1D: The Johari Window

After completing this assignment we were asked to look up "The Johari Window" and comment on how it explains our our reaction to our partners perceptions of our personality. 

Created in 1955 by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham, A Johari Window is a reflective tool used to help people understand their communication and relationships with others.

The person is given a list of 56 adjectives and encouraged to pick five or six that they feel describe their own personality best. Friends or colleagues of the person are then given the same list, and each picks five or six adjectives that they feel best describe that person. These adjectives are then placed strategically onto a grid by each person.

The grid is also known as The Johari House with four rooms. Room 1 is the part of us that is known to ourselves and others. Room 2 is the aspects that are known to others but not ourselves. Room 3 is the part of us which is seen by neither ourselves or by others. Room 4 is our private space, which we know about but choose to keep from others.

Below is an example table using all the 56 adjectives which I have placed in a rough order to suit myself.

 

After asking friends if there was anything they knew about me which I had marked down as "unknown to others", the window showed that there are aspects of my personality which I did not think were visible to others, when in fact they were. Adjectives which I would class as "known to me" but not "known to others" are often known to others through their perception of clues subconsciously given away through what I own, wear, go etc. This supports the idea that your 'stuff' really can say a lot about you!