Jennifer Beam
Communication 200
Lindsey Hallead
October, 9 2012
Dear Joe and Sarah, I am writing you a letter with a little wisdom and good advice on marriage and relationships such as; Interpersonal communication and the misconceptions/barriers of interpersonal communication, Emotional Intelligence and it’s benefits to your marriage and finally the impact your cultures and genders have on your interpersonal communication. Hopefully, it will be jumping off point for your journey together and base that you come back to often. Relationships in and of themselves are complicated in many ways; they should be nurtured and maintained like flowers in a garden. You will need to be patient, kind and thoughtful. But more importantly know who you are and be aware of your self-concept “Today most researchers believe that who you think you are is a complex mix of how you see yourself; how others see you; what parents, teachers, and peers have told you about yourself; and what your society or culture tells you that you are or should be. Your self-concept is learned; it is organized, it is dynamic, and it is changeable” (Purkey, 1988) be open and LISTEN to what the other person is telling you. It will save a lot of time and you will shed fewer tears in the end. One can improve their interpersonal skills in a variety of ways: By listening effectively, know who you are and what you want before you get married, and understand that there are three reasons people need and want to communicate with others. (1) To meet personal needs; (2) To learn about ourselves, other people, and the world; and (3) To build and maintain relationships with others. (Sole, 2011) The main element of interpersonal communication is communication; this communication comes in different forms: Verbal and non-verbal. To maintain effective communication theorists have demonstrated models to illustrate the flow conversations take. There is a sender,
References: 1 Purkey, W. W. (1988). An overview of self–concept theory for counselors. Highlights: An ERIC/CAPS Digest. Retrieved from ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Personnel Services, Ann Arbor, MI, at http://www.ericdigests.org/pre–9211/self.htm (ERIC Identifier: ED304630). 2 Johnson, D. W. (1986). Reaching out: Interpersonal effectiveness and self–actualization. Englewood, Cliffs, NJ: Prentice–Hall. 3 Novinger, T. (2001). Intercultural communication: A practical guide. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. 4 Sole, Kathy (2011) Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communications, Bridge point Education 5 “Can We Talk?” Close relationships sometimes mask poor communication. (2011, January). U.S. News & World Report, 1. doi: 2270370591