Context Matters in Communication: A Lesson on Communication
The College World Reporter
Connecting Worlds: Inside Black America
By Dr. Leona Johnson, Ph.D.
September 2010
“We usually see only the things we are looking for – so much that we sometimes see them where they are not.” – Eric Hoffer
Leona Johnson, Ph.D.
Besides helping to define who we are, communication provides a vital link to others whether it is to satisfy our physical needs, identity needs, or social needs. Communication is the most widely used approach to satisfying instrumental goals, .i.e., getting others to behave in ways that we want them to.
In July 2010, an African American USDA employee, Shirley Sherrod resigned from her job after her remarks sparked a fabricated racial controversy. Ms. Sherrod said that her statements were “taken out of context.” According to her remarks, she mistreated a white farmer in need of assistance because of his race (NY Daily News, 7/20/10). This scenario would be followed by Ms. Sherrod losing her job at the USDA. As the Sherrod story unfolded, top officials and television commentators spent most of the next week apologizing to Sherrod. She would later be offered a new job at the USDA (Associated Press, 8/4/10). As the news was reported on this situation, the term “out-of-context” would continue to surface to explain her scenario.
Perhaps each of us may experience a different reality, and failing to understand the other’s person’s views may lead to misconceptions, especially when information is taken out of context – whether intentionally or unintentionally. Interpretation plays a major role in the communication process. Many factors may shape the way we interpret the world. Research confirms that we tend to be influenced by the less desirable characteristics of others, we tend to select stimuli from the environment that are otherwise attention grabbing, and we tend to cling to first impressions (Adler & Proctor, 2007). Problems can arise when we treat interpretations as if they were fact without further investigation.
Our emotions can also play an important part in how we interpret a situation. Emotions can be defined in many cases by our cognitive interpretations. Many times we may need to step back and monitor our emotional reaction to a situation. Also contagion can lead us to experience emotions that we might not otherwise have had. Given this – context is very crucial in the communication process.
If the employer and employee share the same interpretation of a situation, communication can go very smoothly, however, if they bring different perspectives to interpreting a situation, a problem may exist (Adler & Proctor, 2007). Seeking more information on a scenario before formulating a final interpretation or impression can be a good self-monitoring tool. Perhaps this might be as simple as reviewing the source of the interpretation in a more detailed way to get a better feel for the “context” of the scenario; this might allow one to take a second look at one’s interpretation especially in complex situations.
While forces which impact our interpretations based on context may be beyond our control or our immediate personal experiences at first, an awareness of how important context can be in making decisions can go a long way in bridging the gap between interpretation and fact. Lessons learned in this regard can be a catalyst to a wake up call relative to interpretation and context.
Associated Press (2010). (August 8, 2010).
Adler, R. B. & Proctor, R. F. (2007). Looking Out: Looking In, 12th Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
NY Daily News (2010). (July 2, 2010).
About Leona Johnson, Ph.D.: Leona M. Johnson, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Hampton University. Dr. Johnson received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Howard University, with a subspecialty in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Since fall 2004, Dr. Johnson has been an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Hampton University, where she teaches Methods of Behavioral Research, Senior Seminar in Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Black Psychology, Black Child Development, and Learning and Cognition. Previously Dr. Johnson worked in various positions in Corporate America at the IBM Corporation, L’Oreal Corporation, and Lockheed Martin Corporation. In addition to teaching, Dr. Johnson is actively involved in research on learning preferences and the classroom climate, culture and learning, teaching and learning styles, group dynamics, and issues pertaining to the Black family.
Contact Information:
Email: Leona@CWRMagOnline.com
Blog: CWRAfricanAmerica.WordPress.com
