Sociology 3: Analysis of Communication Skills in Good Will Hunting

This sociology essay provides an analysis of the film "Good Will Hunting", focusing on the challenges and dynamics of interpersonal communication. The essay explores key concepts such as self-disclosure, identity perception, and non-verbal communication as they are portrayed in the movie. The analysis delves into how Will's past experiences influenced his communication style and relationships, highlighting the significance of perceptual constructs, self-concepts, and body language. Furthermore, the essay examines the application of Johari's Open Window and the impact of therapy sessions on fostering human connectedness. The essay references specific scenes and character behaviors to illustrate the importance of communication skills in developing and maintaining interpersonal relationships. This analysis demonstrates how the film serves as an excellent example of the complexities of human interaction and the role of communication in overcoming psychological challenges.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY
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Author Note

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Analysis of the movie "Good Will Hunting".
The film is an excellent example of the challenges that involve interpersonal communication and
how it plays a crucial role in developing or breaking relationships (Good Will Hunting | Film |
The Guardian).
The “Good Will Hunting” film demonstrates a drastic connection between a teacher and pupil
and the relationship between fellow educators as well. The film enables one to develop with the
personalities to anticipate and recognize how they communicate with each other.
Some of the major factors that this essay will focus and elucidate includes self-disclosure,
identity perception and interpersonal relationships (Koch and Colette 206). The movie revolves
around the fact that irrespective of Will's brilliance, he had been a poor communicator. Also, his
experience from the past made it challenging for him to let anyone understand his situation. The
concept of identity perception plays a substantial part in the film "Good Hunting".
In the context of the communication skills within the interpersonal relationships, the movie
highlights the continuous nonverbal communication. The movie portrays that a person's
behaviour is being noticed and interpreted as a message within interpersonal relationships. The
context relates to the scene from the film, among Will and Sean, where the non-verbal cues by
Will served as the communication climate among them. Non-verbal communication within an
interpersonal relationship can also provide information (Senja 251).
Another characteristic of the skill of communication that the film shows can be connected to the
character, Will , who prefers to have a hidden window (wood) regarding his abusive and
troubled childhood. His past induces him to develop an adverse communication climate around
him by pushing people away from him.

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The film furthermore showcased the two essential concepts about the communication skills
within interpersonal relations; which are the self-perception and body language. The character,
Will’s body language has been very timid until the end of the movie (Saul 14).
While he was put in certain situations like jail and therapy sessions; his actions showed
perceptual constructs regarding disrespect and lack of interest. Throughout, the movie revolves
around Will, and his communication skills within his interpersonal relationships, showcasing his
nonverbal communication, his behaviour and his self-presentation.
Belonging from a lower class community and with a stereotypical attitude, the character, Will
was shown in the film with the same clothing and a dirty and unkempt look. The film
demonstrated the un-seriousness, sarcasticness of Will that is accompanied by an unprofessional
attitude and lack of proper communication skills that induces him to withdraw from the outside
world.
The movie summarizes on the note that childhood abundance followed by physical abuse
resulted in the lack of facilitative emotional expressions among Will, the main character of the
movie ("Good Will Hunting | Film Reviews | Films | Spirituality & Practice".).
The film showcased the importance of self-concepts and perceptions within the communication
skills among interpersonal relationships. In the light of the character Will, the movie concluded
how therapies and respect towards non-communication interpersonal skills contribute to human
connectedness. The film furthermore portrays therapy session as Johari’s Open Window, that
strengthens the concept of communication, operant conditioning, self-efficacy and social proof
among individuals suffering from past psychological challenges.

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References
 "Good Will Hunting | Film | The Guardian". Theguardian.Com, 2014,
https://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/69596/good-will-hunting.
 "Good Will Hunting | Film Reviews | Films | Spirituality &
Practice". Spiritualityandpractice.Com, 2019,
https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/reviews/view/1083/good-will-hunting.
 Koch, Gary, and Colette T. Dollarhide. "Using a popular film in counselor education:
Good Will Hunting as a teaching tool." Counselor Education and Supervision 39.3
(2000): 203-210.
 Saul, Mark. "Good Will Hunting." Notices of the AMS 45.4 (1998).
 Senja, Kharisma. "SUBTITLING STRATEGIES OF SLANG EXPRESSIONS IN THE
ENGLISH AND BAHASA INDONESIA' GOOD WILL HUNTING'MOVIE TEXTS."
Sastra Inggris-Quill 4.3 (2015): 246-258.