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Copyright © 2002 Thomson Learning, Inc.
Chapter 9: Improving Communication Climates
Presentation prepared by Dr. Michael Pearson, Gretchen Gill, and Tim
Scanlon of West Chester University
PowerPoint Presentation to accompany Looking Out, Looking In, Tenth Edition
Copyright © 2002 Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.
For permission to use material from this text, contact us by:Phone: 1-800-730-2214 Fax: 1-800-730-2215
Web: www.thomsonrights.com
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CHAPTER 9
Improving Improving Communication ClimatesCommunication Climates
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Improving Improving Communication ClimatesCommunication Climates
• Communication Climate: The Key to Positive Relationships• Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
• Responding Non-defensively to Criticism
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Communication Climate: The Key To Positive Relationships
Communication Climate - the emotional tone of a relationship
Confirming Communication - messages that convey valuing
Disconfirming Communication – messages that show a lack of regard
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Communication Climate: The Key To Positive Relationships
Confirming and Disconfirming Communication
Types of Confirming Messages:• Recognition• Acknowledgement• Endorsement
Types of Disconfirming Messages:• Verbal Abuse• Complaining• Impervious Response
• Interrupting• Irrelevant• Tangential
• Impersonal• Ambiguous• Incongruous
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Communication Climate: The Key To Positive Relationships
How Communication Climates Develop• Spiral - a reciprocating communication pattern in which each person’s message reinforces the other’s
• Escalatory Conflict Spiral - the most visible way that disconfirming messages reinforce one another; can lead to a full-fledged battle
• De-escalatory Conflict Spiral – less obvious; when parties slowly lessen their dependence on one another, withdraw, and become less invested in the relationship
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Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
• Defensiveness – process of protecting our presenting self, our face.
• Cognitive Dissonance - an inconsistency between two conflicting pieces of information, attitudes, or behavior
• Face-Threatening Acts - messages that seem to challenge the image we want to project
Types of Defensive Reactions
• Defense Mechanisms - psychological devices that resolve dissonance by maintaining a positive presenting image
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Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
Attacking the Critic
• Sarcasm - less direct form of aggression
• Verbal Aggression - assaulting the critic directly
Types of Defensive Reactions
• Rationalization - logical but untrue explanations of behavior that is unacceptable to the self
Distorting Critical Information
• Compensation - emphasizing a strength in one area to cover up a weakness in another• Regression – claiming you can’t do something
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Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
Avoiding Dissonant Information
• Repression – mentally blocking out dissonant information
• Physical Avoidance
Types of Defensive Reactions
• Apathy - acknowledging unpleasant information but pretending you don’t care
• Displacement - when one vents hostile feelings against people or objects that are seen as less threatening than the people who originally threatened
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Evaluation vs. Description• Evaluation - defensive behavior; “you” language
• Gibb categories - six types of defense-arousing communication and six contrasting behaviors that reduce the level of threat and defensiveness by conveying face- honoring relational messages of respect
Preventing Defensiveness in Others
• Descriptive - focuses on the speaker’s thoughts and feelings instead of judging the other person
Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
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Control vs. Problem Orientation• Controlling - sender seems to impose a solution on the receiver
• Neutrality - disconfirming and indifferent attitude; lack of concern
Preventing Defensiveness in Others
• Problem Orientation - finding a solution that satisfies all parties
Neutrality vs. Empathy
• Empathy - putting oneself in another’s place
Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
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Superiority vs. Equality• Superiority - “I’m better than you” belief
• Certainty - regarding own opinions as absolutes
Preventing Defensiveness in Others
• Equality - see others as having the same worth as human beings
Certainty vs. Provisionalism
• Provisionalism - willing to acknowledge others’ opinions and change stand if it seems reasonable
Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
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Seek More Information• Ask for specifics
• Guess about specifics
• Paraphrase the speaker’s ideas
• Ask what the critic wants
• Ask about the consequences of your behavior
• Ask what else is wrong
Responding Non-defensively to Criticism
Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
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• Agree with the facts
Responding Non-defensively to Criticism
Agree With The Critic
• Agree with the critic’s perception*
Defensiveness: Causes and Remedies
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