The Steps of Social Communication
Problem Solving in Social Situations
Dealing with Friendships
Dealing with Social Anxiety
Hodgepodge
100
This social communication step involves using part of our body to relate to others.
What is using our eyes to think about others and what they are thinking about?
100
We use this imaginary tool to keep our thoughts from hurting other people's feelings or annoying them.
What is our brain filter?
100
Someone who you say "hi" to regularly (but don't hang out with), or see in your class but don't really talk to, or someone who starts talking to you when you are in line.
What is an acquaintance?
100
People might not remember what you said to them but they remember how you made them feel (good or bad).
What is social memory?
100
Pretending to be interested in what someone is saying to maintain the friendship or to not hurt someone's feelings.
What is the social fake?
200
This step involves how we use our facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice and body postures to communicate.
What is using nonverbal communication to relate to others?
200
This is the way each of us views the world based on our backgrounds, beliefs and life experiences.
What is our perspective?
200
Someone who passes you in the hall and says "hi."
What is a friendly greeting?
200
The positive voice inside your head that tells you that you can be successful at doing something.
What is your inner coach?
200
Discussing generally neutral topics (the weather, things that are happening in your environment) in order to make conversation or to be friendly.
What is making small talk?
300
Someone who uses the four steps of social communication to successfully interact with others.
What is a good social thinker?
300
When you say something out loud without thinking about it first (and often at an inappropriate time).
What is blurting?
300
Someone who you have already met and who you think you might like to get to know better.
What is a possible friendship?
300
The negative voice inside your head that talks you out of doing things that are challenging.
What is the self defeater?
300
Saying something to someone without coming straight out and saying it. Someone might do this to be polite, to make light of a situation or because the topic is difficult to talk about.
What is using indirect language?
400
This step involves using our words to connect with other people.
What is using our language to relate to others?
400
When the level of your behavior is much higher than the expected reaction for a particular situation or problem.
What is overreacting?
400
Someone who you know through social media (who you may or may not know "in person").
What is a Facebook friend (or Twitter follower), etc.?
400
The circular thinking that talks you out of tackling a tough challenge.
What is the spiral of social failure?
400
Purposely misleading someone to get out of doing something, to avoid getting in trouble or to get something from someone.
What is telling a bold-face lie?
500
This step involves relating to people based on what we know about about them (background knowledge), what they might want to talk about, and how they might react to something we say.
What is thinking about others' thoughts and feelings to relate to them?
500
When your bad mood "infects" everyone else around you.
What is emotional contagion?
500
Someone you have known for a while, who you trust completely and who really cares about you.
What is a very close friend?
500
This is the circular thinking that supports you in taking on tough challenges.
What is the spiral of social success?
500
"Bending the truth" to avoid hurting someone's feelings or to avoid making a situation worse.
What is telling a white lie?
M
e
n
u