Dr. Mottet has been an invited summer scholar at North Dakota State University and the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, where he taught graduate seminars in Communication, Learning, and the Brain. He is also a member of Harvard University’s International Mind, Brain and Education Society. Away from the university, Dr. Mottet enjoys international travel, scuba diving, fitness, ballet, entertaining friends, and spending time with his partner Rick and two cats. If you have any questions for Dr. Mottet, please send him an email at tm15@txstate.edu.

Sally Vogl-Bauer is professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Wisconsin—Whitewater (UWW). In addition to being an award-winning teacher, Dr. Vogl-Bauer has been recognized by the College of Arts and Communication at UWW for her research and service contributions. She is a former chair of the Department of Communication and has mentored numerous junior faculty members and students. She was one of the first Peer Coaches, a program designed to assist faculty and staff with their classroom instruction, as well as Scholar Mentors, a program designed to assist junior faculty in scholarly publishing, at UWW. Dr. Vogl-Bauer is actively involved in learning and assessment practices and implementing the ideals of liberal education through the LEAP initiative (Learning Education and America’s Promise) adopted at UWW and across the country. On a personal note, Dr. Vogl-Bauer enjoys landscaping, home renovation, bargain hunting, watching professional football (especially the Green Bay Packers), hanging out with friends and family, and spending time with her husband and two beagles. If you have any questions for Dr. Vogl-Bauer, feel free to email her at voglbaus@uww.edu.

Marian L. Houser is an Associate Professor in the Communication Studies Department at Texas State University—San Marcos. In addition to receiving numerous departmental teaching awards, Dr. Houser was the recent recipient of the President’s Award for Scholarly and Creative Activities. In 2010, she received the Eastern Communication Association’s Past-President’s Award for her contributions to research and teaching.

Dr. Houser’s primary research interest is in the area of communication in relationships with a focus on teacher-student relationships (traditional versus nontraditional students and face-to-face versus electronic) and student learning indicators as well as interpersonal communication with a focus on dating initiation and relational conflict. She was selected by the Dean and College Chairs to present her research at the 2011 Dean’s Seminar. Though Dr. Houser has published and/or presented over sixty research studies, she takes great pride in the twenty-plus manuscripts she has published and/or presented with her students.

            When Dr. Houser is not researching or mentoring students, she can be found relaxing with her husband and two Yorkshire terriers in the Texas hill country, kayaking down the Guadalupe River, or scuba diving around the world (particularly with the whale sharks in the Galapagos Islands). If you have any questions for Dr. Houser, feel free to email her at mh53@txstate.edu.

Understanding Your Interpersonal Communication

            Defining Interpersonal Communication

            Identifying Nature/Nurture Intersections

            Valuing Interpersonal Communication

Characteristics of Interpersonal Communication

            Interpersonal Communication Creates Meaning on Content and Relational Levels

            Interpersonal Communication Occurs on an Impersonal–Intimate Continuum

            Interpersonal Communication is Irreversible and Unrepeatable

Personality and Interpersonal Communication

            Understanding Your Personality

            Connecting Personality, Communication, and Biology

            Assessing Your Interpersonal Communication Motives

Gender, Culture, Technology and Interpersonal Communication

            Gender and Interpersonal Communication

            Culture and Interpersonal Communication

            Technology and Interpersonal Communication

Chapter 2: Understanding Self, Personality, and Communication

              Rick’s Story

Understanding the Self

            Self-Concept

            Self-Esteem

            Self-Concept and Self-Esteem Impact Your Communication

            Enhancing Your Self-Concept and Self-Esteem

Understanding Communication Traits

            Communication Apprehension

            Socio-Communicative Orientation

Managing Your Identity

            Identity Management Characteristics

            Identity Management Influences

            Identity Management Strategies

Chapter 3: Understanding Your Perceptions of Others

              Shuntaro’s Story

Understanding The Perception Process

            Defining Perception

            Identifying Perception Stages

            Explaining Perceptual Attributions

Influences on Your Perception of Others

            Personality and Self

            Social Influences

            Cultural Influences

Problems in Perceiving Others

            Stereotyping and Prejudice Effects

            Primacy and Recency Effects

            Perceptual Filters and Biases

Enhancing Your Perceptual Accuracy

            Attribution Errors

            Perception Checking

Chapter 4: Assessing and Developing Verbal Message Skills

                          Maurice’s Story

Verbal Messages

            Characteristics of Language

            Power of Language      

            Personality and Language

            Technology and Language

Gender and Verbal Messages 

            Powerful/Powerless Language

            Conversational Rituals

            Adapting Verbal Messages to Sex Differences

Culture and Verbal Messages

            Culture and Verbal Message Styles

            Adapting Verbal Messages to Cultural Differences

Enhancing Your Verbal Effectiveness 

            Assessing and Developing Assertiveness Skills

            Assessing and Developing Argumentativeness Skills

Chapter 5: Understanding, Assessing and Developing Nonverbal Messages

                          William’s Story

Understanding Nonverbal Messages

            Characteristics of Nonverbal Messages

            Types of Nonverbal Messages

            Functions of Nonverbal Messages

Examining Factors Impacting Nonverbal Messages

            The Impact of Culture

            The Impact of Sex Differences

            The Impact of Technology

Assessing Personality and Affects on Nonverbal Messages

            Perceived Nonverbal Immediacy and Personality

            Touch Avoidance and Personality

            Deception and Personality

Enhancing Nonverbal Message Interpretation

            Interpreting Pleasure, Arousal, and Dominance Cues

            Interpreting Nonverbal Violations

Chapter 6: Assessing and Developing Listening and Responding Skills

          Helen’s Story

Understanding Listening

            Hearing: A Physiological Process

            Listening: A Psychological Process

            Listening and Responding: A Communication Process

            Technological Impacts on Listening

Assessing Personality and Listening Preferences

            Assessing Listening Styles

            Enhancing Your Listening Goals

            Exploring Sex Differences and Listening

Identifying Listening Barriers

            Listening Barriers Associated with Information-Processing

            Assessing Receiver Apprehension

            Listening Barriers Associated with Context Issues

  Improving Listening and Responding Skills

            Identifying Types of Listening Responses

            Strategies When Listening and Responding to Others

            Strategies When Helping Others Listen and Respond to You

Chapter 7: Emotions and Communication

                          Dr. Dasari’s Story

Nature of Emotions

            Understanding Emotions

            Types of Social Emotions

            Functions of Emotions

Personality and Communicating Emotions

            Emotional Expressiveness

            Affective Orientation

            Emotional Contagion

Developing Emotional Communication Skills

            Identify Your Emotions

            Understand Your Emotions

            Express Your Emotions

Factors that Influence Emotional Communication

            Sex Differences and Emotional Communication

            Culture and Emotional Communication

            Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Communication

            Technology and Emotional Communication

Chapter 8: Conflict in Relationships: Awareness to Resolution

                          June’s Story

Characteristics of Conflict

            Natural and Inevitable

            Constructive or Destructive

            Conflict Types 

How Messages Influence Conflict

            Confirming Messages

            Disconfirming Messages

            Communication Climate

            Assessing Your Conflict Orientation

Factors That Influence Conflict Interactions

            Personality and Conflict

            Need for Power and Conflict

            Technology and Conflict

Assessing Your Conflict Management

            Sex Differences and Conflict Management Style

            Cultural Differences and Conflict Management

            Conflict in Contexts

Chapter 9: Understanding Relationships

          Jenny’s Story

Why Social Relationships Matter

            Loneliness and the Need to Belong

            Cultural Influences

            Personal Goals and Sex Differences

Why Relationships Form

            Relationships of Choice and Circumstance

            Theories Related to Relationship Formation

            Factors Influencing Relationship Formation

Assessing Communication When Developing Relationships

            Coming Together-Coming Apart Stages: One Heck of a Ride

            Relational Maintenance: Stay the Course

            Relational Power and Influence: Getting What Your Want and Need

            Personality Patterns: Your Missing Piece

Chapter 10: Self-Disclosure and Intimacy in Relationships

                 Darrell’s Story

Exploring Self-Disclosure

            Assessing Your Self-Disclosure Skills

            Social Penetration Theory: Time to Slice Some Onions

            Relational Dialectics Theory: A Tug of War

            Factors Associated with Self-Disclosure

Enhancing Your Self-Disclosure

            Guidelines for Self-Disclosure

            Improving Self-Disclosure and Intimacy in Your Relationships

The Nature of Intimacy in Relationships

            Factors Associated with Communicating Intimacy

            Love Styles, Personality and Communicating Intimacy

            Prior Relational Histories

Influences on Interpersonal Intimacy

            Sex Differences and Communicating Intimacy

            Cultural Influences on Intimacy
            Technological Influences on Intimacy

            Challenges, Problems and Dysfunctional Communication

Chapter 11: Family and Friend Relationships

                    Emily’s Story

Understanding Communication in Family Relationships

            Defining Families

            Personality, Sex Differences and Family Members' Perspectives

            Family Roles, Norms, and Expecations

            Factors Influencing Family Communication

            Assessing Communication in Family Relationships

Understanding Communication in Friend Friendships

            Unique Features of Friendships

            Personality, Sex Differences and Friendships

            Lifespan Considerations

            Technology Influences

            Assess Communication in Friend Relationships

Chapter 12: Personal and Professional Relationships

           Jacque’s Story

Understanding Communication in Workplace Relationships

            Elements of Workplace Communication

            Personality, Sex Differences, and Workplace Communication

            Cultural Factors Influencing Workplace Communication

            Assessing Communication in Workplace Relationships

Using Effective Communication Skills to Enhance Relationships

            Enhancing Family Relationships

            Enhancing Friend Relationships

            Enhancing Workplace Relationships

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