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Interpersonal Communication Essay

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Interpersonal communication theories are interesting and compelling to read. They are astonishingly relatable to one’s everyday life. As one reads an interpersonal communication theory, he or she may find himself or herself thinking of instances in daily life and relationships that directly correspond with the theory. I found the theories to be eerily similar to how many people behave, communicate, and think with regards to interacting with one another. Interpersonal communication theories describe the communication between two or more individuals through verbal, non verbal, and written communication. I believe the theories are some of the easiest to comprehend perhaps due to the direct correlation with people’s lives. Through my own …show more content…

The first, selective exposure, consists of avoiding information that is inconsistent with an individual’s beliefs or attitudes. An example of this hypothesis is spending time with people who share the same beliefs and are “like” oneself in order to prevent dissonance from inconsistent things. “A fear of dissonance would lead to a reluctance to take action—a reluctance to commit oneself” (Festinger 31). The second, post decision dissonance, occurs after a difficult decision and creates a need for reassurance. The importance, difficulty, and irreversibility of the decision increase the dissonance. Therefore, individuals seek reassuring information or people to reduce their inner dissonance. Lastly, minimal justification is a counter-attitudinal action leading to an attitudinal change. In other words, a minimal reward should be used to make an attitudinal change. This theory has proven very applicable to my life. In life, I tend to have a problem with making difficult decisions without continuously asking myself whether or not I have made the right one. These decisions range from using my time wisely to deciding where to attend college. The hypotheses selective exposure and post decision dissonance have provided greater insight into my behavior. With regards to selective exposure, I have the tendency to spend time with individuals who most likely

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