everyone.

9
STRUCTURE OF FIRO-B INSTRUMENT

Inclusion Control Affection

Expressed eI eC eA
toward I join other people I take charge and I I get close and
and I include others. influence people. (0 personal with
Others (0 to 9) to 9) people. (0 to 9)

Wanted wI wC wA
from Others I want other people I want others to I want people to
to include me. (0 to control me or give get close and
9) me directions. personal with
(0 to 9) me. (0 to 9)
10
EXPRESSED INCLUSION: EI

 HIGH • Initiates contact • Shows interest in others • Likes to

socialize • Group-oriented • Communicative • Outgoing

 LOW • Appears reserved • Seems restrained • Fact-oriented •

Doesn’t like to chit-chat

E.G. Involving others in projects and meetings

Recognizing the accomplishments of other

11
WANTED INCLUSION : WI

 HIGH • Fears being ignored or left out • Likes to be included •

Is easily slighted • Wants attention • Concern for recognition •
Desires status

 LOW • Seems self-sufficient • Appears self-reliant • Likes to be

alone • Doesn’t care to socialize

E.G. Seeking recognition or responsibility .

Getting involved in high-profile projects and activities
12
EXPRESSES CONTROL: EC

 HIGH • Likes to direct people • Makes decisions readily •

Organizes self and others • Seems confident • Wants challenges

 LOW • Not power-oriented • Non-directive • Prefers not to

supervise • others • Wants others to make their own decisions

 E.g. Managing the conversation

Influencing others’ opinions
Establishing structured tasks, procedures, policie
13
 WANTED CONTROL: WC

 HIGH • Wants direction or guidance • Concerned about rules •

Supports others • Cooperative • Methodical and orderly • Wants
structure

 LOW • Appears independent • Works with, not for others •

Follows through on decisions • Rejects structure wC

o E.g. Asking for help on the job

Involving others in decision making
Requesting precise instructions and clarification 14
 EXPRESSED AFFECTION:EA

 HIGH • Open and trusting • Warm and friendly • Expresses

feelings • Gives acknowledgment • Shows support • Shows
encouragement

 LOW • Appears unfeeling • Seems calm and aloof • Appears

objective and formal • Appears unemotional

E.g. Sharing personal opinions or private feelings about issues

Coaching and developing others
15
WANTED AFFECTION: WA

 HIGH • Wants to be liked • Wants others’ trust • Concern for

approval • Responds well to praise • Easily hurt • Takes criticism
hard

 LOW • Appears guarded • Not easy to know • Can be direct and

blunt • Seems invulnerable • Appears cool and rational

 E.g. Sharing feelings of anxiety, sadness, loneliness Trying to

please others
Giving others more than they want or need
16
 BEHAVIOUR ALONG THE 3 DIMENSIONS HAS 2
COMPONENTS

 Inclusion: What is my orientation concerning social interaction?

 Control: What is my orientation concerning decision making and
the need to be in control?
 Affection: What is my orientation concerning openness with others
—emotional and/or relational intimacy?
 Expressed: What do I offer you in terms of Inclusion, Control, and
Affection?
 Wanted: What do I want you to offer me in terms of Inclusion,
Control, and Affection?
17
 Inclusion Control Affection

Expressed Low: Hesitant to Low: Resists making Low: Very hesitant to

initiate in unfamiliar decisions for others show openness and/or
Scores social situations Medium: Usually doesn’t warmth
0-2 Low Medium: Comfortable mind making decisions Medium: Sometimes
3-6 in most social for self and others enjoys showing openness
Medium 7- situations High: Often pushes to and warmth
9 High High: Outgoing and make decisions for self High: Almost always
enjoys social situations and others displays openness and
warmth

Wanted Low: Hesitant to Low: Resists and/or Low: Typically avoids

respond easily to an resents others deciding others being open and
Scores approach in a social things for them warm with them
0-2 Low situation Medium: Mixed feelings Medium: Some mixed
3-6 Medium: Usually about people trying to feelings about people
Medium 7- comfortable with being influence their decisions being open and warm
9 High approached in a social High: Prefers others with them
situation making decisions which High: Almost always
High: Really enjoys influence them wants others to show
being approached in a openness and warmth18
social situation Scores
 FIRO-B- USES

 Team Building –integrated in team-building initiatives and

communication workshops to focus on the fundamental awareness
that different people have different needs
 Leadership Development –unlock improvement in performance
by better meeting the needs of peers
 Individual Development – provides critical insights into how an
individual’s need for inclusion, control and affection.

19
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
 It is the capability of individuals to recognize their
own emotions and those of others.

 Discern between different feelings and label them appropriately

 Use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour, and

manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt to environments or
achieve one's goal’s

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 EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
 The term "emotional intelligence" seems first to have appeared in a
1964 paper by Michael Beldoch.

 Emotional Intelligence the term became widely known with the

publication of Daniel Goleman's book: Emotional Intelligence –
Why it can matter more than IQ (1995).

21
THREE MAIN MODELS OF EI:

 Ability model-Salovey and Mayer's conception of EI strives to

define EI within the confines of the standard criteria for a new
intelligence.

 Mixed model -The model introduced by Daniel Goleman focuses

on EI as a wide array of competencies and skills that drive
leadership performance

 Trait model- K. V. Petrides proposed a conceptual distinction

between the ability based model and a trait based model of EI and
has been developing the latter over many years in numerous
publication 22
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS POSITIVELY
CORRELATED
 Better social relations for children.

 Better social relations for adults.

 Highly emotionally intelligent individuals are perceived

more positively by others –pleasant, socially skilled and
empathic to be around.

 Better family and intimate relationships – High EI is

correlated with better relationships with the family and23
intimate partners on many aspects.
 EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS POSITIVELY
CORRELATED
 Better academic achievement – Emotional intelligence is
correlated with greater achievement in academics (but generally
not higher grades once the factor of IQ is taken into account)

 Better social relations during work performance and in

negotiations – Higher emotional intelligence is correlated with
better social dynamics at work as well as better negotiating ability.

24
 EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS
POSITIVELY CORRELATED
 Better psychological well-being - Emotional intelligence
is positively correlated with higher life satisfaction, self-
esteem and lower levels of insecurity or depression.

 Allows for self-compassion - have a better understanding

of themselves and to make conscious decisions based on
emotion and rationale combined. Overall, it leads a
person to self actualization.

25
TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

 Eric Berne is credited to the movement for psychotherapy, which

he started in 1950s.

 It is based on basic psychological facts like perception, learning,

motivation and personality of the individuals interacting with each
other.

 Mutually cooperative where complementary transactions

-Mutual trust, respect for each other’s view point and ideas,
concern for each other’s needs and when both have a
complementary ego state. 26
TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

 Conflicting Behaviour - Reasons for such behaviour can be

attributed to personality differences, different value system, and
conflict of interest and last but not the least role ambiguity between
the two individuals.

 Dyadic relationship -Transactional analysis offers a mode of

expression of personality and dynamics of self and its relationship
with others

27
 TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

 Study of awareness

 Ego State

 Analysis of transactions

 Life Script

 Study of life positions

 Stroking 28
STUDY OF AWARENESS -JOHARI
WINDOW
 Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham have developed a model to
look at one’s personality

Information Information not known

known to self to self

Information known to 1 2
others Open Self Blind Self
(Public Area) (Blind Area)

Information not known 3 4

to others Hidden Self Unknown Self
(Private Area) (Dark Area)
29
OPEN SELF: JOHARI WINDOW

 Open Self: Open Self is known as Public area.

 Information about self is known to oneself and also to others.

 The information relates to feelings, motivation and behaviour of
an individual.
 The individual behaves in a straight forward manner and is
sharing.
 In an organizational setting, because of the openness of the
individual the chances of conflict are reduced to minimum.

30
 BLIND SELF : JOHARI WINDOW

 Blind Self: information is not known to self but known to others, who
interact with you, know more about you.
 This is known as blind area.

 It is important that an individual should reduce blind area to the

minimum by interacting with people more intimately and by asking
questions about self.
 For example perceive the individual as a hard taskmaster and dislike him
because of this. This is blind area that a person is blind to the fact that he
interacts with others in the professional manner.
 This situation is likely to create an unpleasant atmosphere in the
organization.
 Individual therefore should reduce blind area and increase public area.
31
This will reduce conflict situations to a great extent in interpersonal
behaviour.
HIDDEN SELF: JOHARI WINDOW

 Hidden Self: Self knows information but others do not know it.

 There are certain aspects, which are private. Individual therefore

does not want to share it with subordinates and wants to keep
hidden.

 The area is also called Private Area.

32
 UNKNOWN SELF: JOHARI WINDOW

 Unknown Self: This area is characterized by facts unknown to the

self and to others.

 There is nothing much that can be done about it.

 It should be an endeavor to improve upon one self by obtaining

feed back from others about self.

 There are certain factors to improve Interpersonal relations. (Public

Area). 33
 PRINCIPLES OF CHANGES IN AWARENESS

 If No 1 quadrant is smaller it is indicative of the poor

communication.
 There is universal curiosity about the unknown area due to customs,
social training and diverse fears.
 Sensitivity means appreciating the covert aspect of behaviours in
quadrant numbers 2, 3 and 4, and desire of others to keep them so.
 Learning about group processes help to increase awareness. It will
increase quadrant number 1 for both group and individuals.
 Value system of a group and its members may be observed in the way
the group deals with unknown in the life of group itself.

34
DEVELOPMENT OF INTER-PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP
 Develop Positive Attitude, Empathy, Communication:
 It should be an endeavour of every manager to look at the
individuals, situations from positive point of view and remove
distortion if any in a particular situation.
 Personal bias is dangerous and acts as bloc in improving
relationship.
 Reduce blind area and convert it in to public area.

 This will bring an excellent work environment in the organization

35
 PERCEPTION ERRORS:
 Stereotyping: In social psychology of an over-generalized belief
about a particular category of people.

 Halo effect( halo error): is a perception distortion (or cognitive

bias) that affects the way people interpret the information about
someone that they have formed a positive impressions of others)

 Selective perception: is the tendency not to notice and more

quickly forget stimuli that cause emotional discomfort and
contradict our prior beliefs.

36
 PERCEPTION ERRORS
 Attribution errors: It means that when others screw up, we
blame it on them, but when we screw up, we blame the situation
and circumstances. 

 Distortion : It is something that has been presented in a way

that makes it look different from the truth or normal.

37
EGO STATE
 EGO STATES: consistent patterns of behaviors,
feelings and thoughts

Main types
 Parent ego state – life as it is taught
 Adult ego state – life as is thought
 Child ego states – life as it is felt

38
EGO STATE

I. Parent ego state (P: CP and NP)

 Criticalparent (bossing, criticizing, punishing, controlling)
 Nurturing parent (caring, encouraging, protecting):

II. Adult ego state (A)

Thinking, reasoning, asking, estimating, learning

III. Child ego states (C: NC, AC and RC)

 Naturalchild (feeling, playing, wanting, boasting)
 Adapted child (manipulating, pleasing, withdrawing)
39
 Rebel child (rejecting, rebelling)
EGO STATE- TRANSACTION

 One of the barriers of communication is crossed transaction.

 TA is a technique for examining the nature of interpersonal

communication between the two individuals and to analyse its
effectiveness.

 Every piece of conversation is treated as a transaction.

40
EGO STATE- TRANSACTION

 Parent ego state (P) is authoritarian, the adult ego state (A) is
rational and logical in approach and lastly the child ego state (C) is
impulsive.

• Every person transacts from all the three ego states but each one of
us has one ego state as dominant.

• Complementary transaction- is effective when stimulus and

response is from the same ego state.
• Non Complimentary or Crossed transactions - create conflict
41
and problems for interpersonal behaviour.
 ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION

 Adult – Adult Transaction: The stimulus and response are based on

logical thinking and rationale.
 This type of communication is considered most ideal in any
organization.
 There is least chance of conflict among the workers.

 Manager(S) A A
Employee(R)
42
ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION
 Adult – Parent Transaction: Manager speaks from adult ego state
which is rational and backed by rules and regulations while the
employees speak from the parent ego state which is authorization.

 Is not likely to smooth in the long run. Parent ego state (workers)
will try to control and dominate the manager. The employees may
develop hostile attitude towards the boss
Employee(R)

 Manager
(S) P

43
A
ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION
 Adult – Child Transactions: Is effective if child ego is of little
professor category where employees can work with certain
amount of creativity.
 Manager in this type of situation has to keep guiding and
tolerating childlike behaviour of employees.
 I can be not productive for the organization.

Manager(S)
A Employee(R)
C

44
ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION
 Parent – Parents transactions: It is characterized by admonitions,
rewards, and work by rule, praise and punishment.
 If both i.e., the manager and employees have the above
characteristics of ego state, the stimuli and response will be
dominating from either side.
 Manager will have to take up a nurturing parent attitude for
transaction to productive .

Manager(S) Employee(R)
P P
45
ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION
 Parent – Adult ego state: The boss is transacting from
parent ego while he subordinate is responding from adult
ego state.
 Such type of relationship may not last long. Employees
rational and logical thinking will be marred by parent
ego state.
 This may diminish good working relationship of the two
parties.
 One will have to switch over to the corresponding ego
state. P
Manager(S) 46

Employee(R)
A
ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION
 Parent – Child ego state: This transaction is workable in the
organization where the manager will get the work done from
subordinates by advising, guiding, and by assigning rewards for
good work and punishment for non-performance.
 The subordinates (Child ego) will listen to manager and look
forward for advice, guidance, and assistance at each stage of
production cycle.
 Manager may get frustration because he may develop the feeling that
he is controlling an inefficient work force.
Manager(S)
P

Employee(R)
C 47
ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION
 Child – Parent ego state :This is not a very effective style
of communication whose manager has a child ego state
and employee’s parent ego state.
 In such situation employees would control the manager.

 The latter would always perceive employees as threat and

look forward for their advice from time to time.
 Instances of manager being ridiculed and talked about
loosely by subordinates will be a common phenomenon.
Employee(R)
P

Manager(S) 48
C
ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION
 Child – Adult ego state Transactions: When manager acts
from child ego, there will be poor decisions based on
whims and fancies and emotions.
 This will pose a problem for employees who want to
work rationally.
 Unless the ego state of the manager is changed, this is
going to be problem in the organization.
Employee(R)

P
C Manager(S)

49
 ANALYSIS OF TRANSACTION
 Child – Child ego state: This organization even can be
called as leaderless.
 Manager with child ego dominant is more of a liability to
the organization.
 Performance of the organization will be poor, no growth,
no new ideas, and lethargy will prevail in the system.
 In such situation, the manager should be replaced.

 Manager(S) C CEmployee(R)

50
 ULTERIOR TRANSACTIONS
 Ulterior transactions are most complex transactions
 It involves more than two egos states working at the same time
with double meaning in the stimulus.
 This type of transaction is very common i.e. diplomatic circles
when you say something but mean the other.

51
NON-COMPLIMENTARY OR CROSS
TRANSACTIONS
 They are those transactions which a sender sends the message on
the basis of his ego state, but the response is from an incompatible
ego state on the part of receiver.
 Such behaviour occur when stimulus and response is not parallel.

Stimulus
P P

A AResponse
52

C C
LIFE SCRIPT

 Berne states that life script is a complete plan of living.

 In the process, the person is either successful called winner or
unsuccessful called loser.
 Winner programming (of script) is more adaptive because the
person with above life script enjoys more autonomy in his
dealings,
 The loser has strong injunctions and inner demon who disturbs the
whole life plan and therefore a person does not succeed in life.
 Every person plays a drama on public stage and private stage in
life.
53
LIFE SCRIPT

 If winner, the organization where he is employed will achieve

growth and display positive outlook in all his dealings.

 If one has a looser script, he will behave negatively, be critical and

may bring negative growth to the organization.

 It is therefore necessary to know about a person, his childhood,

environment, society he comes from, schooling, habits, likes and
dislikes so that one knows, though partly about the life script of a
person on being employed.

54
LIFE POSITIONS

 I am Okay you are Okay.

 I am Okay you are not Okay.

 I am not Okay you are Okay.

 I am not Okay you are not Okay.

I am Not OK I am Ok

You are Not Ok A B

Avoidance/Averse Bossing

You are OK D C
Difficult Competent/Confiden
t/Creative.
55
 LIFE POSITIONS -I AM OKAY YOUR OKAY (C)

 This is an ideal life position because this position is rationally chosen one.

 In this position individual behaves rationally and accept significance of

others.

 Individual with this life position expresses confidence in his subordinates,

work with high level of delegation of authority, and believes in give and take.

 Manages enjoys good communication network, work with confidence and

there is work sharing and positive attitude towards work.

 People work with adult ego state.

 There is no conflict situation and there is total understanding among 56

subordinates and peer group.
 LIFE POSITIONS- I AM OKAY, YOU ARE NOT
OKAY (B)
 This is distrustful psychological life position taken by individual who feel that others
are wrong.

 They blame others for their failure.

 People who have been neglected by parents in their childhood take this position.

 They generally operate from rebellion child ego state that feel victimized and blame
others for their miseries.


 Mangers lack trust, confidence in the intellectual level, skills and talent in their
subordinates and do not believe in delegation of authority. They perceive delegation as
threat to their personal existence.
57
 Managers are critical, oppressive and point out flaws in the working of subordinates.
They operate from critical parent ego state and rarely give positive remarks.
LIFE POSITIONS- I AM NOT OKAY, YOU ARE OKAY
(D)

 It is common to persons who feel powerless in comparison to

others.
 Persons in this life position always grumble and feel at the mercy
of others.
 They have tendency to withdraw and at times experience
depression that may lead to suicide in extreme cases.
 People with this life position operate from child ego state.

 Managers tend to give and receive bad feelings. They are

unpredictable and display erratic behaviours
58
LIFE POSITIONS- I AM NOT OKAY, YOU ARE NOT
OKAY (A)
 This is the worst life position in which individual feel defeated
and sees whole world as miserable.
 It is a desperate life position where people loose interest in living.
cases people commit suicide or homicide.
 This position is caused due to children having brought up by
servants and very scant or no attention having been paid by the
parents.
 At managerial level, no decision is taken in time and managers
make mistakes.
 They at times provoke others in the negative direction and display
a lack of personal potency.
59
 Manager with this position look to others for final decision and
often delegate in-appropriately.
 STROKING
 Stroking is an act of implying recognition to other person.


 Stroking is recognition that a person gives to his subordinates for good

work done or even bad work done.

 Lack of stroking has an adverse psychological and physiological effect

on individual.

 Stroking is a basic unit of motivation that can be seen from the following
I. The quantity and the quality of strokes serve as either positive or
negative motivation for employees.
II. Good share of psychological satisfaction we get from work is from
strokes available from other persons. 60
III. We get strokes from the work itself.
 STROKING

There are positive and negative strokes.

 Positive strokes are recognition, pat on the back and affection
shown by superiors, who make subordinate feel okay. It is the
recognition of the work that employees get boost to do even better.

 Negative strokes on the other hand are the feeling “you are not
okay” conveyed by superiors by way of criticism, hating and by
scolding for the job not done well

61
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES- MOTIVES
 Why do people adopt the goals that they do?

 Goals contribute to the direction and impetus to the interactive

process and gives motivational implications

 Goals = Attractors (and people spend time doing things that

keep their behaviours in the close proximity to their goal)

 Goals reflect broad underlying motives.

62
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES- MOTIVES
 Three core concerns-
a. Autonomy-need to feel in control and able to predict
events.

b. Relatedness-need to have sense of belonging and

intimate involvement with others.

c. Competence-need to exercise competence in one’s

striving, sense of self worth.

63
 PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES- ATTITUDES
 Affective-how one feel about the target ,negative or positive, in
liking or disliking.

 Behavioural-how ones predisposition to behave in certain way

towards the target.

 Cognitive-one’s knowledge and believe about the target.

64
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES- PERSONALITY
 Personality -Unique trait and characteristics of an individual tat shapes
interaction with the environment.

 As per “Big Five” traits are:

 Openness-
High score- Unconventional ,inquisitive
Low score- Conventional ,traditional, dislike unfamiliar things

 Conscientiousness-
High score- hardworking, self- discipline, workaholic.
Low score-Absentminded, messy, disorganised more spontaneous.

 Extroversion-
65
High score-Lively, talkative, social.
Low score (Introversion ) - Reserve, quite, more time to open up.
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES-
PERSONALITY
 Agreeableness-
High score-Tolerant, accommodating.
Low score- self interested ,blunt

 Neuroticism-
High score- worrisome, self conscious
Low score- calm, stable, not promote worry or irritable.

66
 PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES-EMOTION
 Emotion-Motivated Communication- behaviour caused by
underlying emotion .
e.g. one driver swears at another and acts threateningly in fit of road
rage

 Emotion –Manifesting Communication- provides insights into

person’s underlying emotion state.
e.g. Patients’s downcast look enables the nurse to make judgement
about the persons spirit.

 Emotion-Inducing Communication-involves words and actions

that trigger emotions in others. 67

e.g. someone cries after being told a sad story

 PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES-AGE
 Age of participants influences their behaviour and expectation of each
other.

 Intergeneration Talk- a particular way in which communication is used

by and towards older people.(Secondary baby talk or elder speak)
 Negative stereotyping =Older people

( incompetence, senility)

o The level of personal competency of the receiver i.e. older person is

not taken into consideration.

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o Lower the level of elder’s cognitive functioning the favourable this
type of elderspeak is rated.
 EXAMPLE OF PATRONIZING COMMUNICATION WITH OLDER PEOPLE
 Simplification strategies- simplified register as one might with a child
e.g. basic vocabulary, short sentence, simple sentence structure.

 Clarification strategies- ways of making your self heard and understood.

E.g. Speaking more loudly, slowly, exaggerated intonation using repetition.

 Diminutives- being patronising e.g. “love” “honey” “dear” or describing

some thing or event such as nap, as little.

 Demeaning emotional tone-acting superciliously.

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 EXAMPLE OF PATRONIZING
COMMUNICATION WITH OLDER PEOPLE
 Secondary baby talk- talking as one would talk to a baby.

 Avoidance- discussing the older person with others in

their presence but not addressing them directly.

 Overly Controlling- being impatient and assuming the

person's needs are already known.

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 PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES-GENDER

 Females compared to males typically tend to:

a. Interact at close interpersonal distance.

b. Be more tolerant of spatial intrusion.

c. Make great use of eye contact and touch.

d. Smile more and more facially, gesticularly and vocally expressive.

e. Be more adept at both encoding and decoding verbal and non

verbal messages.
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f. Have deeper insights into their relational goals

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES-GENDER
o Women use language to form and maintain connection
with others Vs Men use language to assert dominance
and achieve utilitarian goals i.e. self –assertion.

o Males and Females respond to Trouble Talk-Women

need listening ear, confirmation and understanding
reaction Vs Men Tacking problem, offering advice and
giving information.

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