Archive for date: October 14th, 2014

Everyone is craving the need for affection. Each tribe member is trying to find an alliance with each member, and make personal connections with other to keep themselves from being voted off the island.

Many members looking for an alliance are becoming over personal members and sharing facts about themselves to be saved. Josh seems to be an over personal member with Baylor.

During the challenges, I think each member takes part in the group maintenance roles. Each persons begins to encourage and release tension to the member who is competing for reward.

I think there’s a little communication apprehension when Hunapuh asks Jeff to trade their beans for flint because they lost their first piece and that may have came because who would want to admit they lost one of the most valuable items they have earned? During the immunity challenge when Kelly and Jacquelyn go against each other, each tribe begins to encourage the tribe members who are competing against one another during the sumo challenge. Each tribe shows a lot of encouragement toward their tribe members. Whenever each group begins to fail at the challenge, I think each group kind of experiences communication apprehension because they are obviously upset that they now have a disadvantage and have lost a chance at winning immunity, and it’s also kind of like what are you supposed to say to your tribe members when you start to lose?

Baylor uses an affection need with missy, during the immunity challenge when missy hits Baylor and splits her lip, Missy feels bad for her daughter Baylor which kind of gives Baylor the upper hand. When tribes want to plan things together, or in a way begin to use their alliances to help them vote a certain tribe member off, there is kind of a procedural technician, meaning that there is a certain member who takes charge and begins to make arrangements and kind of has the final say in what happens with their alliances.

Now that the members of Survivor have began to form their alliances and get comfortable, we are able to begin to define their group memberships. Although some are still in limbo and feeling the others out, some are very confident in their roles and let it be known. By using William Schutz’s Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation Theory, we can identify the intentions behind their acts, such as the desire to belong, the need for control, and lastly the need for affection. Although they are still finding their role, I have identified a few member roles. Starting with a Personal Member, who has no emotional problems dealing with group members because their need to be liked is overpowered by the functionality of the group. Through observation I would say that Josh is a perfect example, he knows the stakes and is willing to throw his own emotions to the side to effect the emotions of others. Josh is very precise with his words and tone, giving off the vibe that their concerns are just as important to him. By doing this he has gained trust from just about every member on his team, but little do they know he. He was able to convince Baylor that putting a vote in for her was beneficial, therefore strengthening his team by getting the weaker ones voted off but covering himself if he does not succeed. Now looking at the contrasting member is the Underpersonal Member, who establishes superficial relationships will many because they believe they are not liked by anyone. Val clearly fit this description because she was on exile island, where she feels that she has missed out on critical bonding moments…therefore leaving the tribe no reason to want or trust her. She jumps right back in with the mentality that she must establish strong relationships before the tribal council, therefore establishing them on a superficial basis because neither is aware of the others intentions. I look forward to seeing what other tribe members discover their membership in their group.

After Val gets voted out we see a shift in the orange  group. One aspect we see play out is need for affection theory, Johns girlfriend Julie has an issue with everyone disliking John for what he had done in the past, as well as that him saying he was going to beat up a female didn’t help either because she herself wants to be liked by her group.

As the secrets are revealed we see underpersonal members play out as well as overpersonal members come out. An underpersonal member would be the females in the orange group, knowing they are on the chopping block they spend their extra time trying to convince the other members that they are worthy enough to stay and the John is the person that needs to go home. Then you have the overpersonal person of the group is someone who tries to be friends with everyone, whether they like those people or not. I would definitely say John is the overpersonal member of the orange group. He goes out of his way to play the game and tries to manipulate or befriend all those in the group, although we find his motives are not entirely genuine.

One member role we frequently see in deliberation is the follower, the person who supports the group and accepts others ideas as their own, this comes out when people make alliances and then appoint a single person to delegate that alliance.  The females pleading to the alliance would be a great example of a special interest pleader, they speak against the putter group and personal interests, so they are trying to get the men to go against their alliance.

I only have a few words to throw out onto my blog this week. Unfortunately, I am a poor college student who cannot afford Tivo or any other device that records television shows and my roommate is a poor college graduate who also cannot afford such causalities. Why does CBS choose to upload their episodes so late in the game? You’re killing me and my new obsession to watch loved ones fight for money.

In my last blog, I already covered my thoughts on both episodes commenting how I have yet to really see into both teams because we’re so early into the season; it’s hard to distinguish if they genuinely are working as a group or doing it to further their advances. Shoot, if I was playing, it’d be to further my own advances. Is that selfish? We are talking about one million dollars guys… Anyways, I’ll just reiterate my prior thoughts: orange team is slackin’ in their team work while the blue team seems to have a good idea on how to work with each other’s strengths. Well, at least so far. (Sorry my mind is drawing a blank on the tribe names hehe)

I’m almost tempted to root for the underdogs which is the orange team just because I really want to see them pull it together as a group! Maybe they’ll actually win the group challenge in episode three.

*No spoilers please!

What do disabilities have to do with diversity? That question was a big one in the year 1999 at the University of Michigan.  The reason it was questioned is because people with disabilities have been left on the back burner longer than any other “diverse” group out there. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was long overdue in assuring the disabled that they shall not be denied benefits or be excluded from participation in, or be discriminated under any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. I do not believe diversity is limited to skin color. I think it is great that disabled people are being heard and steps are being taken to allow them equal opportunity in the pursuit of higher education. I started thinking, during the readings, who needs higher education more than our disabled? Many disabled people can not work with their hands or do other labor intensive jobs. So, if anyone should be allowed a chance at a higher education, why not the handicapped and disabled members of our community. It is nice to know that much has been accomplished in the last 30 years as far as students with disabilities graduation rates. I agree with the authors Bryan and Myers that much more needs to be done to include the disabled community in the university system. I personally do not see a lot of disabled people on campus, and that saddens me. I chose a sign of an access button for handicapped people to use to gain access to a room or hallway without having to open a door manually. I think with today’s technology we can help disabled and handicapped people to have the same access to the places everyone has.