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„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

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dismiss the confrontation and me as a person. Do I expect the person to change just<br />

because I confronted him or her? As I cannot possibly experience the world as the other<br />

person does, I cannot be sure that the change would be right for him or her. If I do not<br />

give the other the right to decide whether and how to change, I am imposing my values<br />

on him or her.<br />

3. What are my own motives? Do I want to become more involved with the person I<br />

am confronting? If not, I am intruding on another person and prying into his or her life.<br />

Am I directing my confrontation to the right person? Am I confronting to relieve<br />

boredom or to ward off confrontation myself? To punish or to dominate? To show off<br />

my intelligence or perceptiveness? If I am confronting for these motives, I am<br />

attempting to meet my needs at the other person’s expense; and my behavior may be<br />

harmful to him or her.<br />

4. Am I confronting behavior or the other’s motives? As motives must be inferred<br />

from the other’s behavior and are much more difficult to describe accurately,<br />

confronting the other’s behavior is more helpful. Am I making myself clear? Am I<br />

checking the impact that my confrontation is having on the other person?<br />

Some of the answers to these questions lie within yourself. Some of the answers lie<br />

within the recipient and some within the other group members. The most effective way<br />

to find the answers is to be open to yourself and to elicit feedback as to how you are<br />

experienced by others.<br />

REFERENCES<br />

Berenson, B.G., Mitchell, K.M., & Laney, R.C. (1968). Level of therapist functioning: Types of confrontation and<br />

type of patient. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 24, 111-113.<br />

Berne, E. (1964). Games people play. New York: Grove Press.<br />

Douds, J., Berenson, B.G., Carkhuff, R.R., & Pierce, R. (1967). In search of an honest experience: Confrontation<br />

in counseling and life. In R.R. Carkhuff & B.G. Berenson (Eds.), Beyond counseling and therapy (pp. 170-<br />

179). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.<br />

Egan, G. (1970). Encounter: Group processes for interpersonal growth. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.<br />

306 ❘❚<br />

The Pfeiffer Library Volume 6, 2nd Edition. Copyright ©1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer

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