Human Behavior Relationships/Communication Notes

Relationships: Connections with other people We need relationships. Positive/healthy relationships serve a significant function in our lives: Meet emotional needs Enrich life Help us get things done

Types of relationships Friends Co-workers Parent-Child Teacher-Student Siblings Significant others Etc.

Acquaintance: People you know but aren’t particularly close to. Example: A friend in class that you don’t usually hang out with outside of school

Codependent A dependency on people - on their moods, behavior, sickness, well-being, and their love.

What makes a healthy relationship? Mutuality: both people contribute Trust: belief that others will not reject, betray or hurt you Self-disclosure: Willingness to tell someone personal things about yourself Rapport: a feeling of ease and harmony with another person Empathy: When you have the ability to put yourself in another person’s position Shared Interests: shared interests form a strong base for building a relationship Unhealthy=Exploitation: Using another person unfairly for personal benefit

The Relationship Wheel Compares the building of relationships to a wheel Four spokes signify the four steps of relationship building Rapport, Self-Revelation, Mutual Dependency, Need Fulfillment

Rapport Feeling of ease with you are with someone Leads to more interaction between two people Then you begin to relax your guard

Self-Revelation As people feel more at ease, they are more likely to talk about feelings, experiences, and attitudes

Mutual Dependency Learn each other’s habits and develop habits to respond to your partner Depend and rely on each other

Needs Fulfillment Getting respect, confidence and love/affection from the relationship If you both fulfill each others needs, the relationship grows

Going backwards The wheel can also move in the opposite direction, causing the destruction of the relationship Sometimes the rapport you feel with someone leads to self-revelation that causes arguments or bad feelings. This is likely to cause less self-revelation. In turn, you rapport will decrease and fewer of your needs will be met.

Communication

Styles of Communication Aggressive person: (write 3) Passionately expresses opinions and feelings Values self above others Hurts others to avoid hurting self Speaks loudly and abusively Doesn’t listen to others Stands up for rights at the expense of others

Styles of Communication Assertive person: Expresses opinions and feelings directly, honestly and appropriately Speak for self Values self equal to others Doesn’t hurt self or others Listens to others Stands up for rights without violating someone else

Styles of Communication Passive person: Does not express opinions and feelings directly or honestly Says what they think others want to hear Values others before self Belittles self Gives up rights in favor of someone else’s

Non-verbal Communication Communication without words Examples: Expressions Gestures Posture Body language

Listening skills Good listeners build strong relationships Passive listening: Listener puts aside personal judgments, just listens with little feedback. Active listening:. Listener makes comments, give opinion and feedback.