Communication, Conflict, and Power in Our Relationships Special Topic: Communication Vignettes

1. 6 Communication, Conflict, and Power in Our Relationships Special Topic: Communication Vignettes

2. The Importance of Communication As you learned in Chapter 6, communication is an interactive process using symbols such as words and gestures to send and receive messages. • Communication is a transaction • Communication is a dynamic process • Communication includes co-construction of meanings • Communication uses symbols

3. Micro AND Macro Communication is a micro-level interaction, but it is also a macro-level phenomenon steeped within our social structure. e.g., our race, ethnicity, social class, sex, culture

4. Types of Communication • Listening • Verbal communication • Nonverbal communication • Written electronic communication

5. Interactive Vignettes Let’s role-play some scenarios in which communication is vital: • Two people are needed to role-play. • The other students should identify the key communication concepts they see, as learned in the text. Be specific! (e.g., identify the specific barriers to verbal communication; what specific type of conflict you see; identify the cultural dimension that operates in the vignette)

6. Dawn and William Dawn and William are both 16, juniors in high school. They met at school, liked each other, went to several parties together, and began a sexual relationship. Dawn noticed that she missed her period last month, which is very unusual. She missed it again this month, and decided to get a pregnancy test. The test was positive—Dawn was two months pregnant. She decided to tell William tonight, and asked if he could meet her after school at a nearby park. • Role-play their communication. Be sure to include verbal and nonverbal communication, listening, and sex differences in communication.

7. Jody and Joe Jody wants to take a vacation with her girlfriend to Hawai’i, but her husband Joe thinks it is inappropriate for a married woman to go on a vacation without her husband. Yet, Joe doesn’t really want to go to Hawai’i. He’d rather go fishing in Montana, and thinks the whole family should go fishing and camping together. He gets jealous of Jody’s friends because they usually have more education than he does. Joe did not complete high school and has a low-status job. Both Jody and Joe are becoming upset with one another about the vacation situation. • Role-play their communication. Be sure to include communication issues related to conflict, social class, power, control, and decision-making.

8. Wang Lin and Jessica Wang Lin, a student from China, and Jessica, an American student, are discussing China’s one-child policy in their Families course. Wang Lin and Jessica see the issue differently and cannot easily understand the other’s viewpoint. Jessica wonders why the Chinese allow such government intrusion into their private lives. Wang Lin is perplexed that Jessica doesn’t see how the one-child policy has improved conditions in her society. • Role-play their communication. Be sure to include communication issues related to cultural differences, verbal communication, and listening.

9. Eduardo and Isabella Eduardo and Isabella, both 20 years old, have been together since high school. They are now in college, attending universities in different cities. They see each other on weekends about once a month, but text and email each other daily. Yet, Eduardo feels that they are growing apart. He’s only 20, and feels that he would like to be free to meet other women. After much thinking, he decides to break up with Isabella. He sends her an email: ILY, and U R 2G2B4G, but I think we should BRK Up. Y? IM %). THX for everything. E • Role-play her response. Be sure to include communication issues surrounding written electronic communication and sex differences in communication.

10. Marcus and Richard Marcus and Richard are a gay couple who have cohabited for several years. They are happy together, for the most part, but do have conflict over the division of household labor. Marcus does very little housework, but he justifies it by saying that he works longer hours and is the major breadwinner in the family. Richard feels the housework should be shared more equally. • Role-play their communication. Be sure to include communication issues related to power, control, and decision-making—including in gay relationships, verbal and nonverbal communication, and listening.

11. Alyssa and Stepfather Alyssa is a 14-year-old girl who lives with her younger brother Sam, her mother, and her stepfather. Her own parents divorced several years ago, and her mother remarried last year. Alyssa hates her stepfather. She feels that he tried to break up her family, says mean and vindictive things about her father, and steals all her mother’s attention. He’s been bossing her around as well, “bedtime is 9:00,” “do the dishes,” “feed the dog,” “you can’t stay out past 10:00 on weekends,” and “don’t slam your bedroom door.” • Role-play their communication. Be sure to include verbal and nonverbal communication, listening, and conflict.

12. Elana and Thomas Elana is 18, a university freshman, and is both excited and nervous to live away from home. She lives in the dorm, where she met Thomas at a party. They both had a lot to drink, and they went back to his dorm room to fool around. After kissing and some foreplay, Elana decided she didn’t want to go any further. She was afraid to hurt Thomas’ feelings, but explained that she wanted to leave. He became angry. • Role-play their communication. Be sure to include communication issues related to sex differences in communication, power, and conflict.

13. Conclusion • Were certain key concepts easier to identify than others? • Do you think that sex differences in communication are an exaggeration or are they real? • Do you think that actions speak louder than words? • What specific types of conflict did you see in these vignettes? How would you resolve the conflict? • Think about a specific interaction you have had in the last 24 hours. What communication concepts applied?