Think about two friendships that you have. Describe your friendship in terms of three of the five types of friendships discussed in the power point and give examples for illustration. Friendships are usually a combination of the types discussed in textbook. An example would be a friendship with high-obligation is usually also high in self-disclosure. CHAPTER 10 Communication in Close Relationships Section 1 Interplay COMMUNICATION IN FRIENDSHIPS Communication in Friendships A voluntary relationship that provides social support Friendships created, managed and maintained through communication Types of Friendships Short vs. long-term Task vs. maintenance-oriented Low vs. high disclosure Low vs. high obligation Infrequent vs. frequent contact Friendships, Gender, and Communication Same-sex friendships Usually first friends Communication differs for men and women Cross-sex friendships Offers many benefits For heterosexuals present challenges with potential for romance Friendships, Gender, and Communication Friends with benefits Includes sexual activity Men and women equally likely to be in FWB relationships FWB partners avoid discussing relational status Gender considerations Sex role Sexual orientation Friendship and Social Media Social networking used to maintain current friendships or revive old ones Only small percentage of online friends are close Also use phoning, texting, emailing, blogging to maintain friendships Communication in Successful Friendships Share joys and sorrows Honor pledges and commitments Share laughs and memories Treat each other with respect Provide a listening ear Have a balanced exchange Maintain confidences Value both connection and autonomy Lend a helping hand Apologize and forgive Stand up for each other Section 2 Interplay COMMUNICATION IN THE FAMILY Communication in the Family Family: system with two or more interdependent people who have a common history and a present reality and who expect to influence each other in the future Creating the Family Through Communication Family narratives Reinforce shared goals Teach moral values Stress family concerns Reflect how members relate to one another Reflect how to operate in the world Communication Rituals and Rules Family rituals center on celebrations or everyday life Families and stepfamilies have many rules governing communication among members and with outsiders Stepchildren avoid more topics with stepparents than parents Patterns of Family Communication Families as communication systems Family members are interdependent A family is more than the sum of its parts Families have systems within the larger system Conversation and Conformity in the Family Conversation orientation Degree to which families favor an open climate of discussion of a wide array of topics High: interact freely, frequently, and spontaneously Low: interact less; less exchange of private thoughts Conformity orientation Degree to which family communication stresses uniformity of attitudes, values, and beliefs High: seek harmony, interdependence, obedience Low: individuality, interdependence, equality Conversation and Conformity in the Family Consensual High conversation/High conformity Pluralistic High conversation/Low conformity Protective Low conversation/High conformity Laissez-faire Low conversation/Low conformity orientation Effective Communication in Families Manage the connection-autonomy dialectic Apparent when children grow into adolescents Most successful families are flexible After children are ‘launched,’ couples have to re-negotiate their ‘couple-ness’ Strive for Closeness While Respecting Boundaries Enmeshed: too much cohesion; too much consensus, too little independence Disengaged: too little cohesion; disconnected, limited attachment/ commitment Creating boundaries: Physical, Conversational, Emotions, Handling of topics Social networking provides challenges for privacy management Use, but Don’t Abuse, Technology and Social Media Changing technologies affect family communication Social networking sites provide new challenges for family privacy management As teens transition into adulthood, they become less concerned about social media Encourage Confirming Messages Confirming behaviors Telling children they are unique and valuable as human beings Genuinely listening to children when told something of importance Disconfirming behaviors Belittling children Making statements that communicate their ideas don’t count Section 3 Interplay COMMUNICATION IN ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS Characteristics of Romantic Relationships Triangular theory of love (Sternberg) Intimacy: closeness and connectedness Passion: physical attraction and emotional arousal Commitment: decision to maintain relationship Commitment Relational commitment involves a promise to remain in a relationship and make that relationship successful Formed and reinforced through communication Behaviors are important, but without language, commitment may not be clear Affection Beneficial for partners Can have discrepancies between feelings and expressions of affection Sexual activity important means of expressing and receiving affection Most satisfying when accompanied by direct verbal communication Effective Communication in Romantic Relationships Learning love languages Words of affirmation Quality time Gifts Acts of service Physical touch Which category is most important to you? Managing Digital Communication Social media impacts relationship Can be a distraction but Communication via mediated channels help maintain relationships Couples’ use of social networking reflects and affects how they feel about each other Purchase answer to see full attachment Tags: communication FRIENDSHIP highobligation Student has agreed that all tutoring, explanations, and answers provided by the tutor will be used to help in the learning process and in accordance with our company’shonor code & terms of service.
