Week 6: Climate and Conflict in Interpersonal Communication
Week 6: Climate and Conflict in Interpersonal Communication
All married couples should learn the art of battle as they should learn the art of making love. Good battle is objective and honest—never vicious or cruel. Good battle is healthy and constructive, and brings to a marriage the principle of equal partnership.
—Ann Landers, advice columnist
The climate, or tone and mood, of a communication event is tied very closely to conflict in an interpersonal relationship. Certainly, if there is conflict, it can darken the mood of an event. But conflict can also be a very good thing for relationships. As Ann Landers notes, a good battle can be healthy, and can lead to a better climate for constructive communication.
In this final week of the course, you will synthesize your learning from the past five weeks, as well as delve deeper into interpersonal relationships and look at how the climate of communication and conflict between those in a relationship can affect the relationship as a whole. Keep in mind, however, that this is just the beginning of your journey.
Interpersonal communication is a skill set that can be improved upon over a lifetime, and it only gets better with practice. Take pride in what you have accomplished over these weeks and anticipate the future you can have through effective interpersonal communication.
This week, you will complete the sixth and final milestone and submit your Final Project.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Explain the features of a satisfying interpersonal relationship
- Evaluate the effects of disconfirming behaviors on an interpersonal communication event
- Apply interpersonal communication theories and concepts to the analysis of authentic situations
- Assess outcomes of interpersonal communication events
- Appraise interpersonal communication knowledge
Learning Resources
REQUIRED READINGS
Hogrefe, R. (2016, May 28). Disconfirming Messages. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/
playlist?list=PLCwLVtUW8Kd…
Jenkinson, P. (2014, June 3). Communication Climates: Jack Gibb. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/2neS18k88D4
REQUIRED MEDIA
Laureate Education. (Producer). (2016f). Climate and conflict [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes.
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Solution Preview
Response
I can improve my ability to read the minds of others and know what they expect through learning to listen more. When an individual listens more, they have time to process the thoughts and ideas of others and this can create a great environment through which more communication may take place.
(94 words)