In the Company of Others

J. Dan Rothwell is chair of the Communication Studies Department at Cabrillo College. During his extensive teaching career, Dr. Rothwell has received almost two dozen awards, including the 2014 "Master Teacher" award from the Western States Communication Association; a 2012 official resolution by the California State Senate acknowledging Dr. Rothwell's teaching excellence; the 2011 National Communication Association "Community College Educator ofthe Year"; the 2010 Ernest L. Boyer International Award for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Technology conferred by the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, Florida State College, and the NationalCouncil of Instructional Administrators; and the 2010 Cabrillo College "Innovative Teacher of the Year" award.

"A solid college level textbook written at an appropriate level for students to understand and apply. With some updated citations and adoption of lively, applicable examples, this text should be highly competitive with others on the market." -- Kimberly Batty-Hebert, South Florida State College"In the Company of Others is the best organized, most informative intro to communication studies textbook around. Written by a gifted teacher in an honest, lively, and personal style, it features surprising insights and intriguing examples. Rothwell has an admirable sense of humor."--Lawrence MacKenzie, Community College of Philadelphia"If you are looking for a text that approaches the course from a multicultural perspective, a social constructionist perspective, or perhaps even a critical perspective, this is the text for you."--Steve Stogsdill, Hardin-Simmons University"I would say that this textbook offers a compelling take on basic communication concepts and theories, chock full of timely examples and relevant topics. I really like the assessments and end-of-chapter discussion questions."--Jaime Bochantin, DePaul University

• PART 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATIONCHAPTER 1. COMPETENT COMMUNICATIONBenefits of Communication CompetenceSocial Connection: Communicating With OthersWorkplace Benefits: Positions, Performance, and PromotionCommunication Improvement: All Can BenefitCommunication MythsMyth 1: Communication Is a Cure-AllMyth 2: Communication Is Just Common SenseMyth 3: Communication Quantity Equals QualityDeveloping Communication Competence: Hindsight Bias TestDefining CommunicationCommunication Is Transactional: The Evolving PerspectiveCommunication is a Process: The Continuous FlowCommunication Is Sharing Meaning: Making SenseDefining Communication CompetenceEffectiveness: Achieving GoalsAppropriateness: Communicating by the RulesAchieving Communication CompetenceKnowledge: Learning the RulesSkills: Showing, Not Just KnowingSensitivity: Developing Receptive AccuracyCommitment: Acquiring a Passion for ExcellenceEthics: Determining the Right and Wrong of CommunicationCreating a Communication ClimateTypes of Climates: Constructive and DestructiveCommunication Patterns and Climates: Competition and CooperationFocus on Controversy: Ethics and HypercompetitivenessSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesCHAPTER 2. PERCEPTION OF SELF AND OTHERSThe Perceptual ProcessSelecting: Forced ChoicesSensory Limitations: We're Mostly Blind and DeafSelective Attention: Bombarded By StimuliOrganizing: Creating SchemasPrototypes: Best CaseStereotyping: Generalizing About GroupsScripts: Predictable BehaviorInterpreting: Making Sense of StimuliPerception of SelfSelf-Concept: Influence OthersSelf-Esteem: Evaluating your Personal IdentityInfluences on Self-Esteem: Appraisals, Comparison, and ContingenciesSelf-Esteem Issues: Too Little or Too MuchDeveloping Communication Competence: How's Your Self-Esteem?Focus on Controversy: Self-Esteem: More Is Not Always BetterPerceptual Distortion: Body Image and Self-EsteemSelf-Serving Bias: Protecting Your Self-EsteemOptimal Self-Esteem: Pursuing Goals, Not Self-EsteemSelf-Disclosure: Revealing your Self to OthersDeveloping Communication Competence: Where Do You Draw the Line?Perception of OthersFirst Impressions: You Never Get a Second ChancePrimacy Effect: Power Of First ImpressionsAccuracy of First impressions: It DependsNegativity Bias: Agile, Funny, Compassionate, and FATAttribution Error: Not So Kind to OthersStereotyping Others: The DangersUnintended Prejudice: Instant Decision MakingBenevolent Sexism: The Façade of Positive StereotypingSelf-fulfilling Prophecies: Creating Negative ConsequencesCombating Stereotypes: Communication SolutionsCommunication Competence and Perceptual ChallengesMonitor Perceptual BiasesRecognize Cultural DifferencesManage impressionsPractice Empathy Check PerceptionsSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesCHAPTER 3. CULTURE AND GENDERCulture and CommunicationIntercultural opportunities: It's a New WorldCultural Values: Deep, Not Surface, DifferencesIndividualism-Collectivism: Prime Value DifferenceDeveloping Communication Competence: Be Ye Individualist or Collectivist?Power-Distance: Does Bill Gates Deserve Special Treatment?Focus on Controversy: Competition - Cultural InfluenceRelationship of Two Dimensions: Connecting the DotsIntercultural MiscommunicationEthnocentrism: Intercultural PrejudiceEthnocentrism: Cultural Superiority ComplexCore Values and Ethnocentrism: Bedrock Cultural BiasCultural Relativism: Differences, Not DeficienciesMulticulturalism: Recognition of Human RightsInterpersonal Miscommunication: Not Knowing the RulesIntercultural Communication CompetenceBecome Mindful: Monitor Your CommunicationBecome Acculturated: Strangers in a Strange SpaceReduce Uncertainty: Egads, Nothing's the Same!Promote Convergence: Bringing Us TogetherGender and CommunicationMasculine-Feminine Value Dimension: Rigidity Versus FlexibilityThe Gender Differences Hypothesis: Mars and Venus - Really?Social Support and Social Skills: Caring About and for OthersNegotiating for Salaries: Do You Want a Million Dollars?Gender Similarities Hypothesis: united States and CanadaExplaining Gender Differences: No ConsensusStyles Perspectives: Status Versus ConnectionDominance Perspective: Unequal PowerDeficiencies Perspective: Communication InadequaciesCommunication Competence and GenderDon't Magnify Gender DifferencesEmbrace the Value of Many PerspectivesSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesCHAPTER 4. LANGUAGEThe Nature of LanguageStructure: Saying by the RulesPhonology: Patterns of SoundMorphology: Transforming Phonemes into Meaningful UnitsSyntax: Word-Order RulesSemantics: Rules of Meaning Productivity: inventing World and Expressing ThoughtsDisplacement: Beyond the Here and NowSelf-Reflexiveness: The Language or LanguageThe Abstracting ProcessSense Experience: Approximating Our Physical WorldDescription: Reporting the ApproximationInference: Drawing Conclusions Judgement: Conclusions that Assign ValueThe Power of Language Language and Thinking: Related but DifferentSapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Linguistic ImprisonmentLabeling: The Name GameFraming: Influencing ChoicesIdentity: Languages R UsFocus on Controversy: The Language of Texting: G9Competent Language Use: Problems and SolutionsSignal Reactions: Responding, Not ThinkingSource of Signal reactions: Connotative MeaningDeveloping Communication Competence: Measuring Connotative MeaningFocus on Controversy: Verbal Taboos - A Question of AppropriatenessCompetence Signal Reactions: Developing Semantic ReactionsLanguage of Abuse and ExclusionFalse Dichotomies: The Inaccuracy of Either-Or FramingMislabeling: Inaccurate DescriptionsBias and Stigma: Distorting PerceptionsCompetence and Mislabeling: Operational DefinitionsDead-Level Abstracting: Ineffective Sense MakingCommunication Competence and Dead-Level Abstracting: Three WaysInferential Errors: Ineffective GuessingDeveloping Communication Competence: The uncritical Inference TestJargon, Euphemisms, and Slang: Promoting MisunderstandingJargon: Verbal ShorthandEuphemisms: Linguistic NovocainSlang: Casual LanguageSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesCHAPTER 5. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONThe Power of Nonverbal CommunicationGeneral Overview: Powerful, But Do Not OverstateCulture and Nonverbal Communication: Some ChallengesDistinctions Between Verbal and Nonverbal CommunicationNumber of Channels: Single-Versus MultichanneledDeveloping Communication Competence: nonverbal Communication TestDegree of Ambiguity: No "Reading a Person Like a Book"Discrete Versus Continuous: Stop and GoInterconnectedness of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Repetition: Same Message, Different ChannelsAccentuation: intensifying Verbal MessagesSubstitution: no Words NecessaryRegulation: Conversational Traffic CopContradiction: Mixed MessagesTypes of Nonverbal CommunicationPhysical Appearance: Looks MatterPhysical Attractiveness: The Beauty BiasBody Shape and Size: Universal Standards of AttractivenessBody Adornments: Tattoos and TaboosClothing: Not Just for WarmthHair: StylingFacial Communication: your Personal BillboardEyes: Your Personal WindowsFacial Expressions: The Look of EmotionsGestural Communication: Bodies in MotionTouch Communication: Hands-On ExperienceSignificance of Touch: Life ChangingTypes of Touch: Function, Usage, and IntensityTouch Taboos: Keeping Your Hands to YourselfCompetence and Touch: Some SuggestionsVoice Communication: How You SoundSpeech Communication: Distance and TerritorialityDistance: Defining RelationshipsTerritoriality: Defending Your SpaceEnvironment: Creating AtmosphereFocus on Controversy: Gated Communities - Fortress AmericaCommunicating Competently with Nonverbal CodesMonitor Nonverbal CommunicationResist Jumping to ConclusionsObserve Multiple Nonverbal CuesRecognize Cultural DifferencesStrive for ConsistencySummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesCHAPTER 6. LISTENING TO OTHERSSignificance of ListeningThe Listening ProcessComprehending: Discriminating for UnderstandingComprehending Phonemes: Discriminating Speech SoundsComprehending Words: Some ChallengesRetaining: MemoriesFallibility of Memory: You Can't Retain EverythingBenefits of Forgetting: Curse of the Infallible MemoryWhy You Forget: Inattention, Meaninglessness, and De-motivationResponding: Providing FeedbackCompetent Informal ListeningInformation Overload: Too Much of a Good ThingShift Response: Conversational NarcissismCompetitive Interrupting: Dominating ConversationsGlazing Over: The Wandering MindPseudolistening: Faking ItAmbushed: Biased ListeningActive Listening: Focused AttentionDeveloping Communication Competence: Focused AttentionCompetent Critical ListeningSkepticism, True Belief, and Cynicism: DifferencesThe Process of True Believing: Uncritical Listening Confirmation Bias: Searching for SupportRationalization of Disconfirmation: Clinging to FalsehoodsShifting the Burden of Proof: Whose Obligation Is It?The Skepticism Process: Exercising Competent Critical ListeningPossibility: Could Happen, but Don't Bet on ItPlausibility: Making a Logical CaseProbability: Likelihood of EventsCertainty: Without ExceptionSelf-Correction: Progressing by MistakeCompetent Emphatic ListeningResponse Styles: Initial Response PatternsEvaluative Response: Making JudgmentsAdvising Response: Telling Others How to ActInterpreting Response: Explaining MeaningContent-Only Response: Ignoring FeelingsProbing Response: Asking QuestionsSupporting Response: Bolstering OthersUnderstanding Response: Paraphrasing and Perception CheckingResponse Styles and Empathetic Listening: Making ChoicesEmpathetic Response Styles: Probing, Supporting, and UnderstandingNonempathic Responses: Evaluating, Advising, Interpreting, and Content-OnlyDeveloping Communication Competence: Distinguishing Listening ResponsesChoosing Competent Response Styles: Frequency, Timing, and Solicitation SummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesPART 2: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONCHAPTER 7. POWERDefinition of PowerThe Nature of Power: No Powerless PeopleForms of Power: Dominance, Prevention, and EmpowermentPower Struggles and Power Sharing: A ComparisonCommunication Indicators of PowerGeneral Indicators: Defining, Following, Opposing, and InhibitingVerbal indicators: Language ChoicesPowerful and Powerless Language: Communicating StatusGender and Cultural Influences: Powerful Language DifferencesNonverbal indicators: Silent Exercise of PowerPower ResourcesInformation: Scarce and RestrictedExpertise: Information Plus Know-HowLegitimate Authority: You Will ObeyRewards and Punishments: Pleasure and PainPersonal Qualities: A Powerful PersonaProblems of Power ImbalancePower Sharing: Key to Relationship Success or FailureRelationship Aggression: Battle for DominanceAggression Types: Direct and IndirectSolutions: The Communication LinkFocus on Controversy: Gender and Relationship Aggression - A White-Hot DebateVerbal and Nonverbal Abuse: Expressing ContemptSexual Harassment: When "Flirting" is HurtingCommonplace Difficulties: Lighter SideCompetent Communication and Balancing PowerDominance-Prevention: Competitive Power BalancingCoalition Formation: Pooling PowerDefiance: Digging in Your Heels Resistance: Dragging Your FeetEmpowerment: Exercising Positive PowerDeveloping Assertiveness: Neither Doormat nor Boot WiperDeveloping Communication Competence: Assertiveness Self-Assessment QuestionnaireIncreasing Personal Power Resources: Expanding ChoicesEmploying Cooperative Argumentation: deliberations, Not CombatSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesCHAPTER 8. MAKING RELATIONSHIPS WORKMain Reasons for Forming RelationshipsNeed to Belong: Like Food and WaterInterpersonal Attraction: What Draws Us TogetherRewards: Exchange TheoryForming Close RelationshipsIntimacy and Love: Romantic Partners and FriendsRelationship Development: Coming-Together PhasesDeveloping Communication Competence: Recognizing Flirting SignalsRelationship Deterioration: Coming-Apart PhasesSustaining Relationships: Lovers, Friends, Relatives, and CoworkersConnecting Bids: Keeping Us Together Emphasize Supportive Communication: How to Talk to OthersDeveloping Communication Competence: Reactions to Defensive and Supportive CommunicationDefuse Defensiveness: When a Cooperative Climate Isn't EnoughAddress Relationship Deterioration: Beyond SustainingCross-Sex Friendships: Sustaining with ComplicationsTechnology and Competent Interpersonal RelationshipsSocial Contact: Pros and ConsFocus on Controversy: Addiction to TechnologyDeveloping Communication Competence: Cell Phone Etiquette for the Competent CommunicatorOnline Romance: CyberloveConflict: Electronic Flame ThrowingDeveloping Communication Competence: NetiquetteIntercultural Relationships and Communication CompetenceIntercultural Friendships: Additional ChallengesIntercultural Romance: Tougher Than FriendshipsSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesCHAPTER 9. INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT MANAGEMENTDefinition of ConflictGeneral Definition: Essential ElementsTypes of Conflict: It's Not All BadRelationship DialecticsDialectics Within Relationships: Pushing Us/Pulling UsDialectics with Outsiders: Us and ThemAddressing Dialectics: Not a Balancing ActFocus on Controversy: Ethical Conundrum: Is Honesty Always the Best Policy? Communication Styles of Conflict ManagementCollaborating: Looking for Win-Win SolutionsAccommodating: Yielding to OthersCompromising: Halving the LoafAvoiding: Ignoring ConflictCompeting: Power-ForcingManaging Conflict CompetentlyStyles in Action: Smooth Sailing to White-Water RaftingCulture and Conflict: Different StylesTransforming Competing into Collaborating: Cooperation RevisitedStyles and Partner Abuse: Addressing AggressionAnger Management: Controlling the Beast Within Workplace Bullying: Conflict and Anger MeetForgiveness: Healing Conflict's WoundsSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesPART 3: GROUP COMMUNICATIONCHAPTER 10. THE ANATOMY OF SMALL GROUPSThe Structure of Small GroupsDefinitions: Setting the ScopeGroup Size: Influencing Structure Task and Social Dimensions: Productivity and CohesivenessNorms: Rules Governing Group BehaviorRoles: Expected Patterns of BehaviorDeveloping Communication Competence: Playing by the Roles: A Self-AssessmentLeadershipDefining Leadership: A Process of InfluenceLeader Emergence: A Process of EliminationFocus on Controversy: Gender and Ethnicity: Glass Ceiling or Glass Cliff?Competent Leadership: Evolving PerspectivesDeveloping Communication Competence: What is your Leadership Style Preference?SummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesCHAPTER 11. CREATING EFFECTIVE GROUPSWhy Groups Succeed and FailSynergy: Creating Group Genius Challenges That Can Impede Group GeniusDeveloping Communication Competence: Are You a Difficult Group Member?Developing Communication Competence: Social Loafing: A Self-AssessmentAvoid Groupthink: Preventing Decisions Beyond BadDeveloping Competent Group Decision Making and Problem SolvingStructure Decision Making: Using the Standard AgendaEmploy Decision-Making Rules Competently: Making ChoicesDeveloping Communication Competence: How to Achieve a ConsensusManage Meetings Effectively: Stop Wasting TimeDeveloping Communication Competence: A Sample Agenda for Group MeetingsEnhance Creative Problem Solving: Becoming UnstuckTeambuilding and TeamworkDefining a Team: Not Just a Small Group Establishing Team Goals: An Important First StepDeveloping a Team Identity: Who Are You?Designating Clear Team Roles: Avoid DuplicationVirtual Groups and TeamsSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesPART 4: PUBLIC SPEAKINGCHAPTER 12. PREPARING AND PRESENTING YOUR FIRST SPEECHAddressing Speech AnxietyPervasiveness: You're Not AloneSymptoms: Fight-or-Flight ResponseCauses: Dysfunctional AnxietyStrategies: Managing AnxietyAudience AnalysisTypes of Audiences: The Five CsAudience Composition: Making InferencesTopic Choice and AnalysisPotential Topics: Important ChoiceAppropriateness of Topic: Blending Topic and AudienceNarrowing the Topic: Recognizing ConstraintsResearching the TopicThe Internet: First StopLibraries: Bricks-and-Mortar ResearchFocus on Controversy: Wikipedia: Credible Scholarship or Mob Rule?Interviewing: Questioning ExpertsCompetent Outlining and OrganizingEffective Outlining: Making SenseEffective Organization: Creating PatternsDeveloping Communication Competence: A Student Outline: Rough Draft and RevisionDeveloping Communication Competence: Examples of Signposts and TransitionsCompetent Delivery of SpeechesMethods of Delivery: The Big FourDeveloping Competent DeliverySummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesTED Talks and YouTube LinksCHAPTER 13. BUILDING BETTER SPEECHESGaining and Maintaining AttentionAttention Strategies: Involuntary TriggersEffective Introductions and ConclusionsObjectives for Competent IntroductionsObjectives for Competent ConclusionsDeveloping Supporting MaterialsExamples: Various Types and Effectiveness Statistics: Quantifying Your PointsEvaluating Supporting Materials: CriteriaCompetent Style of Presentation: A Signature EventOral Versus Written Style: An Essay Is Not a SpeechStandards of Competent Oral Style: The Language of a SpeechSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesTED Talks and YouTube LinksCHAPTER 14. INFORMATIVE SPEAKINGDistinguishing Informative from Persuasive SpeakingNoncontroversial Information: Staying NeutralPrecursor to Persuasion: No Call to ActionTypes of Informative SpeechesReports: Facts in BriefExplanations: Deeper UnderstandingDemonstrations: Acting OutNarratives: StorytellingComparisons: Pros and ConsGuidelines for Competent Informative SpeakingInform: Tell Us What We Don't KnowAdapt: Audience AnalysisClarify Key Terms: DefinitionsSupporting Materials Revisited: Additional AdviceAvoid Information Overload: Don't Drown in DataTell Your Story Well: Narrative TipsDeveloping Communication Competence: Outline and Text of an Informative SpeechVisual AidsTypes: Benefits and DrawbacksMedia: Simple to Complex TechnologyFocus on Controversy: PowerPoint: Lots of Power, Little Point?Guidelines: Aids, Not DistractionsSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesTED Talks and YouTube LinksCHAPTER 15. PERSUASIVE SPEAKINGFoundations of PersuasionCoercion Versus Persuasion: ChoiceAttitude-Behavior Consistency: Variables Goals of PersuasionElaboration Likelihood Model: Mindful or Mindless PersuasionCulture and Persuasion: A Question of ValuesPersuasive Speaking StrategiesEstablish Identification: Connecting with Your AudienceBuild Credibility: Can We Believe You?Build Arguments: Persuasive Logic and EvidenceUse Emotional Appeals: Beyond LogicInduce Cognitive Dissonance: Creating TensionUse the Contrast Effect: Minimize the MagnitudeUse a Two-Sided Strategy: RefutationDeveloping Communication Competence: A Sample Outline and Persuasive SpeechSummaryQuizzes Without ConsequencesFilm School Case StudiesTED Talks and YouTube LinksAppendix A: INTERVIEWINGAppendix B: SPEECHES FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS