Instructions:
In a separate document, answer the following questions as thoroughly as you can. It is not necessary to rewrite the question, but please indicate the number of the question in your response.
1. After a speech class in which some students made oral presentations, Pat and Chris went into a nearby public restroom together. They were talking about the presentations that they just observed.
As they entered the restroom, which appeared to be empty, Chris, in a loud voice, started imitating and making fun of the presentation given by one their classmates, Lee. Lee then appeared from one of the restroom stalls and it was clear to Chris that Lee had heard what was said.
Give one example of each of the three types of excuses that Chris might make and identify what kind of excuse each example is. Then write an example of what Chris might say to Lee to apologize. (There are four parts to this question.)
2. For each description below, identify what kind of love or lovers you think is illustrated and include a brief discussion to support your answer:
a. Friends of the couple, Pat and Chris, no longer want to go out with them as a pair in public because Pat and Chris are either having a knock-down, drag-out fight or else are over-doing their public display of affection.
b. Sydney has been thinking about Julie all day and can't wait to get off work so that they can spend time making love.
c. Joey and Fran, now in their 40's, have known each other since childhood. They spent a lot of time together all through high school and then were separated for a while during college. After college they reconnected and picked up their friendship as if no time had passed and have been together ever since.
d. Maria, 35 years old and beginning to feel that her biological clock is ticking away, very much wants to have children. About a year ago she met Matt, with whom she shares many interests and who she thinks is a very nice man with a good stable job. Although she does not feel passionately about him, she does think he will make a good father and is considering accepting his proposal of marriage.
e. Mel has enjoyed dating Ronnie, but has been considering breaking off their relationship since Ronnie suggested that they think about making a commitment.
3. What is meant by a "turning point" in a relationship and provide two possible examples from your personal experience.
4. Respond to and advise the writers of the following two letters in terms of theories of relationship development and maintenance. Please identify the theories by name that you reference; and provide a clear explanation of how those theories led you to your predications about the future of the relationships in question and support your advice.
a. I'm in love with an older woman. She's 51 and I'm 22, but very mature. In fact, I'm a lot more mature than she is. I want to get married, but she doesn't. She says she doesn't love me, but I know she does. She wants to break up the romance and "become friends." How can I win her over?
b. I'm 29 and have been dating two really great people fairly steadily. Each knows about my relationship with the other, and for a while they went along with it and tolerated what they felt was an unpleasant situation.
They now threaten to break up with me if I don't make a decision. To be perfectly honest, I like both of them a great deal; I simply need more time before I can make the decision and ask one to be my life mate. How can I get them to stay with the status quo for maybe another year or so?
5. Briefly define Grice's four conversational maxims and give a concrete example of a breach (or violation) of each one.
6. When expressing emotions, a competent communicator will first try to understand her/his feelings; and then will describe those feelings. Discuss what skills a competent communicator will use to describe her/his feelings.
7. What family type or orientation (not Couple Type) and kind of communication pattern best describe the family in which you were raised or live in now? Provide two examples from experiences with your family to illustrate your answer.
(This question has two parts.) #7 I was raised in a latin family if this helps to answer the question.
8. Briefly define four unproductive conflict strategies (not styles) and briefly discuss why they are unproductive.
9. Briefly describe the six bases of power in a relationship and provide an example of each from your own life that illustrates your description.
10. What are two of the most interesting, and/or important, and/or useful concepts you learned this semester? Provide a brief discussion of your reasons for selecting each concept and a personal example illustrating how the concepts have affected your behavior, perceptions, relationships, and/or how you expect these concepts to affect you in the future.
Use Intercultural communication and perception as the topics.