I would like to thank everyone at Bedford/St. Martin’s who was involved in this project and whose support made it possible, especially Macmillan Higher Education Vice President of Editorial Edwin Hill, Publisher Erika Gutierrez, Development Manager Susan McLaughlin, and Managing Editor Elise Kaiser. A very special shout-out goes to Senior Editor Lorraina Morrison and Freelance Editor Karen Schultz Moore for all their unflagging optimism, brilliant insights, and perseverance. I could not have done it without you two! Thanks to the editorial team who worked with me throughout the process: Senior Media Editor Tom Kane, Editor Alexis Smith, Associate Editor Catherine Burgess, and Editorial Assistant Will Stonefield. The book also would not have come together without the efforts of Project Editor Won McIntosh, who oversaw the book’s tight schedule; the watchful eyes of Production Manager Joe Ford; and stunning photo research by Susan McDermott Barlow. The enthusiasm and support from the marketing team is particularly appreciated: Director of Marketing Sandy Lindelof, Marketing Manager Thomas Digiano, Marketing Assistant Alex Kaufman, and the entire sales force of Bedford/St. Martin’s. Thanks to the video production team: Director Kaliya Warren, Director of Photography Shadi Best, and all of the talented actors!

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On a more personal level, I want to thank all those who assisted me with the book during its development, and all those who collaborated with me in contributing their extraordinary stories to the text: Melissa Seligman, Vy Higginsen, Jennifer Andrews, Brenda Villa, Eric Staib, Leigh-Anne Goins, Vivian Derr, and Silvia Amaro. I would like to thank my undergraduate and graduate mentors, Malcolm Parks and Barbara O’Keefe, for instilling within me a fierce love of our discipline and a deep respect for the sacred endeavor that is undergraduate teaching. Thanks to my parents, Connie and Bruce McCornack, for raising me to value reading, books, and the unparalleled power of engaging human narrative—both spoken and written. Thanks to my boys—Kyle, Colin, and Conor—who have blessed and enriched my life more than words on a page could ever express. And most of all, I want to thank my unfailing source for relevant and interesting examples, Kelly Morrison. Your exceptional skill in the classroom, and the broad and deep generosity that marks your interactions with others in the world at large, are a constant source of inspiration for me as a teacher, spouse, parent, and human being.

Throughout the development of this textbook, hundreds of interpersonal communication instructors voiced their opinion through surveys, focus groups, and reviews of the manuscript, and I thank them all.

For the fourth edition: Christine Armstrong, Northampton County Area Community College, Monroe Campus; Courtney Atkins, Union County College; Diane Badzinski, Colorado Christian University; Patrick Barton, Lone Star College; Cassandra Carlson, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Allison Edgley, Union County College; Zach Frohlich, Tarrant County College, Northwest Campus; David Fusani, Erie Community College; Valerie Manno Giroux, University of Miami; Annette Hamel, Western Michigan University; Cherlyn Kipple, Union County College; Melanie Lea, Bossier Parish Community College; Susan McDaniel, Loyola Marymount University; Neil Moura, MiraCosta College; Ruth Spillberg, Curry College; Lindsay Timmerman, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Curt VanGeison, St. Charles Community College.

For the third edition: Ashley Fitch Blair, Union University; Angela Blais, University of Minnesota, Duluth; Deborah Brunson, University of North Carolina, Wilmington; Cassandra Carlson, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Kristin Carlson, University of Minnesota, Duluth; Janet Colvin, Utah Valley University; Andrew Cuneo, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Melissa Curtin, University of California, Santa Barbara; Paige Davis, Cy-Fair College; Sherry Dewald, Red Rocks Community College; Marcia D. Dixson, Indiana University–Purdue University, Fort Wayne; Jean Farrell, University of Maryland; David Gaer, Laramie County Community College; Jodi Gaete, Suffolk County Community College; Carla Gesell-Streeter, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College; Valerie Manno Giroux, University of Miami; Neva Gronert, Arapahoe Community College; Katherine Gronewold, North Dakota State University; Virginia Hamilton, University of California, Davis; Kristin Haun, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Doug Hurst, St. Louis Community College, Meramec; Nicole Juranek, Iowa Western Community College; Janice Krieger, Ohio State University; Gary Kuhn, Chemekata Community College; Melanie Lea-Birck, Bossier Parish Community College; Myra Luna Lucero, University of New Mexico; Sorin Nastasia, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; David Naze, Prairie State College; Gretchen Norling, University of West Florida; Laura Oliver, University of Texas, San Antonio; Lance Rintamaki, University at Buffalo; Jeanette Ruiz, University of California, Davis; Rebecca Sailor, Aims Community College; Alan H. Shiller, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Mara Singer, Red Rocks Community College; Jamie Stech, Iowa Western Community College; Deborah Stieneker, Arapahoe Community College; Kevin Stoller, Indiana University–Purdue University, Fort Wayne; Renee Strom, St. Cloud State University; Deatra Sullivan-Morgan, Elmhurst College; Marcilene Thompson-Hayes, Arkansas State University; Lindsay Timmerman, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Curt VanGeison, St. Charles Community College; Charles Veenstra, Dordt College; Jamie Vega, Full Sail University; Judith Vogel, Des Moines Area Community College; Thomas Wagner, Xavier University.

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For the second edition: Michael Laurie Bishow, San Francisco State University; Angela Blais, University of Minnesota, Duluth; Judy DeBoer, Inver Hills Community College; Greg Gardner, Rollins College; Jill Gibson, Amarillo College; Betsy Gordon, McKendree University; Robert Harrison, Gallaudet University; Brian Heisterkamp, California State University, San Bernardino; Eileen Hemenway, North Carolina State University; Yanan Ju, Connecticut State University; Beverly Kelly, California Lutheran University; Howard Kerner, Polk Community College; Karen Krumrey-Fulks, Lane Community College; Karen Krupar, Metro State College of Denver; Gary Kuhn, Chemeketa Community College; Victoria Leonard, College of the Canyons; Annie McKinlay, North Idaho College; Michaela Meyer, Christopher Newport University; Maureen Olguin, Eastern New Mexico University, Roswell; James Patterson, Miami University; Evelyn Plummer, Seton Hall University; Laurie Pratt, Chaffey College; Narissra M. Punyanunt-Carter, Texas Tech University; Thomas Sabetta, Jefferson Community College; Bridget Sampson, California State University, Northridge; Cami Sanderson, Ferris State University; Rhonda Sprague, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point; Robert Steinmiller, Henderson State University; Deborah Stieneker, Arapahoe Community College; Anita J. Turpin, Roanoke College; Inci Ozum Ucok, Hofstra University; Paula Usrey, Umpqua Community College; Charles Veenstra, Dordt College; Sylvia Walters, Davidson Community College; Michael Xenos, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Phyllis Zrzavy, Franklin Pierce University.

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For the first edition: A special thank-you goes to the dedicated members of the editorial board, whose commitment to the project was surpassed only by their help in shaping the book: Kathy Adams, California State University, Fresno; Stuart Bonnington, Austin Peay State University; Marion Boyer, Kalamazoo Valley Community College; Tamala Bulger, University of North Carolina; Stephanie Coopman, San Jose State University; Susan Drucker, Hofstra University; Greg Gardner, Rollins College; Kathleen Henning, Gateway Technical College; Sarah Kays, DeVry Institute; Charles J. Korn, Northern Virginia Community College; Karen Krumrey-Fulks, Lane Community College; Gary Kuhn, Chemeketa Community College; Anna Martinez, Reedley College; Elizabeth J. Natalle, University of North Carolina, Greensboro; Randall Pugh, Montana State University; Marta Walz, Elgin Community College; and Cherie White, Muskingum Area Technical College.

I would also like to thank everyone else who participated in this process: Alabama: Robert Agne, Auburn University; Jonathan Amsbary, University of Alabama; Angela Gibson Wible, Shelton State Community College; Bill Huddleston, University of North Alabama; James Vickrey, Troy State University. Arizona: Anneliese Harper, Scottsdale Community College; Douglas Kelley, Arizona State University, West; Fred Kester, Yavapai College, Prescott; Mark Lewis, Phoenix College; Joseph Ortiz, Scottsdale Community College. Arkansas: Patricia Amason, University of Arkansas; Jason Hough, John Brown University; Robert Steinmiller, Henderson State University. California: Katherine Adams, California State University, Fresno; Susan Childress, Santa Rosa Junior College; Stephanie J. Coopman, San Jose State University; Kristin Gatto Correia, San Francisco State University; Eve-Anne Doohan, University of San Francisco; Jeannette Duarte, Rio Hondo College; Anne Duran, California State University, Bakersfield; William Eadie, San Diego State University; Allison Evans, California State University, Bakersfield; G. L. Forward, Point Loma Nazarene University; Kimberly Hubbert, Cerritos College; Annika Hylmö, Loyola Marymount University; Cynthia Johnson, College of the Sequoias; Beverly Kelley, California Lutheran University; William Kelly, University of California, Los Angeles; Randall Koper, University of the Pacific; Victoria Leonard, College of the Canyons; Ben Martin, Santa Monica College; Anna Martinez, Reedley College; Lawrence Jerome McGill, Pasadena City College; William F. Owen, California State University, Sacramento; Laurie Pratt, Fullerton College; Catherine Puckering, University of California, Davis; Jose Rodriguez, California State University, Long Beach; Teresa Turner, Shasta College; Jennifer Valencia, San Diego Miramar College; Richard Wiseman, California State University, Fullerton. Colorado: Eric Aoki, Colorado State University; Diane Blomberg, Metropolitan State College of Denver; Cheryl McFarren, Arapahoe Community College; Susan Pendell, Colorado State University; Dwight Podgurski, Colorado Christian University. Connecticut: Yanan Ju, Central Connecticut State University; Hugh McCarney, Western Connecticut State University; William Petkanas, Western Connecticut State University; Terri Toles-Patkin, Eastern Connecticut State University; C. Arthur VanLear, University of Connecticut; Kathryn Wiss, Western Connecticut State University. Florida: Kenneth Cissna, University of South Florida; Ed Coursey, Palm Beach Community College; Susan S. Easton, Rollins College; Greg Gardner, Rollins College; Katherine Nelson, Barry University; Maria Roca, Florida Gulf Coast University; Ann Scroggie, Santa Fe Community College. Georgia: Allison Ainsworth, Gainesville College; Marybeth Callison, University of Georgia; Michael H. Eaves, Valdosta State University; Pamela Hayward, Augusta State University; Gail Reid, University of West Georgia; Jennifer Samp, University of Georgia. Hawaii: Chiung Chen, Brigham Young University, Hawaii; Cailin Kulp O’Riordan, University of Hawaii, Manoa; Alan Ragains, Windward Community College. Idaho: Robyn Bergstrom, Brigham Young University, Idaho; Marcy Horne, Lewis-Clark State College; Annie McKinlay, North Idaho College. Illinois: Leah Bryant, De Paul University; Tim Cole, De Paul University; James Dittus, Elgin Community College; Katy Fonner, Northwestern University; Daena Goldsmith, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Sarah Strom Kays, DeVry Institute; Betty Jane Lawrence, Bradley University; Jody Littleton, Parkland College; Jay Martinson, Nazarene University; Lisa Miczo, Western Illinois University; Willona Olison, Northwestern University; Michael Purdy, Governors State University; Lesa Stern, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Marta Walz, Elgin Community College. Indiana: Austin Babrow, Purdue University; Rebecca Bailey, Valparaiso University; Alexandra Corning, University of Notre Dame; John Greene, Purdue University; Krista Hoffmann-Longtin, Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis; Irwin Mallin, Indiana University–Purdue University, Fort Wayne; Janet Morrison, Ivy Tech State College; James H. Tolhuizen, Indiana University Northwest; Ralph Webb, Purdue University. Iowa: Julie Simanski, Des Moines Area Community College; Erik Stroner, Iowa Central Community College; Charles Veenstra, Dordt College. Kansas: David Sherlock, Independence Community College; Richard Stine, Johnson County Community College. Kentucky: Chuck Bryant, University of Kentucky; Joy Hart, University of Louisville; Mona Leonard, Jefferson Community College; Tracy Letcher, University of Kentucky; Gregory Rickert, Bluegrass Community and Technical College; Kandi L.Walker, University of Louisville. Louisiana: Terry M. Cunconan, Louisiana Tech University; Karen Fontenot, Southeastern Louisiana University; Loretta L. Pecchioni, Louisiana State University. Maine: Julie Zink, University of Southern Maine. Maryland: Laura Drake, University of Maryland; Linda Heil, Harford Community College; Audra McMullen, Towson University; Susan Ondercin, Carroll Community College. Massachusetts: Linda Albright, Westfield State College; Clea Andreadis, Middlesex Community College; Jonathan Bowman, Boston College; Elise Dallimore, Northeastern University; Joe Klimavich, Worcester State College; Michael Milburn, University of Massachusetts, Boston; Derrick TePaske, Framingham State College; Nancy Willets, Cape Cod Community College. Michigan: Patricia Amason, Ferris State University; Isolde Anderson, Hope College; Julie Apker, Western Michigan University; Steve Bennett, Washtenaw Community College; Marion Boyer, Kalamazoo Valley Community College; James Cantrill, Northern Michigan University; Robert Loesch, Ferris State University; Jennifer Hubbell Ott, Kalamazoo Valley Community College; Dennis Patrick, Eastern Michigan University; Cami Sanderson-Harris, Ferris State University; Sandi Smith, Michigan State University; Patricia Sotirin, Michigan Technical University. Minnesota: Angela Lynn Blais, University of Minnesota, Duluth; Christa Brown, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Kari Frisch, Central Lakes College; Lori Halverson-Wente, Rochester Community and Technical College; Ascan Koerner, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Mariangela Maguire, Gustavus Adolphus College; Minda Orina, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Patricia Palmerton, Hamline University; Daniel Paulnock, Saint Paul College; Karri Pearson, Normandale Community College; R. Jeffrey Ringer, St. Cloud State University; Dan West, Rochester Community and Technical College. Missouri: Leigh Heisel, University of Missouri, St. Louis; Lynette Jachowicz, Maple Woods Community College; Virgil Norris, Park University; Jennifer Summary, Southeast Missouri State University. Montana: Randall Pugh, Montana State University, Billings; Julie Robinson, Montana State University, Billings. Nebraska: Karla Jensen, Nebraska Wesleyan University; Chad M. McBride, Creighton University; Lisa Schreiber, Dana College. New Hampshire: Phyllis Zrzavy, Franklin Pierce College. New Jersey: Keith Forrest, Atlantic Cape Community College; Rebecca Sanford, Monmouth University; Madeline Santoro, Union County College. New Mexico: Candace Maher, University of New Mexico; Virginia McDermott, University of New Mexico; Kevin Mitchell, Eastern New Mexico University; Pamela Stovall, University of New Mexico, Gallup. New York: Priya Banerjee, State University of New York, Brockport; Rex Butt, Bronx Community College; Joseph S. Coppolino, Nassau Community College; Susan Drucker, Hofstra University; Diane Ferrero-Paluzzi, Iona College; Douglas Gaerte, Houghton College; Andrew Herman, State University of New York, Geneseo; Patricia Iacobazzo, John Jay College; Anastacia Kurylo, Manhattan Marymount College; Michael Lecesse, State University of New York, New Paltz; Linda Reese, College of Staten Island; Gordon Young, Kingsborough Community College. North Carolina: Melissa Atkinson, Surry Community College; Alessandra Beasley, Wake Forest University; Tamala Bulger, University of North Carolina, Wilmington; Allison Carr, Davidson County Community College; James Manning, Western Carolina State University; Nina-Jo Moore, Appalachian State University; Elizabeth J. Natalle, University of North Carolina, Greensboro; Chris Poulos, University of North Carolina, Greensboro; Melinda Sopher, North Carolina State University. Ohio: Yemi Akande, John Carroll University; Carolyn Anderson, University of Akron; Christina S. Beck, Ohio University; Kathleen Clark, University of Akron; Rozell Duncan, Kent State University; David Foster, University of Findlay; Stephen Haas, University of Cincinnati; William Harpine, University of Akron; Kathryn C. Maguire, Cleveland State University; Lisa Murray-Johnson, Ohio State University; Artemio Ramirez, Ohio State University; Deleasa Randall-Griffiths, Ashland University; Teresa Sabourin, University of Cincinnati; Teresa Thompson, University of Dayton; John Warren, Bowling Green State University; Cherie White, Muskingum Area Technical College (now Zane State College). Oklahoma: Penny Eubank, Oklahoma Christian University; Billy Wolfe Jr., University of Oklahoma. Oregon: Nick Backus, Western Oregon University; Cynthia Golledge, Portland Community College, Sylvania; Karen Krumrey-Fulks, Lane Community College; Gary Kuhn, Chemeketa Community College; Paula Usrey, Umpqua Community College. Pennsylvania: Mary Badami, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania; Janet Bodenman, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania; Denise Danford, Delaware County Community College; Joseph Donato, Harrisburg Area Community College, Lebanon; Karen Lada, Delaware County Community College; David Paterno, Delaware County Community College; Elaine Zelley, La Salle University. South Carolina: Merissa Ferrara, College of Charleston; Charmaine Wilson, University of South Carolina, Aiken. Tennessee: Stuart Bonnington, Austin Peay State University; Katherine Hendrix, University of Memphis. Texas: Shae Adkins, North Harris College; Richard Bello, Sam Houston State University; Ceilidh Charleson-Jennings, Collin County Community College; Karen Daas, St. Mary’s University; Jill Gibson, Amarillo College; Marian Houser, Texas State University, San Marcos; Shelly D. Lane, Collin County Community College; Laurie Metcalf, Texas A&M University; Mark Morman, Baylor University; John Nicholson, Angelo State University; James Pauff, Tarleton State University; Frank G. Pérez, University of Texas, El Paso; Lori Peterson, St. Edward’s University; Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Texas Tech University; Juliann Scholl, Texas Tech University; Susan Selk, El Paso Community College; Barbara Yancy-Tooks, El Paso Community College. Utah: Matthew Barton, Southern Utah University; Brian Heuett, Southern Utah University. Vermont: Genevieve Jacobs, Champlain College. Virginia: Melissa Aleman, James Madison University; Jill Jurgens, Old Dominion University; Charles J. Korn, Northern Virginia Community College, Manassas; Melanie Laliker, Bridgewater College; Michaela Meyer, Christopher Newport University; Thomas Morra, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale; Nan Peck, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale; Jeffrey Pierson, Bridgewater College; James Roux, Lynchburg College. Washington: Mara Adelman, Seattle University; Margaret Kreiner, Spokane Community College; Mark Murphy, Everett Community College; Roxane Sutherland, Clark College. Washington, D.C.: Robert Harrison, Gallaudet University; Clay Warren, George Washington University. West Virginia: Robert Bookwalter, Marshall University; Matthew Martin, West Virginia University. Wisconsin: Cheri Campbell, University of Wisconsin, Waukesha; Valerie Hennen, Gateway Technical College; Craig Hullett, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Rebecca Imes, Carroll College; Carol Knudson, Gateway Technical College; Lindsay Timmerman, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

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Finally, no textbook is created by one person. Thank you to the interpersonal communication discipline and its students.