With its unique blend of compelling topics and rich pedagogy, the twelfth edition ofInterplayshows how scholarship, research, and theory can introduce students to communication and help them understand their own relationships in everyday life. NEW TO THIS EDITION: *The most extensive use of current research of any interpersonal book on the market: 1,512 total sources, of which 514 are new (34% more than the previous edition) *Chapter 2, "Interpersonal Communication in a Changing World: Culture and Social Networking," includes the latest coverage of social media's impact on interpersonal relationships. *Chapter 12, "Interpersonal Contexts" includes a new discussion of communication in friendships and updated sections on communication in intimate relationships and family *"At Work" boxes in every chapter help readers apply scholarship to their careers *"Media Clips" now use both television and films to illustrate communication concepts SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR INSTRUCTORS: *Now Playing: Learning Communication Through Film, available as an optional printed product, looks at more than sixty contemporary and classic feature films through the lens of communication principles. *An enhancedInstructor's Manual and Test Bankprovides teaching strategies, course outlines, exercises, discussion questions, and unit wind-ups. The Test Bank offers approximately 100 class-tested exam questions per chapter in multiple-choice, true/false, essay, and matching formats. *AnInstructor's Resource CD with Computerized Test Bank, available to adopters, includes the full Instructor's Manual and Test Bank, along with computerized testing software and newly revised PowerPoint-based lecture presentations. *TheInstructor's Companion Websiteat www.oup.com/us/adler is a password-protected site that features the Instructor's Manual, PowerPoint-based lecture slides, and links to supplemental materials and films. *Course cartridgesfor a variety of e-learning environments allow instructors to create their own course websites with the interactive material from the instructor and student companion websites. Contact your Oxford University Press representative for access. SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR STUDENTS: *Now Playing: Learning Communication Through Film, Student Edition *A Student Success Manualincludes a primer on effective study habits along with key terms, review questions, and critical thinking exercises. *Thecompanion websiteat (www.oup.com/adler) offers flashcards for key terms, interactive self-tests, and links to a variety of communication-related websites.

PART ONE: FOUNDATIONS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER 1
Interpersonal Process
Why We Communicate
- Physical Needs
- Identity Needs
- Social Needs
- Practical Needs
The Communication Process
- A Model of Communication
- Insights from the Transactional Communication Model
- Communication Principles
- Communication Misconceptions
Interpersonal Communication Defined
- Quantitative and Qualitative Definitions
- Personal and Impersonal Communication: A Matter of Balance
Communication Competence
- Communication Competence Defined
- Characteristics of Competent Communication
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- AT WORK: COMMUNICATION AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH DAILY CONVERSATIONS
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: HOW TO (NOT) ANTAGONIZE YOUR PROFESSOR: ADAPTING
E-MESSAGES
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: EXCESSIVE SELF-MONITORING DISCOURAGES
INTIMACY

CHAPTER 2
Interpersonal Communication in a Changing World:
Culture and Social Networking
Interpersonal Communication in a Diverse World
Fundamentals of Culture
- Culture and Co-culture
- Intercultural Communication
- Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
- Cultural Diff erences as Generalizations
Cultural Values and Norms
- High versus Low Context
- Individualism versus Collectivism
- Power Distance
- Uncertainty Avoidance
- Achievement versus Nurturing
Codes and Culture
- Verbal Codes
- Nonverbal Codes
- Decoding Messages
Developing Intercultural Communication Competence
- Motivation and Attitude
- Tolerance for Ambiguity
- Open-mindedness
- Knowledge and Skill
Social Media in a Changing World
Characteristics of Social Media
- Message Richness
- Synchronous Communication
Social Media and Relational Quality
Communicating Competently with Social Media
- Be Careful What You Post
- Be Considerate
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: FITTING IN: PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL
CULTURES
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: ALONE TOGETHER
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: LESS CAN BE MORE: WHEN ONLINE PARTNERS MEET IN PERSON
- AT WORK: CHOOSING A COMMUNICATION CHANNEL

CHAPTER 3
Communication and the Self
Communication and the Self-Concept
- How the Self-Concept Develops
- Characteristics of the Self-Concept
- The Self-Fulfi lling Prophecy and Communication
- Changing Your Self-Concept
Presenting the Self: Communication as Identity Management
- Public and Private Selves
- Characteristics of Identity Management
- Why Manage Impressions?
- How Do We Manage Impressions?
- Identity Management and Honesty
Disclosing the Self: What to Reveal?
- Models of Self-Disclosure
- Benefi ts and Risks of Self-Disclosure
- Guidelines for Self-Disclosure
- Alternatives to Self-Disclosure
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: BODY IMAGE AND THE PRESSURE TO BE PERFECT
- AT WORK: IDENTITY MANAGEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: BATTLING ADDICTIONS THROUGH SELF-DISCLOSURE
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: DISCLOSING IDENTITY INFORMATIONOFFLINE VS. ONLINE
CHAPTER 4
Perceiving Others
The Perception Process
- Reality Is Constructed
- Steps in the Perception Process
Influences on Perception
- Physiological Influences
- Psychological Influences
- Social Influences
- Cultural Influences
Common Tendencies in Perception
- We Make Snap Judgments
- We Cling to First Impressions
- We Judge Ourselves More Charitably than We Do Others
- We Are Influenced by Our Expectations
- We Are Influenced by the Obvious
- We Assume Others Are Like Us
Synchronizing Our Perceptions
- Perception Checking
- Building Empathy
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- AT WORK: SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND PERCEPTION
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: ETHNICITY SHAPES PERCEPTIONS
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: DOES HONESTY HURT? RECEIVERS SAY "YES," SENDERS SAY "NO"
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: WHEN EMPATHY GOES OVERBOARD

PART TWO: CREATING AND RESPONDING TO MESSAGES

CHAPTER 5
Language
The Nature of Language
- Language Is Symbolic
- Language Is Rule-Governed
- Language Is Subjective
- Language and Worldview
The Impact of Language
- Naming and Identity
- Affiliation
- Power
- Sexism and Racism
Uses (and Abuses) of Language
- Precision and Vagueness
- The Language of Responsibility
- Disruptive Language
Gender and Language
- Extent of Gender Differences
- Accounting for Gender Differences
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: "I DON'T MEAN TO ANTAGONIZE YOU, BUT"
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: THE INCIVILITY OF HATE SPEECH
- AT WORK: SWEARING ON THE JOB
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: GENDER DIFFERENCES IN INSTANT MESSAGES

CHAPTER 6
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal Communication Defined
Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication
- All Behavior Has Communicative Value
- Nonverbal Communication Is Primarily Relational
- Nonverbal Communication Is Ambiguous
- Nonverbal Communication Is Infl uenced by Culture and Gender
Functions of Nonverbal Communication
- Creating and Maintaining Relationships
- Regulating Interaction
- Influencing Others
- Concealing/Deceiving
- Managing Identity
Types of Nonverbal Communication
- Body Movement
- Touch
- Voice
- Distance
- Territoriality
- Time
- Physical Attractiveness
- Clothing
- Physical Environment
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: POWER POSING
- AT WORK: TOUCH AND CAREER SUCCESS
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: ACCENTS AND STIGMAS
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: IT'S ABOUT TIME: THE COSTS OF DELAYED RESPONSES

CHAPTER 7
Listening: Receiving and Responding
The Nature of Listening
- The Importance of Listening
- Listening Defined
- Reasons for Listening
The Challenge of Listening
- Listening Is Not Easy
- All Listeners Do Not Receive the Same Message
- Poor Listening Habits
Components of Listening
- Hearing
- Attending
- Understanding
- Remembering
- Responding
Types of Listening Responses
- Silent Listening
- Questioning
- Paraphrasing
- Empathizing
- Supporting
- Analyzing
- Evaluating
- Advising
- Which Style to Use?
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- AT WORK: LISTENING ON THE JOB
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: DIVIDED ATTENTION: PHONING WHILE DRIVING
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: HEARING LOSS AND RELATIONAL STRESS
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: BLOGGING AS SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE MORBIDLY OBESE

CHAPTER 8
Emotions
What Are Emotions?
- Physiological Changes
- Nonverbal Reactions
- Cognitive Interpretations
- Verbal Expression
Influences on Emotional Expression\'02000
- Personality
- Culture
- Gender
- Social Conventions and Roles
- Fear of Self-Disclosure
- Emotional Contagion
Guidelines for Expressing Emotions
- Recognize Your Feelings
- Choose the Best Language
- Share Multiple Feelings
- Recognize the Diff erence between Feeling and Acting
- Accept Responsibility for Your Feelings
- Choose the Best Time and Place to Express Your Feelings
Managing Difficult Emotions
- Facilitative and Debilitative Emotions
- Thoughts Cause Feelings
- Irrational Thinking and Debilitative Emotions
- Minimizing Debilitative Emotions
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: EMOTING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: SAYING "I LOVE YOU": DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT RULES
- AT WORK: EMOTION LABOR ON THE JOB
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: WHEN JEALOUSY REARS ITS HEAD

PART THREE: DIMENSIONS OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

CHAPTER 9
Dynamics of Interpersonal Relationships
Why We Form Relationships
- Appearance
- Similarity
- Complementarity
- Rewards
- Competency
- Proximity
- Disclosure
Communication and Relational Dynamics
- Developmental Models of Interpersonal Relationships
- Dialectical Perspectives on Relational Dynamics
Communicating About Relationships
- Content and Relational Messages
- Expression of Relational Messages
Repairing Damaged Relationships
- Types of Relational Transgressions
- Strategies for Relational Repair
- Forgiving Transgressions
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- AT WORK: SOCIAL CAPITAL AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: ABUSING THOSE WHO DISCLOSE
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: OPENING LINES: INITIATING ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: REEL TO REAL?: RELATIONAL COMMUNICATION IN ROMANTIC
COMEDIES

CHAPTER 10
Communication Climate
What Is Communication Climate?
How Communication Climates Develop
- Levels of Message Confirmation
- Defensiveness
- Climate Patterns
Creating Positive Climates
- Reducing Defensiveness
- Offering Constructive Criticism
Transforming Negative Climates
- Seek More Information
- Agree with the Critic
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- AT WORK: TAKE THIS JOB AND LOVE IT
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: CYBERBULLYING: ELECTRONIC CHARACTER
ASSASSINATION
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: SAVING FACE WHILE DELIVERING BAD NEWS

CHAPTER 11
Managing Conflict
What Is Conflict?
- Expressed Struggle
- Perceived Incompatible Goals
- Perceived Scarce Resources
- Interdependence
- Inevitability
Functional and Dysfunctional Conflicts
- Integration versus Polarization
- Cooperation versus Opposition
- Confirmation versus Disconfirmation
- Agreement versus Coercion
- De-escalation versus Escalation
- Focusing versus Drifting
- Foresight versus Shortsightedness
- Positive versus Negative Results
Conflict Styles
- Avoidance (Lose-Lose)
- Accommodation (Lose-Win)
- Competition (Win-Lose)
- Compromise (Negotiated Lose-Lose)
- Collaboration (Win-Win)
- Which Style to Use?
Conflict in Relational Systems
- Complementary, Symmetrical, and Parallel Styles
- Toxic Conflict: The "Four Horsemen"
- Conflict Rituals
Variables in Conflict Styles
- Gender
- Culture
Conflict Management in Practice
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- AT WORK: THIRD-PARTY DISPUTE RESOLUTION
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: WHEN SILENCE ISN'T GOLDEN
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: ATTACHMENT STYLES AND RELATIONAL CONFLICT
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES SHAPE CONFLICT OUTCOMES

CHAPTER 12
Interpersonal Contexts: Friends, Family, and Intimate Relationships
Communication in Friendships
- Types of Friendships
- Friendships, Gender, and Communication
- Communication in Successful Friendships
Communication in the Family
- Creating the Family Through Communication
- Patterns of Family Communication
- Types of Family Relationships
- Effective Communication in Families
Communication in Intimate Relationships
- Dimensions of Intimacy
- Gender and Intimacy
- Culture and Intimacy
- Social Media and Intimacy
- Commitment in Intimate Relationships
- Maintaining Intimate Relationships
Summary
Key Terms
Activities
FEATURES
- AT WORK: CAN WOMEN BE COWORKERS AND FRIENDS
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS: THE COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES OF NOT-SO-CASUAL SEX
- THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNICATION: VIRTUALLY UNFAITHFUL: EMOTIONAL INFIDELITY IN
CYBERSPACE
- FOCUS ON RESEARCH: MAINTAINING MARRIAGES THROUGH FLIRTING
GLOSSARY
REFERENCES
CREDITS
AUTHOR INDEX
SUBJECT INDEX