Evaluate communication skills in role play Essay

Evaluate communication skills in role play - Essay Example Summary of Scenario The scenario given is based on the relationship between Kelly, an elderly individual living in a nursing home and Mary, the care giver. Kelly is the age of 80 and requires basic assistance for daily living activities; however, she is still fairly independent with her actions. Mary goes to give Kelly her morning breakfast and is accused of stealing Kelly’s money as she is the only one in the room. Mary states that Kelly should look in her purse again to see if the money is there; however, Kelly refuses and continues to become aggressive toward Mary. After this point, there are two methods of communication that are used. The first is with Mary who tells Linda, the manager, about the given scenario and what the results are. The second is when the message is communicated to Doreen, the daughter of Kelly. Doreen tells her mother to look in her purse where the money is found. Kelly and Mary also go into the room to resolve the conflict; however, the money has bee n found and an apology is made toward Mary. Theories of Communication The first application that can be seen with the scenario between Kelly and Mary is based on behavioural theory. This theory states that the communication and motivation which is used may alter the behaviours which one takes as well as the intentions which are a part of the theory. When using persuasive communication in the right manner, the behaviours alter and a different mood is created toward the situation (Fishbein, Cappella, S1: 2006). When looking at the scenario between Kelly and Mary, it can be seen that the motivation factors alters the behaviour. Mary first tries to alter the situation by calming Kelly down and motivating her to look in her bag. However, the behavioural response leads to aggressive behaviour toward Mary. The motivation at this point is used in a negative manner because of the situation. The same concept of behavioural theory is applied when Doreen steps in. The communication is used in a non – threatening manner and Kelly is able to express her concerns thoroughly. This allows Doreen to motivate Kelly to look in her bag. The response isn’t negative because of the way the information is communicated to her mother. The communication that was used negatively is one which may directly be associated with Mary as well as with Linda later during the scenario. According to Eric Berne, the negative communication is one which is not only based on this scenario. Reactions and experiences also may create a psychological response to the situation. If the communication approach is one which constitutes a psychological reaction or triggers a memory, then a negative response may occur. The scripts which may lead to a negative reaction include protocol, script proper and adaptation. The protocol of Kelly is relayed through her instant reaction of believing that Mary took her money. The script proper is also a retelling of past experiences and psychological responses t o the situation. The adaptation is retrieved when a change in attitude and understanding of the situation is correctly applied (Stewart, 7: 2007). When looking at this situation, it can be seen that the negative response was based only on psychological responses. The relation that Kelly has with both Mary and Linda triggers a negative reaction or protocol which Kelly believes is true. This can be seen in the overall