Conflict Styles

In chapter 11, managing interpersonal conflicts, the text gave great examples of conflict styles. Avoiding is a conflict style when someone is not assertive and they tend to stay clear away from problems. One of my close friends is like this and she tends to have a lot of built up aggression with people. Accommodating is when you let others to explain their point of view. This is a way that can also make people have built up aggression and it’s not good to walk around with a chip on your shoulder. Competing is when you only seeking to resolve the conflict your way. This is not a good way to approach conflict because people will tend to resent you and it can ultimately ruin relationships. Compromising is when you both give a little and lose a little. This is a great way to be fair. I personally believe it is the healthiest way you can resolve problems because it shows you care about the relationship rather than the conflict. Collaborating is another healthy way to resolve conflict because it’s a win-win solution. It a way to make sure everyone is satisfied. It’s a great way to approach conflict and it’s a happy medium for everyone.

Disconfirming Messages

In chapter 10, improving communication climates, the text discusses the importance of knowing the climates in relational communication. There various ways of disconfirming messages one in which that was discussed in the text was an impervious response. This is very common in messages because it’s when someone ignores another person. I thought this was very interesting because the place I am working at did this to an employee and they ended up quitting. This shows that it can be very powerful and you should be careful when you’re ignoring someone. Another way of disconfirming messages is verbal abuse. This is also very common and completely unhealthy when communicating. This is a way to psychologically abuse someone with mental pain. This happens in a lot in relationships and is usually when you are cutting someone one down verbally. Generalized complaining is another way of disconfirming. This is when we are characterizing fault of someone else. Interrupting is another way that can be a way of disconfirming someone. This is when we speak before another person is done talking. I personally believe that this shows that you are not interesting in the other person’s ideas or thought. An irrelevant response is when you respond to another person’s idea to something that is off topic. These are some of the many disconfirming messages discussed in the text.

confirming communication

In chapter 10, improving communication climates, the text discusses the importance of knowing the climates in relational communication. The term used in the book communication climate, refers to the type of tone used when communicating. In the text they discuss to different types of confirming messages. There are three messages that help confirm messages. The first way of confirming messages is recognition. This is known to be the easiest and most fundamental way to confirm messages. The lack of recognition is things like not returning a friends message or avoiding them for your own personal reasons. Another way of confirming messages is acknowledgment. This is a way to acknowledge ideas and feelings of others around you or in your life. The most common way of acknowledgement is listening. I feel this is very important because you are taking time out of your life to acknowledge a person you care for. This shows you are interested in someone else’s opinions and ideas. Endorsement means to confirm someone else’s ideas and agree with them so there is improvement in their relationship. This is a way to value and show agreement. Overall these three ways of confirming are very important to show your interest in your relationships.