Communication Patterns Reflection Paper

 

 

OVERVIEW
The goal of reflective writing is to interact with and integrate new information and apply it to
what you already know and practice, thereby achieving personal growth. You will write a total of
four reflection papers in this course. Each paper has a specific topic. All four papers have the
same basic purpose, structure and format. Each paper must maintain a good balance between 1)
examination and discussion of relevant course materials on the topic and 2) self-reflection on
how these phenomena play out in your own interpersonal communication contexts.

INSTRUCTIONS
Begin each paper with a specific reference or a quote from the week’s assigned readings. Use
this reference to anchor your discussion and reflections. Discuss the assigned topic by
comparing, contrasting, and synthesizing a variety of course materials by different authors. You
may also include additional sources and Scriptures. Provide a personal response to the topic and
course materials. Reflections may include new insights about yourself, your communication
style, and your relationships; realizations about existing communication barriers, challenges, and
opportunities in your personal and/or professional arena; communication strategies and skills that
you discovered and applied; and observed outcomes emerging from changes you have made.
Each paper must also include a biblical worldview/faith journey perspective as well as a brief
discussion of how your behavioral blend (as described by Carbonell) influences your
communication and actions on the given topic.

Each paper should be between 900 and 1,000 words long (3 pages of text). The content should be
engaging, substantive, and interesting. It should be written in a focused and concise manner and
be well organized with a logic progression of ideas and transitions that are clear and maintain
flow of thought. Submit as a Word document, formatted according to current APA style, free of
grammar, spelling, and other writing errors. A title page is expected, but an abstract is not
needed. Repeat the paper title on page 2 according to APA format, but do not use any
subheadings. Use APA style for both in-text citations and the reference page, while making sure
references correspond and are correct.

Reflection Paper: Communication Patterns Assignment

Petersen described and illustrated the importance of emotion regulation in interpersonal
communication using humorous terms such as the Flat-Brain Theory of Emotions, the Flat-Brain
Syndrome, and the Flat-Brain Tango (Chapters 3-7). Examine your emotion regulation skills,
feelings-versus-thoughts differentiation, and communication habits. Reflect on your
interpersonal communication behaviors in private and professional/public contexts.

Reflection Paper: The Role of Talker Assignment
Schultze and Badzinski provided Bible-based guidance for making sure the content of our
communication is truthful, honest, transparent, authentic, self-disclosing, relationship-enhancing,
faithful, and encouraging (Chapters 5-6). Petersen offered principles for making sure our talking
processes are effective, constructive, and balanced (Chapters 10-13). Examine yourself and the
messages you send in the role of talker in light of this material.

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Reflection Paper: The Role of Listener Assignment

Petersen offered guidance for making sure our listening practices are respectful, non-judgmental,
supportive, and constructive (Chapters 14-16). Schultze and Badzinski described the process of
attentive listening (Chapter 1). The also provided Bible-based principles for resolving
interpersonal conflicts and maintaining relational harmony (Chapter 7-8). Examine yourself as a
listener and communication partner in light of this material.

Reflection Paper: Therapeutic Communication Assignment
France and Weikel discussed the importance of empathy, warmth, and genuineness in order to
establish a therapeutic alliance with clients in the human services field (Chapter 3). Analyze and
elaborate on each of these three concepts, drawing on additional course materials, including
Petersen (Chapters 19-21). You may also find the principles and skills discussed in the Module 1
video and Module 6 presentation helpful. Reflect on your own therapeutic communication skills.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.HSCO 508

Page 2 of 2

Reflection Paper: The Role of Listener Assignment
Petersen offered guidance for making sure our listening practices are respectful, non-judgmental,
supportive, and constructive (Chapters 14-16). Schultze and Badzinski described the process of
attentive listening (Chapter 1). The also provided Bible-based principles for resolving
interpersonal conflicts and maintaining relational harmony (Chapter 7-8). Examine yourself as a
listener and communication partner in light of this material.

Reflection Paper: Therapeutic Communication Assignment
France and Weikel discussed the importance of empathy, warmth, and genuineness in order to
establish a therapeutic alliance with clients in the human services field (Chapter 3). Analyze and
elaborate on each of these three concepts, drawing on additional course materials, including
Petersen (Chapters 19-21). You may also find the principles and skills discussed in the Module 1

video and Module 6 presentation helpful. Reflect on your own therapeutic communication skills.

TEXTBOOKS

Required Resource Purchases

*Carbonell, M. (2008). How to solve the people puzzle: Understanding personality patterns [e-book] (Bundle). Uniquely You Resources. SKU#: 1878948.

France, K. & Weikel, K. (2020). Helping skills for human service workers: Building relationships and encouraging productive change (4th ed.). Charles C. Thomas Publisher Inc. ISBN: 9780398093051.

Petersen, J. C. (2015). Why don’t we listen better? Communicating and connecting in relationships (2nd ed.). Petersen Publications. ISBN: 9780979155956.

Schultze, Q. J. & Badzinski, D. M. (2015). An essential guide to interpersonal communication: Building great relationships with faith, skill, and virtue in the age of social media. Baker Academic. ISBN: 9781441248725

Uniquely You, Inc. Leadership online profile: Professional expanded. Uniquely You Resources (Latest ed.). SKU#: 1879578.

American Psychological Association. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (Current ed.). Washington, DC: Author

Brenda-Cleo Wade

May 15, 2022May 15 at 6:20pm

Manage Discussion Entry

Self-identity is how we understand ourselves through perceptions and self-awareness after various experiences and self-reflection. Schultze and Badzinski (2015) define social identity as how we are viewed by other people. We may also include contributions from others into our self-identity. Furthermore, self-identity may change over time and as a person goes through life experiences.

In What is Identity of Self video, Aliyah identifies herself as an Iraqi American and the other woman agrees that she is an American, but states that it is merely a title signifying that being American is not significant to her self-identity. This indicates that Aliyah and the other woman have differing views on what factors are considered a part of their self-identity.

Misunderstood provides an example of social identity. The teacher assumes the role of the conflict initiator based on the student’s appearance and previous experiences/biases. The boy is likely already defensive because of his experience at school and feels attacked when the gentleman strikes up a conversation. The gentleman seems to be responding to a thud, the feeling that someone else is hurting and needs help, and tries to calmly talk to the boy (Petersen 2015).

One of the most influential factors in our actions, decisions, and behavior is emotion (Petersen, 2015). Petersen (2015) explains that healthy though can impact our actions and emotions in a positive manner. As a result of the accident, the older man’s actions defined his self-identity. Through accepting Jesus as his Savior, man’s self-identity changed. While he seems remorseful for his actions and acknowledges his responsibility, he has developed a healthier self-concept.

In the False Pretenses video, Julie likely struggles with self-identity issues and tries to create an alternate social identity to cope. The image of herself is incorporated into her communication. She might associate her disability with poor social identity, creating an identity that she perceives will foster a more positive relationship. Interacting with others is so important as it allows us to see into their lives. Through effective and engaging communication, we can understand others better which will cultivate more meaningful and memorable relationships.

Andrea Sehmel

MondayMay 16 at 4:47pm

Manage Discussion Entry

The humor in the TV series The Office comes from the disconnect between how the characters perceive themselves and how their office mates and the viewer see them (Schultze & Badzinski, 2015). The authors quote James Houston who said that “as finite beings, with infinite desires, we live comical lives, full of incongruities” (p.39). Fortunately, people know that everyone is trying their hardest to be a “basically nice person” and so the grudges on The Office are mostly good-natured and in everyday life, people are forgiving and focused on the future (Petersen, J.C., 2015, p. 58). Interestingly, the popularity and success of the show tanked when characters’ flaws became too dark for watchers to forgive, and hypervigilance of others’ flaws really reflected their own inadequacies (Schultze & Badzinski, 2015).

The third Module 2 video entitled “False Pretenses” portrays two women conversing online and ends in one of them rolling away in a wheelchair, seemingly having been injured in a DUI accident; this woman’s social identity is at stake if she admits what’s really happening in her life. Schultze & Badzinski (2015) write that people nowadays surf online or on the TV to avoid personal communication, in particular, the intimacy of being face-to-face with someone. It seems as though this same lack of commitment, perpetuated by texting and in combination with the forced isolationism of Covid, were a massive one-two punch to relationships in recent years, and this writer is greatly interested in studies that will eventually prove this to be the case; tragically, suicide rates having increased is a clear litmus test for this effect. Of even more interest is the increasingly widespread realization that public health authorities are not actively promoting recovery tactics for the mental health stressors of this significant isolation.