Does Intention or Interpretation Hold More Weight in Communication?

[Loren Booda]

Which carries a greater weight regarding the outcome of communication? E. g., if I encourage an individual to go out with me, and they respond according to their personal judgment, whose action would be more influential in the general milieu?

 

[Dmstifik8ion]

If by respond you mean they agree I venture to say the persuader had the greater influence on the outcome but this must be weighed (for whatever the reason?) by the quality of the persuasion required against the judgement of the persuaded. Then again maybe they blindsided you into 'persuading them' because this was their desire all along.

 

[Loren Booda]

Maybe we often see ourselves as one when, in fact, we are the other.

 

[blackmama]

Maybe we often see ourselves as one when, in fact, we are the other.

the other person?

 

[Dayle Record]

Encouraging an individual to go out, is disequally weighted. If energy of encouragement must be exerted, then the other person either has time constraints, doubts, aversion, xenophobia, or some other x factor. In the realm of human dynamics, intention can be an ill fitting garment that covers a host of other vying motivations. Many times people claim high intent, but it is just handy like a hat. See I have my hat on, let's go out.

 

[loseyourname]

Intention matters more to the intender, but the way the person you are communicating with takes your gesture is what will ultimately matter more to the success of your attempt to get your point across. If they take it the wrong way, they'll take it the wrong way, regardless of what you intend.