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The importance of communication skills
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Have you ever wondered what the line is between crazy or sane? Is there a way, a definitive test, that can tell for sure whether or not a person is crazy? If you take the time to study psychology and specifically the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, you are sure to find out that you can easily be diagnosed with some level and type of mental disorder. This line of questioning is what begins, in my opinion, one of the best TED talks I have viewed. In his speech, Answers to the Psychopath Test, writer and filmmaker Jon Ronson takes the listener on an amazing journey that explores the strange and maddening world of psychopathy.
Right from the beginning there are several ideas from the Communication: Principle for a Lifetime, textbook that overwhelm the listener, and add to the successful delivery of the speech. The first idea, even before Ronson begins speaking, is the use of attention-getting support material. The stage is a dimly lit bright red circle with Ronson standing in the middle. Behind him are two support assistants providing lighting, visual, and sound presentations. In big ominous letters on the wall behind Ronson are the initials DSM alluding to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual which he refers to in his opening.
Ronson's speech starts with a personal story intended to connect the listener, and shed some light on what got him thinking about the idea in the first place. In analyzing this first part of the speech, as described by authors Steven A. Beebe, Susan J. Beebe, and Diana K. Ivy in Communication: Principles for a Lifetime, Ronson's presentation type falls into the category of a presentation about ideas (Beebe 364). As he speaks he connects the listener to a short chronological history of the DSM, and explai...
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...sual and audio symbolism sets the mood for the points Ronson is speaking.
In the end, Ronson sums up his speech by asking the question, “What would you do?” In this question it somewhat compels a discussion between listeners, and yet, at the same time is rhetorical from the speaker, because he has already answered what he would do. By using this technique he has planted a seed of discussion. The discussion however, was to be between others, and not him, because he has already set his position. Overall it was an intriguing and deeply provoking way to end a speech.
Works Cited
Beebe, Steven A., Susan J. Beebe, and Diana K. Ivy. Communication: Principles for a Lifetime. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print.
Ronson, Jon. "Jon Ronson: Strange Answers to the Psychopath Test." TED 2012. 28 May 2014. .
Are psychopaths like Alice, “mad or bad?” (page 21). The question whether psychopaths are mentally ill or just a bad seed has caused much debate. Dr. Hare explains that the problem is not only labeling them mad or bad, but who deals with them. “Does the treatment or control of the psychopath rightly fall to mental health professionals or to the correctional system?” (page 21). Not only are professionals confused on how to classify psychopaths, but the media also creates confusion. Psychopath means mental illness and the media uses the word to classify someone as, “insane or crazy”, (page 22). Dr. Hare explains that even though psychopaths, “cannot be understood in terms of traditional views of mental illness”, they, “are not disoriented or out of touch with reality, nor do they experience the delusions, hallucinations, or intense subjective distress that characterize most other mental disorders…psychopaths are rational and aware of what they are doing and why.” (page 22). Most professionals use the term psychopath and sociopath as one in the same. Since DSM-III, antisocial personality disorder has been used in place of psychopath and sociopath. Philippe Pinel was the first psychiatrist describe a psychopath and Harvey Cleckley was one of the first successful publish a book describing a psychopath to the general public . Pinel used the term, “insanity without delirium”, (page 25). Cleckley wrote The Mask of Sanity, which influenced researchers in North America. Dr. Robert Hare explained that WWII was the first time clinicians felt a need to diagnosis people with psychopathy. Due to the draft, there was a need to weed out the people could disrupt or harm the military structure. Dr. Robert Hare realized how hard it was to identify a true psychopaths from rule breakers and developed the Psychopathy Checklist. This checklist is used world wide to help clinicians identify true
The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry is a book by Jon Ronson, where he investigates the idea of psychopathy and the many individuals involved. Psychopathy is defined as “a person who is mentally ill, who does not care about other people, and who is usually dangerous or violent.” Ronson visited mental health professionals and psychopaths in order to determine the right way to control the diagnosis of mental health disorders. Throughout the novel, Ronson focuses on three main themes, which are the definition of madness, unnecessary mental diagnoses and the problem with confirmation bias.
Despite the incomprehensibility of their actions, serial killers make for fascinating case studies in abnormal psychology. There is something profoundly inhuman about an individual who displays a total disregard for another person’s life or safety. In addition, there is an underlying curiosity about how they develop, what influences their thought patterns, and why they are motivated to commit certain unspeakable acts. Ted Bundy, for example, is a perfect specimen of a serial killer with psychopathy. Not only is Bundy renowned for the number of murders he committed over roughly four years, but many continue to express disbelief at how nonchalant and unremorseful he was. Thus, Ted Bundy is an interesting case study because of his social history,
New studies reveal that psychopaths not only understand right from wrong, but can justify their morally inappropriate actions regardless of the consequences. Psychology experts Maaike Cima, Marc Hauser and Franca Tonnaer devised a hypothesis that could potentially render previous preconceptions about psychopathy moot:
Cleckley, H. (1976). The mask of sanity: An attempt to clarify some issues about the so-called psychopathic personality. St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Inc. (Original work published 1941).
When Ronson wraps up his work in The Psychopath Test, a novel, he creates a theme of paranoia as he ventured into an industry of madness. He establishes his work’s meaning that any individual may appear normal, abnormal, or be a psychopath within. In other words, his theme follows the idea that life can be full of deceiving people. In order to convey his theme, he used four significant characters. They include himself as the narrator, David Shayler with Rachel North, and Robert Hare. These characters not only emphasize Ronson’s theme, but also help establish the purpose of his theme, which is to showcase that madness can be anywhere.
Schramm, W. (1954). How communication works. In W. Schramm (Ed.), The process and effects of communication (pp. 3-26). Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press.
Mohan, Terry, Helen McGregor, Shirley Saunders, and Ray Archee. Communicating! Theory and Practice. 4th. Sydney: Harcourt Brace, 1992.
Eunson, B 1994, Writing and presenting reports, The Communication Skills Series, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland.
People rely on communication to relate with each other effectively and efficiently. Without this vital process, it would be difficult to exchange ideas, opinions, thoughts, suggestions, and creative concepts that can be transformed into lucrative innovations. For that reason, this process affects the function of human beings in a profound way. Therefore, it is imperative to understand how communication occurs in terms of the steps involved and the elements incorporated in the process. In this light, communication is a continuous mode of exchanging messages that are oral and non-verbal in kind.
Communication plays an integral role in all facets of business. How one communicates with others is not only a reflection of the individual, but on the organization as a whole. If effective communication is lacking, it can have an adverse effect on day to day business operations as well as employee morale and job satisfaction. If an organization is to be successful, effective internal and external communication should be a primary focus. In this paper, I will address the need for effective communication throughout all levels of the organization and the challenges that may arise if effective communication skills are not utilized.
Communication is a process of sending and receiving information among people. Humans communicate with others not only by face-to-face communication, but also by giving information by the internet and printed products such as books and newspapers. Many people believe that the significance of communication is like the importance of breathing (Hasan, 2015). Although this may be considered as true, communication facilitates the spread of knowledge and forms relationships between people. Communication is a very important aspect in all walks of life. Communication helps to understand one another in the world in which we live and it is key to success in relationships, in the workplace, as a citizen of this country, and across a lifetime. The ability to communicate comes from experience.
The subject of this story is a murderer repeatedly trying to prove not his innocence, but his sanity. The speaker begins his confession by addressing the audience, “You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing” (Poe). The rest of the work is an argumentative confession, each image of an attempt to describe “how wisely [he] proceeded,” relying on the generally accepted stereotype of a madman in the 1800s— a raving lunatic completely lacking logical thought and purposeful action; but the reader knows that rationale is not this speaker’s issue; it is not a problem of the mind but of the soul or heart. The idea of ‘moral insanity’ was first introduced by Benjamin Rush in the late 1700s and changed the foundations of psychology and the implications of an insanity plea in court. In an article critiquing Poe’s work, Bynum explains that “where Rush broke with traditional psychiatric theory was in declaring that insanity did not necessarily involve a disorder of the intellect, that the moral faculties alone were capable of succumbing to disease.” Although modern culture and psychologists now identify this condition as ‘antisocial personality disorder,’ (the defining characteristic of both psychopaths and sociopaths), it was extremely controversial for medical professionals at the time. How does one diagnose or
Communication is one of the most important factors in our lives. It dictates the relationships formed with the individuals in personal and professional lives. Effective communication provides a foundation for trust and respect to grow. It also helps better understand a person and the context of the conversation. Individuals often believe that their communication skills are much better than what they actually are. Communication appears effortless; however, much of what two people discuss gets misunderstood, thus leading to conflicts and distress. To communicate effectively, one must understand the emotion behind the information being said. Knowing how to communicate effectively can improve relationships one has at home, work and in social affairs. Understanding communication skills such as; listening, non-verbal communication and managing stress can help better the relationships one has with others.
I realized that my speech should flow back and forth between the discussions of effective vs. ineffective communication. This strategy will better illustrate to my audience how to successfully get their ideas across.