COM102 Chapter 11

From lecture, what is the definition of "discourses"? What example was used to illustrate this concept?

"a discourse is a system of meaning - a set of propositions that cohere around a given object of meaning" What is an "apple"? Color, size, shape One type of "fruit" How/where grown? What do you make with apples? Cultural beliefs ("An apple a day...", "As American as...") Games/rituals/holidays Multinational tech company

According to the text and lecture, what are the strengths and limits of RDT?

*Strengths RDT = interpretive theory, goal = offer new understandings about communication/relationships (NOT falsifiable predictions) New insights from RDT (some clarify values): Relationships are created via communication, they are not just "containers" in which communication occurs Relationships always involve voicing, making sense of competing societal discourses (normal) Embrace "dialogue" (competing discourses) as opposed to "monologue" (valuing one discourse to the exclusion of others) Create "rituals" in your relationships that allow fleeting "aesthetic moments" Limits *Aesthetic Appeal? RDT often is written in complex, difficult to understand terms (Baxter is translating Bakhtin's work: written in Russian during first half of 20th century)

What are aesthetic moments? How do they relate to rituals?

-Aesthetic Moments- a fleeting sense of unity through a profound respect for disparate voices in dialogue -A meaningful ritual can be an aesthetic moment for all participants because it's "a joint performance in which competing, contradictory voices in everyday social life are brought together simultaneously"

How did Dr. Wilson explain the concept of "utterance chain" in relation to a romantic relationship? What does it mean to say that utterance chain is the "building block of meaning" (text)?

-Distal Already Spoken: "I love you" has societal meaning (Cultural Ideologies) -Discourse of "Romance" - couples get married because they have "fallen in love" -Discourse of "Pragmatism" - couples get married because marriage provides important resources for themselves/their larger families -Utterance Chain- the central building blocks of meaning-making, where utterances are linked to competing discourses already heard as well as those yet to be spoken "The core premise of dialogically grounded RDT is that meaning are wrought from the struggling of competing, often contradictory discourses"

What are the overarching dialectical tensions experienced by relational partners, as highlighted by the text? What do they mean (examples)?

-Integration- Separation Includes connection-autonomy, inclusion-seclusion, and intimacy-independence Primary strain within all relationships No relationship can exist unless the parties sacrifice some individual autonomy, but too much connection paradoxically destroys the relationship due to loss of personalities -Stability- Change Includes certainty-uncertainty, conventionality-uniqueness, predictability-surprise, and routine-novelty We seek the bit of mystery, touch of spontaneity, the occasional surprise that is necessary for having fun -Expression- Non expression Includes openness-closedness, revelation-concealment, candor-secrecy, and transparency-privacy Public passing is a relational rite of passage signaling partners and others that the tie that binds us together is strong

How did Mikhail Bakhtin view dialectics? How did he see dialectics affecting relational outcomes?

-Saw dialectical tension as the "deep structure" of all human experience. -A centripetal, or centralizing, force pulls us together with others -A centrifugal, or decentralizing, force pushes us apart -There is no final synthesis or end stage of equilibrium

From lecture, how did the Caughlin (2003) study illustrate discourse in family communication? What two other 102 theories was this related to?

-Social Penetration Theory: Discourse of "Openness" -CPM Theory: Discourse of "Privacy" Good family communication is OPEN but with privacy rules surrounding the information -Openness↔Privacy "RDT's core theoretical principle is that meaning in the moment is not simply the result of isolated, unitary discourses but instead is the results of the interplay of competing discourses"

What is critical sensibility?

An obligation to critique dominant voices, especially those that suppress opposing viewpoints; a responsibility to advocate for those who are muted

What is the difference between internal and external dialectics?

Internal: ongoing tensions played out withIN a relationship External: ongoing tensions between a couple and their COMMUNITY

Should we evaluate RDT based on the theory's ability to make testable predictions or offer generalized explanations of the role of communication in relationships? Why or why not?

NO, it is a sensitizing theory- helps us see relationship in a new light Seeing it in a new way, not trying to predict anything

What is the principle of veracity? How is it different from consequentialist ethics?

Principle of Veracity- truthful statements are preferable to lies in the absence of special circumstances that overcome the negative weight Tell the truth when it is preferable Already value placed on it Consequentialist Ethics- judging actions solely on their basis of their beneficial or harmful outcomes Value doesn't come into place until you already know the results

What do Baxter and Montgomery mean by the term "dialects"?

Relational dialectics- a dynamic knot of contradictions in personal relationships; an unceasing interplay between contrary or opposing tendencies

What did Goldsmith and Doman-Scholz (2013) discover in their study of older couples - one of whom had experienced a heart attack? How do their findings illustrate the concepts of spiraling inversion and segmentation?

Segmentation- compartmentalizing different aspect of relationship Spiraling inversion- talking about things at different times