The theory of Constructivism, proposed by Jesse Delia and built on by Em Griffin, allows us to seek and understand individual differences in people's ability to communicate skillfully in social situations (Griffin 98). An important and key aspect of the theory of Constructivism is the idea of cognitive complexity. Em Griffin defines cognitive complexity as the mental ability to distinguish subtle personality and behavior differences among people (99). Cognitive complexity is crucially important to constructivism because, as we better understand the differences among people, we are better able to communicate in a variety of social situations with a variety of people. The higher our cognitive complexity, the more likely we are to be skilled in constructivism.
I just had a job interview this past Friday and, to my surprise, I found numerous instances where I was relating what I was discussing with my interviewer to different aspects of communication that I have been learning throughout my college education. My interview was with Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the largest vacation ownership business in the world. Beginning in June, I will be a part of the Wyndham Team as a Sales Professional. In speaking with my interviewer and Director of Sales, Brandon, constructivism and cognitive complexity immediately came to mind. As a Sales Professional, I will be meeting with Wyndham timeshare owners and potential owners, providing them with knowledge on all that Wyndham Vacation Ownership has to offer. Communication will be 100% of my job, as I will be meeting with multiple individuals each day persuading them to either buy a timeshare or upgrade their existing timeshare. Possessing a high level of cognitive complexity will be extremely beneficial to me in a sales environment. My ability to cognitively process various personalities and behaviors will further allow me to communicate in an interpersonal way that will be most effective for each individual guest during their appointment. Ultimately, my goal in using constructivism will be to make a sale.
Another example where I have utilized constructivism was during my internship at Disney World. We are taught during training how to recognize people with minute disabilities and how to communicate with them effectively in order for them to not feel out of the ordinary. People with disabilities are just like anyone else and deserve the same treatment, but there are ways to use cognitive complexity to skillfully communicate in a manner which makes it easier for them to understand.
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