Two question interview needed! (America, LDS, Christian, Christ, religions)

[irvus1]

I am currently studying intercultural communication. The subject deals with the differences in verbal (languages, vocabularies,etc) and nonverbal (body language, gestures, etc) communication across cultures. I have an assignment where I need to interview people of different religions and ask two questions. Please help me and post back your reply to these questions-
1. What are the five worst things a person can do with regard to communicating with others?
2. What are the five best things a person can do with regard to communicating with others?

Please include your gender and religion for statistical purposes.
Thank you very much, in advance, for your help. I really appreciate it!

[Aqualung]

1. (a)Become angry. (b)Become conceited (my answer is right because I'm better than you). (c)Disregard without thought a contrary argument (because if it's not the same opinion as you have, it's wrong). I can't think of any others. Sorry

2. (a)listen and talk about equally. (b)reamain calm, even in the face of opposing views. (c)disguss both similarities and differences. (d)make sure you know your stuff, and aren't just blabbering things that have no substance or logic. And I can't thihnk of any others\

Well, I hope that helped, if it was only 3 and 4, and thought up right after I woke up .
f. LDS

[irvus1]

Thanks alot. If you don't mind let me prod you a bit for the last couple of items I need, what about nonverbal comms such as spacing, bodylanguage, gestures, facial expressions? Anything come to mind? Thanks again for your help, I know it isn't the most entertaining thread out there, but you're really helping!

[michel]

Hi Irvus1,

Intercultural communication ? The five worst things ?

1.Assume that the person with whom you are talking understands what you are saying; avoid colloquial expressions - you Americans, for example, have trunks and gas for cars, while we English have boots and petrol.........

2.'Rabbit' on without giving the other person a chance to interject, or to ask to have a point cleared up.

3. General manner - ie being over self assured; talking 'down' to the person, general body language attitude.

4.Talk about things in an authoritative manner - as if passing facts, but in truth only your own opinions.

5.Ignoring the other's body language -'I'm bored, but this guy is going on and on..' or 'What the heck is he talking about' - in other words, not asking for regular feedback.

The five best things? - I am tempted to say 'the opposite to the five worst things', because that would work but maybe a bit differently.....

1.Listen to the other person, make sure you understand exactly what he/she is actually asking/talking about

2. Make allowances for differing cultures - ie a telemarketer from Mumbai cannot be expected to understand that I might have more than one car....

3.regularly stop for a 'reality check' - as them questions to see if they really have understood what you have been sayin.

4.Never take on the pose of one who knows everything; if you venture an opinion, make sure it comes across that way, and not that something you are talking about is set in stone

5.Nice & easy body language, easy talk - especially not overbearing. Be mindful to speak reasonably slowly, and avoid colloquialisms.

I'm Male, and a Christian.
By the way, welcome to the forum! - I hope you won't disappear when your study has been completed!

Hope what I said helped; I'm not really very good at this - especially unprepared!

[Aqualung]

Originally Posted by irvus1

Thanks alot. If you don't mind let me prod you a bit for the last couple of items I need, what about nonverbal comms such as spacing, bodylanguage, gestures, facial expressions? Anything come to mind? Thanks again for your help, I know it isn't the most entertaining thread out there, but you're really helping!

Well, I'll try to answer this, but I realised that you just said "communicating" and not "debating" but I tended to answer as if you were debating an issue, or talking about an issue that you didn't agree about. Is that okay?
Anyway, I'm fairly uncomfortable being close to people, anyway, so when I talk to people, I space myself just to the outside of the uncomfortable range. In other words, I get as close as possible without feeling uncomfortable. I think the two should be sitting, or if not, both should stand. One should not sit while the other stands. When the other person is talking, try not to look bored, or try not to make your what-a-dumb-thing-to-say face. Look interested and like you are really thinking about what they are saying and trying to let it sink in. Look at the person, though I always get uncomfortable if they look in my eyes for too long. That's about all that comes to mind. Hope that helps. And don't worry if it's not interesting. I don't mind. It's more interesting than anything I'm planning for today!

[Fluffy]

Heya Irvus,

1) a) Speaking with uncontrolled emotion such as being extremely angry for example
b) Closed body language such as crossed arms
c) Speaking whilst looking away from the person you are talking to
d) Ignoring what the other person has to say or failing to make relevant comments in reply to something they have said
e) Making short, blunt sentences which leave no room for a difference in opinion

2) a) Eye contact
b) Speaking confidently
c) Avoiding "I" sentences so that the speaker does not appear self centered whilst concentrating on the other person as a subject (Rather than "I would like to go to the cinema" saying "Would you like to go to the cinema?")
d) Speaking positively instead of negatively ("The situation in Iraq could have been handled better" is better than saying "The situation in Iraq has been handled terribly")
e) Speak clearly rather than mumbling (although keeping eye contact is intended to aid this already). This is especially important between people with different, thick accents.

I'm male and Wiccan. Hope these answers help you.

[Jaymes]

Originally Posted by irvus1

1. What are the five worst things a person can do with regard to communicating with others?

Be disrespectful to the other person, be impatient when waiting for answers, show aggressive body language, refuse to share their opinions/ideas and lie. Not necessarily in that order.

2. What are the five best things a person can do with regard to communicating with others?

Be honest, be polite, actually listen to what the other person has to say, input your own opinion if the situation allows it and be open to new ideas. Again, not necessarily in that order

Please include your gender and religion for statistical purposes.

Female-ish, and if you want to call it a religion, Taoism.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by irvus1

I am currently studying intercultural communication. The subject deals with the differences in verbal (languages, vocabularies,etc) and nonverbal (body language, gestures, etc) communication across cultures. I have an assignment where I need to interview people of different religions and ask two questions. Please help me and post back your reply to these questions-
1. What are the five worst things a person can do with regard to communicating with others?
2. What are the five best things a person can do with regard to communicating with others?

Please include your gender and religion for statistical purposes.
Thank you very much, in advance, for your help. I really appreciate it!

Hi, irvus. I'm happy to help, but I don't know if I can come up with five of each or not.

The worst things I can think that someone could do in communicating with me would be (I'm assuming you are speaking of communication on religious or spiritual topics):

1. Presupposing that he already knows the answers; i.e. telling me what I believe.
2. Focusing on insignificant details (zeroing in on a word or phrase and blowing it out of proportion) rather than looking at the larger picture.
3. Not listening to what I have to say; being more concerned about a rebuttal than really understanding me.
4. Being sarcastic and demeaning as soon as a different point of view is expressed.

The best things I can think that someone could do in communicating with me would be:

1. Wanting to understand; sincerely trying to see where I'm coming from and appreciating my perspective.
2. Allowing me to explain my own beliefs instead of putting words in my mouth.
3. Believing what I say my beliefs are instead of accusing me of deception.
4. Making an effort to understand terminology that might get in the way of true understanding.

I'm female and LDS (Mormon).

Kathryn

[Unedited]

I hope I understand these questions…

Best
Smile, give signs that you’re listening and interested (or not), get to the point, have a sense of humour, respect me

Worst
Lie, touch me if you’re not one of three people, interrupt, constantly bring the subject back to yourself, too much hand gesturing

And I am a female Pagan/Hindu/Satanist/Agnostic. Or just ‘Wiccan’ is fine.

[Fluffy]

Irvus, if your study is an online one, I'd be really interested in seeing the results of it.