Interpersonal communication Study Guide

📖 Core Concepts Interpersonal communication – exchange of information (verbal + nonverbal) between two or more people to achieve personal/relational goals. Transactional nature – communication is created dynamically; participants are simultaneous senders and receivers. Irreversibility – once a message is sent, its effects cannot be undone, even with apologies. Unrepeatability – no two communicative acts are identical because context, mood, and audience constantly shift. Self‑concept – personal perception that shapes message choice and interpretation. Context – physical, social, and psychological factors (time, place, culture, gender, noise) that influence meaning. Noise – internal (thoughts, emotions) or external (sounds, distractions) that interfere with the transaction. --- 📌 Must Remember Uncertainty Reduction Theory – strangers seek information (passive, active, interactive) to lower relational distance. Social Exchange Theory – relationships are cost‑benefit calculations; disclosure occurs when perceived rewards > costs. Symbolic Interaction Theory – meaning arises from shared symbols, language, and social norms. Relational Dialectics – inevitable tensions (connection vs separation, certainty vs uncertainty, openness vs closedness). Coordinated Management of Meaning – constitutive rules create meaning; regulative rules guide appropriate responses. Social Penetration (Onion) Theory – relationship deepens via increasing depth (intimacy) and breadth (range) of self‑disclosure across five stages. Interactional Patterns – symmetrical (reciprocal) vs complementary (opposite) response patterns. Privacy Management – privacy boundaries are negotiated; violation leads to boundary turbulence. Cognitive Dissonance – inconsistency between beliefs & actions creates motivational drive to restore consonance. Attribution Theory – observers assign causes as internal (person) or external (situation); watch for fundamental attribution error & actor‑observer bias. Expectancy Violations – nonverbal behavior that deviates from expectations produces arousal; evaluation depends on relational context. Proxemic zones – intimate (0‑18 in), personal (18‑48 in), social (4‑10 ft), public (≥10 ft). Task vs. Relationship Conflict – task = disagreement over content; relationship = clash of values/attitudes. --- 🔄 Key Processes Uncertainty Reduction (U‑R) Strategies Passive: Observe target’s behavior. Active: Ask third parties for information. Interactive: Direct questioning. Social Penetration (Onion) Stages Orientation – superficial exchange. Exploratory affective exchange – limited self‑disclosure. Affective exchange – deeper sharing, increased intimacy. Stable exchange – established patterns of openness. De‑penetration – withdrawal or reduction of depth/breadth. Attribution Process Observe behavior → Judge intention → Assign cause (internal/external). Privacy Boundary Negotiation Establish boundary rules → Share information → Co‑owner rights → Monitor for turbulence → Renegotiate as needed. Cognitive Dissonance Reduction Selective exposure: Seek consonant info. Selective attention: Focus on supportive cues. Selective interpretation: Re‑frame contradictory evidence. Selective retention: Remember consonant details. --- 🔍 Key Comparisons Task Conflict vs. Relationship Conflict – content disagreement vs. emotional/value clash. Symmetrical vs. Complementary Patterns – equal reciprocity vs. opposite (dominant‑submissive) responses. Internal Noise vs. External Noise – mental distractions vs. environmental sounds. Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Channels – real‑time (face‑to‑face, phone) vs. delayed (email, text). Men’s Stereotypical Norms vs. Women’s Stereotypical Norms – assertive/dominant vs. empathic/relationship‑focused. --- ⚠️ Common Misunderstandings “Communication is linear.” → It is transactional; senders and receivers act simultaneously. “All online communication is asynchronous.” – Many platforms (video chat, instant messaging) are synchronous. “Higher uncertainty always leads to more disclosure.” – Uncertainty motivates information‑seeking; disclosure occurs only when perceived rewards outweigh costs. “Nonverbal cues are irrelevant in text.” – Emojis, punctuation, and response latency serve as proxy nonverbal signals. “Privacy rules are fixed.” – Boundaries are negotiated and can shift, leading to turbulence. --- 🧠 Mental Models / Intuition “Communication dance” – imagine partners constantly stepping forward (sending) and back (receiving) in a fluid, never‑identical pattern. Economic ledger for relationships – tally perceived rewards and costs; when the ledger is positive, disclosure expands. Onion layers – think of peeling an onion: each layer reveals deeper personal content; the more layers removed, the higher the intimacy. Noise filter – picture a radio: internal noise is static inside the speaker’s head; external noise is static from the environment; both degrade signal quality. --- 🚩 Exceptions & Edge Cases Uncertainty Reduction Theory applies strongest to initial interactions; later stages rely more on relational dialectics and social exchange. Expectancy Violations can be positively evaluated if the violator has high relational value or the violation is seen as creative. Privacy turbulence often arises when cultural expectations about information sharing differ. Social Penetration may accelerate online (rapid, extensive disclosure) due to perceived anonymity and control. --- 📍 When to Use Which Explain early‑stage stranger interaction → Use Uncertainty Reduction Theory (focus on information‑seeking strategies). Analyze why a partner stays despite costs → Apply Social Exchange Theory (cost‑benefit calculus). Interpret meaning of a symbolic gesture → Use Symbolic Interaction Theory (shared symbols). Assess tension over “how much to share” → Choose Relational Dialectics (openness vs. closedness). Identify why a nonverbal surprise caused conflict → Use Expectancy Violations Theory (expectation breach + relational evaluation). Diagnose persistent misinterpretation in a relationship → Look to Privacy Management Theory (boundary rules & turbulence). --- 👀 Patterns to Recognize Increasing depth & breadth → Signal moving to a deeper stage of social penetration. Symmetrical interaction turning complementary → May indicate emerging power dynamics. Sudden rise in arousal + evaluation shift → Typical of an expectancy violation event. Repeated boundary turbulence → Red flag for unresolved privacy management conflicts. Consistent attribution of others’ failures to internal causes → Possible fundamental attribution error. --- 🗂️ Exam Traps Distractor: “Uncertainty reduction only uses passive strategies.” – Incorrect: active and interactive strategies are core components. Distractor: “Boundary turbulence is a sign of a healthy relationship.” – Incorrect: turbulence indicates conflict over privacy rules. Distractor: “All relational dialectics are negative forces.” – Incorrect: tensions are inevitable and necessary for growth. Distractor: “External noise refers to mental thoughts.” – Incorrect: internal noise covers mental interference; external noise is environmental. Distractor: “Task conflict always improves performance.” – Incorrect: only moderate task conflict can be beneficial; excessive conflict harms outcomes. ---