Communication

Question 1

What did Gottman et al. (1979) propose?

Answer 1

The discrepancy between what the sender intends to communicate + what the listener perceives.

Question 2

How would you explain the role of the sender?

Answer 2

1. Sender has private knowledge on what they wish to convey.
2. Encode into verbal + non-verbal actions.
3. Potential interference = sender’s mood, social skills, distractions in evnrmnt.

Question 3

How would you explain the role of the receiver?

Answer 3

1. Decode speaker’s actions.
2. Potential interference = sender’s mood, social skills, distractions in evnrmnt.
3. Interpretation (again private)

Question 4

How do people non-verbally communicate?

Answer 4

Hall (2019): ↑ diff. channels which info can be transmitted
* Eyes + gazing (eye-contact)
* Body movements = hand gestures, posture
* Paralanguage = pitch, volume
* Interpersonal distance = physical closeness to people

Question 5

How do we communicate using facial expressions?

Answer 5

Conveys mood.

Can be be controlled = intensify, minimalised, neutralised or masked.

BUT HARD TO CONTROL = Yan et al. (2013) shows microexpressions (authentic flashes of our real emotions)

Question 6

How does verbal communication vital to overall communication?

Answer 6

Self- disclosure = ↑ dev. closeness

Slatcher (2010) = we like people who give personal info + more when they receive our info

Question 7

How does Aron et al.’s study (1997) support self-disclosure?

Answer 7

Lab experiment to generate closeness.
Ps = randomly paired up + answer fixed set Qs:
o Anyone in the world, who would you want as a dinner guest?

Revealing personal info = closeness.

Question 8

Who replicated Aron et al.’s (1997) 36 questions to generate closeness?

Answer 8

Sprecher, 2021

36 questions to generate closeness = ↑ used + replicated

Ps in closeness generation task = closer vs small-talk + unstructured getting-acquainted task

Mode of communication = face-to-face vs video-chat didn’t matter

Question 9

What are the limitations of self-disclosure?

Answer 9

Buck & Plant (2011); Sprecher & Treger (2015) = disclosure is too much too soon – patience + turn taking (bidirectional process)

Reis & Shaver (1988) = closeness develops based on specific conditions …
o Meaningful disclosure
o Other responds w/ interest + sympathy
o Other perceived as responsive

Question 10

What is responsiveness?

Answer 10

Attentive + supportive recognition of one person’s needs + interests by another

The basis of secure well-function + very satisfying relationships

Question 11

What is perceived partner responsiveness?

Answer 11

Feeling understood

Feeling valued, respected + validated

Feeling cared for

Question 12

How accurate are people typically in ‘reading’ other people’s experiences, intentions and bhvrs?

Answer 12

Nater & Zell (meta-analysis) = people are ‘moderately accurate’. They found a correlation size of .32.

Tversky & Kahneman (1974) = lots of room for interpretation + shapes how we interact with people in turn.