Formative Communication
Vanna Boffo
http://www.unifi.it/fscfo
The Communication
What is the communication?
Why is the communication important ?
Where is situated the communication?
The Communication
Theoretical aspects
Communication is the word that shows the
exchange of the messages from unicellular to
pluricellular animals, from a mechanism to the
machines, from a man to another man.
The shapes of the communication are studied from
Psychology, from Sociology, from the Theory of
Information, from the Linguistic, Cybernatic
depending from the fuynctions and the destinations
The Communication
Theoretical aspects
The communication shows the specific character of
the human relationships, as they are, or can be,
relationships of comprehension or reciprocal
partecipation
The word is the synonimous of «co-being» or
«life-with-others», shows the specific ways
through which the human life can appear or can be
(Abbagnano N., Dizionario di filosofia, Torino, UTET, 1971, pp. 143-144).
The Structure of Communication
There are three factors explaining every shape of communication
(Jakobson R., Linguistica generale, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1963, p.
185).
The context
This is very important for understanding the message from the
sender to the recipient
The code
The collection of rules, the system of symbols, the sequence of
characters must be common at the sender and at the recipient
The contact
This must established between the sender and the recipient by a
phisical channel and by a psychological channel
.
Communication’s Models
In general the theory presents two types
of Communication:
Verbal Communication
Non Verbal Communication
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Verbal and NonVerbal Communication are
different aspects
of a same communicative process
•
•
•
•
•
Movements of the body, actions, gestures,
expression of the face, attitudes, approaches,
manners of be
Crying, laughhter, silences, break
The position of a men in the space
The distance between the Self and the others
The make-up, the clothing
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
The process of non verbal
communication is established
by cultural factors.
The process of non verbal
communication is changed by the
psychological situation of the subjects
in interaction
Each Communication is a social act in both
direction:
1) The communication is between two or
more person
2) The communication is in the inner of self
or in the interior dialogue between the
person and the self
3) Each sign is making in corrispondence of
common experience or on the base of
common cultural sistem
Syntax
Formal Relationships among signes without
any reference to the contents
Semantic
Analysis of the relationships among the
signes by the content. It is important the
significance of the word and of the
relations among the words
Pragmatic
Analysis of the relations among the signes
through their use during the life
Models of the Communication
Linear Model (Sender-message-recipient)
Interactive Model (Pragmatic of the human
communication, Linguistic acts, SocioLinguistic, with feedback)
Dialogical Model (The Communication is
circular, the feedback is continuos)
Pragmatic of the Human Communication
(Watzlawick P., Beavin J. H., Jackson D. D., Pragmatica of
the Human Communication, Roma, Astrolabio, 1971)
Axioms
1. It is not possible no-communication
(The being haven’t an opposite side. Doesn’t exist
a no-being). One Cannot Not Communicate
Every behavior is a form of communication. Because behavior
does not have a counterpart (there is no anti-behavior), it is
impossible not to communicate. Even if communication is being
avoided (such as the unconscious use of non-verbals or
symptom strategy), that is a form of communication. “Symptom
strategy” is ascribing our silence to something beyond our
control and makes no communication impossible. Examples of
symptom strategy are sleepness, headaches, and drunkenness.
Even facial expressions, digital communication, and being silent
can be analyzed as communication by a receiver.
2° Axioms
Every communication has a content and
relationship aspect such that the latter
classifies the former and is therefore a
metacommunication.
All communication includes, apart from the plain meaning of
words, more information. This information is based on how
the speaker wants to be understood and how he himself sees
his relation to the receiver of information. Relationship is
the command part of the message or how it is non-verbally
said. Content is the report or what is said verbally. Being
able to interpret both of these aspects is essential in
understanding something that a communicator said. The
relational
aspect
of
interaction
is
known
as
metacommunication. Metacommunication is communication
about communication. Relationship messages are always the
most important element in communication.
3° Axioms
The nature of a relationship is dependent
on the punctuation of the partners
communication procedures:
Both the sender and the receiver of information structure the
communication flow differently and therefore interpret their own
behavior during communicating as merely a reaction on the other's
behavior (i.e., every partner thinks the other one is the cause of a
specific behavior). To punctuate a communication means to interpret
an ongoing sequence of events by labeling one event as the cause
and the following event as the response. In a situation with
communication, if one thing happens, something else always happens.
For example, a female in a relationship with a male is feeling
depressed. The male in the relationship with the female feels
guilty. One who observes this situation might ask, "Is she
depressed because of his guilt, or does he feel guilty because of
her depression?"
4° Axiom
Human communication involves both
digital and analogical modalities:
This axiom refers back to the use of non-verbals
and system strategy explained in the first axiom.
It is mostly related to the digital content of
communication within a relationship.
5° Axiom
Inter-human communication procedures are
either symmetric or complementary:
This axiom focuses on metacommunication with two main components called
symmetrical interchange and complementary interchange. Symmetrical
interchange is an interaction based on equal power between communicators.
In accordance to that, complementary interchange is an interaction based on
differences in power. Within these two interchanges there are three
different ways they can be used: one-up, one-down, and one-across. With
a one-up communication, one communicator attempts to gain control of an
exchange by dominating the overall communication. A one-down
communication has the opposite effect. A communicator attempts to yield
control of an interaction or submit to someone. The final message is a oneacross communication. This communication moves to neutralize a situation.
This is also called transitory if only one communicator is attempting this
style. When two communicators use the same style of one-up, one-down, or
one-across, it is symmetrical. If they are opposing one another it is
complementary. This axiom allows us to understand how an interaction can
be perceived by the styles a communicator is using.
Pragmatics of the Human Communication’s
Pathological aspects
1. It is impossible not communicate
To Disqualify the Communication
The Human Communication as the Sign (Warning)
2. The Structure of the Communication
Level of the Content
Level of the Relationships
3. The Punctuation of the Event Sequences
4. Mistake in the translation of the communication
5. Pathological interactions
Symmetrical Escalation
Stiff Complementarity
Paradoxal Communication
What is a Paradox?
It is a contraditory statement that comes from
correct and coherent precondition
There are three types of paradoxes
Logical/mathematical paradoxes
(level of logical syntax)
Semantic paradoxes
(level of semantical statements)
Pragmatic Paradoxes
(level of pragmatic statements or behavior)
Double Bind
Anyone who has ever read a time travel novel probably
understands what a paradox is. Can a man travel back in time to
meet his grandfather if his presence in the past might result in
the grandfather's premature death, thus rendering himself
unable to ever be born? And if the man traveled back in time
and his presence in the past actually DID result in such, then he
would have never been born to travel back in time and alter the
path of his grandfather's life in the first place. A paradox can
make a person think and stretch their abilities to use both logic
and imagination. Another popular example of a paradox: If
someone says, “I am lying,” and we assume that his statement is
true, then it must be false. The paradox is that the statement
“I am lying” is false if it is true.
Double Bind
When does the paradox become a
double-bind?
When there is not an equal balance of
power and a trusted person says to
one in crisis, “I am lying”.
Double Bind
A double-bind is two distinctly different
sets of instructions given by the same
source, such that to obey one set of
instructions is to disobey the other. It is
the classic no-win situation. Damned if you
do and damned if you don't. This doesn't
just happen to people when they are
children in abusive households, it often
happens to them again in therapy when
they grow up and look for help.
Double Bind
Gregory Bateson and his colleagues defined the double bind as follows[3] (paraphrased):
The situation involves two or more people, one of whom (for the purpose of the definition), is designated as the
"victim". The others are people who are considered the victim's superiors: figures of authority (such as
parents), whom the victim respects.
Repeated experience: the double bind is a recurrent theme in the experience of the victim, and as such, cannot
be resolved as a single traumatic experience.
A "primary injunction" is imposed on the victim by the others in one of two forms:
(a) "Do X, or I will punish you";
(b) "Do not do X, or I will punish you".
(or both a and b)
The punishment may include the withdrawing of love, the expression of hate and anger, or abandonment resulting
from the authority figure's expression of helplessness. A "secondary injunction" is imposed on the victim,
conflicting with the first at a higher and more abstract level. For example: "You must do X, but only do it
because you want to". It is unnecessary for this injunction to be expressed verbally.
If necessary, a "tertiary injunction" is imposed on the victim to prevent them from escaping the dilemma. See
phrase examples below for clarification.
Finally, Bateson states that the complete list of the previous requirements may be unnecessary, in the event
that the victim is already viewing their world in double bind patterns. Bateson goes on to give the general
characteristics of such a relationship:
Double Bind
When the victim is involved in an intense relationship; that is,
a relationship in which he feels it is vitally important that he
discriminate accurately what sort of message is being
communicated so that he may respond appropriately;
And, the victim is caught in a situation in which the other
person in the relationship is expressing two orders of
message and one of these denies the other;
And, the victim is unable to comment on the messages being
expressed to correct his discrimination of what order of
message to respond to: i.e., he cannot make a
metacommunicative statement.
Pathologies and Communication
Communicative Pathological Behavior
1. Double bind
2. Mistification
3. Tangential Answer
Adult Educator and Adult teacher/trainer
Defensive Strategies or Projective
Identification
Evasion
Elusive teacher/educator
Charming
Charming Teacher/educator
Aggressive
Aggressive Teacher/educator
The process whereby, in a close relationship, as betweeen
mother/child or student/teacher, parts of the self may in
unconscious phantasy be thought of as being forced into the
other person
Wilfred Bion’s Group Theory
Bion’s theory is based in large part on his work managing a
rehabilitation unit for psychiatric patients in the British Army
during World War II and later with small groups at the
Tavistock Clinic. The central concept in Bion’s theory is that in
every group, two groups exist: the “work group” and the “basic
assumption group”.
The work group is that element of group functioning that is concerned
with the primary task or work of the group. The mature work group is
aware of its purpose and can define its task. Its members work
cooperatively as separate and discrete members who willingly choose to
belong to the group because they identify with the interests of the
group. This group tests its conclusions, seeks knowledge, and learns
from its experience. Bion notes that this level of maturity in the work
group is very rare.
Wilfred Bion’s Group Theory
Of primary interest to Bion was the question of why groups employ
ineffective and self-contradicting behavior that lessens the
effectiveness of the group. Bion suggests that this is because in
addition to the work group, the basic assumption group is at play. The
basic assumption group can be thought of as the “as if” group, meaning
that the group behaves “as if” certain tacit assumptions were held by
the members. These assumptions are hidden in the group subconscious,
outside the awareness of group members. Bion identified three types of
basic assumption groups – the dependency, the fight-flight, and the
pairing groups.
Wilfred Bion’s Group Theory
BASIC ASSUMPTION: DEPENDENCY GROUP
The primary goal of the dependency group is to have its members
protected by one individual, usually the leader. The group’s behavior
implies that the leader is all knowing and allpowerful, and that group
members are ignorant, inadequate and immature. The intelligence and
power of the leader are never questioned or tested by the group.
Because no one can possibly fulfill this role, the leader inevitably
arouses the disappointment and hostility of the group. Eventually, the
group will dismiss the leader and appoint another group member in her
place. Unfortunately, the new leader is destined to face a similar fate.
Wilfred Bion’s Group Theory
BASIC ASSUMPTION: FIGHT-FLIGHT GROUP
The fight-flight group assumes that it must preserve itself at all costs,
and that this can be done only by fighting or fleeing from someone or
something. The group has no tolerance for weakness and expects
casualties since salvation of the group is more important than the needs
of individual members. The fight-flight leader must inspire great
courage and self-sacrifice, and lead the group against a common enemy.
If none exists, the leader will create one. A leader who fails to afford
the group the opportunity for retreat or attack will be considered
ineffective and ultimately ignored
Wilfred Bion’s Group Theory
BASIC ASSUMPTION: PAIRING GROUP
The pairing group assumes that the group has met for the purposes of
reproduction, to bring forth a Savior or Messiah. In this group, two
people (regardless of gender) get together to carry out the task of
creating a new leader who will solve all the group’s problems, save the
group from its own incompetence, and bring them into Utopia. A new
leader or idea resulting from the union often will be annihilated by the
group, allowing the group to maintain an air of hope and anticipation
that another, as yet unborn leader will save it from feelings of despair
and destruction (both its own and others).
Team Building
The contents:
1) The balance between individual needs and the general aims
2) The observance of the diversity
3) The respect of the person/context
4) The building up of the group/institution
5) The growing up of the self (capability and competences of
the self)
The methods
The conversation: every problem of the insitution must be
discussed
The partecipation: every person partecipates to the discussion
Team Building
According to Bion, each of us has a tendency to
enter into the unconscious aspect of group life
to a different degree, just as everyone has a
tendency toward differing levels of cooperation
within the work group. For effective functioning in
groups, it is important for members (particularly
leaders and group facilitators) to be aware of which
basic assumption group
they lean toward.
The Conflict
Methods
• Evoid the Dogmatism and the escalationof the conflict
• Evoid the manipulation
• Make concrete the discussion
• Encourage the partecipation
• Evoid the change of the focus
• Evoid the hard critics
• Change the judjement in a positive sentence
• Be positive
• Be reflective
• Be Flexible
Pathologies of the team communication
No time
Dogmatism
… You Must do
No flexibility
Changing the direction
Don’t do this!!
Team Buildin and Conflict
A. Wrong Intentions
B. Wrong Communications
C. Specific Rules
The Conflict can be born from
the mixture of these factors
Five guidelines for Reflexive Communication
Be concrete
Describe the feelings and the emotions
Describe the raisons
Be authentic
Be emphatic
Be congruent
Grazie
Thank you very much to everyone