Interpersonal Messages is a brief, highly interactive book that emphasizes interpersonal communication and relationship skills, ethics, critical thinking, listening, and power in a multicultural world. In 10 chapters,Interpersonal Messages provides a comprehensive introduction to interpersonal communication that creates a foundation for the reader to understand the concepts of interpersonal communication and to develop the necessary skills to apply what they have learned through real-life examples and exercises. With a strengthened focus on skill-building, this book helps the reader understand how to master interpersonal communication and relationship skills in every area of their lives.

Table of Contents:
Part 1. Preliminaries to Interpersonal Messages   Chapter 1. Interpersonal Communication Why Study Interpersonal Communication? What is Interpersonal Communication? The Elements of Interpersonal Communication Interpersonal Competence Principles of Interpersonal Communication Dialogue for Analysis: The Interpersonally Challenged Family Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz: The Language of Interpersonal Communication Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Test: What Do You Believe about Interpersonal Communication? Listen to This: Listening to New Ideas Ethical Messages: The Ethics of Communicating in Cyberspace SkillBuildingExercises: (1)Giving Effective Feedback, (2) Content and Relationship Messages, (3) Interpersonal Principles in Practice   Chapter 2. Culture and Interpersonal Communication Culture and Interpersonal Communication Cultural Differences Intercultural Communication Dialogue for Analysis: The Intercultural Relationship Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Test: How Ethnocentric Are You? Listen to This: Listening without Bias Ethical Messages: The Ethics of Cultural Practices SkillBuildingExercises: (1)Exploring Cultural Attitudes, (2) Identifying Cultural Differences, (3) Confronting Cultural Differences   Chapter 3. The Self in Interpersonal Communication Self-Concept, Self-Awareness, and Self-Esteem Self-Disclosure Interpersonal Apprehension Dialogue for Analysis: The Facilitation of Self-Disclosure Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Tests: (1) How’s Your Self-Esteem? (2) How Apprehensive Are You? (3) How Apprehensive Are You in Computer-mediated Communication? Listen to This: Listening to Empower Ethical Messages: Outing SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Empowering Others, (2) Self-Disclosing Appropriately, (3) Reducing Apprehension   Chapter 4. Perception and Interpersonal Communication The Stages of Perception   The Processes of Perception Increasing Your Accuracy in Interpersonal Perception Dialogue for Analysis: The Parental Difference Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Test: How Accurate Are You at People Perception? Listen to This: Listening to Other Perspectives Ethical Messages:  Censoring Messages and Interactions SkillBuildingExercises: (1) First Impressions, (2) Perceiving Differences, (3) Reversing Negative Perceptions   Chapter 5. Listening and Interpersonal Communication The Importance of Listening: Task and Relationship Benefits The Stages of Listening Styles of Listening Effectively Listening, Culture, and Gender Dialogue for Analysis: The Reluctant Listeners Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Test: How Do You Listen? Listen to This: Listening Ethically Ethical Messages: A Question of Choice SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Obstacles to Listening, (2) Paraphrasing to Ensure Understanding, (3) Listening Actively     Part 2. Interpersonal Messages in Context   Chapter 6. Verbal Messages Principles of Verbal Messages Confirmation and Disconfirmation Using Verbal Messages Effectively and Critically Dialogue for Analysis: The Uncritical Observers Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Tests: (1)How Assertive Are Your Messages? (2) Can You Distinguish Facts from Inferences? Listen to This: Listening to Gender Differences Ethical Messages: Lying SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Practicing Assertiveness, (2) Confirming, Rejecting, and Disconfirming, (3) Thinking and Talking in E-Prime   Chapter 7. Nonverbal Messages The Benefits of Effective Nonverbal Communication The Functions of Nonverbal Messages The Channels of Nonverbal Messages Culture and Nonverbal Communication Dialogue for Analysis: The Nonverbal Interview Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Test: What Time Do You Have? Listen to This: Listening Nonverbally Ethical Messages: Interpersonal Silence SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Integrating Verbal and Nonverbal Messages, (2) Sitting at the Company Meeting, (3) Nonverbal Impression Formation   Chapter 8. Conversation Messages The Process of Conversation Effective Conversation Emotional Conversation Effective Emotional Conversation Dialogue for Analysis: The Conversation of Old “Friends” Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Test: How Satisfying Is Your Conversation? Listen to This: Listening to Emotions (10 Easy Ways) Ethical Messages: Keeping Secrets Secret SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Opening and Closing a Conversation, (2) Formulating Excuses, (3) Responding to Emotions   Chapter 9. Interpersonal Relationships Relationship Stages Advantages and Disadvantages of Interpersonal Relationships Relationship Types The Dark Side of Interpersonal Relationships Relationship Theories Relationships, Culture, and Technology Dialogue for Analysis: The Telephone Breakup Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Test: What Kind of Lover Are You? Listen to This: Listening to Stage Talk Ethical Messages: Q and A SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Talking Cherishing, (2) Using Affinity Seeking Strategies, (3) Interpersonal Relationships in Songs and Greeting Cards   Chapter 10. Interpersonal Conflict Management What is Interpersonal Conflict? Principles of Interpersonal Conflict Conflict Styles Have Consequences Conflict Resolution Stages Conflict Management Strategies Dialogue for Analysis: The Unproductive Interpersonal Conflict Summary of Concepts and Skills Vocabulary Quiz Four for Discussion Web Exploration Featured Boxes Self-Tests: (1) How Verbally Aggressive Are You? (2) How Argumentative Are You? Listen to This: Listening to Conflict Messages Ethical Messages: Ethical Fighting SkillBuildingExercises: (1) Early Conflict Resolution, (2) Generating Win-Win Solutions, (3) Responding to Confrontations   Glossary of Interpersonal Communication Concepts Glossary of Interpersonal Communication Skills Bibliography Credits Index   Specialized Table of Contents   Self-Tests These self-assessment tests will help you analyze your own communication patterns and strategies and make plans for achieving greater interpersonal effectiveness. What Do You Believe about Interpersonal Communication? How Ethnocentric Are You? How’s Your Self-Esteem? How Apprehensive Are You? How Apprehensive Are You in Computer-mediated Communication? How Accurate Are You at People Perception? How Do You Listen? How Assertive Are Your Messages? Can You Distinguish Facts from Inferences? What Time Do You Have? How Satisfying Is Your Conversation? What Kind of Lover Are You? Is Violence a Part of Your Relationship? How Verbally Aggressive Are You? How Argumentative Are You?   Listen to This These discussions will help you improve your listening skills in a wide variety of specific interpersonal situations. Listening to New Ideas Listening without Bias Listening to Empower   Listening to Other Perspectives Listening Ethically Listening to Gender Differences Listening Nonverbally Listening to Emotions (Ten Easy Ways) Listening to Stage Talk Listening to Conflict Messages   Ethical Messages These discussions will encourage you to consider the ethical implications of your interpersonal messages and will help you formulate your own code of the ethics of interpersonal communication. The Ethics of Communicating in Cyberspace The Ethics of Cultural Practices Outing Censoring Messages and Interactions A Question of Choice Lying Interpersonal Silence Keeping Secrets Secret Q and A Ethical Fighting   Dialogues for Analysis These brief dialogues offer you the opportunity to analyze interactions focusing on the principles discussed in the text and will help you see these principles in operation.  The Interpersonally Challenged Family The Intercultural Relationship The Facilitation of Self-Disclosure The Parental Differences The Reluctant Listeners The Uncritical Observers The Nonverbal Interview The Conversation of Old “Friends” The Telephone Breakup The Unproductive Interpersonal Conflict   SkillBuildingExercises These exercises will help you work actively with interpersonal communication concepts and principles and will help you practice the many and varied interpersonal skills discussed in the text. Giving Effective Feedback Content and Relationship Messages Interpersonal Principles in Practice Exploring Cultural Attitudes Identifying Cultural Differences Confronting Cultural Differences Empowering Others Self-Disclosing Appropriately Reducing Apprehension First Impressions Perceiving Differences Reversing Negative Perceptions Obstacles to Listening Paraphrasing to Ensure Understanding Listening Actively Practicing Assertiveness Confirming, Rejecting, and Disconfirming Thinking and Talking in E-Prime Integrating Verbal and Nonverbal Messages Sitting at the Company Meeting Nonverbal Impression Formation Opening and Closing a Conversation Formulating Excuses Responding to Emotions Talking Cherishing Using Affinity Seeking Strategies Interpersonal Relationships in Songs and Greeting Cards Early Conflict Resolution Generating Win-Win Solutions Responding to Confrontations