1. Not Communicating
During this week, select one hour of the day when you are with other people and try not to communicate. During this hour, try your best not to communicate verbally and to keep nonverbal communication to a minimum. Take note of the opportunities for communication you passed up, how it felt when you couldn't communicate, and how others reacted toward you. Once you get an initial reaction, if your behavior seems to be upsetting those around you, give a brief explanation that you are conducting an exercise for a communications class, and then go back to being non-communicative. Share your experience and to discuss what you noticed about your behavior and the behavior of others while you conducted this exercise.
2. Relationship Development
Think about the progression of relationships in your life. How is your communication different when you first meet a stranger, when you get to know the person and find something in common, and when you get to be good friends? Does it change significantly if you establish an intimate relationship with that person? Have you experienced the dialectical tensions described by Baxter and Rawlins? How have you resolved them? Have you known people whose relationships broke apart because they could not resolve dialectical tensions? Share your views on these issues in your post, and also incorporate the insights you gained from this exercise in the Draft of Your Final Paper due this week. Be sure to discuss the sets of interpersonal tensions described by Baxter and Rawlins in your paper.