Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others

Interpersonal Communication offers a blend of theory and skills that the reader can use to become “other-oriented”–mindfully considerate of the thoughts, needs, and values of others. Fueled by the authors' conviction that “skills inform principles; principles inform skills,” Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others maintains a careful balance between theoretical and skills-oriented material. This book integrates a key emphasis on diversity with examples drawn from a variety of age and ethnic groups and special boxes that focus on gender and diversity issues. A chapter on intercultural communication supplements this integral material by relating it to the “other-oriented” approach.

Interpersonal Communication offers a blend of theory and skills that students can use to become other-oriented mindfully considerate of the thoughts, needs, and values of others.

Fueled by the authors' conviction that skills inform principles; principles inform skills, Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others maintains a careful balance between theoretical and skills-oriented material. This book integrates a key emphasis on diversity with examples drawn from a variety of age and ethnic groups and special boxes that focus on gender and diversity issues. A chapter on intercultural communication supplements this integral material by relating it to the other-oriented approach.

Features

• A skills/principles blend helps students to become competent and knowledgeable communicators and to make informed choices about their communication with others.
• Strong coverage of diversity and sensitivity to others is featured in Understanding Diversity boxes, a chapter on diversity (Ch. 4), and discussions of diverse issues integrated throughout the text.
• An emphasis on relationships links communication skills with principles that explain and predict how relationships begin, develop, and sometimes decline.

New To This Edition

• A new boxed feature, Interpersonal Communication and Emotion: Connecting Heart-to-Heart , emphasizes research conclusions and communication skills related to emotion and interpersonal communication.
• Chapter 4 begins with a significantly expanded discussion of the multifaceted nature of human diversity by including new information about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age and social class.
• From expanded sections in Chapters 1 and 12 to the addition of new research and applications throughout the book, there is added emphasis on the role technology plays in the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships.
• New research conclusions are included that relate to such dark side interpersonal issues as jealousy, obsessive relational intrusion, relational violence, and stalking.