Human Communications Chapter 7

Personal Relationships

Close, intimate, and interdependent relationships that meet emotional, relational, and practical needs.

Social Relationships

Less intimate, more casual, and often goal-oriented relationships that may meet needs occasionally but lack deep connection.

Voluntary Relationships

Relationships that are chosen, such as friends and romantic partners.

Involuntary Relationships

Relationships that are not chosen, such as siblings and neighbors.

Stages of Relational Interaction

The phases through which relationships progress, including coming together and coming apart.

Initiating

The first contact and first impressions in a relationship.

Experimenting

The stage of small talk and sharing basic information in a relationship.

Intensifying

The stage where there is increased closeness, trust, and self-disclosure.

Integrating

The stage where lives merge and others view the couple as a pair.

Bonding

The stage of public commitment, such as marriage or a ceremony.

Differentiating

The stage where focus returns to individual differences in a relationship.

Circumscribing

The stage where communication decreases and topics become limited.

Stagnating

The stage where the relationship stalls and communication is minimal.

Avoiding

The stage where partners create distance and reduce contact.

Terminating

The stage where the relationship formally ends.

Social Exchange Theory

The theory that relationships are based on a cost-reward balance.

Rewards in Relationships

Emotional support, companionship, love, etc.

Costs in Relationships

Time, effort, emotional energy, favors.

Equitable Relationship

A relationship where costs and rewards are balanced, leading to satisfaction.

Interdependence

The concept that a relationship impacts well-being and is valuable if it meets important needs, alternatives are less rewarding, and there's a high investment.

Reciprocal Friendships

Deep, equal, loyal, and long-lasting friendships, often referred to as 'best friends.'

Associative Friendships

Casual, fun, and convenient friendships that are less committed, such as gym friends.

Receptive Friendships

Friendships with unequal status, such as mentor-mentee relationships.

Friends with Benefits (FWB)

Friendships that combine friendship and sexual intimacy without commitment.

Friendship Life Cycle

The stages of friendship, including formation, maintenance, and deterioration/dissolution.

Family Definitions

Various definitions of family, including structural, task-oriented, and transactional.

Nuclear Family

A family consisting of two parents and their children.

Binuclear Family

A family with divorced parents living in separate homes.

Single-Parent Family

A family consisting of one parent with children.

Stepfamily

A blended family with children from previous relationships.

Cohabitating Family

An unmarried couple living together.

Gay/Lesbian Family

A family consisting of a same-gender couple, with or without children.

Family Rituals

Patterned interactions and traditions within a family, such as daily routines and special occasions.

Family Celebrations

Cultural/religious events (e.g., holidays, weddings, graduations).

Conversation Orientation

Frequency and openness of communication.

High Conversation Orientation

Open discussions, shared decision-making.

Low Conversation Orientation

Limited communication, fewer shared decisions.

Conformity Orientation

Emphasis on shared beliefs and obedience.

High Conformity Orientation

Uniformity, authority, and harmony.

Low Conformity Orientation

Individuality, independence, and diverse views.

Consensual Family Climate

High conversation, high conformity: Open talk, but parents decide.

Pluralistic Family Climate

High conversation, low conformity: Open, democratic, independent thinking.

Protective Family Climate

Low conversation, high conformity: Obedience, little discussion.

Laissez-Faire Family Climate

Low conversation, low conformity: Limited interaction, emotional distance.

Attachment Style

Early caregiver bonds shape adult relationship patterns (secure, anxious, avoidant).

Values & Culture

Changing norms emphasize mutual love, attraction, and compatibility over tradition.

Physical Attractiveness

Symmetry and the matching hypothesis (similar attractiveness levels) influence pairing.

Similarity

Shared interests, hobbies, and role expectations lead to more satisfying, long-term relationships.

Communication

Expressiveness and interaction style can enhance attraction beyond looks.

Passionate Love

Intense, emotional, exciting, and often linked to sexual desire — but unstable if not developed into deeper love.

Companionate Love

Deep affection and interdependence, stable and long-lasting — often emerges in mature relationships.

Romantic Love

Combines intimacy and passion, often a blend of the two above.

Network Overlap

Shared friends/family increase relationship support, validation, and resilience.

Support Systems

Social circles provide emotional help, reduce stress, and reinforce the couple's bond.

Relational Culture

Friends and family affirm the relationship, strengthening commitment and satisfaction.

Balance in Relationships

Time with mutual friends and separate interests helps maintain identity and relationship health.

Sexual Orientation

Shapes relational expectations and experiences, but all couples value communication, support, and love.

Cultural Influences

Family involvement, societal norms, and traditions (e.g., arranged marriages) can guide partner choice and expectations.

Intercultural Challenges

Differences in traditions, communication styles, or social acceptance may require negotiation but can enrich relationships.

Types of Workplace Relationships

Supervisor-Subordinate Relationships, Peer Coworker Relationships, Workplace Romances.

Supervisor-Subordinate Communication

Supervisors provide essential job-related info, guidance, and feedback.

Evaluation Role

Supervisors give formal and informal performance feedback; avoiding negative feedback can harm growth.

Preferred Traits in Supervisors

Employees favor supervisors who are older, competent, and of similar gender/race; controlling but not coercive.

Mentoring

Supervisors guide employees' career development.

Peer Coworker Relationships

Interpersonal relationships between coworkers with no authority over each other; most common workplace relationship.

Information Peers

Share work-related info; low self-disclosure and trust.

Collegial Peers

Include emotional support and informal feedback; moderate self-disclosure.

Special Peers

High self-disclosure and interdependence; rare and mirror close personal friendships.

Formation Factors

Proximity, perceived similarity, and self-disclosure.

Benefits of Workplace Relationships

Job satisfaction, stress reduction, career support, and better organizational adaptation.

Potential Downsides of Workplace Relationships

Gossip, over-reliance, or staying in unsatisfying jobs due to friendships.

Workplace Romances

Emotional and physical attraction between coworkers.

Job Motives

Power, money, or job security.

Ego Motives

Excitement or self-esteem boost.

Love Motives

Genuine affection and companionship.

Positives of Workplace Romances

Increased satisfaction, spending time together, potentially higher productivity.

Negatives of Workplace Romances

Intense emotions, gossip, jealousy, perception of favoritism, conflicts, and complications if a relationship ends.

Policies on Workplace Romances

Range from prohibition to disclosure 'love contracts,' or even encouragement in some companies.

Dark Side of Relationships

Encompasses behaviors or patterns that are deemed unacceptable by society and/or detrimental to relational functioning.

Lying in Relationships

Not always negative: Altruistic lies may protect feelings, build self-esteem, or maintain smooth interactions.

Frequency of Lies in Relationships

More common in early relationship stages (impression management) and declines as closeness grows.

Self-enhancing Lies

Exaggerating achievements or traits to impress.

Altruistic Lies

Concealing truth to avoid hurting someone.

Concealment/Equivocation

Avoiding topics or giving vague answers.

Effects of Discovering Lies

Can reduce trust, commitment, and satisfaction; closeness can both improve lie detection and increase truth bias.

Sexual and Emotional Cheating (ERA)

Sexual or emotional involvement outside the primary partnership.

Prevalence of Cheating

About 30% report cheating; likely higher.

Motives for Cheating

Jealousy, sexual desire, and revenge.

Consequences of Cheating

Jealousy, anger, emotional distress, potential STIs, unplanned pregnancy, and relational conflict.

Interpersonal Violence (IPV)

Occurs in ongoing relationships and can be physical, emotional, or psychological.

Intimate Terrorism (IT)

One partner uses violence for general control; often male-to-female; includes economic, emotional, and social abuse.

Violent Resistance (VR)

Response to IT; not aimed at control; usually female-to-male.

Situational Couple Violence (SCV)

Most common; triggered by conflict or stress; no overall quest for control.

Child Abuse

Physical, emotional, or verbal abuse by parents/caregivers; negative attributions and inconsistent responses harm self-esteem and behavior.

Adolescent-to-Parent Abuse

Increasing; often verbal, emotional, or physical; mothers more often targeted; may extend to siblings.

Psychological/Emotional Abuse

Recurrent communicative aggression (verbal, nonverbal) affecting self-concept.

Workplace Bullying

Degrading, intimidating, or humiliating coworkers; 1 in 3 adults experience it; can be harder to report if perpetrator is a boss.