The first time Justine went to see Titanic, she was accompanied by her boyfriend. She noticed the dramatic effects of the sinking ship and commented on the lead character, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, as being foolish in his attempts to stay with his romantic partner. The second time Justine saw Titanic, she was with an all-female group of teenage peers. This time, she commented primarily on DiCaprio's appearance, and she found his actions not only less foolish, but perhaps even tragically romantic.

Justine saw the same film differently each time because her conditions of perception had changed. She enacted roles based on whom she was with, and noticed different aspects of the film based on her social environment. Justine's ideas about herself and what counted as romance might even have changed based on how she categorized her perceptions. This kind of accommodation goes on all the time, as we adjust our perceptions and behavior based on the people with whom we're talking, playing, or working.

Join the online discussion by visiting the Message Board: How can a single person or small group of people change the way a larger group interacts? Begin with classroom contexts and discuss how one person's behavior can change the communication climate.

1		How do conditions of viewing or listening affect how we understand messages?
2		What roles might peer pressure or uncertainty about the response of others have in the way we respond to others?