Exam 11: Communication in Relationships Marriages and Families

What are "I-statements" and what role can they play in marital communication?

Wallerstein concluded that the happily married couples in her investigations were frank in acknowledging their serious differences over the years.

__________ involves making disapproving judgments or evaluations of one's partner.

__________ refers to speaking to gain or reinforce intimacy.

__________ involves the expression, either verbal or nonverbal, of one's feelings of affection toward another.

Mark is angry because his wife invited friends over when he wanted to relax. He decides to act bored during the entire evening. Mark's behavior reflects

Regardless of family structure, a family characterized by warmth, cohesion, and generally supportive communication is better for children.

Christina is angry with her husband Tyrone for spending too much time and energy on his business endeavors, and she expresses dislike for his very expensive car. This is an illustration of

When faced with a complaint from their partner, men tend to withdraw emotionally while women do not. This response is so common that therapists have named it the "__________ pattern."

Helping partners accept their spouses as they are instead of demanding change is called _________ therapy.

What is the link between unresolved parental conflict and children's behavior problems?

The text points out that couples who communicate mutual affection create a contagious "__________ effect" so that the household atmosphere becomes one of emotional support.

According to John Gottman and his colleagues, anger, sadness, and whining are examples of

The feeling that one's spouse is inferior or undesirable reflects

___________ can be defined as a group of Internet applications that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.

According to John Gottman and his colleagues, belligerence, contempt, and defensiveness are examples of

List and explain five of the ten rules for a successful relationship.

Counselors encourage making time for play and new activities in a relationship, partly because new experiences release a neurochemical called ____________ that acts on the pleasure center in the brain.

LaToya and Christian have been having a bad day. LaToya asks Christian what is wrong. Christian replies, "Oh, nothing," but the look on his face and his body language suggest otherwise. Christian's behavior reflects

Social psychologist John Gottman's research has shown that conflict and anger themselves predict divorce.