Effective Communication

I. Effective communication is critical to the success of any relationship, both in our professional and personal lives.
II. Identify the barriers to effective interpersonal interactions. A. Physical Barriers a. Closed doors, poor lighting, separation across great distances and intrusive noises are examples of physical barriers that impede communication. b. According to communication scholar Aruna Koneru, physical barriers to communication "can make the entire process of communication convoluted and lead to miscommunication or ineffective communication." B. Psychological Barriers c. Psychological barriers include emotional or attitudinal impediments, such as fear, mistrust, suspicion, or feelings of vulnerability. d. n their book, "More than Words: An Introduction to Communication," Richard Dimbleby and Graeme Burton identify psychological barriers as the most common cause of communication problems. C. Cultural Barriers e. Communication can be complicated by cultural differences between individuals engaged in conversation. Different beliefs and value systems can cause confusion and misunderstanding. f. According to industrial sociologist Martin Hahn, cultural differences are not just based on race, nationality and ethnicity, but also age, gender, social status, economic position and political beliefs D. Language Barriers g. Barrier to communication resulting from speaking different languages

II. Develop the process by which self-concept is developed and maintained. a. “We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Quotes b. A multidimensional appraisal of what you believe to be true about your attributes and competencies c. Self-image is important because how you think about yourself affects your physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It also influences how you respond to life and can determine the quality of your relationships with others. d. People with negative self concepts will cause them to lack confidence in their abilities. These negative feelings affect their actions and others in turn will react negatively to their actions, this time making them have negative self feelings.

III. Recognize how words have the power to create and affect attitudes, behavior, and perception.

e. Conversation partners related use of function words such as pronouns, articles, conjunctions, prepositions and negations augurs well for mutual romantic interest and stable relationship says a team by graduate student Mary Ireland and psychologist James Pennebacker, both of the University of Texas at Austin. f. Function words tap into verbal coordination between two people because these words are independent of conversation topics and require shared knowledge to be used effectively. g. “If you just click with someone but can’t figure out why, there’s a fair chance that high language style matching is going on,” Psychologist Paul Taylor.

IV. Define emotional intelligence and its role in effective interpersonal relationships. h. “It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head -- it is the unique intersection of both.” David Caruso: i. The capacity to understand, communicate, and manage emotions and feelings and to understand and respond to the feelings of others. j. In order to have emotional intelligence in an effective interpersonal relationship you must have communication. k. From the beginning of our lives, even before actual birth, our mother 's emotions affected us in the womb. We all are changed by emotion. Whether good or bad there is a change. Common sense would say that our emotional intelligence is the single most important aspect of our life, and lives to come. To have this in a relationship you must share your thought and feelings.

V. Evaluate appropriate levels of disclosure in relationships.
a. “Perhaps the most important reason for self-disclosure is that without it we cannot truly love.” Sidney Jourard h. Self-disclosure is both the conscious and unconscious act of revealing more about oneself to others. This may include, but is not limited to, thoughts, feelings, aspirations, goals, failures, successes, fears, dreams as well as one 's likes, dislikes, and favorites. i. Typically, a self-disclosure happens when we initially meet someone and continues as we build and develop our relationships with people. As we get to know each other, we disclose information about ourselves. If one person is not willing to "self-disclose" then the other person may stop disclosing information about themselves as well.

j. Quality communication is defined and somewhat differently from study to study but research consistently has shown a link between happy marriages and “self-disclosure,” or sharing your private feelings, fears, doubts and perceptions with your partner.

References
Bruce Bower. (2010 November) Shared Talking Styles Herald New and Lasting Romance. U.S. News & World Report.
Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/11/22/shared-talking-styles-herald-new-and-lasting-romance

“Professional Communication,” Aruna Koneru, 2008

Schoenberg Nara. (2011, February 6). Can we talk? Researcher talks about the role of communication in marriages. Houston Chronicle.
Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=2260839481&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1308535445&clientId=74379
Sole, K. Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication, (2011), Ashford Discovery Series, Bridgepoint Education.

Wyndie. I also scored on the low end and agree 100% with my results. If someone is speaking and I am not interested it is hard for me to stay focus. This has a hard thing for me all throughout high school. I have tried over and over again to try to pay attention but in the end I fail. I am better off taking notes in a book or having someone show me how to do something. I do see myself progressing and this class has helped me a lot to.

References: Bruce Bower. (2010 November) Shared Talking Styles Herald New and Lasting Romance. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/11/22/shared-talking-styles-herald-new-and-lasting-romance “Professional Communication,” Aruna Koneru, 2008 Schoenberg Nara. (2011, February 6). Can we talk? Researcher talks about the role of communication in marriages. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=2260839481&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1308535445&clientId=74379 Sole, K. Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication, (2011), Ashford Discovery Series, Bridgepoint Education. Wyndie. I also scored on the low end and agree 100% with my results. If someone is speaking and I am not interested it is hard for me to stay focus. This has a hard thing for me all throughout high school. I have tried over and over again to try to pay attention but in the end I fail. I am better off taking notes in a book or having someone show me how to do something. I do see myself progressing and this class has helped me a lot to.