Activities

1. To enrich your understanding of the chapter, check out:

   LearningCurve for adaptive quizzing for the chapter.

   The “Browse Resources for this Unit” tab to view videos illustrating key concepts.

2. Question

   Describe how you managed an impression of yourself in a face-to-face interaction and a mediated one. Describe your conscious preparations for this impression management, and then describe the outcome. What contributed to your successful or unsuccessful management of self? Were the impression-management strategies you employed in the face-to-face interaction different from the mediated situation?

   Describe how you managed an impression of yourself in a face-to-face interaction and a mediated one. Describe your conscious preparations for this impression management, and then describe the outcome. What contributed to your successful or unsuccessful management of self? Were the impression-management strategies you employed in the face-to-face interaction different from the mediated situation?

3. Question

   Take a look at the text of a presidential speech online at www.whitehouse.gov. After reading the complete speech, consider how the speech is characterized in various sources (blogs, liberal and conservative news sources, late-night comedy and satires). How do perceptions of the speech change from one source to another? Does your perception of the speech change as you consider the points of view of these various sources?

   Take a look at the text of a presidential speech online at www.whitehouse.gov. After reading the complete speech, consider how the speech is characterized in various sources (blogs, liberal and conservative news sources, late-night comedy and satires). How do perceptions of the speech change from one source to another? Does your perception of the speech change as you consider the points of view of these various sources?

4. Question

   Think about a co-culture (age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, race, religion, and so on) with which you identify. Then make a list of stereotypes that are associated with that group. In what ways do you conform to such stereotypes? In what ways do you not conform? Do you identify with more than one culture? If so, are there any stereotypes on your list that contradict each other? How might intersection of these cultures (for example, being a white, Christian, thirty-year-old stay-at-home dad or being a fifty-year-old Hispanic lesbian scientist) affect your perception of yourself as well as others’ perceptions of you?

   Think about a co-culture (age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, race, religion, and so on) with which you identify. Then make a list of stereotypes that are associated with that group. In what ways do you conform to such stereotypes? In what ways do you not conform? Do you identify with more than one culture? If so, are there any stereotypes on your list that contradict each other? How might intersection of these cultures (for example, being a white, Christian, thirty-year-old stay-at-home dad or being a fifty-year-old Hispanic lesbian scientist) affect your perception of yourself as well as others’ perceptions of you?

5. Question

   Watch some television programming or flip through a magazine that is typically geared toward a particular group. Pay close attention to the advertisements you see. Are they geared toward the groups that are expected to be watching the programming? If so, do you see instances in which the commercials allow for flexibility and mindfulness (for example, any advertising geared toward women during football games)? If you are a member of the group being targeted during such programming, do you find yourself more or less persuaded by the message based on stereotypes about your group?