Paper The paper will combine a discussion of three major elements your self-concept; major biases, barriers, and relationship problems youve identified over the semester; and an interpersonal communication action plan along with outside research. You may structure the paper however you like as long as it follows assignment guidelines and incorporates all of the following elements: A) A discussion of your self-concept, how its been formed, and how it influences your communication in your relationships. a. A self- concept is a multidimensional, complex, and changeable system of beliefs you have about yourself. The self-concept can include everything from our religious beliefs to your likes, dislikes, skills, major experiences, values, and even attitudes toward your physical self. Your self-concept shapes and forms your interpersonal communication and understanding it is one of the best ways to understand how and why you communicate the way you do. We will be discussing the self-concept and how it relates to issues like perception, culture, and verbal and non-verbal communication over the first half of the semester. In order to discover your self-concept, consider asking yourself the following questions: What are my values and goals? What words and images best reflect my view of the world? Where do I see myself in my family, my community, and my country? What event or events from my life have had the biggest impact on who I am now and how I see the world? How have my experiences shaped how I approach relationships with others, what information I share about myself, or my attitude about relationships? B) Biases, barriers, and problems that affect your communication in relationships. You should identify and discuss at least two in your paper. a. Well be looking at a lot of different elements of and problems with communication in relationships over the second half of the semester. Some of the topics well be covering include intimacy, attraction, conflict, empathy, and persuasion. Through your Flipgrid assignments, youll be discussing some hands-on activities that encourage you to learn more about your own communication and how you relate to others. Use these assignments to start honing in on some core issues you have in your relational communication and how you might improve them using the concepts and techniques we learn over the course of the semester. Consider some of the following questions to help you develop your ideas for this assignment: Why am I attracted to some people and not others? What makes me feel comfortable and uncomfortable in my relationships? How supportive am I as a friend and/or family member? Who do I experience relationship conflict with and why? How many risks am I taking in being vulnerable or open to new relationships? How much do I consider the needs of others and of my relationships in my daily communication habits? C) An interpersonal communication action plan: a. This action plan will consist of three aspects: who do I need to communicate better with, what are some of the problems with our communication, what steps can I take to improve our communication. For this portion, youll want to identify at least one person and/or group with whom youd like to improve your relational communication. This could be a particular family member or your family as a whole, a specific friend, or your work colleagues, for example. Youll want to lay out what kind of relationship this is, what the communication needs and challenges are, and what steps you plan to take to improve the communication, better meet the needs, and/or face some of the challenges. (For example, maybe you find over the semester that you and your significant other dont manage conflict well youll discuss that and create an action plan for getting better and managing conflict with that person.)
