Chapter 8 - Interpersonal Communication Flashcards
What is interpersonal communication?
An interactional process in which one person sends a message to another
What are three facts about interpersonal communication?
It involves at least two people, it is a process involving a series of actions, it is not one-way, but bi-directional
What are six components of the communication process (1)?
The sender - person who initiates the message
(2)
The receiver - person to who the message is targeted
(3)
The message - the information or meaning that is transmitted from the sender to the receiver
(4)
The channel - refers to the sensory channel through which the message reaches the receiver
(5)
The noise - any stimulus that interferes with accurately expressing or understanding a message
(6)
The context - environment in which communication takes place
What is electronically mediated communication?
Interpersonal communication that takes place via technology
What are three basic rules of etiquette for cell use?
Quiet your phone when it will disturb others, keep call short, and keep calls out of earshot of others
What five important ways do face to face and electronic communication differ from each other?
Physical distance, Anonymity, Richness of communication, visual cues and time
What is the primary benefit of social networking sites (SNS)?
Being able to present yourself virtually to an online community, especially for shy individuals who may not reach out otherwise
What is a downside to SNS?
One risks loss of privacy if they are not careful and studies show student posts have prevented them from getting jobs
What two things does Lewis et al. (2008) state?
Students’ privacy settings are most similar to those of their close friends/room mates, and females are also more likely to maintain more privacy online
In terms of communication and adjustment, what three things can be said about communication (1)?
Effective communication is essential for many important aspects of life
(2)
Good communication enhances satisfaction in relationships
(3)
Poor communication is a major cause of relationship breakups
What is nonverbal communication?
The transmission of meaning from one person to another through means of symbols other than words
Why is it important to recognize general principles of nonverbal communication?
A great deal of information is conveyed in this manner
What are the five general principles of nonverbal communication (1)?
It conveys emotions: facial expressions and body posture can convey how we feel without words
(2)
It is multi-channeled: we use facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, vocal tone, and body language
(3)
It is ambiguous: body language can be difficult to interpret
(4)
It may contradict verbal messages: we may say one thing, but out body conveys something different
(5)
It is culture bound: nonverbal signals vary from one culture to another
What are the elements of nonverbal communication?
Personal space, facial expression, eye contact, body language, touch, paralanguage
What is proxemics?
The study of personal space
What is personal space?
A zone of space surrounding a person that is felt to belong to that person
What does preference for amount of personal space depend on (3 things)?
Culture, status of the individuals involved and how well you know the person
What do facial expressions convey?
Basic emotions recognized by people around the world
What may be a 7th distinct facial expression?
Anxiety - occurs in ambiguous situations where perceived threats are unclear
What does a consensus across cultures to be able to recognize facial expressions suggest?
That the facial expressions associated with certain emotions may have a biological basis
What are display rules?
Culture specific norms that govern the expression of emotion
What is the observed gender difference in expression of emotion?
Most males show less expression than females
What is the most meaningful aspect of eye contact?
Its duration
What are high levels of eye contact among European Americans associated with?
Effective social skills and credibility
How can eye contact be perceived differently from European American culture?
In other cultures such as Native American Tribes, eye contact is judged as offensive
What does eye contact also convey?
Intensity of feelings
What feelings does eye contact convey in a positive context (e.g. romantic partners)?
Long gazes signal loving feelings
What feelings does eye contact convey in a negative context (e.g. road rage)?
Long gazes are interpreted as stares and they make people uncomfortable
What can eye contact (visual dominance) be affected by?
Status and gender
How does status and gender affect visual dominance?
Visual dominance seems to be more of a function of status than gender, because role reverse depending on the status rather than if you are male or female
What is kinesics?
The study of communication through body movements
What types of body movements are used for communication?
Open posture, closed posture, and hand gestures
What does an open posture (e.g. arms uncrossed and down at sides) convey?
A relaxed state
What does a closed posture (e.g. arms crossed) convey?
Defensiveness or tension
What do hand gestures emphasize?
The words we speak
How does touch relate to communication?
Where and whom we touch conveys a variety of meanings, especially status and power
What are three facts about touch (1)?
There are strong norms that govern where we touch friends
(2)
Female-female paris touch more often than do male-male pairs
(3)
Cross-gender touch is interpreted as support by females, but as power or sexual interest by males
What is paralanguage?
Includes all vocal cues other than the content of the verbal message itself
What types of variations in paralanguage can there be?
Variations in vocal emphasis and variations in speech
What can variations in vocal emphasis do?
Give different meanings to the same words
What can variations in speech do?
Convey emotions (e.g. rapid speech indicates anxiety of excitement)
What happens when people detect deception?
Nonverbal cues that actually indicate deception are often different from those most people believe indicate deception
What are three examples of this phenomenon (1)?
Liars often say less, not more
(2)
Liars are not necessarily good storytellers and include less unusual content in stories
(3)
Liars are more tense and make a more negative impression on the listener
What is nonverbal sensitivity?
The ability to accurately encode (express) and decode (understand) nonverbal cues
What is true about women and nonverbal sensitivity?
Women tend to be better encoders and decoders but this may stem from higher motivation, so anyone may be able to improve their nonverbal skills
What are the five steps for making successful small talk (1)?
Indicate that you are open to conversation by commenting on your surroundings
(2)
Introduce yourself
(3)
Select a topic that others can relate to
(4)
Keep the conversation ball rolling
(5)
Make a smooth exit
What is self-disclosure?
The act of sharing information about yourself with another person
What four reasons is self-disclosure important to adjustment (1)?
Sharing problems with others plays a key role in mental health
(2)
Self-disclosure helps build relationships
(3)
Emotional self-disclosures lead to feelings of closeness
(4)
Self-disclosure in romantic relationships is associated with relationship satisfaction
What do people tell and not tell others about themselves?
People do recount stories about themselves, but they are not likely to disclose social transgressions to others
How does self-disclosure vary over the course of a relationship?
At the beginning there are high levels of mutual self-disclosure which taper off as the relationship becomes more established
How does disclosure work in established relationships?
Disclosures are not necessarily reciprocated
For what two reasons does movement away from reciprocal self-disclosures occur in established relationships (1)?
There is more of a need for support than a reciprocal disclosure from the other person
(2)
The need for privacy outweighs the need for mutual self-disclosure
How do personal self-disclosures differ in different cultures?
They occur more in individualistic cultures, whereas disclosures about one’s group membership are the norm in collectivist cultures
How do personal disclosures differ between genders?
Females tend to disclose more than males, and this trend is strongest within same gender friendships
What are four tips for effective listening (1)?
Signal your interest in the speaker by using nonverbal cues
(2)
Hear the other person out before you respond
(3)
Engage in “active listening”
(4)
Pay attention to the other’s nonverbal cues
What four types of nonverbal cues can you use to signal your interest in the speaker when practicing effective listening?
Face the speaker squarely, learn toward him or her, try not to cross arms and legs, maintain eye contact
In what two ways can you engage in active listening?
Asking for clarification if information is ambiguous, and paraphrasing what the person said by restating the speaker’s main points to ensure you have interpreted correctly
What is communication apprehension?
Anxiety caused by having to talk with others
What four responses followed communication apprehension (1)?
Avoidance - choosing not to participate
(2)
Withdrawal - clamming up in conversation you cannot escape
(3)
Disruption - the inability to make fluent statements
(4)
Over-communication - e.g. nervous speech
What are four barriers to effective communication (1)?
Defensiveness - excessive concern with protecting oneself from being hurt
(2)
Ambushing - listening carefully only to then verbally attack the speaker
(3)
Motivational distortion - hearing what you want to hear
(4)
Self-preoccupation - being so self-absorbed the other person cannot equally participate
What is a common belief about conflict?
Most people believe any kind of conflict is bad
In actuality, what is a problem if conflict is avoided?
Avoiding conflict is usually counterproductive and leads to a self-perpetuating cycle
Instead of avoiding conflict, what is better to do?
To confront conflicts constructively so that issues can be aired and resolved
What are five steps of the self-perpetuating cycle if conflict is avoided (1)?
People think of conflict as bad
(2)
They get nervous about a conflict they are experiencing
(3)
They avoid the conflict as long as possible
(4)
The conflict gets out of control and must be confronted
(5)
They handle the confrontation badly
What does the conflict avoidance cycle lead to?
Negative experiences sets the stage for avoiding conflict the next time, which would usually produce the same negative outcome
What two dimensions underlie five distinct patterns for managing conflict?
Concern for self and concern for others
What are the five distinct patterns for managing conflict (1)?
Avoiding/withdrawing (low concern for self and others)
(2)
Accommodating (low concern for self, high concern for others)
(3)
Competing/forcing (high concern for self, low concern for others)
(4)
Compromising (moderate concern for self and others)
(5)
Collaborating (high concern for self and others)
How does collaborating differ from compromising?
While compromising simply involves splitting the difference, collaborating involves finding solution that is maximally satisfying to both parties
What are the nine ways of dealing with conflict (1)?
Make communication honest and open
(2)
Exhibit trust
(3)
Use specific behaviour to describe another person’s annoying habits rather than general statements about their personality
(4)
Avoid loaded words
(5)
Try using “grace” - honouring other’s needs
(6)
Use a positive approach and help the other person “save face”
(7)
Limit complaints to recent behaviour and to the current situation
(8)
Assume responsibility for your own feelings and preferences
(9)
Try to use an assertive communication style
What is assertiveness?
Involves acting in your own best interests by expressing your thoughts and feeling directly and honestly
What does submissive communication involve?
Giving in
What do individuals who use submissive communication report?
Feeling bad about being pushovers
How does aggressive communication differ from assertiveness?
It focuses no saying and getting what you want at the expense of others
How is assertive communication regarded in comparison to submissive or aggressive communication?
It is more adaptive and is a skill that can be learned through assertiveness training
What are the five steps in assertiveness training (1)?
Understand what assertive communication is - don’t forget about non verbal cues
(2)
Monitor you assertive communication - identify when you are not assertive, find out who intimidates you, on what topics and in which situations
(3)
Observe a models assertive communication
(4)
Practice assertive communication
What two ways can you practice assertive communication?
Covert rehearsal and role playing
What does covert rehearsal involve?
Imagine using assertiveness in a situation that requires it
What does role playing involve?
Ask a friend to play the role of an antagonist so you can practice
(5)
Adopt an assertive attitude
