The document outlines several theories of interpersonal communication: 1) Symbolic interactionism posits that people act based on meanings assigned to others and things formed through social interaction and language. The self learns how it is seen by others through interaction. 2) Coordinated management of meaning focuses on how people with disagreements can coexist and that quality of communication affects quality of life. 3) Expectancy violations theory examines how violations of expectations around personal space can be perceived positively or negatively.

1. THEORIES OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION An Introductory Summary

2. Symbolic Interactionism Humans act toward people or things on basis of meanings they assign to those people or things; Meaning is formed through social interaction & language; Self combines impulsive “I” and reflexive “me;” The “looking glass” Self learns to see itself as others (“generalized other”) see it, by “taking on the role of the other,” interacting with others on the basis of that perception, perhaps provoking responses that fit expectations (“self-fulfilling prophecy”).

3. Coordinated Management of Meaning Main focus: people who disagree can live together in relative harmony Quality of life is directly related to quality of communication Persons-in-conversation co-construct their own social realities and are simultaneously shaped by the worlds they create Change communication = change quality of life: this is the “proof” offered by CMM

4. Expectancy Violations Theory Has to do with sense of personal space (both literal and metaphoric) and preferred distance from others; Asks what happens when other people violate our expectations about personal space Postulates that the consequences can be perceived positively or negatively

5. Interpersonal Deception Theory Deception-detection is an interactive (co-constructed) activity, not individual Inter-actants constantly adjust their behavior to each other Detection of deception may focus on characteristics of the message, or the behavior of the deceiver Deceiver is protected, partially, by partner’s truth-bias

6. Constructivism We make sense of the world through personal constructs , i.e. contrasting features we use to define the character of another person. Some people use more complex constructs than others Such cognitive complexity is a necessary but not sufficient condition for person-centered communication

7. Social Penetration Theory Closeness develops if people proceed in gradual and orderly fashion from superficial to more intimate levels of exchange Personality is conceived as a multi-layered onion with public self on the outer layer and private self at the core Closeness is achieved through reciprocal self-disclosure, that is both broad and deep.

8. Uncertainty Reduction Theory New relationships involve uncertainty; communication reduces uncertainty Motivation to reduce uncertainty increases under specified circumstances, and involves identifiable strategies

9. Relational Dialectics Intimate relationships are organized around the dynamic interplay of opposing tendencies. Especially, tensions exist between needs for intimacy and needs for independence Closeness, certainty, openness need to be balanced against autonomy, novelty and privacy

10. Interactional View Family members are components of a family system; Systemic factors are more important than personality traits and motives in understanding family communication; Focus of the theory is on individual behavior affects the functioning of the system