Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the demand-withdraw pattern indicative of in a relationship?
What is the demand-withdraw pattern indicative of in a relationship?
Which strategy involves balancing needs in a relationship?
Which strategy involves balancing needs in a relationship?
Which of the following is NOT a supportive communication climate characteristic?
Which of the following is NOT a supportive communication climate characteristic?
What is self-disclosure in the context of relational dialectics?
What is self-disclosure in the context of relational dialectics?
Signup and view all the answers
How is superiority characterized in a defensive communication climate?
How is superiority characterized in a defensive communication climate?
Signup and view all the answers
In the context of negotiating tensions, what does separation refer to?
In the context of negotiating tensions, what does separation refer to?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of actively using communication to build confirming climates?
What is the purpose of actively using communication to build confirming climates?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the concept of openness involve in relational dialectics?
What does the concept of openness involve in relational dialectics?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Relational Dialectics Theory
- Relational tensions exist in relationships, though experienced on a spectrum.
- Tensions are bipolar.
Autonomy vs. Connection
- Autonomy: needing personal space.
- Connection: wanting closeness with others.
- The demand-withdraw pattern: One person seeks more connection, causing the other to withdraw, which escalates the first person's demands.
Novelty vs. Predictability
- Novelty: desiring new experiences.
- Predictability: needing routine and consistency.
Openness vs. Closedness
- Openness: willingness to share personal information.
- Closedness: reluctance to share personal information.
- Self-disclosure: revealing information about oneself.
Negotiating Tensions
- Neutralization: finding a balance between conflicting needs (a little of this, a little of that).
- Selection: prioritizing one need over the other (neglected need is least satisfying).
- Separation: addressing different needs in different relationship areas.
- Reframing: redefining contradictory needs as compatible.
Supportive vs Defensive Communication Climates
- Supportive: Recognizes and confirms the other person's thoughts, feelings, and existence. It includes acknowledgment, endorsement, description, spontaneity, problem orientation, empathy, equality, and provisionality.
- Defensive: Disconfirms the other person's thoughts, feelings, and existence; includes evaluation judgments, strategy, control, neutrality, superiority, and certainty.
Guidelines for Creating and Sustaining Confirming Climates
- Actively use communication to build confirming climates.
- Accept and confirm others: honor their feelings and opinions, even if you disagree.
- Affirm and assert yourself. Your needs matter, assert them assertively, rather than aggressively.
- Respect diversity: acknowledge that people are complex and different.
- Respond constructively to criticism: seek understanding and ask for clarification. Avoid abusive behavior.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
Test your understanding of the Relational Dialectics Theory and its critical concepts, including autonomy versus connection, novelty versus predictability, and openness versus closedness. Explore how these relational tensions impact relationships and learn about strategies for negotiating them. This quiz is designed for students of communication studies or psychology.
