Interpersonal Messages is a brief, highly interactive book that emphasizes interpersonal communication and relationship skills, ethics, critical thinking, listening, and power in a multicultural world. In 10 chapters,Interpersonal Messages provides a comprehensive introduction to interpersonal communication that creates a foundation for the reader to understand the concepts of interpersonal communication and to develop the necessary skills to apply what they have learned through real-life examples and exercises. With a strengthened focus on skill-building, this book helps the reader understand how to master interpersonal communication and relationship skills in every area of their lives.
Table of Contents:
Part 1. Preliminaries to Interpersonal Messages
Chapter 1. Interpersonal Communication
Why Study Interpersonal Communication?
What is Interpersonal Communication?
The Elements of Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal Competence
Principles of Interpersonal Communication
Dialogue for Analysis: The Interpersonally Challenged Family
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz: The Language of Interpersonal Communication
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Test: What Do You Believe about Interpersonal Communication?
Listen to This: Listening to New Ideas
Ethical Messages: The Ethics of Communicating in Cyberspace
SkillBuildingExercises: (1)Giving Effective Feedback, (2) Content and Relationship Messages, (3) Interpersonal Principles in Practice
Chapter 2. Culture and Interpersonal Communication
Culture and Interpersonal Communication
Cultural Differences
Intercultural Communication
Dialogue for Analysis: The Intercultural Relationship
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Test: How Ethnocentric Are You?
Listen to This: Listening without Bias
Ethical Messages: The Ethics of Cultural Practices
SkillBuildingExercises: (1)Exploring Cultural Attitudes, (2) Identifying Cultural Differences, (3) Confronting Cultural Differences
Chapter 3. The Self in Interpersonal Communication
Self-Concept, Self-Awareness, and Self-Esteem
Self-Disclosure
Interpersonal Apprehension
Dialogue for Analysis: The Facilitation of Self-Disclosure
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Tests: (1) How’s Your Self-Esteem? (2) How Apprehensive Are You? (3) How Apprehensive Are You in Computer-mediated Communication?
Listen to This: Listening to Empower
Ethical Messages: Outing
SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Empowering Others, (2) Self-Disclosing Appropriately, (3) Reducing Apprehension
Chapter 4. Perception and Interpersonal Communication
The Stages of Perception
The Processes of Perception
Increasing Your Accuracy in Interpersonal Perception
Dialogue for Analysis: The Parental Difference
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Test: How Accurate Are You at People Perception?
Listen to This: Listening to Other Perspectives
Ethical Messages: Censoring Messages and Interactions
SkillBuildingExercises: (1) First Impressions, (2) Perceiving Differences, (3) Reversing Negative Perceptions
Chapter 5. Listening and Interpersonal Communication
The Importance of Listening: Task and Relationship Benefits
The Stages of Listening
Styles of Listening Effectively
Listening, Culture, and Gender
Dialogue for Analysis: The Reluctant Listeners
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Test: How Do You Listen?
Listen to This: Listening Ethically
Ethical Messages: A Question of Choice
SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Obstacles to Listening, (2) Paraphrasing to Ensure Understanding, (3) Listening Actively
Part 2. Interpersonal Messages in Context
Chapter 6. Verbal Messages
Principles of Verbal Messages
Confirmation and Disconfirmation
Using Verbal Messages Effectively and Critically
Dialogue for Analysis: The Uncritical Observers
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Tests: (1)How Assertive Are Your Messages? (2) Can You Distinguish Facts from Inferences?
Listen to This: Listening to Gender Differences
Ethical Messages: Lying
SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Practicing Assertiveness, (2) Confirming, Rejecting, and Disconfirming, (3) Thinking and Talking in E-Prime
Chapter 7. Nonverbal Messages
The Benefits of Effective Nonverbal Communication
The Functions of Nonverbal Messages
The Channels of Nonverbal Messages
Culture and Nonverbal Communication
Dialogue for Analysis: The Nonverbal Interview
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Test: What Time Do You Have?
Listen to This: Listening Nonverbally
Ethical Messages: Interpersonal Silence
SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Integrating Verbal and Nonverbal Messages, (2) Sitting at the Company Meeting, (3) Nonverbal Impression Formation
Chapter 8. Conversation Messages
The Process of Conversation
Effective Conversation
Emotional Conversation
Effective Emotional Conversation
Dialogue for Analysis: The Conversation of Old “Friends”
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Test: How Satisfying Is Your Conversation?
Listen to This: Listening to Emotions (10 Easy Ways)
Ethical Messages: Keeping Secrets Secret
SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Opening and Closing a Conversation, (2) Formulating Excuses, (3) Responding to Emotions
Chapter 9. Interpersonal Relationships
Relationship Stages
Advantages and Disadvantages of Interpersonal Relationships
Relationship Types
The Dark Side of Interpersonal Relationships
Relationship Theories
Relationships, Culture, and Technology
Dialogue for Analysis: The Telephone Breakup
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Test: What Kind of Lover Are You?
Listen to This: Listening to Stage Talk
Ethical Messages: Q and A
SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Talking Cherishing, (2) Using Affinity Seeking Strategies, (3) Interpersonal Relationships in Songs and Greeting Cards
Chapter 10. Interpersonal Conflict Management
What is Interpersonal Conflict?
Principles of Interpersonal Conflict
Conflict Styles Have Consequences
Conflict Resolution Stages
Conflict Management Strategies
Dialogue for Analysis: The Unproductive Interpersonal Conflict
Summary of Concepts and Skills
Vocabulary Quiz
Four for Discussion
Web Exploration
Featured Boxes
Self-Tests: (1) How Verbally Aggressive Are You? (2) How Argumentative Are You?
Listen to This: Listening to Conflict Messages
Ethical Messages: Ethical Fighting
SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Early Conflict Resolution, (2) Generating Win-Win Solutions, (3) Responding to Confrontations
Glossary of Interpersonal Communication Concepts
Glossary of Interpersonal Communication Skills
Bibliography
Credits
Index
Specialized Table of Contents
Self-Tests
These self-assessment tests will help you analyze your own communication patterns and strategies and make plans for achieving greater interpersonal effectiveness.
- What Do You Believe about Interpersonal Communication?
- How Ethnocentric Are You?
- How’s Your Self-Esteem?
- How Apprehensive Are You?
- How Apprehensive Are You in Computer-mediated Communication?
- How Accurate Are You at People Perception?
- How Do You Listen?
- How Assertive Are Your Messages?
- Can You Distinguish Facts from Inferences?
- What Time Do You Have?
- How Satisfying Is Your Conversation?
- What Kind of Lover Are You?
- Is Violence a Part of Your Relationship?
- How Verbally Aggressive Are You?
- How Argumentative Are You?
Listen to This
These discussions will help you improve your listening skills in a wide variety of specific interpersonal situations.
- Listening to New Ideas
- Listening without Bias
- Listening to Empower
- Listening to Other Perspectives
- Listening Ethically
- Listening to Gender Differences
- Listening Nonverbally
- Listening to Emotions (Ten Easy Ways)
- Listening to Stage Talk
- Listening to Conflict Messages
Ethical Messages
These discussions will encourage you to consider the ethical implications of your interpersonal messages and will help you formulate your own code of the ethics of interpersonal communication.
- The Ethics of Communicating in Cyberspace
- The Ethics of Cultural Practices
- Outing
- Censoring Messages and Interactions
- A Question of Choice
- Lying
- Interpersonal Silence
- Keeping Secrets Secret
- Q and A
- Ethical Fighting
Dialogues for Analysis
These brief dialogues offer you the opportunity to analyze interactions focusing on the principles discussed in the text and will help you see these principles in operation.
- The Interpersonally Challenged Family
- The Intercultural Relationship
- The Facilitation of Self-Disclosure
- The Parental Differences
- The Reluctant Listeners
- The Uncritical Observers
- The Nonverbal Interview
- The Conversation of Old “Friends”
- The Telephone Breakup
- The Unproductive Interpersonal Conflict
SkillBuildingExercises
These exercises will help you work actively with interpersonal communication concepts and principles and will help you practice the many and varied interpersonal skills discussed in the text.
- Giving Effective Feedback
- Content and Relationship Messages
- Interpersonal Principles in Practice
- Exploring Cultural Attitudes
- Identifying Cultural Differences
- Confronting Cultural Differences
- Empowering Others
- Self-Disclosing Appropriately
- Reducing Apprehension
- First Impressions
- Perceiving Differences
- Reversing Negative Perceptions
- Obstacles to Listening
- Paraphrasing to Ensure Understanding
- Listening Actively
- Practicing Assertiveness
- Confirming, Rejecting, and Disconfirming
- Thinking and Talking in E-Prime
- Integrating Verbal and Nonverbal Messages
- Sitting at the Company Meeting
- Nonverbal Impression Formation
- Opening and Closing a Conversation
- Formulating Excuses
- Responding to Emotions
- Talking Cherishing
- Using Affinity Seeking Strategies
- Interpersonal Relationships in Songs and Greeting Cards
- Early Conflict Resolution
- Generating Win-Win Solutions
- Responding to Confrontations
