By now it should be clear that certain communication patterns developed in relationships lead to certain outcomes. The people in the relationships have control to change the outcomes based on how they communicate. The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate your understanding of how interpersonal communication patterns affect relationships by analyzing an interpersonal episode, applying what you have learned, and giving advice based on what you know.
You will be analyzing a relationship and using one film clip to demonstrate your assertions. You will be analyzing the relationship as a whole. Your film clip will offer an example of what you are trying to prove about the relationship.
There are 5 specific learning outcomes.
1 Inform the audience of significant principles of interpersonal communication.
2 Analyze a relationship by applying principles of interpersonal communication to an interpersonal episode .
3 Persuade the audience that the analysis thereof is sound using evidence from your textbook.
4 Construct a presentation according to systematic principles of speech design.
5 Deliver a presentation with satisfactory body movement, gestures, vocal and facial expression.
Tasks:
1. Choose a film clip that includes an example of relational dynamics we have covered in class. You may use a fictional or non-fictional relationship, traditional or nontraditional, mainstream or blended. (See Examples of Film Clips for some options.)
Although you may choose either a comedy or a drama, be selective in your choice. The source film must have, as its major purpose, the representation of intimate human relationships; it should not be just an adventurous or intriguing plot line that happens to include human relationships as a sideline.*
? The relationship should be between adults.
? The relationship may be friends, intimate partners, married couples, or parent and grown child.
? Do not choose teacher-student, boss-subordinate, robber-bank clerk, doctor-patient, etc. (i.e., a relationship based on social roles).
? You could choose a family situation, but not child-child.
? The relationship should include realistic dynamics.
? Keep in mind:
1 Some movies may be too unrealistic, atypical, exaggerated, far-fetched, or ridiculous to enable you to do an appropriate analysis. If the situation would not happen in real life, it is not a good film to choose.
2 You cannot use animated features.
3 Some musicals might have scenes that would work, but if you choose a musical, make sure you are including dialog.
4 Keep in mind, sometimes the most dramatic scenes are not the best for analysis. Instead, aim for a dialog-rich scene.
5 You can search for films and film clips online.
6 There are many “film list” sites that organize films by genre.
7 There are many online sources for film clips. If you need assistance with this, let me know.
8 It might be wise to choose a film which has a script available on-line. Scripts can be retrieved from many sites, including:
http://www.simplyscripts.com/c.html
http://www.moviescriptsandscreenplays.com/
* Your favorite film might not be appropriate for this assignment!
2. Choose the general topic that this film illustrates for your topic of analysis.
• Since you are analyzing a relationship, it is most likely that Chapters 6 & 7 will provide the most appropriate approaches.
• You are NOT analyzing the plot of the movie. You are analyzing relationship dynamics.
• Here is a list of some good examples:
? relationship development
? relational deterioration
? relational maintenance
? conflict management
? emotional communication
? Self-talk and fallacies (and their effects on relationships)
? Appropriate self-disclosure
? Many many more
3. Make a list of subtopics/concepts we have covered in class that will support your main topic.
Though subtopics and concepts will not be your main source of analysis, you will need to draw on concepts we have covered throughout the course to help you make your case.
• You may choose to incorporate some of the smaller concepts such as need fulfillment, self-concept, emotions, gender, listening, or perception, word choice, non-verbal communication etc.
• You cannot use language or nonverbal communication by themselves although they could supplement other explanations.
• Some of the skills we have covered will serve as the basis for your advice for the relationship.
• Do not try to use every concept that might apply! Make sure the concepts are not just random and are chosen carefully to help you prove your point.
• These concepts should not be your main points; they only help explain your main points.
4. Once you have a main topic and know some of the concepts you will use to help you explain your point, you need to determine your thesis. What are you trying to prove?
• Think about how the relationship patterns have created an outcome. This will help you draw a conclusion about what is happening in this relationship.
• Here are examples of thesis statements (of course there are others.)
? Romantic partners can use confirming messages to help them move from the stagnating stage of their relationship.
? There are many communication behaviors that can help people from different backgrounds communicate effectively.
? __________ conflict management style may cause relationships to fail/succeed.
? Building family rituals can help families create constructive communication patterns.
? Using “I-Messages” can be an effective tool for relational maintenance.
? There are countless more, these are just examples.
5. Determine what your main points will be. How will you prove your thesis?
• Choose 2-3 main points to support your thesis by clearly describing the principles that apply to the interactions you have chosen.
• These not just random concepts. You are constructing an argument to prove your thesis.
• Within these main points, think about the following.
? You can define terms or principles by quoting or paraphrasing from the book.
? Use the terminology of the course.
? You must also convince the reader that your application of principles is sound. Show the link between your examples of interaction (i.e., quotations from the script) and your explanations. Your gut-level reaction or intuition is not enough.
? You must show how the evidence leads to the conclusions you draw by pointing to the actual dialogue to demonstrate communication and its effects.
6. Make recommendations–Your final main point should be recommendations for the interactants. Based on the principles you have chosen–how they could improve their relationship by changing their messages?
? What suggestions would you make to each one?
? What effects on the relationship or course of events would you expect your suggestions to have if they were followed?
? Remember to justify your suggestions and predictions using course principles to show that your recommendations would indeed improve the relationship or alter the course of events.
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