Chp. 2 -- Building Interpersonal Relationships

Question 1

What 6 things change as we move from interpersonal to mass communication?

Answer 1

1) # of interactants
2) Their physical proximity
3) Ability to deliver and receive feedback immediately
4) Level of formality of communication roles
5) Ability of interactants to adapt messages to others’ specific needs
6) Degree to which communicative goals and purposes are planned and structured

Question 2

What does the developmental approach say about interpersonal communication?

Answer 2

Defines interpersonal communication in terms of its content (kind of info people exchange and how well they know each other)

Question 3

What does the situational approach say about interpersonal communication?

Answer 3

Defines interpersonal comm. in terms of its external characteristics such as being at the right place at the right time, # of people involved, physical proximity, etc.

Question 4

What are the 6 characteristics of public relationships?

Answer 4

1. Members are substitutable; it doesn’t make a difference who the other is
2. Members are autonomous
3. Relationship has practical tone
4. Rewards are extrinsic
5. Have little particularistic info about each other
6. Rules governing behavior are socially determined

Question 5

What are the 6 characteristics of private relationships?

Answer 5

1. Members are irreplaceable; it makes a difference who the other is
2. Members are interdependent
3. Relationship has sentimental tone
4. Rewards are intrinsic
5. Way of knowing each other is particular
6. Rules governing behavior are individualistic

Question 6

What is the difference between content level and relational level messages?

Answer 6

Content messages refer directly to the topic of the conversation.
Relational messages tell our partners how we view our relationship to them.

Question 7

What are the limitations of the situational approach and the developmental approach?

Answer 7

Situational approach focuses only on external factors, and seemingly unintimate interactions can be defined as interpersonal.
Developmental approach focuses on internal factors; it defines interpersonal interactions when both interactants have intimate knowledge of each other.

Question 8

What is the difference between interpersonal, interpersonal, small group, mass comm., public comm., private comm., and mediated comm.?

Answer 8

Intrapersonal and interpersonal comm. involve few people, close proximity, immediate feedback, informal comm. roles, specific adaptation of messages, and unstructured goals/purpose.
Small group and organizational comm. are in the middle.
Public and mass comm. have many people, far proximity, delayed feedback, formal comm. roles, general adaptation of messages, and structured goals/purpose.

Question 9

Cultural level data

Answer 9

General information that applies to all members of a given culture. Knowledge makes communication possible but remains at surface level. 
-Ex: identifying one another as middle-class Americans

Question 10

Sociological level data

Answer 10

When people identify one another based on reference or membership groups they belong to.

• Ex: two people realize they are both college students.
• Ability to predict each other’s interests and attitudes increased.

Question 11

Psychological level data

Answer 11

Provides most info; data is based on unique, personal attributes.

- Ex: sharing hopes and fears with one another. 
- Is point where communication officially becomes interpersonal.

Question 12

What is the systems approach to interpersonal communication?

Answer 12

It focuses on how people behave in the relationship.

Question 13

What is meant by wholeness? Interdependence? Nonsummativity and equifinality?

Answer 13

Wholeness = system makes sense; partners have common interests
Interdependence = each part affects every other part
Nonsummativity = whole is more than sum of its parts
Equifinality = can't predict the future

Question 14

What is reorienting?

Answer 14

Demanding situations that cause change in your behavior

Question 15

What is the difference between minimal competence, satisfactory competence, and optimal competence?

Answer 15

Minimally competent = individuals are inflexible and can’t modify current roles or take on new ones
Satisfactory competent = people who value flexibility and are willing to change if they sense the willingness
Optimally competent = the most interpersonally skilled people; know when to adapt and when not to

Question 16

What is virtual reality and what issues does it represent for communication?

Answer 16

An artificial world that consists of images and sounds created by a computer and that is affected by the actions of a person who is experiencing it. Could cause reduction in physical activity and negatively affect brain.

Question 17

Positive feedback and negative feedback in systems theory (means something different from ordinary usage of this term)

Answer 17

Positive feedback = if you a tell a person what he is doing well, that person will likely repeat the behavior to secure continued approval
Negative feedback = telling a person what they did wrong will likely halt that behavior