Communication Flashcards
What did Gottman discover about intentions between couples?
Unhappy couples and happy couples did not differ in what they intended to say to one another.
What are 6 components of nonverbal communication?
Facial expression, gazing, body movement, touch, interpersonal distance, and paralanguage.
What are 4 ways to modify a facial expression?
Intensify, minimize, neutralize, and mask.
What is intensifying a facial expression?
Exaggerating it to make it seem s though we are feeling more of the emotion than we are.
What is minimizing a facial expression?
Trying to hide a facial expression.
What is neutralizing a facial expression?
Trying not to give anything away.
What is masking a facial expression?
Replacing expressions with an entirely different emotion.
How much do facial expressions differ around the world?
They are relatively consistent, although the expressions of people from our own cultural group are more familiar.
What does gazing define?
The relationship two people share once interaction begins.
In ordinary conversation, around what percentage of time is spent making eye contact while listening vs. talking?
60% when listening, 40% when talking.
How do high status persons differ in their visual dominance ratio?
They spend more time making eye contact while they are talking.
What is a visual dominant ratio (VDR)?
The ratio that compares “look-speak” to “look-listen.”
Body language is said to be more what compared to facial expressions?
Leakier.
What kind of body language do high-status people have?
Open, asymmetrical.
What can touch signify?
It can convey closeness and affection, or an implicit signal of dominance.
When in a position of low status, what is thought of women who touch men?
They are looked down on.
What are the four levels of interpersonal distance?
Intimate, personal, social, and public.
How far from the person is intimate distance? What does it convey?
0-18”. Either conveys very loving or very hostile.
How far from the person is personal distance? What is it used for?
1.5-4’. Primarily friends.
How far from the person is social distance? What is it used for?
4-12’. Used for formal, business-like interactions.
How far from the person is public distance?
12’+
What is paralanguage?
Variations in a person’s voice other than the actual words he or she uses, such as rhythm, pitch, loudness, and rate.
What is motherese?
A paralanguage including higher pitches, enunciation, and focusing on present events.
Who is motherese directed to towards?
Children, pets, the handicapped, geriatric, or sick.
What does paralanguage help define?
What kind of relationship people have. Couples tend to speak to each other with different rhythms than their friends.
What do people with appealing voices also tend to have?
Appealing faces.
What happens to our modes of communication when we are enjoying a conversation?
We unconsciously mimic the other person’s mannerisms and paralanguage.
What may occur when non-verbal exchanges fail?
There may be errors in encoding or decoding of information.
What is an interpersonal gap?
When there is a misunderstanding between what was intended and what was communicated.
What are two possible explanations for the correlation between marital satisfaction and nonverbal miscommunication?
Nonverbal skills determine marital satisfaction, or dissatisfaction determines how hard they work to communicate well.
Is nonverbal sensitivity more of a skill or is it the result of motivation?
Motivated men and women did better than those that were not motivated.
Compared to men/high-status individuals, how do women/low-status people act?
Women/low-status people smile more, have lower visual dominance ratios, have closed, symmetrical posture, touch less, have less distance, submissive paralanguage, and have more nonverbal sensitivity.
What is self-disclosure?
The process of revealing personal information to someone else.
What is the theory of social penetration?
The type of self-disclosure that we engage in with our partners changes over the course of a relationship. Going from superficial disclosure to deeper, wider disclosure.
After self-disclosure, what does sustained intimacy depend on?
The responsiveness of partners.
How do people want their self-disclosure to be responded to?
With apparent understanding, caring, support, and respect.
What is the most taboo topic in a relationship?
The status of the relationship.
What is the triangle test?
A secret test of one’s lover’s fidelity. Watch their lovers interact with other potential lovers and see if they get similar treatment.
What is the separation test?
A secret test of one’s lover’s fidelity. One partner comes up with a reason why they must be apart and then looks to see what happens when they are united.
How do taboo topics and relationship satisfaction correlate?
More taboo topics lead to more dissatisfaction.
What may happen to the breadth of topic and intimacy when a relationship is in trouble?
It either decreases in both or decreases in breadth of topic only (i.e., only talking about one thing).
Why does self-disclosure breed liking and contentment in relationships?
We tend to tell those we like and like those we tell. We also like those that disclose to us.
What are the 4 areas of gender difference in verbal communication?
Topics of conversation, styles of conversation, self-disclosure, and instrumentality vs. expressiveness.
What is the difference in topics of conversation between men and women?
Women are more likely to discuss feelings about their close relationships, men talk about actions or objects and make more jokes.
How do men and women’s styles of conversation differ?
Women are more indirect and tentative; more rising inflection and questioning statements. Men’s usual style seems certain, knowledgeable, and dynamic.
Do men or women speak more words per day?
They speak the same amount. Men speak for longer, but women speak more often.
Which sex is more self-disclosing?
Women. Men disclose more to women, and so are more dependent on women for emotional warmth than the other way around.
What is blirtatiousness?
Being able to put thoughts and feelings into words quickly.
What are three general categories of things that unhappy couples do?
A poor job of saying what they mean, a poor job of hearing each other, and displaying negative affect when interacting.
What is kitchen sinking?
Addressing several issues at once.
What is yes-butting?
Finding something wrong or unworkable with anything their partner says.
What is cross-complaining?
Responding to complaints with one of your own.
What is stonewalling?
Clamming up and withdrawing into silence.
What is destructive belligerence?
Where one partner aggressively rejects the other altogether.
What is most helpful when dealing with some in the process of bereavement?
Provision of emotional support, opportunities for people to express their feelings, offering supportive companionship.
What are two strategies employed in active listening?
Paraphrasing messages and perception checking.
