Johari Window (Definition)

The Johari Window is a model that is used to describe human interaction. It is named after the first names of its inventors, Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham ("Johari"). The intention of the Johari window is to conceptualize levels of awareness and self disclosure in human communication (Tubbs 281). The window is consisted of four different quadrants which focus on "how self-disclosure can affect what we know about ourselves and how we feel about who we are" (Handout). Essentially, it suggests ways at observing intrapersonal and interpersonal affairs. Intrapersonal deals with experiences that come from oneself, but interpersonal affairs are derived from interaction with other people. 

The four quadrants the model acknowledges are the open, blind, hidden and unknown quadrants ("Johari"). The first quadrant is the "open area," which consists of information that is open to the public and easy for one to reveal. The next box is the "blind area," also recognized as "things others know about us, but we don't know about ourselves" (Handout).  The third quadrant is the "hidden area" is more personal information that we know about ourselves, but we chose not to share this information with others. The final and fourth quadrant is the "unknown area" that is information that you and no one else has yet to discovered about yourself. The Johari Window can allow for one to have eye opening experiences about themselves. 

Works Cited

Handout from Class

"Johari Window." 26 Apr. 1999. 22 Feb. 2009 .

Tubbs, Stewart L., and Sylvia Moss. Human Communication : Principles and Contexts. New York: McGraw-Hill Humanities, Social Sciences & World Languages, 2007.