05 Interpersonal Communication Free Online FlashCards

What is interpersonal communication?

Interpersonal communication is the exchange of messages through which people build, maintain, change, or end relationships.

What structure can help express a concern clearly?

A useful concern structure is observation → feeling or impact → need → request. Plan around the message’s purpose, audience, context, and channel, while leaving room for a response.

How do content and relational meaning differ?

Content is what is being discussed; relational meaning is what a message suggests about how communicators regard one another.

How can communication build trust in a relationship?

Repeated interactions help people learn what to expect and negotiate routines. Attentive listening, respect, and keeping commitments can strengthen trust over time.

What communication tensions can relationships involve?

People may need to manage tensions such as connection versus independence or openness versus privacy. These needs are not necessarily problems to eliminate.

What is self-disclosure?

Self-disclosure is the intentional sharing of personal information that another person would not otherwise readily know.

In social penetration theory, what do breadth and depth describe?

Breadth is the range of topics shared; depth is the level of personal detail. Disclosure may broaden and deepen as trust develops, though this pattern is not universal.

Does reciprocal disclosure require someone to share personal information?

Reciprocal sharing can make vulnerability feel balanced, but no one is obligated to disclose just because someone else has shared.

What is one trade-off between face-to-face and written disclosure?

Face-to-face conversation offers immediate feedback and nonverbal cues. Writing allows time to choose words, but tone can be harder to interpret and messages may be saved or forwarded.

What defines interpersonal conflict?

Interpersonal conflict occurs when people perceive incompatible goals, needs, values, or expectations.

What are five possible responses to interpersonal conflict?

Common responses are avoiding, accommodating, competing, compromising, and collaborating. No single response fits every situation.

How can someone discuss a conflict constructively?

Describe the concern concretely, explain its impact, ask for the other person’s perspective, and check your understanding before proposing a solution.