COMMUNICATION, CONFLICT, AND POWER IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS Chapter 6

Sapir-Whorf thesis

People perceive the world through the cultural lens of language

Current view

Language does not determine reality.• People can imagine new ideas or things before devisinga name for them.

Individualistic

cultures value personal success and independence (e.g., the U.S. or many Western countries)

Collectivist

cultures emphasize group harmony and shared responsibility (e.g., China, Guatemala, Pakistan

High-context

cultures rely more on indirect communication, body language, and the context of a situation (e.g., Japan, Arab cultures).

Low-context

cultures focus more on direct, clear verbal communication (e.g., Germany, the U.S.).

Masculine

cultures value competitiveness, assertiveness, and achievement (e.g., Japan).

Feminine

cultures prioritize care, quality of life, and cooperation (e.g., Sweden).

Centralized

power means decision-making is controlled by a few people at the top (e.g., autocratic governments

Decentralized

power distributes decision-making across more people or levels (e.g., democratic countries)

High-ambiguity

cultures are comfortable with uncertainty and change (e.g., Greece, Portugal, Serbia).

Low-ambiguity

cultures prefer clear rules and predictability.

Short-term

orientation values immediate results and traditions (e.g., the U.S.).

Long-term

orientation focuses on planning for the future, persistence, and long-term goals (e.g., China).

Five-StageModel of the Listening Process

Receiving, responding, understand, evaluating, remembering

Responding

answering and giving feedback

Receiving

hearing and attending

understanding

learning, deciphering, meaning

Remembering

recalling and retaining

Evaluating

judging, criticizing

types of communication

Active listening and verbal communication

Active listening

extremely attentive, with good eye contact and body language, and encourage the other person to continue talking.

Verbal communication

the spoken exchange ofthoughts, feelings, orother messages.

Bypassing

Misunderstanding can occur when words have multiple meanings

Lack of precision

Incorrect or unclear language can easily foster miscommunication

Overgeneralizing

Sweeping generalizations imply that evidence has been collected to reach adefinitive conclusion, when in reality this is probably not the case.

Static evaluation

Some people make statements that do not allow for change

Polarization

This refers to ignoring the middle ground, or seeing the word in black andwhite

Biased language

Words that reflect biases about race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation,religious faith, or other cultures can foster miscommunication.

Women's Patterns

More likely to use conversation as a way to establish and maintain relationships• Prefer side-by-side interactions• Smile/hold eye-contact more often• Occupy less personal space

Men's Patterns

Approach communication from content orientation

• Approach communication as an exchange of information

• Speech is more instrumental and less likely to convey feelings or

emotions.

Conflict

occurs when members of the group disagree over two o rmore options to make a decision, solve a problem, or achieve a goal

Pseudoconflict

A misunderstanding where both parties think they disagree, but they actually don't. It happens because of poor communication or misinterpretation.

Content Conflict

Disagreements about facts, information, or specific issues. For example, arguing over which movie to watch or where to go for dinner.

Value Conflict

Disagreements based on deeply held beliefs or values. For example, arguing about moral or ethical issues, like different opinions on religion or politics.

Ego Conflict

When conflicts become personal and people defend their self-image or identity. This type of conflict is often fueled by emotions, and it can make it hard for people to resolve the disagreement rationally.

Avoiding

This is when you ignore or withdraw from the conflict, hoping it will go away on its own. You don't address the issue directly.

Accommodating

In this style, you give in to the other person's wishes or needs, even if it means sacrificing your own. It's about keeping the peace.

Competing

Here, one person tries to win at all costs. It's a more aggressive approach, where you focus on getting your own way and may not consider the other person's needs.

Compromising

This is when both sides give up something to find a middle ground. It's a balanced approach, but neither side gets everything they want.

Collaborating

In this style, both sides work together to find a solution that satisfies everyone. It's a win-win approach, where you focus on understanding each other's needs and finding a creative solution.

Power

the ability to exercise your will over others

Personal Power

the degree of autonomy a person has to exercise his or her will

Social Power

ability to exercise your will over another person

Intimate Partner Power

sometimes known as conjugal power• This type of power involves decisions making among intimatepartners, their division of labor, and their sense of entitl

Coercive power

based on the ability to achieve your will by force

Reward power

based on the ability to achieve your by offering rewards

Expert power

stems from a person's special knowledge or ability

Informational power

comes from the information that a person may use to persuade another

to do something

Referent power

stems from the emotional identification of the less dominant persontoward the more dominant person.

Legitimate power

based on a person's claim of authority or right to exercise his or her will

Resource Theory

he spouse with the most prestigious or higher paying job can use that advantage to generate more power in the relationship

Principle of Least Interest

The partner with the least commitment to the relationship has the most power.

Relative Love and Need Theory

suggests that love itself is feminized, defined, and interpreted

Doing Gender

suggests that we take power differentials among men and womenfor granted and continue to reproduce them.