Cfd Chapter 4

Front 1

transactional process

Back 1

simultaneously affect and are affected by our intimate relations

Front 2

general systems theory

Back 2

constitutes a worldview or a paradigm that keeps at the notion that objects don't exist in isolation, but instead are interconnected to parts of a larger whole. (body: a whole, living breathing organism, but as a system there are separate kinds--nervous, digestive, circulatory, etc)

Front 3

family system

Back 3

also a living dynamic entity that consists of various individuals and their interconnected patterns of interaction. a system's primary function is to bring together and arrange the various interrelated parts into a whole, organized entity

Front 4

virginia satir

Back 4

first to describe the family as a mobile. similar to a mobile, the family is a system comprising multiple interconnected parts that hang in balance. when something disturbs one piece of the mobile, the entire system reacts

Front 5

closed boundaries

Back 5

where no information comes in or goes out

Front 6

open boundaries

Back 6

where the transfer of information is so unobstructed that family members within the systems lose their identity

Front 7

balance/homeostasis

Back 7

families will do whatever it takes to keep balance--includes arguing, disagreeing, and family conflict

Front 8

circumplex model of marital and family systems

Back 8

focuses on 2 primary dimensions necessary for family health: cohesion and flexibility. families that are balanced tend to be more functional than unbalanced families. cohesion refers to family's emotional bonding. flexibility refers to how families balance change in roles and relationships

Front 9

role strain

Back 9

occurs when there are competing demands from multiple roles

Front 10

role conflict

Back 10

the psychological stress and tension that result when conflicting role pressures mount, or when people undertake multiple roles that are incompatible

Front 11

communication is a transaction

Back 11

process where parties act simultaneously as senders or receivers of messages

Front 12

communication is a process

Back 12

emphasis is placed on the process of meaning-making, rather than on the outcome of the exchanges.

Front 13

communication involves co-construction of meanings

Back 13

consists of learning the meaning of things--constructing definitions--between family members

Front 14

communication involves symbols

Back 14

includes verbal and nonverbal communication/symbols. used to describe how we convey meanings to one another, both in interpersonal and social relationships

Front 15

verbal forms of communication

Back 15

refer to exchanges of thoughts, messages, or information through the spoken word

Front 16

communication effectiveness

Back 16

this skill requires us to convey messages accuratel. ability to send messages w/ the intended meaning

Front 17

perceptual accuracy

Back 17

being able to deliver messages so they are received in the manner we intend

Front 18

predictive accuracy

Back 18

requires us to be able to accurately anticipate how our words will affect the other person

Front 19

interpersonal cognitive complexity

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deals more with our ability to process social information we receive from our environments than from person-to-person communication (aka social perception skill)

Front 20

nonverbal communication

Back 20

occurs with or without the spoken word. includes facial expressions, motions of the body, eye contact, patterns of touch, expressive movements, hand gestures, etc

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relational messages

Back 21

refer to those messages that have something to do with the partner or the relationship

Front 22

nonrelational messages

Back 22

issues or topics that have to do with things outside of the relationship

Front 23

positive emotional messages

Back 23

experienced as love, pleasure, and affection. conveyed through prolonged eye contact, closer proximity to each other, blushing, etc

Front 24

negative emotional messages

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experienced in form of anger and irritation, often result from being injured, harmed, or mistreated in interpersonal interactions. conveyed through staring, glaring, narrowed eyes, sadness or depression, or crying

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neutral emotional messages

Back 25

often hard to interpret bc person either gives no specific cues or gives ambiguous cues. leads to misunderstandings

Front 26

constructive conflict

Back 26

serves to build relationships and foster loyalty, commitment and intimacy

Front 27

regulated couples

Back 27

use communication patterns and interpersonal behaviors that promote closeness and intimacy

Front 28

3 types of regulated couples

Back 28

validating couple, volatile couple, conflict-minimizing couples

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validating couples

Back 29

uses a constructive conflict management style. tend to be empathic and supportive of one another, and try to gauge each other's emotions. seldom express negative emotions, tend to be happy, but not necessarily passionate

Front 30

volatile couple

Back 30

charged with intense emotion, passion, and romance, spills over into every area of marital and family life including conflict. despite intense emotional disputes, couples remain genuinely and intimately connected

Front 31

conflict-minimizing couple

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ignore or avoid conflict. manage to keep the discontentment and unresolved problems from spilling over into other areas of their relationship. still manage to use positive language, promotes closer level of intimacy

Front 32

nonregulated couples

Back 32

those who have a difficult time bouncing back from arguments and disputes because the way they handle the conflict only compounds the issues at hand

Front 33

4 ways in which nonregulated couples handle conflict

Back 33

criticism, defensiveness, contempt, stonewalling

Front 34

criticism

Back 34

almost always involves the word "you" you never, you always, you are so...almost always involves an attack on the other

Front 35

contempt

Back 35

characterized as disrespect, scorn, or all-out hatred for one another

Front 36

stonewalling

Back 36

takes place when communication completely shuts down. ignoring.

Front 37

destructive conflict

Back 37

can be either overt, or obvious conflict, or covert which is more subtle, but still hurtful. destructive conflict is unhelpful and at its very worst, deadly

Front 38

5 types of destructive conflict

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denial, disqualification, displacement, disengaged, pseudomutuality

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denial

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exhibited when a person's words don't align with his or her nonverbal behavior "nothing is wrong!!"

Front 40

disqualification

Back 40

occurs when a person attempts to cover up an expressed emotion "sorry i'm upset, its been a bad day"

Front 41

displacement

Back 41

refers to a situation in which someone takes out frustration on someone who isn't original object of anger

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disengaged

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little or no emotional closeness. act out their anger or hostility through their lack of interaction with one another

Front 43

pseudomutuality

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refers to pseudo (fake or false) mutuality (getting along). appear to be close with no indication that conflict exists, yet anger and hostility are always just beneath the surface

Front 44

gunnysacking

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destructive conflict. when a spouse or family member holds in resentment, hurt, anger, frustration, and bitter feelings until that "last straw" finally unloading all pent-up feelings in the midst of an argument

Front 45

functional communication

Back 45

type that addresses only the ins and outs of daily life

Front 46

nurturing communication

Back 46

translates into interactions that convey intimacy, caring, recognition, and validation of family members

Front 47

relational culture

Back 47

communication that takes place in intimate relationships

Front 48

confirming messages or responses

Back 48

validate those with whom we are communicating. characterized by recognition of the other person

Front 49

self-disclosure

Back 49

voluntarily sharing something personal or private with someone else. take risk that person receiving the message will accept what we are sharing. requires a high degree of trust