In preparation for Interpersonal Communication Midterm

folie a deux

A shared delusional mental state

public relationships

Impersonal and little exchange occurs over time -substitutable members -relatively autonomous -practical rather than sentimental -rules governing behavior are socially rather than individually determined. -rewards extrinsic rather than intrinsic

mediated public communication

broadcasting (situated approach)

social reality

can be changed and molded

cultural level rules

closest to impersonal (developmental approach)

dyadic communication

interpersonal communication (in a situated approach)

self talk

intrapersonal communication (situated approach)

developmental approach

the quality of RULES make communication interpersonal

relational prototype

(Wilmot and Baxter) consist of three things: 1. a natural language label 2.criterial attributes 3. communicative indicators

relationships as cognitive constructs

(answers the question what is a relationship) Exist in our minds when we think about one another - a relationship is the way we think about our behaviors - when we interact with another person, we form a mental image of the interaction and compare it to a relational prototype, an idealized image of how things should be

relationships as constellations of behaviors

(answers the question what is a relationship) a relationship is the equivalent to the interdependent actions of two people. Relationships are all the things people do when they are together. Ways two people behave toward one another in their relationship

relationships as contradictory forces

(answers the question what is a relationship) believe all relationships are made up of contrasting dialectics that pull us in different directions. In a sense, a relationship is the way a couple comes to terms with opposing forces

relationships as mini-cultures

(answers the question what is a relationship) relationships are not individual views but shared understandings -when two people form an interpersonal band, they create their own small-scale culture, developing shared perception and creating roles that allow them to coexist -it consists of more than the behaviors and individual images of each other. It also includes the rules and obligations that govern their interactions and of their shared understandings of each other and their social world.

culture

(arguably the most important context) that set of values, beliefs, customs, and codes that bind people together. A proverbial factor in determining communication practices. Complaining and other communication episodes both have their function and structure determined in part, by culture

interpersonal relationships develop through coordinated interaction

(characteristic of relationships) John Schoffer- JOINT ACTIONS- action belongs to both of the people ex fights -can produce the opposite of what we intended -actions have an impact on the other person -like a game, individual actions no longer stand alone

interpersonal relationships begin with awareness

(characteristic of relationships) William Wilmot-relationships begin the moment people become aware that others are aware of them "I see you seeing me"

our relationships are influenced by outside forces

(characteristic of relationships) influenced by 1. cultural norms and medial models- affect ways we conduct ourselves everyday 2. the involvement of family and friends-expectations and rules 3. economic and environmental conditions-relationships don't occur in a vacuum -crossover

our relationships can control us as much as we control them

(characteristic of relationships) relationships has life of its own

As relationships unfold, we begin to analyze and evaluate them

(characteristic of relationships) we create mental representations of unfolding interaction, and these mental representations help us identify the kind of relationships we have -MOPs -relational prototype -natural language label -criterial attributes -communicative indicators

4 points about relational model

(chart on pg 35) 1. The two types of relationships (public &private) we have described are extremes and many variations are possible. 2. Over time, relationships will fluctuate and change 3. Different skills and sensitivities are needed for different kinds of relationships -****interpersonal competence is often a matter of knowing whether to employ public or private rules of behavior 4. Relational profiles are negotiated over time- every time we communicate, we send two different kinds of messages: --- content and relational messages

psychological level

(developmental approach) Only when predictions are based primarily on a ? of analysis are the communicators actually engaged in interpersonal communication

approximeeting

(how technology affects cultural context) because people can contact one another so easily, they no longer make specific appointments

sociological level data

(in developmental approach) When people identify one another based on the reference or membership groups to which they belong, ex) both college students -ability to predict one another's interests and attitudes has increased.

psychological level data

(in developmental approach) provide the most information of all; they are data based on unique, personal attributes ex- sharing hopes and fears with one another.

cultural level data

(in developmental approach) very general information that applies to all members of a given culture -surface level ex middle-class Americans

private relationships

(pg34-35) Are close, personal relationships, become personal and unique -not easy to substitute -close and interdependent -rules of behavior we follow are individualistic, the product of negotiation -those relationships are considered to be remedy for their own intrinsic worth

satisfactorialy competent

(role competence) People who value flexibility, and who are willing to change if they sense the willingness is reciprocal. Most comfortable in familiar situations but lack the ability to work out problems in new and creative ways.

minimally competent

(role competence) individuals are inflexible, can't modify current roles or take on new ones. Force partners to take on a certain role or altercast

factors to consider in the situated approach

-number of interactants there are -the physical proximity between interactants -delivery of feedback (immediate or delayed) -interactants adaptation to each other's need is (specific general) - goals and purposes of interactants are (unstructured or structured)

five things needed to be good communicators (general)

1. Assign meanings to the world around them 2. take on social roles appropriately 3. Present valued images of themselves to the world. 4. Set goals strategically 5. Generate intelligent messages

characteristics of communication

1. Communication is a Process 2. Communication is uniquely human 3. Communication is a Collective Activity 4. Communication is a Creative Endeavor 5. Communication is regulatory

misconceptions about communication

1. Communication requires complete understanding 2. Communication will solve all problems 3. Communication is always good 4. Meaning comes from the words that are used. 5. Communication is simple 6. More communication is better communication

Implications of Communication Characteristics

1. Much of what we think of as real is actually the product of communication. This implies that there is no single reality. Instead, through communication we create our own reality. 2. The fact that reality is a product of communication also had another implication: Too often we allow what we have created through communication to control us. 3. Most of us are strongly influenced by the cultures in which we live. Communication always takes place in a cultural context. 4. Communication requires cooperation. This means that what is important in interpersonal communication is what people do when they are together, not what each does separately.

small group communication

2<12 Must be small enough that everyone can interact freely -members can communicate with one another in a variety of ways -one reason leaders emerge in groups is to allow groups to handle the difficult problem of coordinating activities.

non-interpersonal communication

According to Miller and Steinberg (pg 27), when individuals operate at the cultural or sociological levels in the developmental approach, they are engaged in?

cultural values

All the competencies depend on ? and beliefs

criterial attributes

Are the characteristics that a relationship must have to be classed by a given natural language label ex) six common attributes of friendship are trust, general comfort, respect, security in the other's presence, ease in communication, and openness. -communicative indicators are associated with each attribute

relational prototypes

As we create memories and think about relationships, we COMPARE individual memories to the ? that provide general models of what relationships should be like. When it matches ideal prototypes, we're happy, if not, unhappy

communication and competence

Chapter 1 is about?

creating, interacting, process, social life

Communication is ? not: transmitting sending and receiving purpose information

relationships are constructed and maintained through communication

Communication is lifeblood of relationships

cultural, historical, technological, relational

Competence is framed by four kinds of contexts

process competence

Consists of all the cognitive activity and knowledge necessary to generate adequate performance

natural language label

Consists of the word or words we use to describe a relationship ex) "acquaintance, friend, best friend"

altercast

Form relationships only with people who will accept them as they want to be

deliberate

Goffman dramaturgy reading: Our ? character is more truly ourself than is the flux of involuntary dreams.

face

Is an approved social identity, that aspect of ourselves that we present to others for that approval. Communication incongruent with this will be considered socially unacceptable.

implicit knowledge

Is knowledge we don't stop to think about, that we use unconsciously to guide our behavior

process

Is moving, it has no beginning and no end, and it is constantly changing. Communication is a process, not a thing. Like a river

communication competence

Is the ability to communicate in a personally effective and socially appropriate manner. Involves two separate level: 1) surface level- consisting of the part of competence that can be seen-the actual performance of day-to-day behaving (performance competence) 2) a deeper level, consisting of everything we have to know in order to perform (process competence)

communication

Is the process whereby humans collectively create and regulate social reality

memory organization packets MOPs

James Honey Colt These changing mental models consist of scenes from the relationship, for example-first date memories -help us stabilize relationships -thus "even though relationships are in constant motion, relationship memory structures provide a perceptual anchor so that individuals can determine when they are in a relationship."

three levels of role competence

Linda Hunning? 1. minimally competent 2. satisfactorily competent 3. optimally competent

crossover

Occurs when stress in the workplace affects the spouse at home

size

Of all the factors in the situational approach to interpersonal communication, what probably has the biggest effect?

situational approach

Rest of textbook after chapter two takes which approach to interpersonal communication?

verbal competence

The ability to process and use linguistic devices to convey content in effective ways

face-to-face public communication

Single speaker addresses large group -speaker doesn't know audience members personally and must therefore compose the message or a hypothetical receiver. -speaker is sender audience is receiver

nonverbal competence

The ability to process and use nonverbal codes to convey contact in effective ways.

role competence

The ability to take on social roles and to know what is appropriate behavior given these roles

psychological level rules

Specific for eachother (closest to interpersonal developmental approach)

relationshipping

Steve Ducke- the process of building healthy relationships

interpretive competence

The ability to label, organize, and interpret the conditions surrounding an interaction

listening competence

The ability to process and understand the messages that are sent to us.

optimally competent

The most interpersonally skilled, know when to adapt and when not to. Because they are aware of the way their interpersonal systems operate, they handle relational problems creatively and effectively.

situational approach and developmental approach

Two interpersonal communication approaches to answer question, "What is interpersonal communication?"

private and public relationships

Two kind of relationship paths (intimacy and distance)

interpersonal communication

The textbook uses this term to refer to dyadic communication in which two individuals, sharing the roles of sender and receiver, become connected through the mutual activity of creating meaning.

hierarchy emerges

organizational communication (situated approach)

developmental approach

This approach to interpersonal communication states that to distinguish what is really interpersonal communication, we need to look at three levels of information (data) -cultural level -sociological level -psychological level

organizational communication

This form of communication occurs in complex organizations such as large businesses and industries and government institutions. Roles tend to be more specialized and differentiated than at other levels, and rules for behavior are more formalized. -organizational culture

process perspective

This means becoming aware of what's going on when you communicate and beginning to recognize how the underlying processes involved in communication manifest themselves in everyday performance. Means concentrating ON FORM in addition to CONTEXT. Means sitting back and watching yourself as you communicate

competence

This word shows how complex it is to be good at communication. Means to be effective, having individual needs seen to, but also means it's appropriate and follows or doesn't rules of society. Means effectiveness. appropriateness

what's needed to be relationally competent

We need interpretive competence to understand and monitor our relationships -We also nee goal competence -Role competence is another ability that helps us as we build and maintain a relationship. -message competence is necessary -need self-competence as well to build relationships

mediated public or mass communication

When the audience is large but the transmission is indirect. -whenever a medium replicates, duplicates, and disseminates identical content to a geographically widespread population, mass communication is taking place.

Suggestions for healthy relationships

a) In a healthy relationship, there is a shared vision of where the relationship is and where it is going. b) In a healthy relationship, there are clear rules that have been mutually negotiated and that work to the benefit of the relationship itself c) in a healthy relationship, there is a shared work ethic d) In a healthy relationship, metacommunication (communication about communication) is valued.

relational messages

are messages about the relationship itself

content messages

are messages about the topic at hand

Erving Goffman

associate face with this guy

interpersonal communication

communication between two people, generally in face-to-face interaction. Another name for this is dyadic communication. Is generally spontaneous and informal, participants receive maximum feedback from each other -roles as sender and receiver are generally flexible (if link between the two is severed the relationship no longer exists-this is not true for small group communication)

situational approach

define interpersonal communication in terms of its external characteristics, you look at factors like the number of people involved and their physical proximity.

situated approach

external situation factors help determine communication interpersonally.

mutuality decreases

face-to-face public communication (situated approach)

interpretive, role, self, goal, message

five things needed to be good communicators (the five different competences)

relationships

how we think about these: -A constellation (system) of behaviors -A set of cognitive constructs -A mini-culture- rules, roles, rituals, norms of behavior -A collection of contradictory forces (dialectics)

sociological level rules

in the middle of impersonal and interpersonal (in the developmental approach)

as performance competency

means doing

process competency

means knowing

public private continuum

public on right, private on the left -(substitutable) partners are to each other (irreplaceable) -(universal) information partners share with each other is (particular) -(normative) rules that guide the relationship are (individualistic) -(practical) Emotions in the relationship are (sentimental) -(extrinsic) partners' rewards from the relationship are (instrinsic)

dialectics

push and pull of two mutually connected but opposing ideas/values- connection to self-identity

dialectical approach

see relationships as dialogues between opposing values each expressing a different and contradictory impulse. USED IN seeing relationships as collections of contradictory forces

intrapersonal communication

self talk both sender and receiver; is also typically believed to be more disconnected and repetitive and less logical than other forms of communication

>2 but <12

small group communication (situated approach)

the process whereby humans create and regulate social reality

textbook definition of communication

self competence

the ability to choose and present a desired self-image

message competence

the ability to make message choices that others can comprehend as well as to attend to and understand the message choices of others. Components 1. verbal competence 2. nonverbal competence 3. listening competence

goal competence

the ability to set goals, anticipate probable consequences and choose effective lines of action

communicative indicators

the behaviors that display an attribute (pg 32)

situational

use this over situated

developmental approach

you define interpersonal communication in terms of its content; you look at the kind of information people exchange and how well they know one another.