Interpersonal Communication assignment

SPCH 1318 Case Study

Instructions:

First, read through the questions at the end of the scenario
Then, read the following scenario carefully. You may wish to print out the case study so that you can make notes
In answering the questions, explain and illustrate your response by referring to course terms and definitions and the particular case study. When appropriate, you need to both identify the specific speech line and describe the situation briefly.
Do not read into the scenario and assume you know what a person is thinking, feeling, or has done. Rely only on the information you have been given.

Participants:

Jack Lyons (J) – 19-year old college student, home for the summer after having been away for the past year; working full-time at a local grocery store as an assistant manager. Jack has been romantically involved with Rachel since they met at freshman orientation. Rachel lives in the same home town and is also home for the summer.

Marjorie Lyons (M) – Jack’s mother, age 45; attorney. She and Jack had always had a very warm and open relationship, sharing easily with one another.

Situation: Jack and Marjorie have had a difficult time adjusting to Jack’s living at home again after a year away at school. Although Jack has never given her reason to doubt him, Marjorie remains concerned about his welfare. In this light, a curfew has been set for Jack, something he resents, in light of his year of independence. The scene begins at the kitchen table on a Sunday morning. It is about 11:00 am; Jack has just gotten up and is eating breakfast. Marjorie enters. She is annoyed about Jack’s late arrival home but is not overly angry.

1. M So – did you have a good time last night?
2. J (Distracted) Oh, yeah. I guess it was fine.
3. M What time did you get in? (Calmly)
4. J I don’t know. Sometime after midnight, I guess.
5. M (A little more agitated) You don’t need to lie to me, Jack. Just because I’m in bed doesn’t mean that I’m asleep. I heard you come in. It was 2:47!
6. J (Wearily) Mom, look, I know that my curfew is 1:30 on weekends. It seems as if I can’t please anyone these days. No matter what I…
7. M What I don’t need to hear right now is excuses. Jack, I’m just tired of your ignoring the rules of this house. (Frustrated)
8. J Mom, could we please not talk about this right now?
9. M Why not? You know the rules. You just can’t keep disregarding them time after time. Having you back home for the summer after your year of freedom is hard on both of us, but you need to give a little effort too.

10. J Mom, please, not now, OK?
11. M We can’t just keep avoiding the issue, Jack. If you really considered how much I worry when you’re out till all hours, doing who knows what, with who knows whom, you’d be considerate enough to come in on time.
12. J (Serious, almost pleading) Mom, please, I’ve got other things on my mind.
13. M (Changing tones – finally realizing Jack’s distraction) Yes – it sounds as if you really do. (Pauses) Do you want to talk about it?
14. J No – well, yes – I guess I could use a good listener.
15. M So, what’s the problem? Does this have anything to do with Rachel?
16. J You’ve got that one right. She told me last night that she wants to break up. That’s why I was so late. We started to talk, and the time just got away from me.
17. M Have you been having problems to this point?
18. J Not that bad. You know, I’m crazy about Rachel. From the first time I saw her at freshman orientation, I thought she was special. And then the next day, she showed up in the same English class, so we got to see a lot of each other. And we started talking and found out that we had so much in common. And I found out that she’s smart too – not brilliant but really smart, especially in things like math that I’m not so good at. We always had such a great time together and I honestly thought that this was really it for both of us.
19. M And…?
20. J And everything was great until this summer. Now it seems that I just can’t please her. She wants to be together all the time. I’m trying to tell her that I really need some breathing space, but she doesn’t seem to understand that. She wants me around just about every minute that I’m not working. As a matter of fact, she even thinks I’m working too much.
21. M What exactly does she expect?
22. J That’s another problem. She always said that she loved that I’m so steady and reliable, that she nearly always knows what I’m thinking and what I’ll say next. Now she says that she’s beginning to think that I’m boring.
23. M Go on…
24. J So last night, I asked her where we stood. I told her that I would do whatever she wants. If she wants me around, I’ll be around. If she wants me to do unexpected things, I’ll try to do that. If she wants me to listen, I’ll listen. If she wants me to talk, I’ll talk. And she said that’s not the point.
25. M What do you think is the point?
26. J It beats me! The next thing I knew she was calling me a wimp – and I was screaming back at her. It was pretty awful.
27. M I guess so. I can understand why you’re so upset about all of this.
28. J It just seems as if I don’t know Rachel anymore – even in some little ways. Last night, I bought tickets for the baseball game, and she said that she hates baseball. When I brought her a red rose, she said that she likes yellow roses. She didn’t even like the music I chose on the radio. I feel as if she’s a different person.
29. M Can you just try to talk to her about all of this?
30. J That’s another thing. It seems that she wants to know every little last detail about me – what happened in my past and how I’m feeling about everything and who I’ve dated and – well, you get the picture.
31. M And you don’t feel comfortable with this?
32. J I just don’t think I always have to share everything I’m feeling all the time. But she tells me everything – and then I feel guilty when I don’t do the same.
33. M Have you explained this to her?
34. J I’ve tried. Believe me, I’ve tried. Last night she ended by saying that she really didn’t care what I did. I should just please myself and not worry about her. That really made me mad.
35. M Why?
36. J Probably because I know she does care – or at least I sure hope she does. I don’t know, we just couldn’t stay on the topic last night. I got to the point where I almost made up stories – just to give her something to think about.
37. M That doesn’t sound like such a good idea.
38. J I know…but I was getting desperate.
39. M So – what now?
40. J I thought I’d give her a call and try to see her again tonight – to try to work something out. Maybe we do need some breathing time away from one another.
41. M That sounds like a good idea.
42. J Thanks, Mom. It really did help to talk about this.
43. M Good. Now – what about that curfew issue? (Lightly) Or did you think I was going to forget about all that?
44. J Mom, you know I hate the curfew. I’ve just had a whole year on my own. I know that you worry, but I feel as if I’m being treated like a little kid again. Couldn’t we work together to find a better solution?
45. M Maybe we can work out a better deal. Could you at least promise – and I mean promise – that you’ll call when you’re going to be late?
46. J You mean that you’d be willing to get rid of the time limit as long as I call? That’s a deal. Maybe we can both be satisfied with that arrangement. You know I don’t stay out all that late very often.
47. M Good – that’s at least one problem settled then.
48. J Thanks, Mom. I’ve got to get going. My shift starts in an hour.
49. M Jack – I really do hope that things work out for you and Rachel. By the way, since you’re going to work, we’re almost out of milk.
50. J Sure, I’ll bring some milk home from the store. I’ll drop it off before I go over to talk to Rachel. And yes, I’ll call if I’m going to be late.

Questions:
1. Identify the line of speech in which Jack discusses interpersonal attraction (pp. 135-136). Then list and explain the factors he talks about.
2. Mark Knapp identifies five stages of relationship dissolution (“Getting Out”). What stage are Jack and Rachel in? Why?
3. The Relational Turbulence Model (pg. 154) identifies three aspects of uncertainty. Identify an example of each of the three types illustrated in the scenario. Give the line of text and the type of uncertainty demonstrated.

4. How are the dialectical tensions of autonomy/connection, openness/closedness, and predictability/novelty demonstrated in this scenario? Give the speech line of at least two specific examples.

5. The text identifies four factors that must be present for a conflict to exist (p. 171). Based on this definition, are Jack and Rachel involved in a conflict? Are Jack and Marjorie? Why or why not?
6. In speech lines 8, 10 & 12, which strategy for managing conflict discussed in Chapter 8 of your text is Jack attempting to use? Explain your answer.

7. In Lines 43-48, Marjorie and Jack return to the discussion of the curfew. Identify the line of text in which Jack uses an assertive communication style. What type (p. 175-176) of assertive message does this line demonstrate?

8. Identify an example of an aggressive communication style demonstrated in this scenario.

9. Your text describes three barriers to effective communication (Chapter 8). Which barrier is illustrated by Jack’s response to Rachel in Line 24? In Line 36? Explain your answers.

10. Your text identifies four family types based on the Family Communications Patterns Theory. What type of family are Jack and Marjorie? Explain your answer.