1.4 What’s New in the Third Edition?

• Cutting-edge coverage of online communication. Whether social networking sites or Twitter, text messages or IMs, Reflect & Relate encourages students to reflect on their own online communication behavior. The entire book is thoroughly updated with the absolute latest research, such as online impression management and online jealousy. By pairing current scholarship with practical advice on how to improve skills, the bookgives students all the tools they need to immediately make more informed choices. The text also features “hot off the press” research from two of the top scholars in online communication—Malcolm Parks (University of Washington) and Joe Walther (Michigan State University)—as well as unique content provided by Dr. Parks regarding online competence in .
• Newly integrated VideoCentral helps students see concepts in action and encourages self-reflection. The new VideoCentral feature merges Reflect & Relate with the Web by connecting theories in the text with online video illustrations that help students really understand interpersonal communication. A fully interactive feature, each video activity includes two reflection questions that encourage students to consider how the concepts may impact their own relationships and lives. With more than 70 videos in the collection, there are multiple opportunities in each chapter to assign the videos as the basis for journal entries or to start class discussions. For ideas on how to integrate VideoCentralinto your course, see the Instructor’s Annotated Edition and the Instructor’s Resource Manual. To access the videos and for a complete list of available clips, see the inside back cover or visit bedfordstmartins.com/reflectrelate.
• InterpersonalClass makes going digital easy. Bringing together content and tools that help you manage your course materials, classes, and students, this online course space is preloaded with the e-Book for Reflect & Relate, more than 70 videos (from VideoCentral: Interpersonal Communication), abundant quiz and test questions, and more. You can easily customize the site by adding notes, readings, links, and video (your own or embedded from sites like YouTube). You can also create assignments around any of the content in InterpersonalClass, including sections from the e-book, chapter summaries, quizzes, and VideoCentral. The Video tab makes it easy to upload, embed, and comment on video as well as create video assignments for the individual student, for groups, and for the whole class. Finally, you can stay on top of individual and classroom performance with powerful testing, tracking, grading, and organizing tools. Learn more at yourinterpersonalclass.com.

• New, full chapters on family relationships and friendships. To help students better understand these important relationship types and to allow instructors flexibility in covering relationships in their courses, these two new chapters provide in-depth and up-to-date discussions:
  • “Relationships with Family Members,” delves into the communication that defines families, like family stories and maintenance tactics, while also exploring challenges like stepfamily transitions, conflict, and parental favoritism.
  • “Relationships with Friends,” explains how and why we make friends, how friendships change over our lifetime, types of friendships, and even friendship rules. It also includes communication strategies for keeping up with long-distance friends and handling friendship betrayal.
• Integrated coverage of interpersonal communication competence. To help reinforce the importance of communication competence in all interactions, Reflect & Relate now integrates this essential content throughout the entire book. Starting in , students are introduced to the principles of competence, both online and off. Then in subsequent chapters, students will learn about how competence influences all areas of interpersonal communication, including online self-presentation, verbal aggression, defensiveness, communication apprehension, and ethnocentrism.

• New, cutting-edge scholarship in hot areas. Topics like multitasking online, workplace bullying, conflict approaches, social media, and supportive communication can be found in every chapter. This new content reflects issues of concern for today’s students and represents the very best of scholarship within the field of interpersonal communication.
• Current, powerful stories and images hook students’ interest. Reflect & Relate is full of new, hip, and relatable examples that students will want to read.
  • The text and photo program pulls from pop culture—everything from The Hunger Games to Modern Family—as well as current events and real stories from the author and his students to provide content that resonates with students and is easy to show and discuss in class.
  • New chapter openers feature a diverse group of contributors who share amazing, real, and compelling stories about the impact of interpersonal communication in everyday life. Whether dealing with a long-distance partner (), coping with difficult emotions (), or understanding family relationships (), these are stories that students can look to, learn from, and use to transform their own lives and relationships.