Ch 2 The Interpretive Approach

 Chapter 2

The Interpretive Approach

I have always enjoyed people-watching. Whether in my car, sitting at a stop light, or eating in a restaurant, I like to observe others and their behavior. The goal of the interpretive approach is to understand and describe human behavior, which reminds me of the observing I do. Ethnographers of communication study communication patterns and how they are influenced by culture. Reality is constructed by humans, with communication being subjective and unpredictable. 

The research is quite interesting. It uses field studies and participant observations. This qualitative research type observes the meaning of behavior rather than using a numbers or measurable approach. This approach can be subjective to one's own observation, so some may not view this as a viable research outcome. Are you a facts or numbers person? This interpretive approach is probably not your first go-to when doing a research study.

I like the interpretive approach because it is not always about numbers. Emotions and how we feel are also ways to study individuals.

 



Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2022). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (8th ed.).

People watching. (2011, April 3). Ttwv. https://ttwv.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/people-watching/


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ch 10 Benefits and Challenges of Intercultural Relationships

Image
 Chapter 10 Benefits and Challenges of Intercultural Relationships A benefit of intercultural relationships is that they help one see and understand the differences better. Hearing issues or complex things someone from another race is subjected to helps me understand and put things into perspective. The open forum and the examples help me realize when I need to see another viewpoint. I don't want to live a sheltered life. I know I have many privileges, others don't, and there are others around me who are more privileged than myself. We are all raised differently, but to understand what another person goes through is challenging. In order to understand, I think communication is key.  Relational learning is good as long as it is done with sincerity and kindness. I often get nervous speaking to another race about racial situations that are negatively affecting all of us. I don't want it to come out as a blame game and a yelling match. I love to speak with the understanding w...
Read more

Ch 8 Types of Migrant Groups

Image
 Chapter 8  Types of Migrant Groups After reading this portion of the chapter about migrant types, I understood the differences. The four types of migrant groups and whether they are voluntary or involuntary help to break it down. Sojourners are those who leave for a period of time in a voluntary capacity. I almost studied abroad in Amsterdam, so I would have been considered a sojourner if that had happened. An immigrant is the other type of voluntary migration , but this one is long-term.  Both of these scenarios seem to be on the happy side of migration and would possibly be something people would look forward to.  The involuntary migration humbles me in many ways. I cannot imagine having to leave my home for a long or short time without my consent or desire. In 2019, an estimated 71 million people worldwide were forced to flee their homes. I cannot even wrap my head around that number. That is just crazy.  Hearing the immigration stories is eye-opening ...
Read more

Ch 12 What the Future Holds

Image
 Chapter 12  What the Future Holds and Forgiveness The past is the future, and the future is the past. Or history repeats itself. Have you heard those phrases before? What does that even mean?  We live in an unpredictable world with many cultures, beliefs, and morals. Not one person is the same. Every person on this planet would look at one situation and view it differently. We all have different beliefs, largely due to our familial upbringing. Nothing is predictable, which is scary to most. Our economy can change in an instant. Terrorist attacks can happen at random. The coronavirus can take out a good chunk of humans. Accidents can happen. The list goes on. When issues arise, what do you do? Do you help, do you get mad, do you blame, do you get even or better yet, do you forgive? Forgiveness is hard. Think back. Someone has wronged you. You were upset and deeply hurt. Or something tragic happened.  How did it make you feel? Did you want to harm the person? Did you ...
Read more