Exam 3: Family Communication, Conflict, and Forgiveness

A family system is a living, ever-changing, dynamic entity that consists of various individuals and their interconnected, intergenerational patterns of interactions.

We live in a world that is full of symbols, and knowingly or not, we communicate using these shared codes or shared meanings.

Sometimes in marriage, role expectations are in conflict. What does this mean? Please give an example.

The families in which we were reared are known as _____.

________ communication occurs with or without the spoken word. It includes facial expressions, motions of the body, eye contact, patterns of touch, expressive movements, hand gestures, the spatial arrangements in the physical environment, and emotions.

What is forgiveness?

Barbara Okun, a professor of counseling psychology, notes that the majority of the problems found in marriages and families stem from _____.

In a family, boundaries serve the purpose of affecting the flow of information within the system. These boundaries fall along a continuum. Please describe this continuum.

Although we develop all of our interpersonal (social and relational) communication skills within our family of origin, we build our foundation for communicating in institutional settings (school, place of employment, etc.).

Broadly stated, communication is the process of making and sharing meanings.

Few families have rules that govern their communication strategies.

How do perceptions of fairness and equity come into play in marital conflict?

Compare and contrast Regulated Couples and Non-Regulated Couples.

While researching incest, one scholar found that while the fathers' and daughters' reports of the circumstances surrounding the initiation of the sexual activity were quite similar (i.e., back rubs, watching TV, wrestling, reading in bed), interpretations of the incestuous events were in stark contrast to one another.

Compare the Family Systems Theory with conventional psychological theories.

________ is the psychological stress and tension that result when conflicting role pressures mount, or when people undertake multiple roles that are incompatible.

Professors and researchers of communication studies, Lynn Turner and Richard West summarize the general concepts of communication into four headings. Which one focuses on the learning the meaning of things between family members?

Explain the concept of boundaries with regards to family communication.

________ use communication patterns and interpersonal behaviors that promote closeness and intimacy, such as using more positive comments than negative comments during times of tension.

When we communicate, whether in interpersonal or social interactions, we have a joint or reciprocal impact on each other in our exchanges. This dynamic is a ________ process in which we simultaneously affect and are affected by our intimate relations.