Relational Communication

Question 1

Relational Development Model

Answer 1

all relationships are different but there are similar, universal patterns of coming together, relational maintenance, and coming
apart.

Question 2

homophily

Answer 2

people like to be around people who are like them

Question 3

Coming Together (Relational Development Model)

Answer 3

• Initiation: making first contact
• Experimentation: finding common ground
• Intensification: deepening through self-disclosure and sharing
• Integration: merging of life worlds
• Bonding: signaling committment

Question 4

Coming Apart (Relational Development Model)

Answer 4

• Differentiation: Individualizing as different people
• Circumscribing: setting limits to communication
• Stagnation: Even less frequent communication, a feeling that “nothing changes”
• Avoidance: physical avoidance
• Termination: breaking up

Question 5

How our impressions influence who we engage with

Answer 5

1) Homophily
2) Status, surround ourselves with people with status
3) attractiveness, attractive qualities
4) Attributions
5) Age- we surround ourselves with people our age

Question 6

Expectancy Violation Theory

Answer 6

• Premise: people develop expectations about how another person should act based on social norms and our experiences with the other person
• Essentially attempts to explain people’s reactions to unexpected behaviors

Question 7

Expectancy (Expectancy Violation Theory)

Answer 7

our expectations for behavior

Question 8

Violation (Expectancy Violation Theory)

Answer 8

when someone’s behavior does not match our expectations

• Violations can be both positive or negative
• Positive violations increase a person’s attractiveness

Question 9

Two Types of Expectancy

Answer 9

• Predictive: based on what someone knows about the relationship and the environment
• Prescriptive: based on social norms, what we think will happen, what we think should happen

Question 10

Social Exchange Theory

Answer 10

This theory is not a single theory, but rather embodies a group of theories to get similar ideas.
Two premises:
- Premise 1: This set of ideas applies economic principles to explain interactions in interpersonal relationships
- Premise 2: Humans base behavior on calculations: maximize rewards, minimize costs. (We’re rational.)

Question 11

SET Equation

Answer 11

Rewards - cost= outcome

Question 12

Rewards (SET)

Answer 12

all of the things in a relationship that have positive value

Question 13

Costs (SET)

Answer 13

all the things in a relationship that have negative value

Question 14

Comparison level (CL)

Answer 14

standard of what you expect in a relationship

Question 15

Comparison Level of Alternatives (CLalt)

Answer 15

evaluates how good a relationship is in comparison to perceived alternatives to the relationship (quality of alternatives)

• When CLalt is higher, you are more likely to leave current relationship
• CLalt fluctuates with time

Question 16

Equity

Answer 16

we expect fair exchanges in our relationship and feel unhappy when exchanges are unequal

Question 17

Inequity

Answer 17

dissatisfying and causes stress for both partners

Question 18

Investment Model

Answer 18

helps us determine why we stay committed to a relationship

• Investment Size
• Satisfaction level
• Quality of alternatives (CLalt)

Question 19

Investment Size (Investment Model)

Answer 19

amount and significance of resources attached to a relationship