Key Terms
Chapter 13: Interpersonal
| Interpersonal Communication | the informal exchange of information between two or more people |
| Relationship | association between at least two people; may be described in terms of intimacy or kinship |
| Uncertainty Reduction Theory | a theory that suggests when we initially meet others to whom we are attracted, our need to know about them tends to make us draw inferences from the physical data we observe |
| Predicted Outcome Value Theory | a theory that suggests people connect with others because they believe that rewards or positive outcomes will result |
| Theory of Interpersonal Needs | theory developed by William Schutz that contends that our communication behaviors with others are determined by three basic needs: affection, inclusion, and control |
| Social Exchange Theory | theory that assumes that people consciously and deliberately weight the costs and rewards associated with a relationship or interaction, and will seek out relationships that reward them and avoid those that are costly |
| Reward | anything we perceive as beneficial to our self-interest |
| Cost | negative reward, that is something we perceive not beneficial to our self-interest |
| Small Talk | casual conversation that is often impersonal and superficial, including an exchange of hellos, of comments about the weather, newsworthy events, or other seemingly unimportant events |
| Social Penetration | process of increasing disclosure and intimacy in a relationship |
| Self-presentation | intentional tactic that we use to let others know certain aspects about us for specific reasons |
| Rhetorical Sensitivity | cautious approach to exchanging information while developing relationships with other people |
| Privacy | claim of individuals, groups, or institutions to determine for themselves when, how, and to what extent information about themselves is communicated to others |
| Gender | social construct related to masculine and feminine behaviors that are learned |
Chapter 14: Developing Relationship
| Interpersonal Attraction | desire to interact with someone based on a variety of factors, such as physical attractiveness, personality, rewards, proximity, or similarities |
| Dialectics | contradictory impulses that push and pull us in conflicting directions with others |
| Interpersonal Conflict | conflict that occurs when two individuals perceive they have incompatible goals and cannot achieve their individual goals unless one or both of them loses something |