In this Discussion, you examine supportive and defensive climates and their characteristics. Also consider the context in your Discussion of the interaction (for example, workplace, family, friendship, or romantic relationship). If we compare our communication climate to the weather, we can observe that some places make us feel safe to express ourselves, to grow and flourish like a warm, sunny day, while others make us feel defensive, cautious, and anxious, like a thunderstorm, in which you never really know when or where, lighting will strike. Each type of relationship has its own rules of engagement regarding verbal and nonverbal communication, and here you have an opportunity to highlight those rules, customs, and norms for behavior. Tie in concepts you have learned in previous weeks of the class as you consider interactions in each communication climate.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Read the Communication Program Discussion Guidelines.
• Read “Chapter 7: Communication in Relationships” in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Read “How to Know If You’re in a Toxic Friendship (and How to Get Out of It)” in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Read “When Do our Family Interactions Become Toxic?” in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Choose a relationship or experience that has contained at least one of the elements of the dark side of interpersonal communication (jealousy, rumor, envy, bullying, aggression, etc.) or how seemingly productive communication becomes dysfunctional (and vice versa). This could be a professional relationship, a family relationship, a friendship or a romantic relationship.

By Day 4

Post a response that addresses the following:

1. Describe the relationship, the emotions and the dark side element(s) that you identified.
2. How did these elements affect your concept of self?
3. Evaluate the effects of the dark side elements on the relationship.
4. Looking back, what might you have done differently in that situation?