Now in a new edition, Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to communication in interpersonal relationships. Based on an extensive body of scholarship, Interplay cites more than 1,200 sources--almost 25% of which are new to this edition--and provides a variety of thought-provoking photos, sidebars, and cartoons that illustrate key points in the text and connect them to everyday life and popular culture.

Updated and revised throughout, the tenth edition is now more accessible and useful to students, with revisions based on detailed recommendations by leading scholars in the field.

UPDATED FEATURES OF THE TENTH EDITION

* Revised and expanded material examines the relationship between gender and language use, the pervasiveness and inevitability of casual "mindless" listening, conflict styles, co-cultures within American society, and relational maintenance.

* Focus on Research sidebars--50% of which are new to this edition--summarize current research on interesting and important topics. New profiles provide information on such topics as cell phone etiquette, self-presentation strategies of first-generation college students, unwritten rules for expressing emotions on the job, methods used by college students to discourage drinking and driving, and the functions of telling secrets in close relationships.

* Film Clips--50% of which are new to this edition--profile recent feature films that illustrate communication concepts. These clips include Crash (stereotyping), Garden State (emotional expression), 50 First Dates (relational stages), Bend It Like Beckham (relational dialectics), and Before Sunset (self-disclosure).

* An inviting new design features provocative photos and clever cartoons that reinforce concepts from the text and encourage students to explore the book's content.

* The Interplay website at www.oup.com/us/interplay offers a wealth of resources for both students and their professors--online self-testing and other study aids, links to a variety of communication-related websites, and "Now Playing" reviews of recent films.

The tenth edition of "Interplay" continues the winning method of combining a readable, usable approach to interpersonal communication that students appreciate, with a solid foundation of research that professors know is essential in an academic study of the field. This introductory text presents current communication scholarship, while showing the reader how principles of interpersonal communication operate in daily life. The book's lively four colour design makes the design more inviting to both students and professors, while increasing its emphasis on theory and research.

Each chapter ends with a Summary and Activities.

PART ONE: FOUNDATIONS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER ONE

Interpersonal Process

Why We Communicate

Physical Needs

Identity Needs

Social Needs

Practical Needs

The Communication Process

A Model of Communication

Insights from the Communication Model

Communication Principles

Communication Misconceptions

Interpersonal Communication Defined

Quantitative and Qualitative Definitions

Personal and Impersonal Communication: A Matter of Balance

Interpersonal Communication and Technology

Communication Competence

Communication Competence Defined

Characteristics of Competent Communication

CHAPTER TWO

Culture and Communication

Fundamental Concepts

Culture and Co-Culture

Intercultural Communication

Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication

Cultural Values and Norms

High- versus Low-Context

Individualism versus Collectivism

Power Distance

Uncertainty Avoidance

Achievement versus Nurturing

Codes and Culture

Verbal Codes

Nonverbal Codes

Decoding Messages

Developing Intercultural Communication Competence

Motivation and Attitude

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Open-mindedness

Knowledge and Skill

CHAPTER THREE

Communication and the Self

Communication and the Self-Concept

How the Self-Concept Develops

Characteristics of the Self-Concept

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy and Communication

Changing Your Self-Concept

Presenting the Self: Communication as Identity Management

Public and Private Selves

Characteristics of Identity Management

Why Manage Impressions?

How Do We Manage Impressions?

Identity Management and Honesty

CHAPTER FOUR

Perceiving Others

The Perception Process

Reality Is Constructed

Steps in the Perception Process

Influences on Perception

Physiological Influences

Psychological Influences

Social Influences

Cultural Influences

Common Tendencies in Perception

We Make Snap Judgments

We Cling to First Impressions

We Judge Ourselves More Charitably Than We Do Others

We Are Influenced by Our Expectations

We Are Influenced by the Obvious

We Assume Others Are Like Us

Synchronizing Our Perceptions

Perception Checking

Building Empathy

PART TWO: CREATING AND RESPONDING TO MESSAGES

Language Is Subjective

Language and Worldview

The Impact of Language

Naming and Identity

Credibility and Status

CHAPTER FIVE

Language

The Nature of Language

Language Is Symbolic

Language Is Rule-Governed

Affiliation, Attraction, and Interest

Power

Sexism and Racism

Uses (and Abuses) of Language

Precision and Vagueness

The Language of Responsibility

Disruptive Language

Gender and Language

Extent of Gender Differences

Accounting for Gender Differences

CHAPTER SIX

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal Communication Defined

Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication

All Behavior Has Communicative Value

Nonverbal Communication Is Primarily Relational

Nonverbal Communication Is Ambiguous

Nonverbal Communication Is Influenced by Culture

Functions of Nonverbal Communication

Creating and Maintaining Relationships

Regulating Interaction

Influencing Others

Concealing/Deceiving

Managing Identity

Types of Nonverbal Communication

Face and Eyes

Body Movement

Touch

Voice

Proxemics

Territoriality

Time

Physical Attractiveness

Clothing

Physical Environment

CHAPTER SEVEN

Listening: Understanding and Supporting Others

The Nature of Listening

The Importance of Listening

Listening Defined

Reasons for Listening

The Challenge of Listening

Listening Is Not Easy

All Listeners Do Not Receive the Same Message

Poor Listening Habits

Components of Listening

Hearing

Attending

Understanding

Remembering

Responding

Types of Listening Responses

Silent Listening

Questioning

Paraphrasing

Empathizing

Supporting

Analyzing

Evaluating

Advising

Which Style to Use?

CHAPTER EIGHT

Emotions

What Are Emotions?

Physiological Changes

Nonverbal Reactions

Cognitive Interpretations

Verbal Expression

Influences on Emotional Expression

Personality

Culture

Biological Sex and Gender

Social Conventions

Social Roles

Fear of Self-Disclosure

Emotional Contagion

Guidelines for Expressing Emotions

Recognize Your Feelings

Choose the Best Language

Share Multiple Feelings

Recognize the Difference between Feeling and Acting

Accept Responsibility for Your Feelings

Choose the Best Time and Place to Express Your Feelings

Managing Difficult Emotions

Facilitative and Debilitative Emotions

Thoughts Cause Feelings

Irrational Thinking and Debilitative Emotions

Minimizing Debilitative Emotions

PART THREE: DIMENSIONS OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

CHAPTER NINE

Dynamics of Interpersonal Relationships

Why We Form Relationships

Appearance

Similarity

Complementarity

Rewards

Competency

Proximity

Disclosure

Communication and Relational Dynamics

Developmental Models of Interpersonal Relationships

Communication and Relational Maintenance

Dialectical Perspectives on Relational Dynamics

Communicating about Relationships

Compliance-Gaining in Interpersonal Relationships

Types of Compliance-Gaining Strategies

Which Strategy to Choose?

CHAPTER TEN

Intimacyand Distance in Relationships

Intimacy and Distance: Striking a Balance

Dimensions of Intimacy

Dimensions of Distance

The Dialectics of Intimacy and Distance

Influences on Intimacy and Distance

Male and Female Intimacy Styles

Cultural Influences on Intimacy

Self-Disclosure in Relationships

A Definition of Self-Disclosure

Degrees of Self-Disclosure

A Model of Self-Disclosure

Risks and Benefits of Self-Disclosure

Alternatives to Self-Disclosure

Silence

Lying

Equivocation

Hinting

The Ethics of Evasion

Guidelines for Self-Disclosure

Is the Other Person Important to You?

Is the Risk of Disclosing Reasonable?

Is the Self-Disclosure Appropriate?

Is the Disclosure Relevant to the Situation at Hand?

Is the Disclosure Reciprocated?

Will the Effect Be Constructive?

Is the Self-Disclosure Clear and Understandable?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Communication Climate

What Is Communication Climate?

How Communication Climates Develop

Levels of Message Confirmation

Defensiveness

Assertiveness

Climate Patterns

Creating Positive Climates

Evaluation versus Description

Control versus Problem Orientation

Strategy versus Spontaneity

Neutrality versus Empathy

Superiority versus Equality

Certainty versus Provisionalism

Transforming Negative Climates

Seek More Information

Agree with the Critic

CHAPTER TWELVE

Managing Conflict

What Is Conflict?

Expressed Struggle

Perceived Incompatible Goals

Perceived Scarce Rewards

Interdependence

Inevitability

Functional and Dysfunctional Conflicts

Integration versus Polarization

Cooperation versus Opposition

Confirmation versus Disconfirmation

Agreement versus Coercion

De-Escalation versus Escalation

Focusing versus Drifting

Foresight versus Shortsightedness

Positive versus Negative Results

Conflict Styles

Avoidance (Lose-Lose)

Accommodation (Lose-Win)

Competition (Win-Lose)

Compromise (Negotiated Lose-Lose)

Collaboration (Win-Win)

Which Style to Use?

Conflict in Relational Systems

Complementary, Symmetrical, and Parallel Styles

Intimate and Aggressive Styles

Conflict Rituals

Variables in Conflict Styles

Gender

Culture

Conflict Management in Practice

APPENDIXES

APPENDIX ONE

Communication in Families

Types of Family Communication

Spouses/Partners

Parent-Child

Siblings

Elements of Family Communication

Families as Communication Systems

Roles

Family Narratives

Models for Other Relationships

Communication Rules

Effective Communication in Families

Strive for Closeness While Respecting Boundaries

Strive for a Moderate Level of Adaptability

Encourage Confirming Messages

Deal Constructively with Conflict

Summary

APPENDIX TWO

Interpersonal Communication at Work

Communicating in Organizations

Formal and Informal Relationships

Face-to-Face and Mediated Relationships

Personal Relationships

Giving Praise

Offering Constructive Feedback

Relationships in Work Groups

Personal Skills in Work Groups

Group Cultures

Leadership, Power, and Influence in Working Groups

Interviewing

Before the Interview

During the Interview

After the Interview

Summary

Glossary

References

Credits

Name Index

Subject Index