1.

Describe how the four components of emotions affect the way you feel, and hence
your communication in an important situation.

Firstly, Physiological factors. When a person has strong emotions, many bodily changes occur.
For example, the physical components of fear include an increased heart rate, a rise in blood
pressure, an elevated blood sugar level and other.

Secondly, Nonverbal Reactions. Feeling are often apparent by observable reactions. Some of
these changes involve a persons appearance such as blushing, sweating and other. Other
change involves behavior such as facial expression, different vocal tone or rate and other.

Next, Cognitive Interpretations. The mind plays an important role in determining emotional
states. The symptoms are similar to the physical change that accompany excitement, joy and
other positive emotions. It would have a hard time ascertaining which emotion the person was
experiencing.

Lastly, Verbal Expression. Words can be required to discover the depth or intensity of the
emotion. For example, Saying I am feeling nervous might help explain a pained expression on
your face.
 2. Describe how the influence on emotional expression have affected your
communication in an important relationship.

Firstly, Personality. There is a clear relationship between personality and the way we
experience and communicate emotions. For example, extraverted people tend to report more
positive emotions; neurotic people tend to report more negative emotions. However,
personality doesnt have to govern your communication satisfaction.

Secondly, Culture. A significant factor that influences emotional expression in different cultures.
For example, Individualistic (US and Canada), these cultures feel comfortable revealing their
emptions to people with whom they are close. Collectivistic ( Japan and India), these cultures
prize harmony and discourage expression of negative emotions which may upset relationships.

Thirdly, Gender. Biological sex is the best predictor of the ability to detect and interpret
emotional expression. For example, research suggests that women are more attuned to
emotions than men both within and across cultures.

Next, Social Conventions. The unwritten rules of communication discourage the direct
expression or emotion. For example, we rarely express negative emotions directly such as
angry. Social rules even discourage too much expression of positive feelings. Expression of
emotions is also shaped by the requirements of many social roles. For example, emotion labor
to describe situation in which managing and even suppressing emotions is both appropriate
and necessary.

Fear of Self- Disclosure. In a society that discourages the expression of emotions, revealing
them can seem risky.

Lastly, Emotional contagion is a process by which emotions are transferred from one person to
another. For example, customers are affected by the emotion of employees who serve them.
Emotions become more infectious with prolonged contact.
Chapter 8

1. Identify factors that have influenced your choice of relational partners.

Firstly, Appearance is especially important in the early stages of a relationship. For example,
online daters enhance their photo to appear more attractive to potential suitor. Besides that, as
romantic relationships develop, partners create positive illusions, viewing one another as
more attractive over time.

Secondly, Similarity. It means that we like people who are like us. Similarity is more important
to relational happiness than even communication ability. For example, friendships are more
likely to last when friends are similar to one another.

Thirdly, Complementarity. Different strengthen a relationship when they are complementary.

Each partners characteristics attract and satisfy the others needs. For example, Individuals are
often likely to be attracted to each other when one partner is dominant and the other passive.

Next, Competence. We like to be around talented people because we hope their skills and
abilities will rubs off on us. However, if a person is too talented it can be difficult to be around
them because they make us look bad.

Lastly, Proximity. We are likely to develop relationship with people we interact with frequently.
For example, we are more likely to develop friendships with close neighbors than distant ones.

Disclosure. Revealing important information about yourself can help build liking. It may come
from learning about how we are similar either in experiences or in attitudes. For example, when
people share private information with you, it suggests that they respect and trust you.
 2. Use Knapps model to describe the nature of communication in the various stages of a
relationship. Knapps Ten Stages of the Relationship

First stage, Initiating is to show that you are interested in making contact and that you a are the
kind of person worth talking to. Communication during this stage is usually brief. Simplistic
communication is a way of signaling you may want to begin a relationship, For example,
handshakes, friendly expression and other.

Second stage, Experimenting. At this stage is to decide whether we are interested to pursue the
relationship further. This involves uncertainty reduction, the process of getting to know others
by gaining more information. It is to search for common ground/ similarity such as where are
you from.

Third stage, Intensifying. The interpersonal relationship begins to develop. The expression of
feelings toward the other becomes more common. For example, people Giving tokens of
affection, hinting and flirting

Fourth stage, Integrating. As a relationship strengthens, the parties begin to take on identity as
a social unit. Partners begin to take on each others commitments and close friends may begin
to speak alike. For example, couple declare In a relationship on Facebook.

Fifth stage, Bonding. The parties make symbolic public gestures to show the world that their
relationship exists. Besides that, commitment is increased during this stage. These can include
engagement or marriage.

Sixth stage, differentiating. It is the point where the we orientation that has developed shifts,
and more me messages begin to occur. The stage is likely to occur when the relationship
experiences its first feelings of stress

Seventh stage, Circumscribing. Communication between members decreases in quantity and

quality. Partners behave towards each other in old, familiar ways. It will be shrinking of interest
and commitment.
Eighth Stage, Stagnating. Partners behave towards each other in old, familiar ways without
much feeling. No growth occurs. The relationship is a hollow shell of its former self

Ninth Stage. Avoiding. Parties begin to create physical distance between each other.
Unsuccessful couples deal with their problems by avoidance, indirectness and less involvement

Last stage, Terminating. It includes summary dialogue of where the relationships has gone and
the desire to dissociate. For example, a relationship may end with a phone call, a dinner or a
legal document. Depending on each persons feelings, this stage can be quite short or drawn
out over time

3. Describe the dialectical tensions in a given relationship, how they influence

communication and the most effective strategies for managing them.

Dialectical Tensions refers conflicts that arise when two opposing or incompatible forces exist
simultaneously. To managing dialectical tensions can create the most powerful dynamic in
relational communication.

Connection versus Autonomy. We seek out involvement with others. Besides that, we are
unwilling to sacrifice our entire identity to even the most satisfying relationship. One of the
most common reasons for relational breakups involve failure of partners to satisfy each others
needs for connection. For example, We barely spent any time together., I was feeling
trapped.

Openness versus Privacy. Along with the need to disclose, we have an equally important drive
to maintain space between people. Even the strongest relationships require some distance. For
example, Lover.

Predictability versus Novelty. Stability is an important need in relationships, but too much
predictability can lead to feelings of staleness. The challenge for communicators is to juggle the
desire for predictability with the desire for novelty that keeps a relationship fresh and
interesting.
For managing Dialectical Tensions

1. Denial. Communicators respond to one end of the dialectical spectrum and ignoring the
other. For example, a couple caught between the conflicting desires for predictability
and novelty might find their struggle for change too difficult to manage and choose to
follow predictable.
2. Disorientation. Communicators feel so overwhelmed and helpless they are unable to
confront their problems. They might fight, freeze or even leave the relationship.
3. Alternation. Communicators who use it choose one end of the dialectical spectrum at
some times and the other end at other time. For example, friend might manage the
connection-autonomy dialectic by alternating between times when they spend a large
amount time together.
4. Segmentation. Partners use this tactic to compartmentalize different areas of their
relationship. For example, a couple might manage the openness-privacy dialectic by
sharing almost all their feeling about mutual friends with each other, but keeping
certain parts of their past romantic histories private.
5. Balance. Communicators try to balance dialectical tensions recognize that both forces
are legitimate and try to manage them through compromise. For example, A couple
caught between the conflicting desire for predictability and novelty might seek balance
by compromising with a lifestyle that is neither as predictable as one wants nor as
surprise-filled as the other wants.
6. Integration. Communicators simultaneously accept opposing forces without trying to
diminish them. For example, a couple accepts the needs for both predictability and
novelty by devising a predictably novel.
 4. Identify the content and relational dimensions of communication in given transaction.

Content Messages is the subject being discussed. Relational Messages makes statement about
how the parties feel toward one another.

Types of Relational Messages/ dimension of relational communication

1. Affinity is the degree to which people like or appreciate one other.

2. Immediacy refers to the degree of interest and attention that we feel toward and
communicate to other. For example, saying we have a problem is more immediate
than saying you have a problem.
3. Respect involves esteem. It is possible to like others without respecting them. For
example, you might have a great deal of affection for some friends, but not respect the
way they behave.
4. Control is the degree to which the parties in a relationship have the power to influence
one another. It involves conversation and decisions. For example, who talks the
most, what will we do Saturday night?.

5. Describe how metacommunication can be used to improve the quality of a given

relationship.

Metacommunication refers the messages that people exchange, verbally or nonverbally, about
their relationship. Metacommunication is communication about communication. It is a tool for
handling problems. For example, when we discuss a relationship with others we are
metacommunication : I hate it when you use that tone of voice. It is a necessary om successful
relationships. It is also a way to reinforce the satisfying aspects of a relationship. For example, I
really appreciate it when you complement me about my work in front of the boss.
Chapter 11

1. Identify the conflicts in your important relationships and how satisfied you are with the
way they have been handled.
2. Describe your personal conflict styles, evaluate their effectiveness and suggest
alternatives as appropriate.

Avoiding (Lose Lose) occurs when people nonassertively ignore or stay away from conflict. It
can be physical or conversational. Avoidance reflects a pessimistic attitude about conflict under
the belief that there is no good way to solve the problem at hand. It often results in lose lose
outcomes in which none of the parties get what they want.

Accommodating (Lose Win) occurs when you allow others to have their way rather than
asserting your point of view. If accommodation is a genuine act of kindness, generosity, or love,
then chances are good that it will enhance the relationship. Besides that, people from high-
context, collectivist backgrounds are likely to regard avoidance and accommodating as face-
saving and noble ways to handle conflicts. On the other hand, people from in low-context,
individualist backgrounds are often view less positively.

Competing (Win-Lose) occurs when there is a high level of self-concern and a low level of
concern for others. Direct Aggression occurs when a communicator expresses a criticism or
demand that threatens the face of another. It involves character attacks, physical appearance
attacks and threats. It can lead to decrease effectiveness in personal relationships. Passive
Aggression occurs when a communicator expresses hostility in an obscure or manipulative way.
For example, people have feelings of anger that they are unable or unwilling to express directly.
They keeping these feelings to themselves.

Compromising (Partial Lose Lose) gives both parties some of what they want although both
sacrifice part of their goals. It would be used to negotiates a solution where both lose
something. Some compromises do leave both parties satisfied. For example, you and seller
might settle on a price for a used car. When compromises are satisfying and successful, theyre
probably collaborations.
Collaborating (Win Win) shows a high degree of concern for themselves as well as others. The
goal of collaboration is to find a solution that satisfies the needs of everyone involved.
Collaboration gives you a way of creatively finding just the right answer for your unique
problem

3. Identify the relational conflict styles, patterns of behavior and conflicts rituals that
defines a given relationship.
4.