SP 10 Interpersonal Communication
Text Reading Questions
Chp 6
PCC
D. Avila
1. Define mindfulness. How does mindful listening compare to forms of nonlistening discussed in the text? Analyze your listening patterns: how often, when, where, with whom
and why do you engage in these forms of nonlistening.
2. Explain (with examples) the following obstacles:
message overload
prejudgment
message complexity
lack of effort
noise
reacting to emotionally loaded language
preoccupation
failure to adapt listening styles
3. What are the three ways to understand another person’s perspective?
SP10 Interpersonal Communication
Text Reading - Chp 7
PCC
D. Avila
1. What are the four dimensions associated with emotions?
2. The interactive view of emotions suggests that social rules and understandings
forms our feeling and the expression of these feelings. What are the three
concepts of the interactive view of emotions?
3. According to Hochschild, social order and feeling rules are closely connected.
She claims that feeling rules is a means to controlling people in a society.
Explain those three ways, with examples.
4. What are the reasons we may not express emotions? Can you give examples/
situations from you own experiences?
5. On a scale of 1-5 how effective are you in expressing your emotions? Think of
two situations (effective/ineffective). What are factors that would facilitated
or hindered your ability to expression your feelings?
SP 10 Interpersonal Communication
Text Reading Chp 8
PCC
D. Avila
1. Communication climate has been referred to as the overall tone, feeling or mood that exist
between people in a relationship. How we communicate with others will determine the
climate. So like the weather; communication climate can vary from good to bad. Identify
two relationships; think of a weather phrase that describes the current climate as well as
one that forecasts the climate over the next year.
2. According to Buber and Liang there are three levels of communication that confirm and
disconfirm. Explain these levels, using examples from your relationships noted above.
3. Be able to distinguish between the six types of communication that provide for a confirming
or disconfirming climate.
4. Define the terms ethnocentrism and assertion.
5. Explain the link between self-disclosure and communication climate.
6. What are the types of commodities that are investing in a relationship.
7. What is your definition of commitment? Is your definition similar/dissimilar to the text?
How? In your opinion, is living together the same as being married?
8. Trust is based on reliability; in thoughts, words, emotions and behaviors. In your opinion,
do you agree or disagree? Why/Why not?
9. What is the role that self-disclosure plays in trust? What is reciprocity? How does it factor
into the relationship?
10. Discuss the relational dialectics theory. Include an explanation of the tensions that exist
in all relationships.