When used cooperatively, language can clarify understandings, build relationships, and bring us closer to others. But language also has the capacity to create divisions and damage relationships. Some people use verbal communication to defensively lash out at others, or intentionally deceive them. Others are filled with fear and anxiety about interacting and therefore do not speak at all. In this section, we explore the darker side of verbal communication by looking at four common barriers to cooperative verbal communication: communication apprehension, defensive communication, verbal aggression, and deception.