Identify a negative communication climate that you have in a close relationship.

Identify a negative communication climate that you have in a close relationship.
List the confirming or disconfirming communications that created and
maintain this climate. Include verbal and nonverbal messages.
Explain how this climate impacts you. Would you like to maintain or change it?
Using skills learned throughout this semester, what can you do to improve this climate?
Explain how the Gibb categories of defensive and supportive behaviors impact this relationship.

Consider a conflict you encounter, or have encountered, within an interpersonal relationship, or your in-class group.
Briefly, describe the conflict.
What were the content and relational messages that you communicated to each other?
Explain how these relational and content messages contributed to the conflict.
What was your individual conflict style? How was that manifested?
What was your relational conflict style? How was that manifested?
Is this a style you find you frequently use during conflict?
How effective is this style for you?
Considering techniques described in the text, describe how the conflict could have been handled more effectively.
Consider what we’ve discussed regarding verbal communication and listening; what specific tools have you learned this semester that can be used to better handle conflict?
What role does perception play in the conflict?
What influenced your partner’s perception of the conflict?
Why is it important to understand these influences?
What tools have you learned this semester that can help you reduce the negative impact perception can have regarding conflict?