Assignments Due for Session Four
1. Read Interpersonal Communication chapter 5.
2. Read Bridges essays in chapter 5: Empathic and Dialogic Communications and Chapter 6: Being Open with and to Other People.
3. Complete Exercise 3
4. Complete the assignments that correlate with the reading.
Session Four Documents
Read each of the assigned chapters in Interpersonal Communication and Bridges Not Walls. Then, answer the following questions with thorough explanations. Each question should, on average, take 1 – 2 pages to answer with a final page count of no more than 8 double-spaced pages. Don’t hesitate to do additional reading outside of the two texts if you need more clarity on the concepts discussed. If you do consult other works, be sure to correctly cite these sources in your reference page along with the two main texts for the course.
Interpersonal Communication – Chapter 5
This exercise is about listening and to do it properly you will have to break it into segments before you do your final write-up. In this assignment you are to observe the conversations of three groups of people without being part of the conversation yourself. One group should be all males, one group of all females and one group of mixed males and females. There should be at least three people for it to be considered a “group.” You are observing these groups to learn the following: 1. Which topics seem to dominate the conversation of each group? Do you see any patterns? 2. How well do the people in each of those groups actually listen to one another? In what ways is effective listening being evidenced or ignored in these groups? 3. If you were to tell
these groups (which you are not) how they could improve their listening skills, explain at least three ways they could enhance their interaction through effective listening.
Bridges Not Walls – Chapter 5 – Empathic and Dialogic Listening
This essay discusses the use of empathy, and this exercise will give you an opportunity to apply what you’ve read. Your task is to strike up a 10–15-minute conversation with a person you do not know and practice the three encouraging skills mentioned in the essay (say more, mirroring, and asking clarifying questions). You do not have to talk about deep issues to practice these skills. After you have the conversation, respond to the following questions:
1. How difficult was it to initiate a conversation with a stranger knowing that you were intentionally going to use the conversation for practice?
2. Provide a critique of how well you were able to use the three skills.
3. What would you do differently if you could have the conversation with that same person
again? Be detailed in your responses.
Bridges Not Walls – Chapter 6 – Being Open with and to Other People
This essay focuses on self-disclosure. Most people enjoy talking about themselves, but all self-disclosure is not the same. Respond to the following questions:
1. Why does self-disclosure ideally need to be reciprocal in the early stages of a relationship? What might happen if it is not reciprocal? Give an example from our own life.
2. When is it appropriate, if ever, for self-disclosure to be one-sided?
3. How do you interpret the situation when a person self-discloses too much information too soon in a relationship? How do you feel being on the receiving end of this sensitive information? 4. What is the proper balance between letting someone get to know you
through ongoing self-disclosure and having a private life?
5. Do you feel more comfortable in self-disclosure with God than you do in your personal relationships or vice versa? Be detailed in your responses.
