Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

make this situation better?”
The third phase of the perception process is interpretation. In this phase, we try to understand the
information or make sense of it. This depends on a few factors:
1. Degree of involvement–If we were in the middle of an accident, we would probably have more
information regarding what event occurred compared to a bystander. The more involved we are
with something, the more we can make sense of what is actually happening. For instance, in cults,
the members understand the rules and rituals, but an outsider would not understand, because they
are not exposed to the rules and rituals.
2. Relational satisfaction – If we are happy in a relationship, we tend to think that everything is
wonderful. However, if you are dissatisfied in the relationship, you might second guess the
behaviors and actions of your partner.
3. Past experiences – If you had a good past experience with a certain company, you might think that
everything they do is wonderful. However, if your first experience was horrible, you may think that
they are always horrible. In turn, you will interpret that company’s actions as justified because you
already encountered a horrible experience.
4. Assumptions about human behavior – If you believed that most people do not lie, then you would
probably be very hurt if someone important to you lied to you. Our assumptions about others
help us understand their behaviors and actions. If you had a significant other cheats on you, you
would probably be suspicious of future interactions with other significant others.
5. Expectations – Our behaviors are also influenced by our expectations of others. If we expect a
party to be fun and it isn’t, then we will be let down. However, if we have no expectations about a
party, it may not affect how we feel about it.
6. Knowledge of others – If you know that someone close to you has a health problem, then it will
not be a shock if they need medical attention. However, if you had no clue that this person was
unhealthy, it would come as a complete surprise. How you interpret a given situation is oftentimes
based on what you know about a certain situation. 55
Negotiation
The last phase of the perception process is called negotiation. In this phase, people are trying to
understand what is happening. People often use narratives or stories to explain and depict their life. For
instance, a disagreement between a teacher and student might look very different depending on which
perspective you take. The student might perceive that they are hard-working and very studious. The
student thinks they deserve a high grade. However, the teacher might feel that their job is to challenge
all students to their highest levels and be fair to all students. By listening to both sides, we can better
understand what is going on and what needs to be done in certain situations. Think about car accidents
and how police officers have to listen to both sides. Police officers have to determine what happened and
who is at fault. Sometimes it is not an easy task.
All of us don’t perceive the same things. One person might find something beautiful, but another person
might think it is horrible. When it comes to our perception, there are four primary influences we should
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Interpersonal Communication