1. Chapter 7 Understanding Interpersonal Relationships
COMM 2011
Chapter 7
Understanding Interpersonal Relationships
© 2011 Cengage Learning

2. Learning Outcomes LO1 Identify the major types of relationships
LO2 Explain how disclosure and feedback affect relationships
LO3 Examine levels of communication at various stages in relationships
LO4 Identify the sources of tension in relationships

3. Identify the major types of relationships
LO1
Identify the major types of relationships
© 2011 Cengage Learning

4. Types of Relationships
Acquaintances
Friendships
Close friends/intimates
LO1
© 2011 Cengage Learning

5. Acquaintances LO1 People with whom our interactions are limited.
Most communication is impersonal = interchangeable chit-chat.
LO1
© 2011 Cengage Learning

6. Acquaintanceship Guidelines
Initiate conversation
Develop an other-centered focus
Engage in appropriate turn-taking
Make your comments relevant
Be polite.
LO1
© 2011 Cengage Learning

7. LO1
Friends
People with whom we have voluntarily negotiated more personal relationships.
© 2011 Cengage Learning

8. Friendship Guidelines
Initiation
Responsiveness
Self-disclosure
Emotional support
Conflict management
LO1
© 2011 Cengage Learning

9. Close Friends/Intimates
The few people with whom we share close relationships marked by high degree of commitment and interdependence.
Platonic relationships – partners are not sexually attracted to each other.
Romantic relationship – partners act on sexual attraction.
© 2011 Cengage Learning

10. Intimacy Guidelines LO1 Be dependable Be responsive
Be collaborative in managing conflict
Be faithful
Be transparent
Be willing to put your relationship first
© 2011 Cengage Learning

11. Explain how disclosure and feedback affect relationships
© 2011 Cengage Learning

12. Disclosure and Feedback
A healthy interpersonal relationship is marked by an appropriate balance of self-disclosure and feedback.
© 2011 Cengage Learning

13. The Johari Window
LO2
© 2011 Cengage Learning

14. Low Disclosure, Low Feedback
© 2011 Cengage Learning

15. High Disclosure, Low Feedback
© 2011 Cengage Learning

16. Low Disclosure, High Feedback
© 2011 Cengage Learning

17. High Disclosure, High Feedback
© 2011 Cengage Learning

18. Examine levels of communication at various stages in relationships
LO3
Examine levels of communication at various stages in relationships
© 2011 Cengage Learning

19. Beginning Relationships
LO3
Beginning Relationships
Focuses on reducing uncertainty by increasing knowledge about the other person.
© 2011 Cengage Learning

20. Developing Relationships
Partners will identify and capitalize on similarities and tolerate or negotiate differences.
Partners tend to share greater physical contact.
Partners will feel psychologically closer.
LO3
© 2011 Cengage Learning

21. Maintaining Relationships
Both people participate to keep the relationship at a particular level of closeness.
Strategies:
Spending time
Merging friendship networks
Sacrifice
Forgiveness
LO3
© 2011 Cengage Learning

22. Deteriorating and Dissolving Relationships
The less highly developed a relationship, the more likely it is to dissolve.
The first sign – subtle indication of dissatisfaction.
If relationship continues to be dissatisfying, people begin to drift apart.
A relationship has ended when people no longer interact with each other.
LO3
© 2011 Cengage Learning

23. Ending Relationships
When people end a relationship, they often look for reasons to blame each other.
Relationship transformation – when people agree that a relationship is over, they may interact through a different type of relationship.
LO3
© 2011 Cengage Learning

24. Identify the sources of tension in relationships
LO4
Identify the sources of tension in relationships
© 2011 Cengage Learning

25. Dialectics
Relational dialectics – competing psychological tensions that exist in relationships.
Autonomy-connection
Openness-closedness
Novelty-predictability
LO4
© 2011 Cengage Learning

26. Autonomy-Connection LO4
Autonomy – desire to do things independent of partner.
Connection – desire to link actions and decisions with partner.
LO4
© 2011 Cengage Learning

27. LO4
Openness-Closedness
Openness – desire to share intimate ideas and feelings
Closedness – desire to maintain privacy.
© 2011 Cengage Learning

28. Novelty-Predictability
LO4
Novelty – originality, freshness, uniqueness in relationship behavior.
Predictability – consistency, reliability, dependability.
© 2011 Cengage Learning

29. Managing Dialectical Tensions
Temporal selection – choosing one desire and ignoring the other.
Topical segmentation – choosing certain topics with which to satisfy one desire and other topics for the opposite desire.
LO4
© 2011 Cengage Learning

30. Managing Dialectical Tensions
Neutralization – compromising between the desires of one person and those of the other.
Reframing – changing perceptions about the level of tension.
LO4
© 2011 Cengage Learning