Reflection Paper Interpersonal in Media

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Reflection Paper: Interpersonal in Media

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Reflection Paper: Interpersonal in Media

The real media piece that I chose for this reflection is a short YouTube video posted by Armstrong (2017). The piece directly related to the aspects of interpersonal communication in the family unit. In this video, Armstrong explains one of the theories relating to interpersonal communication and how it applies to the family structure. Specifically, the narrator discussed the family communication pattern (FCP) theory developed by Connor and Fitzpatrick and the two associated orientations, namely, conformity and conversational as they play out in four different family structures. These families that Armstrong identify in the exposition of the interpersonal communication patterns based on this model include a protective family, a pluralistic family, a laissez-faire family, and a consensual family.

This video delineates two main ideas that impact family communication as a process. The first idea concerns the concept of conversational orientation. Here, Armstrong (2017) mentions that the conversation orientation relates to the degree to which family members experience the fluidity of participating in unrestrained interactions during familial interpersonal communication. Family structures that adopt a high conversational orientation express stronger emotional and interpersonal bond. This means that when they get together, they talk freely about almost anything in the family. Conversely, those with a low conversational orientation engage in limited conversations and are inclined to sharing only safe family topics. The second idea is about the conformity orientation. As Armstrong suggests, the conformity orientation is about the extent to which families realize that they similar or different from each other family members. A high-performing conformity orientation makes family members emphasize their similarities while a low-performing conformity orientation makes them underscore their diversity or differences during interpersonal family relationships.

Regarding the context of communication relevant to these interpersonal family relationships, Armstrong (2017) provides two examples of families that depict these traits. The Kardashian-Jenner family portrays a protective family’s characteristics while the pre-Maria Von Trapp family depicts a consensual family’s characteristic due to high conformity levels. Both the conversational and conformity orientations impact our daily lives by defining the dynamics and levels of interactions in our routine family communication. They also influence the expectations we have as regards the uniformity of our interpersonal behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and values as we communicate within our different family structures. From a critical stance, I think that family conformity and conversational orientations serve a predictor of the self among siblings, which directly influences the self-disclosure concept that we have covered in the course. Precisely, a high conversation orientation and a low conformity orientation stimulates higher self-disclosure, relationship satisfaction, and closeness among siblings, making them freely share personal ideas, data, and emotions unknown to other family members.

This media piece raises two communication question for me, which I would like addressed to enable me to comprehend the concept of interpersonal in families. The first question relates to how conformity orientation influences the choice of relational maintenance strategies adoptable by family members in addressing relational uncertainty. The second question is about how the two components of the FCP theory (conversation and conformity orientations) influence the creation of differing family climates. The reason I select these two question is that by getting answers to them, I can better comprehend self-disclosure dynamics in familial interpersonal communication.

As regards my personal impression on this video, what I liked about it is the narrator’s use of specific real-world examples to help conceptualize what she says about the theory. I also liked it because it allowed me to visualize the composition of various family structures and the communication patterns pertinent to them. I chose this media piece because it directly related to what we have covered in our course regarding interpersonal communication. I like the concepts and ideas that it puts forward because they allowed me to interpret self-disclosure from the perspective of family relationships.

References

Armstrong, J. (November 28, 2017). Family communication patterns theory (interpersonal theories, part 2) . YouTube. Retrieved June 23, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJvpLEwE9fg.

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