Interpersonal Communication: Competence and Context, involves at least two people that establish a communication relationship (Lane 4). The author also states that people engaged in such communication have the power to affect each other as individuals and as interconnected partners in relationships (Lane 5). Through the examples of two situational communication interactions, I will analyze and relate a minimum of four distinct interpersonal communication concepts that have been previously discussed in the Interpersonal Communication class. The two distinct observations include a heated political debate between two family members and a tense meeting among friends. As …show more content…
While the conversation started out quite amicable, as soon as tensions began to rise, communication competence began to rapidly deteriorate. For reference, the ability to communicate in a competent manner is facilitated when we are motivated to communicate, are knowledgeable about the self, other topic, context, and communication in general, and are affective and appropriate in the performance of communication skills (Lane 5). Not too far into the conversation, the two communicating bodies began to insult each other based on intelligence and lack of life experience, sometimes stating “you’re so ******* stupid” and “you’re too young/old to know anything” this type of insulting in a conversation about politics clearly violated the Civility of the conversation. The communicating bodies, by hurling insults at each other, did not even attempt to express themselves in a way that communicates respect for the other party (Lane …show more content…
As in the first conversation, amicable salutations are exchanged as three friends sit down to have a discussion. Even before this conversation began, social exchange theory, defined as a cost and reward process that individuals create to either maintain, develop, or terminate their relationships (Chapter 10 lecture) (Lane 262), was already coming into major play.
Metacommunication, meaning communication about communication (chapter 1 lecture), was discussed between the three friends. Friends #1 and #3 felt that friend #2 was being to insulting with their words and was asked to use a more passive way of speaking in order to save many interpersonal relationships. The repair strategy of reframing was discussed by friend #2, with the friend stating, “that’s just the way I am and you have to deal with it”. Even with this new knowledge of friend #2’s dialect. Friend #3 and #1 did not find the reframing