Ch. 1 A First Look

1. What needs are met through communication?
2. What components make up the act of communication?
3. What 2 models ``represent`` the act of communication?  Which model seems most accurate? Why?
4. What 4 communication principles are described in the first chapter? What is their significance?
5. What misconceptions do we often hold regarding communication?
6. What is the difference between INTERpersonal and Impersonal interaction?
7. How does John Stewart define ``interpersonal communication``?  How does he distinguish between persons and objects?
8. How can we affirm the ``personness`` of another?  That is, what can each of us do to treat someone like a person rather than like an object?
9. What characteristics are most evident in interpersonal relationships?

10.        What is metacommunication?  What is its significance?

11. What are some important characteristics of competent communicators?
12. What does the statement, ``Every message has a content and a relational dimension`` mean?
13. What does the statement, ``Every message is affected by the way participants punctuate communication events`` mean?
14. What characterizes a complementary relationship?  How does a complementary relationship differ from a symmetrical relationship?

Group discussion questions:

1. After reading and discussing Ch. 1, has your perception of Interpersonal Communication changed?  If so, in what way?
2. How might treating people as persons (as opposed to objects) impact your family life?  Work?  Educational experience?
3. In what ways do you use metacommunication?
4. Do you see yourself as a competent communicator? Why or why not?

Ch. 2 Communication and Self

1. What is self-concept?
2. Why should we be concerned about our self-concepts?
3. What is a self-fulfilling prophecy? How does it relate to the self-concept?
4. Is it possible to have a distorted self-concept?  Explain.
5. How does culture affect the self-concept?
6. How can you change your self-concept?
7. What is ``identity management``?  Do you believe identity management implies dishonesty?  Why or why not?

Group discussion questions:

1. Who or what has had the greatest impact on your self-concept?
2. What do you see as your 3 greatest strengths?
3. What one thing would you like to change about yourself?  Discuss with your group ways to make that change.

Ch. 3 Perception

1. What are the 3 stages of the perceptual process?  What elements are involved in each stage?
2. What influences our perceptions?
3. What is stereotyping? 
4. When is stereotyping beneficial?  When is it harmful?
5. What perceptual errors do we as humans make?
6. What steps are involved in the skill of perception checking?
7. What is empathy?  How does it relate to perception?  To sympathy?

Group discussion questions:

1. What perceptual errors do you often make?
2. What steps are involved in the skill of perception checking?  Practice with one another to determine if you understand the steps. 
3. Do you find perception checking difficult to do?  Why or why not?
4. Describe instances when you have stereotyped incorrectly or when you have been stereotyped incorrectly.  What caused you or the other person to stereotype?

Ch. 4 Emotions

1.        What characterizes emotions?

2.        What types of emotions do we experience?  Why is it helpful to recognize these types of emotions?

3.        What variables influence our ability to express emotions?

4.        What guidelines are provided by Adler and Towne for expressing emotions?

5.        How can you distinguish facilitative emotions from debilitative emotions?

6.        What fallacies cause debilitative emotions?  (Be sure you understand each.)

7.        How can you minimize debilitative emotions?

Group discussion questions:

1. How do you feel about expressing your emotions?  What emotions do you feel most uncomfortable expressing?
2. Which fallacy or fallacies are you most likely to think when communicating with others?
3. Recall a recent time when you felt a strong emotion.  Recall the activating event and then the interpretation that led to your emotional reaction.

Ch. 5  Language

1.        How does language shape and reflect attitudes?

2.        What types of language provide potential for misunderstanding?

3.        What constitutes ``disruptive`` language?

4.        Do men and women tend to use language in an identical fashion?  What similarities are evident?  What differences?

5.        How does culture affect language?

6.        What can you do to use language more effectively?

Group discussion questions:

1. What do the words you use (your language) say about you?
2. How does American English reflect American culture?  How does another language (Chinese, Japanese, German, French, etc.) reflect the culture of those who speak it?
3. When do your words provide potential for misunderstanding?

Ch. 6  Nonverbal Communication

1.        What is nonverbal communication?  What is included under the ``umbrella`` of the term, nonverbal communication?

2.        What are the characteristics of nonverbal communication?

3.        What variables should you consider when trying to make sense of ambiguous nonverbal communication?

4.        What are the similarities and differences between verbal and nonverbal communication?

5.        What are the functions of nonverbal communication?  That is, how is nonverbal communication used?

6.        What do we communicate through each type of nonverbal code?

Group discussion questions:

1. What does your appearance say about you?  (Request input from group members.)
2. What do you want it to say about you?
3. What can you do to minimize inaccurate stereotypes based on appearance, gestures, etc.?
4. What nonverbal communication skill would you most like to improve?  Why?

Ch. 7  Listening

1.       How often are we typically called upon to listen?

2.       What elements are included in the listening process?

3.       What causes use to be less than effective listeners?

4.       What faulty listening behaviors are often exhibited?

5.       Are there different types of listening?  Be able to explain.

6.       What can you do to listen more effectively?

Group discussion questions:

1. What negative listening habits do you most often exhibit?
2. What causes you to be less than an effective listener?
3. What 3 steps will you seek to take to become a more effective listener?

Ch. 8  Intimacy and Distance in Relationships

1.        What variables influence the depth of relationships?

2.        What are two models of relational development and maintenance?

3.        According to Mark L. Knapp, what are the 10 stages of relationships?  What is the significance of these stages?

4.        What elements appear to be factors in establishing relationships?  That is, what attracts us to certain individuals?

5.        What is self disclosure?  What makes some disclosure more significant than others?

6.        What is the Johari Window?  What is its significance?

7.        What do we tend to self-disclose?

8.        Why do we often choose to self-disclose?

9.        What are some guidelines for self-disclosure?

10.     What are the alternatives to self-disclosure?  Are these ethical?  Why or why not?

Group discussion questions:

1. Do you find it easy to self-disclose?  Why or why not?
2. What rules are most evident in your family?  Do you believe these rules promote positive family communication?  Why or why not?

Ch. 9  Improving Communication Climates

1.        What is a communication climate?

2.        How is a communication climate shaped?

3.        What is confirming communication?  What 3 levels are evident in confirming communication?

4.        What is disconfirming communication?  What types of responses are considered examples of disconfirming communication?

5.        How do communication climates develop?

6.        What causes defensiveness?

7.        What are some typical defensive reactions?

8.        How can you prevent defensiveness in others?  (Be familiar with the Gibb categories of defensive and supportive behaviors.)

9.        What can you do to respond less defensively to criticism?

Group discussion questions:

1. Do you usually feel valued in your relationships?  Why or why not?
2. What disconfirming communication behaviors are you most guilty of using?  How have these behaviors impacted the communication climate with others?
3. How do you typically respond when you feel criticized or devalued?
4. Using the principles in the text or in the film, role play giving and receiving criticism.

Ch. 10  Managing Interpersonal Conflicts

1.        What is conflict?

2.        What are the benefits of conflict?

3.        What are 5 typical styles used in handling conflict?

4.        Which style is best?  Why?

5.        How can you demonstrate assertiveness?

6.        How do culture and gender influence conflict styles?

7.        What are some specific methods of conflict resolution?

8.        What specific steps are involved in win-win problem solving?

9.        According to Fisher and Ury, what steps should be taken for successful negotiation?

Group discussion questions:

1. How do you typically manage conflict?
2. Are you currently experiencing conflict or have you had a recent conflict that was not satisfactorily resolved? What steps can you take to remedy the situation?
3. What communication behaviors have you changed during the semester?  What one communication behavior do you plan to continue to improve?