Chapter 1
Conceptualizing Relational
Communication
Definitions
and
Principles
Preview Exercise

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
List the names of five people in a column.
Next to each, write down the type of
relationship you have with each person (friend,
lover, brother, mom, boss, co-worker,
classmate, etc.).
Which ones are role relationships,
interpersonal relationships, or intimate
relationships? How did you decide on the
category?
A Brief History

The field of personal relationships evolved
from research in several areas:
 Interpersonal
communication research—
1960s & 1970s
 Social psychology was important foundation
 Today we also draw from family studies,
sociology, developmental psychology, clinical
psychology, humanistic psychology, and
anthropology
Reflection

Why do we need to draw on other
disciplines to understand relationships?

Why is communication the core factor in
understanding relationships?
Current Status
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There are currently a number of associations and
organizations that focus on relationships or
aspects of them.
Premier organization is IARR: International
Association for Relationship Research.
IARR sponsors two journals:
Personal Relationships
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
 Interdisciplinary and international
Interesting comparison of John Gray and John
Gottman, p. 3 in the textbook.
Defining Relationships

Role Relationships:
 Functional
 Casual
 Limited behavioral interdependence
 Examples??

Interpersonal Relationships:
 Some mutual influence beyond simple
behavioral interdependence
 Repeated interaction over time
 Unique interaction patterns

Close or Intimate Relationships—all the
features of interpersonal relationships
plus:
 Emotional attachment
 Need fulfillment
 Irreplaceability
Needs Fulfillment Close Relationships

Three basic interpersonal needs:
Affection
 Social inclusion
 Behavioral Control

Types of Relationships

Some relationships fit into clean
categories (best friends)
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Some are traditional, some nontraditional
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Other examples?
Examples?
Other relationships are blended (best
friends who are also roommates)

Other examples?
Characteristics of Relationship Types
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Vary in term of dimensions such as:
 Voluntary vs. involuntary (examples?)
 Sexual vs. platonic
 Just friends (or close friends)
 Friends with benefits?
 Booty-call relationships?
 Romantic vs. nonromantic
 Romantic = emotional, maybe sexual,
intimacy and likelihood of remaining a
“couple,” perhaps marriage
 Male vs. female (sex) or
 Masculine vs. feminine (gender)
Interpersonal & Relational Communication
Definitions
Interpersonal
Communication
The exchange of nonverbal and/or
verbal messages between people,
regardless of the relationship they share.
Relational
Communication
Messages exchanged in intimate or
potentially intimate relationships.
(Question—What does intimate mean?)
Principles of Interpersonal
Communication
1.
Interpersonal communication consists of
nonverbal and verbal messages.
- Nonverbal communication includes:
kinesics, vocalics, proxemics, haptics,
appearance & adornments, artifacts &
environmental cues, chronemic cues
- Verbal communication includes: all
messages that use language, such as selfdisclosure, nicknames, references to the
future, etc.
What is the story here? What are
the nonverbal cues?
What is the story here? Cues?
Principles, cont.
2.
Communication is inevitable
One cannot not communicate in
interpersonal settings—to some
degree
 Perception is not necessarily
communication
 But action or inaction has message
potential (WBJ)
 How does this apply to online
communication?
Principles, cont.
3.
People use interpersonal communication
to fulfill goals
 Self-presentational goals
 Relational goals
 Instrumental goals
Principles, cont.
4. Interpersonal communication varies in
effectiveness (shared meaning).
(p. 15)
Principles, cont.
5.
Every message contains both content
and relational information
What is the difference?
Teacher: We are going to have a
discussion about this.
Romantic partner: We are going to
have a discussion about this.
6. Interpersonal communication can be
symmetrical or asymmetrical (may depend
on the topic)
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Similar in control or different
 One-up/one-up
 One-up/one-down
 One-down/one-down
Content/tone can be positive, negative, neutral
Effects are cumulative (relational meaning built
over time)—positions of power and control will
be established (may be equal or not)
RELATIONAL COMMUNICATION
Definition

Relational communication is a subset of
interpersonal communication that focuses
on the expression and interpretation of
messages within close relationships.

“Close” is a difficult term to define because it
is ambiguous, changing, and sometimes, not
fully shared by both members of the
relationship.
Principles of Relational
Communication
1.
2.
3.
Relationships emerge across ongoing
interactions.
Relationships contextualize messages.
Communication sends a variety of
relational messages. (p. 18—Themes)
Relational Themes
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Dominance/Submission (power, status)
Level of Intimacy (verbal & nonverbal)
Degree of Similarity (attitudes/values,
verbal, physical, etc.)
Task-Social Orientation (relationship &
conversation)
Formality/Informality (verbal & nonverbal)
 Formal terms of address/names
 Even time of arrival or leaving
Social Composure (vs. anxiety)
Level of Emotional Arousal/Activation
Principles of Relational
Communication
4.
Relational communication is dynamic.
 Contexts change
 Circumstances change
 People change
 Meanings evolve
Principles of Relational
Communication
5.
Relational communication follows both
linear and nonlinear patterns.
Which diagram better represents the
principles of relational communication?
By Next Tuesday
Read Ch. 2—Communicating
Identity: The Social Self