Discussion Questions:

1. In the Chapter 3 Outline on Perception & Communication, one of the steps identified in the perceptual process is called negotiation. Negotiation refers to the process of sharing personal narratives (personal stories and experiences) with other people in order to achieve a common understanding or agreement. While we negotiate with others we exchange these personal narratives, which represent our view of the world. In the documentary “Growing Up Online”, we learned that the Internet and social media have changed the way younger generations communicate and express themselves. Share one example from the documentary that illustrates how individuals may use the Internet to share their own personal narrative. Do you believe this to be an effective way to share personal narratives with other people? Why or why not?
2. In Chapter 3, Perception & Communication, the authors discuss how cultural differences influence the way people interpret the communication of others. This can come from ethnic culture, national culture, family culture, or even the culture of your particular friend group or family. Share an example from the “Growing Up Online” documentary of how the Internet and social media have shaped part of the younger generation’s culture in a way that’s different from their parents and explain how this has affected the communication between the teenagers and their families.
3. One of the concepts in Chapter 3 is called gender roles. Gender Roles are the socially approved ways that men and women are expected to behave. Find an example from the “Growing Up Online” documentary of a male gender role and female gender role when it comes to using the Internet specifically. In other words, share an example of how the boys and girls are taught to use the Internet differently depending on their gender role. What differences did you notice? Why do those differences exist? What can we learn from this?
4. A Self-Serving Bias is defined as blaming a person’s personal qualities when they make mistakes, but blaming the circumstances instead when we, ourselves, make mistakes. What Chapter 3 teaches us is that we judge others more harshly than we do when it comes to ourselves. We expect more from others and do not hold ourselves to the same standards. Share an example from the “Growing Up Online” documentary of a self-serving bias and explain how it impacted the communication of the person or people who were engaging in the self-serving bias.