Part 1/Page 1:
Choose either the Knapp Model or Rawlin’s Model to map a romantic or friendship relationship of your choice. You can map as much of the relationship as you want but you must for each step of your relationship list an example. Some steps may have happened pretty close together and/or some steps may not have happens yet (i.e. termination steps).
Example:
Initiation: I met my husband, Grant, at a college event where I saw him standing on a table wearing a girl’s hat and scarf and dancing an Irish jig. I thought he was funny and attractive, so later that night I maneuvered my way into a conversation with group of people that included Grant so I could meet him. I only knew one person there and was planning on leaving right away, but I ended up staying and playing some game with everyone but it was really only because of him.
* Interesting enough, in our relationship we went from initiation to experimentation to straight avoiding because he ended up back with his ex-girlfriend and she was super jealous of him talking to any girl, but we ran in the same circles so it was weird. After they broke up we went back to experimentation stage and moved on from there. So your relationship may not follow a sequential pattern but most of our relationships do follow that pattern.
Part 2/Page 2:
Write about your relationship based on the model and the place you are at for your relationship. Things you can write about:
What were some of the things that attracted you to that relationship?
What are the rewards that you gain from the relationship?
Depending on the step you are at – what would you need to do to get to the next step? (you can include vocab/concepts from other chapters we have covered like disclosure, listening and nonverbal communication)
What is your love language and what is your partners – how can you communicate your love?
What are the relational maintenance strategies that you want to work on this summer?
