1.3 Features

• Reflect & Relate presents a fresh perspective on interpersonal communication. Reflect & Relate weaves together discussions of classic and cutting-edge scholarship from interpersonal communication, psychology, sociology, philosophy, and linguistics. But unlike other texts, the focus remains on how these concepts are linked to interpersonal communication and how communication skills can be improved.
• Reflect & Relate balances new topics of growing interest along with classic coverage. The text integrates coverage of social media, workplace bullying, multitasking online, and other new topics alongside familiar topics like self-awareness, conflict approaches, and nonverbal communication codes.
• Integrated discussions on culture and gender appear in every chapter. Reflect & Relate treats individual and cultural influences as integral parts of the story by tackling in every chapter the myths and realities of how race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and age shape communication. In the third edition, new examples and updated coverage include the differences between high- and low-context cultures and how gender (in)equality around the world influences power.
• Reflect & Relate offers clear explanations, engaging examples, and a stunning art program. The text is truly a page-turner, engaging students’ interest with clear and compelling writing. Nearly every major concept is illustrated with examples drawn from pop culture, history, current events, and everyday life—examples that reflect the diversity of students themselves in terms of age, gender, lifestyle, occupations, and culture. Meanwhile, the smart, lavish art program works with the examples to grab students’ attention and focus them on the subject at hand.

• Self-Reflection questions foster critical self-awareness. Self-awareness is essential for effective communication, and carefully placed Self-Reflection questions teach students how to examine their own experiences and communication in light of theory and research. As a result, students gain a better understanding of concepts—such as emotional intelligence, stereotyping, and relationship ethics—and of themselves. They also learn the habit of ongoing critical self-reflection, which leads to better communication outcomes.
• Skills Practice exercises strengthen students’ abilities. Every chapter contains three skills exercises—one devoted to online communication—that give step-by-step instruction on practical skills such as appropriately self-disclosing and interpreting nonverbal codes. Skills Practice activities are specifically designed to be easily and practically implemented by students in their everyday lives.
• Focus on Culture boxes and Self-Quiz tests help students gain knowledge about their own communication. Focus on Culture boxes challenge students to think about how the influence of their own cultures shapes their communication. Rooted in research, Self-Quiz exercises help students analyze their strengths and weaknesses so they can focus on how to improve their communication.

• Romantic, family, friend, and workplace relationships are addressed individually. Tailoring communication strategies to particular relationships is both essential and challenging, so Reflect & Relate devotes four full chapters to these key communication contexts, giving students in-depth knowledge along with practical strategies for using communication to improve relationships. Special emphasis is given to relationship maintenance—a key relational concern many students bring to the classroom.
• Unique Making Relationship Choices case studies take application to a new level. These activities challenge students to draw on all their knowledge when facing difficult relationship issues and create their own solutions. Instead of just asking students “What would you do?” or offering them solutions, Making Relationship Choices teaches students how to systematically reason through problems to generate their own constructive solutions. Students walk step-by-step through realistic scenarios—critically self-reflecting, considering others’ perspectives, determining best outcomes, and identifying potential roadblocks—to make informed communication decisions.