CCM150 Chapter 5 – Interpersonal Communication

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing the key terms and concepts from Pima Medical Institute’s CCM150 Chapter 5 on Interpersonal Communication.

Interpersonal Communication

The process of exchanging messages between people whose lives mutually influence one another in unique ways, shaped by social and cultural norms.

Interpersonal Communication Competence

The ability to communicate effectively and appropriately within interpersonal relationships.

Instrumental Goals

Communication aims focused on accomplishing tasks, such as gaining compliance, obtaining information, or seeking support.

Relational Goals

Communication aims centered on maintaining or enhancing a positive relationship (e.g., prioritizing a partner’s needs, spending time together).

Self-Presentation Goals

Goals related to creating and maintaining a desired public image through communication.

DTR (Define-The-Relationship) Talk

Intentional conversation used to clarify and define a relationship, often early on, to reduce uncertainty.

Relationship Culture

The unique climate and set of meanings created and shared within a relationship through communication.

Relationship Schemata

Blueprints or expectations about how relationships should work, informed by broader social and cultural experiences.

Cultural Artifacts – Stories

Narratives shared within a relationship that convey morals, values, and relational meanings.

Personal Idioms

Unique words, phrases, or nicknames understood mainly by relational partners that foster belonging.

Relationship Routines

Predictable communicative acts that create comfort and regularity within a relationship.

Relationship Rituals

Symbolic communicative acts, often adapted from cultural rituals, that hold special meaning for a relationship.

Relationship Norms

Largely implicit patterns of expected or acceptable communication adapted from wider cultural norms.

Relationship Rules

Explicitly communicated guidelines about what should or should not be done in specific relational contexts.

Interpersonal Conflict

Interaction involving real or perceived incompatible goals, scarce resources, or opposing viewpoints.

Competing Style

Conflict approach showing high concern for self and low concern for others, aiming for a win-lose outcome.

Avoiding Style

Conflict approach with low concern for both self and others; involves not addressing the conflict directly.

Demand-Withdrawal Pattern

Conflict dynamic where one partner pressures or demands and the other withdraws, escalating tension.

Accommodating Style

Conflict approach with low self-concern and high other-concern, often resulting in a lose/win outcome.

Compromising Style

Conflict approach showing moderate concern for self and others, leading to partial win/lose results for both sides.

Collaborating Style

Conflict approach with high concern for both self and others, aiming for a win/win solution.

Face

The public self-image a person wants to project to others.

Facework

Communicative strategies used to project, maintain, repair, or challenge one’s own or another’s face.

Face Negotiation Theory

Theory stating that people in all cultures negotiate face in communication encounters and that culture shapes facework strategies.

Individualistic Culture and Facework

Cultures emphasizing personal identity; conflict facework often centers on self-face concerns (e.g., competing, defending).

Collectivistic Culture and Facework

Cultures valuing group harmony; conflict facework often emphasizes other-face concerns (e.g., avoiding, collaborative apologizing).

Cumulative Annoyance

Built-up frustration from repeated irritations that eventually triggers conflict.

Serial Arguing

A repeated pattern of disagreement about the same issue over time.

One-Upping

Impulsive reaction that tries to outdo or top the other person, escalating conflict.

Mindreading

Attributing thoughts or motives to another person, often inaccurately, leading to defensiveness.

Emotions

Physiological, behavioral, and communicative reactions to stimuli that are cognitively processed and experienced.

Primary Emotions

Innate emotions that arise quickly, last briefly, and are expressed similarly across cultures.

Secondary Emotions

Emotions that develop over time, require higher-order thinking, and fade more slowly.

Emotional Scripts

Culturally and historically situated guidelines dictating how emotions should be experienced and expressed.

Display Rules

Socio-cultural norms governing which emotions can be shown and how intensely they may be expressed.

Attachment Theory

Framework explaining how early caregiver bonds shape intimacy comfort and emotion management (secure, avoidant, anxious).

Emotion Sharing

Communicating the circumstances, thoughts, and feelings surrounding an emotional event with another person.

Emotional Contagion

The spread of emotion from one person to another through interaction.

Emotional Vocabulary

The range and specificity of words a person uses to label and express emotions.

Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Ability to monitor and discriminate among one’s own emotions and use that information to guide thinking and behavior.

Empathy

The ability to understand another’s emotional state and vicariously experience those feelings.

Self-Disclosure

Purposeful sharing of personal information with another person, typically reciprocal.

Social Penetration Theory

Theory that self-disclosure progresses in breadth and depth, influencing relationship development.

Social Comparison Theory

Theory that individuals evaluate themselves based on comparisons with others.

Johari Window – Open Pane

Information known to both the self and others.

Johari Window – Hidden Pane

Information known to self but not revealed to others.

Johari Window – Blind Pane

Information others know about us that we do not recognize.

Johari Window – Unknown Pane

Information unknown to both self and others.

Disclosure Categories

The four main content areas shared: observations, thoughts, feelings, and needs.

Dispositional Attribution

Explaining behavior by attributing it to a person’s character or personality.

Situational Attribution

Explaining behavior by attributing it to external circumstances or context.

Interpersonal Attribution

Explaining behavior by attributing it to the relationship between sender and receiver.