Ch 9: Communication and Relational Dynamics

Initiating

the first stage in relational development in which the parties express interest in each other

Experimenting

searching for common ground, small talk

Intensifying

parties move toward integration by increasing the amount of contact and depth and breadth of self-disclosure

Integrating

a time when individuals begin to give up some characteristics of their old selves and develop shared identities

Bonding

the parties make symbolic public gestures to show the world that their relationship exists

Differentiating

the parties reestablish their individual identities after having bonded together

Circumscribing

communication between members decreases in quality and quantity

Stagnating

relational deterioration characterized by declining enthusiasm and by standardized forms of behavior

Avoiding

parties begin to create physical distance between each other

Terminating

concluding stage of relational deterioration characterized by the acknowledgement of one or both parties that the relationship is over

Dialectical Tensions

conflicts that arise when two opposing or incompatible forces exist simultaneously

Connection-Autonomy Dialect

the tension between the need for integration and the need for independence in a relationship

Openness-Privacy Dialect

the tension between the need for disclosure and the need for secrecy in a relationship

Predictability-Novelty Dialect

the tension between the need for stability and the need for change in a relationship

Affinity

the degree to which people like or appreciate one another

Immediacy

the degree of interest and attention that we feel toward and communicate to others

Respect

the social need to be held in esteem by others

Control

the degree to which the parties in a relationship have the power to influence one another

Metacommunication

communication about communication

Relational Maintenance

communication that keeps relationships running smoothly and satisfactorily

Social Support

assistance for others provided through emotional, informational, or instrumental resources

Relational Transgressions

when one partner violates the explicit or implicit terms of the relationship, letting the other person down in some way