CMST 2010 – Journal Entry Questions

Fall 2020 – Spring 2021

For each Journal Entry, you will choose a chapter theory and discuss this theory using ALL of the prompts below. You are expected to address each aspect of the prompts for full credit. Please look at the grading scale and examples sheet for more information. You can expect your response to be 3 paragraphs at a minimum.

Please identify WHICH chapter you have chosen for your Journal Entry. Failure to do so, will result in a half point deduction on your Journal Grade.

Define the theory from the chapter in your words. Do NOT quote from the book.

Give a personal Interpersonal Communication-based example or story of this theory in action. Focus on the communication between you are the relationship partner. Make sure to give me details so I can imagine what it would be like if I was there and watching your communication. Think about this as a script, dialogue can help.

Discuss how the theory helps to explain what happened in your story/example. Does the example follow what the theory suggests or does the example go against the theory?

Discuss how Culture and Gender influences Interpersonal Communication and how these issues work within your story.

Discuss how this story helps explain how communication helps us build and maintain interpersonal relationships.

Chapter 1

Discuss Communication Competence and what effect it has on our communication as we work to use interpersonal communication to build and maintain relationships.

Chapter 2

Discuss how we share our self through self-disclosure, using the Johari Window, including how the communication we use to share our relational self helps us build and maintain relationships.

Chapter 3

Discuss how we form impressions of others, including Gestalts and stereotypes. Explain what we can do to be more responsible using perceptions as we begin and maintain relationships.

Chapter 4

Discuss emotional challenges that influence the communication we use to build and maintain interpersonal relationships. Explain how we can communicate more effectively when these challenges come up in relationships.

Chapter 5

Discuss the cultural influences on communication and how knowledge of these influences helps you be more interculturally competence when communicating in relationships.

Chapter 6

Discuss the definition of gender and how gender influences communication. Explain what role gender plays in building and maintaining relationships.

Chapter 7

Discuss the 5 functions of listening and how improving our listening skills helps develop more competent communication as we build and maintain relationships.

Chapter 8

Discuss cooperative verbal communication and how to overcome the barriers to cooperative listening so that communication is more effective in building and maintaining relationships.

Chapter 9

Discuss the functions of nonverbal communication and explain how competent nonverbal communication helps to build and maintain relationships.

Chapter 10

Discuss the 5 ways to handle conflicts and what role communication plays in each way. Explain why the communication in conflict management is important when building and maintaining relationships.

Chapter 11

Discuss the different types romantic attraction and how communication plays a role in each attraction type. Explain how the communication during attraction has an effect on the building and maintaining of relationships.

Chapter 12

Discuss how we communicate in families and the family communication patterns. Explain how this communication helps to maintain and adapt family relationships over time.

Chapter 13

Discuss the types of friendships and how communication works in each type. Explain how we use communication to overcome the communication challenges in friendships.

Chapter 14

Discuss peer and mixed-status relationships in the workplace. Explain how we use communication to build and maintain these relationships and how we use communication to overcome workplace relationship challenges.