Inter-personal Communication Theories
© Brian Brown, 1998-1999. All rights reserved.
Last Modified: January 28, 2000.

| Intrapersonal | Interpersonal | Group | Organization | Mass/Cultural |

This is a summary of the information in
Littlejohn, Stephen. (1992). Theories of Human Communication (5th Ed.). California: Wadsworth Publishing.
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Relational Perception
R. D. Laing
Fundamental Topoi of Relational Communications
Judee Burgoon
Uncertainty Reduction Theory
Charles Berger
Social Penetration Theory
Gerald Miller
Self Disclosure
Sidney Jourard
Relational Dissolution
Leslie Baxter
Dialectical Theory of Friendship
William Rawlins
Theory of Marriage Types
Mary Anne Fitzpatrick
Attribution Theory of Conflict
Alan Sillars

RELATIONAL PERCEPTION
R. C. Laing (pg. 254)

 

FUNDAMENTAL TOPOI OF RELATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS (Nonverbal Expectancy-Violation Theory)
Judee Burgoon (pg. 148)

Violating another persons proxemic expectations can be a superior strategy to conformity. Because distance violations are highly ambiguous, rewarding communicators can enhance their attractiveness, credibility, and persuasiveness by coming too close or staying too far away. Negatively valenced communicators should maintain a distance that others consider appropriate. Griffin. pg. 476

 

UNCERTAINTY REDUCTION THEORY
Charles Berger (pg. 257)

When strangers meet, their primary concern is to reduce uncertainty about the other person and their relationship. As verbal output, nonverbal warmth, self-disclosure, similarity, and shared communication networks increase, uncertainty goes down, and vice versa. Information seeking and reciprocity are positively correlated with uncertainty. Griffin, pg. 477

 

SELF DISCLOSURE
Sidney Jourard (pg. 260)

 

SOCIAL PENETRATION THEORY
Gerald Miller (pg. 264)

Interpersonal closeness proceeds in a gradual and orderly fashion from superficial to intimate levels of exchange as a function of both immediate and future outcomes. Lasting intimacy requires continual mutual vulnerability through breadth and depth of self-disclosure. Griffin, pg. 477

 

RELATIONAL DISSOLUTION
Leslie Baxter (pg. 266)

 

DIALECTICAL THEORY OF FRIENDSHIPS
William Rawlins (pg. 268)

 

THEORY OF MARRIAGE TYPES
Mary Anne Fitzpatrick (pg. 271)

 

ATTRIBUTION THEORY OF CONFLICT
Alan Sillars (pg. 275)

 


Griffin. (1994). A first look at communication theory. (2nd Ed.). McGraw Hill.