Cognitive Complexity - VOX Community Podcast Oct. 22 2017

This week, Tim Muehlhoff shares from his expertise in communication theory, which he teaches at Biola University. Tim encourages us to practice what he coins as the core of effective communication: to value cognitive complexity and model perspective taking. Perspective taking involves assuming and maintaining another's point of view (POV). This doesn't necessarily require us to agree with or condone the other's POV, but rather just to see issues through the other's eyes. Cognitive complexity involves perceiving and describing others' views and actions through distinct interpretations. This is accomplished through differentiation between possible interpretations, abstraction of context, and organizing contradictory interpretations. While this all may sound like mere academics, Tim connects these ideas to the gospel by stressing that these qualities, when expressed successfully, will increase our empathy and sympathy for others and our relational level of communication. After all, Jesus himself was the perfect model of a perspective taker. Would love to see your comments and thoughts below! Learn more about VOX Community: www.voxoc.com Like VOX Community on Facebook: www.facebook.com/voxcommunity Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/voxcommunity Follow VOX Community on Instagram: www.instagram.com/voxcommunity Say Something! [email protected] Watch from home or on your mobile device LIVE on Sundays at 9am on Facebook: www.voxoc.com/live VOX Community is a church expression of the VOX Podcast with Mike Erre that began in the late spring of 2016. You can participate beyond the VOX Community by listening, commenting, and sharing the conversation happening on the VOX Podcast with Mike Erre at www.soundcloud.com/thevoxpodcast. Learn more about the VOX Podcasts at www.voxpodcast.com