Unit 3

1) Recall a situation in which you were offered a suggestion, advice, or criticism and you reacted defensively.

What caused your reaction?

• Pride
• I felt attacked
  
• I do not like to be wrong
  

What attributions did you make about the other person’s communication?

• He was attacking me
• He was trying to hurt my feelings
• He wanted me to be wrong/he wanted to be right
  

What were the interpersonal out-comes of your defensive communication?

• An unnecessary argument
  

How could you have prevented a defensive response?

• Yes, by first asking exactly what they meant and evaluating the tone and non-verbal cues
  

3) Do you practice more high or low self-monitoring?

• High self-monitor
  

What are some of the positive and negative relational effects that you have personally experienced from using your level of self-monitoring?

Positive:

• Others are not often mad at me for something I say
  
• I fit in and am well-liked most of the time
  
• I am very aware of my environment 
• My boss doesn't have to worry about me saying something I shouldn't

Negative:

• I am too worried about fitting in
  
• May come across as not very open
  
• May come across as fake
• I am not entirely being myself, I in-fact, might be being wearing a mask

Do you think it is important to adapt your self-monitoring level to the context of the situation?

• Yes
  

Why or why not?

• Church, School, or Job Interview
• Do not want to say or do the wrong thing
• Do not want to be judged
  
• Do not want to come off as "weird" or "different" by what you say or do
  
• Do not want to get in trouble
• Do not want to offend others
• You want to fit in