PROMPT ONE:

Think of a time when you were in a situation or place that meant you had to interact with people you perceived as culturally different from you. Answer the following questions:

1. What was “different” about the other people? Ethnicity? Socioeconomic background? Age? Gender identity/sexual orientation? Ability level?
2. How much experience did you have interacting with individuals from other cultures prior to this situation?
3. How would you describe your usual motivation and attitude toward meeting people different than yourself?
4. How did your communication alter or vary in this situation, dealing with people who were culturally different?

PROMPT TWO

Go on a technology fast for one to two days. No email, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat etc. You may choose other forms of communication like calling or visiting in-person. Answer these questions:

1. In what ways has social media influenced your perception of your relationships?
2. How did your perception of your communication change when you altered your usual mode of electronically mediated communication?
3. What was the other person’s reaction to the change in communication? Positive? Negative? Explain.
4. Did you feel more satisfied or dissatisfied with your communication, based on the increased face-to-face or phone interaction? Why or why not?
5. Do you believe you will permanently make any changes to the way you communicate with people? Why or why not?

PROMPT THREE

Answer the following questions:

1. Do you agree that “emotions are contagious”? Why or why not?
2. Have you experienced a time when others’ emotions “rubbed off” on you? Explain.
3. What strategies do you use to control your emotions, despite what others around you are feeling? Please provide examples.

PROMPT FOUR

Analyze one of your most important relationships. Begin by identifying the individual and briefly describing the relationship. You can refer to the principles described in Chapter 9 to analyze this relationship.

1. Consider the variables of why we form relationships (attraction, similarity, complementarity, proximity, etc.). How did these variables function at the start of your relationship? How do the variables function now that you have a more established relationship?
2. Discuss your relationship in terms of Knapp’s 10 Stages of Coming Together/Apart. How did you move from one stage to another? Where are you now? What tells you this?
3. How do you maintain this relationship? What could you do to improve this maintenance?