I-message: Difference between revisions
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*the speaker's feelings about that effect |
*the speaker's feelings about that effect |
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He describes the I-message as an appeal for help from the other person, and states that the other person is more likely to respond positively when the message is presented in that way.<ref>[[#refGordon1995|Gordon 1995]] p. 112</ref> |
He describes the I-message as an appeal for help from the other person, and states that the other person is more likely to respond positively when the message is presented in that way.<ref>[[#refGordon1995|Gordon 1995]] p. 112</ref> |
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drew holland created this |
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== Shifting gears == |
== Shifting gears == |
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Revision as of 18:55, 10 September 2010
In interpersonal communication, an I-message is an assertion about the feelings, beliefs, values etc. of the person speaking, generally expressed as a sentence beginning with the word "I", and is contrasted with a "you-message", which often begins with the word "you" and focuses on the person spoken to. Thomas Gordon coined the term "I message" in the 1960s.[1]
Description
Gordon advises that to use an I-message successfully, there should be congruence between the words one is using and one's affect, tone of voice, facial expression and body language. Gordon also describes a 3-part I-message, called a "confrontive" I-message, with the following parts:
- non-blameful description of the listener's behavior
- the effect of that behavior on the speaker
- the speaker's feelings about that effect
He describes the I-message as an appeal for help from the other person, and states that the other person is more likely to respond positively when the message is presented in that way.[2] drew holland created this
Shifting gears
Gordon states, "Although I-messages are more likely to influence others to change than You-messages, still it is a fact that being confronted with the prospect of having to change is often disturbing to the changee." A quick shift by the sender of the I-message to an active listening posture can achieve several important functions in this situation, according to Gordon. He states that in Leader Effectiveness Training courses, this is called "shifting gears", and states that the person might shift back to an I-message later in the conversation.[3]
Research
A study in Hong Kong of children's reactions to messages from their mothers found that children are most receptive to I-messages that reveal distress, and most antagonistic towards critical you-messages.[4] A study with university students as subjects did not find differences in emotional reactions to I-messages and you-messages for negative emotions, but did find differences in reactions for positive emotions.[5]
Use of the concept
A book about mentoring states that communications specialists find that I-messages are a less threatening way to confront someone one wants to influence, and suggests a three-part I-message: a neutral description of planned behaviour, consequences of the behaviour, and the emotions of the speaker about the situation.[6]
A manual for health care workers calls I-messages an "important skill", but emphasizes that use of an I-message does not guarantee that the other person will respond in a helpful way. It presents an I-message as a way that one can take responsibility for one's own feelings and express them without blaming someone else.[7] A manual for social workers presents I-messages as a technnique with the purpose of improving the effectiveness of communication.[8]
Notes
- ^ Gordon 1995 p. xiii
- ^ Gordon 1995 p. 112
- ^ Gordon, Thomas (2001). Leader Effectiveness Training (L.E.T.): The Foundation for Participative Management and Employee Involvement. Perigee. pp. 113–115. ISBN 0399527133, 9780399527135.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Cheung 2003 pp. 3–14
- ^ Bippus 2005 pp. 26–45
- ^ Shea 2001 p. 50
- ^ Davis 1996 p. 100
- ^ Sheafor 1996 p. 166
References
- Gordon, Thomas (1995). Making the patient your partner: Communication Skills for Doctors and Other Caregivers. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0865692556, 9780865692558.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Cheung, Siu-Kau (2003). "How do Hong Kong children react to maternal I-messages and inductive reasoning?". The Hong Kong Journal of Social Work. 37 (1). Retrieved 2008-08-23.
{{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Bippus, Amy M. (2005). "Owning Your Emotions: Reactions to Expressions of Self- versus Other-Attributed Positive and Negative Emotions". Journal of Applied Communication Research. 33 (1 doi=10.1080/0090988042000318503): 26. doi:10.1080/0090988042000318503. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
{{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help); Missing pipe in:|issue=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Shea, Gordon (2001). How to Develop Successful Mentor Behaviors. Thomas Crisp Learning. ISBN 1560526424.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Davis, Carol M. (2006). Patient Practitioner Interaction: An Experiential Manual for Developing the Art of Health Care (4th ed.). SLACK Incorporated. ISBN 1556427204, 9781556427206.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Sheafor, Bradford W. (1996). Techniques and Guidelines for Social Work Practice. Allyn and Bacon (Original from the University of Michigan). ISBN 0205191770, 9780205191772.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)