Understanding Interpersonal Relationships

Chapter 6 - Understanding Interpersonal Relationships

Interpersonal Relationships are connections or affiliations between two people. The word “relationship” is one of many words that people use, but have a hard time defining. The dictionary defines it as, “a state of affairs existing between those having relations or dealings.”Handling interpersonal relationships
Interpersonal relationships can bring the greatest happiness as well as the greatest pain to an individual's life.

MOTIVES FOR INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

1. Pleasure
2. Affection
3. Inclusion
4. Escape
5. Relaxation
6. Control
   

Types of Interpersonal Relationship

We define types of interpersonal relationships in terms of relational contexts of interaction and the types of expectations that communicators have of one another.

1. Friendship - Theories of friendship emphasize the concept of friendship as a freely
chosen association

2. Family - Family communication patterns establish roles, identities and enable the growth of individuals. Family dysfunction may also be exhibited by
communication patterns.

3. Romantic - Romantic relationships are defined in terms of the concepts of passion,

intimacy and commitment.

4. Proffesional Relationships - Professional communication encompasses small group

communication and interviewing.

5. Interpersonal Competence- Assess interpersonal effectiveness in various types of

relationships and contexts.

Types of Conflict

Conflict are formed through negative experiences we have with the person. The stronger our negative ideas become the worse any conflict we may have with that person will become.

Psychological Conflict (internal conflict)
this type of conflict could be going on inside the person and no one would know ( instinct may be at odds with values)
Freud would say unconscious id battling superego, according to Freud our personalities are always in conflict.

Social Conflict
interpersonal conflict- two individuals me against you; intergoup struggles -us against them;individual opposing a group- me against them, them against me; intragroup conflict- members of group all against each other on a task
Approach-Avoidance
conflict can be describe as having features of approach and avoidance: approach-approach conflict; avoidance-avoidance conflict; approach-avoidance conflict
Approach-Approach Conflict
two desirable things are wanted, but only one option can be chosen ( example: desirable date Or ski trip)"I want this but I also want that."
Avoidance- avoidance Conflict
two unattractive alternatives ( example: study or do the dishes "I don't want his and I don't want that
Approach- Avoidance Conflict
attractive and unattractive parts to both sides "I want this but I don't want what this entails"
Functional vs Dysfunctional Conflict
Dysfunctional Conflict: when conflict disrupts and upsets personal psychological
functioning
Functional Conflict: conflict can be responsive in creativity. Determine if
conflict achieves goals or undermines them

Characteristics of interpersonal relationships

How do interpersonal relationships differ from impersonal relationships?

• interpersonal relationships are those in which the people base their predictions on psychologicaldata,
  
• Interpersonal relationships have both advantages and disadvantages.
  

- advantages are that interpersonal relationships help endure loneliness, enable you to secure stimulation, help you to gain self-knowledge and enhance your self-esteem, and enable you to maximize pleasure and minimize pain.

- disadvantages are that interpersonal relationships put pressure on you to reveal yourself to others; impose significant financial, emotional, and temporal obligations; may present difficulties in dissolving.

Self-disclosure in interpersonal relationships

Self-disclosure is not simply providing information to another person. Instead, scholars define self-disclosure as sharing informatoin with others that they would not normally know or discover. Self-disclosure also involves risk on the part of the person sharing theinformation.



Functions of Self-disclosure
It is a way of gaining information from another person. We want to be able to predict the action of people that we know. Self-disclosure is a way to learn how another person think or feel. Once the person is engaged in self-disclosure, the person will also disclose personal information.


Risks of Self-disclosure
there are also risks for self-disclosure. One of it is the person will not respond favorably to the information. Too much self-disclosure that comes too early in a relationship can damage the relationship. Loss of control and influence is also another risk of self-disclosure.



Guidelines for self-disclosure

1. Is the other person important to you? - self-disclosure may be the path toward developing a personal relationship
2. Is the risk of self-disclosure reasonable?
3. Is the self-disclosure appropriate? - Be sensitive to the timing of a message
4. Is the disclosure relevant to the situation at hand?
5. Is the disclosure reciprocated?
6. Will the effect be constructive?
7. Is the self-disclosure clear and understandable?
   

Alternatives to Self-disclosure

1. Lying

- to save face
- to avoid conflict
- to gain power

2. Equivocation

- Equivocal language has two or more equally plausible meanings

3. Hinting

- more direct than equivocal statements
- A hint to get response from other person






CHRISTINE