Interpersonal Communication

After more than 30 years, interpersonal communication is one of the longest-standing areas of emphasis in the School of Communication Studies. A focus in this area allows students to study family and intergroup communication, communication and cognition and both personal and mediated communication.

Interpersonal Communication Faculty:

• Jeffrey T. Child, Ph.D., North Dakota State University  
  • Interests: Privacy management, family/relational communication, new communication technologies, computer-mediated communication, quantitative research methods, communication education, communication across cultures, communication across life-span, group dynamics 
• Mei-Chen Lin, Ph.D., University of Kansas
  • Interests: Communication and aging, intercultural communication, intergenerational
• Nichole Egbert, Ph.D., University of Georgia
  • Interests: Caregiving and social support, health literacy, religion and spirituality in health, relational communication

Key Courses:

• COMM 65591     SEMINAR IN SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION      3,4 Credit Hours
  (Repeatable for credit) (Slashed with COMM 75591) Research theories and findings in small group communication.

• COMM 65665     PERSONAL AND MEDIATED COMMUNICATION      3 Credit Hours
  (Slashed with COMM 75665) Examination of the interface of interpersonal and mediated communication in everyday life. Includes topics such as parasocial interaction, talk radio, TV co- viewing, cell phones, teleconferencing, computer-mediated relationships and media portrayals.

• COMM 65670     INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION      3 Credit Hours
  (Slashed with COMM 75670) Survey of recent theoretical developments and research in interpersonal communication. Topics include relationship development, interaction, interpersonal traits, compliance, conversational analysis and research methods.

• COMM 65673     FAMILY COMMUNICATION      3 Credit Hours
  (Slashed with COMM 85673) Family Communication examines the study of theory and research about the interactions among individuals in families. The course also examines how families interact with external entities. Finally, the course explores health communication, media uses or new communication technologies and work-life balance issues from a family communication perspective.

• COMM 65675     COMMUNICATION, UNCERTAINTY AND PRIVACY MANAGEMENT      3 Credit Hours
  (Slashed with COMM 85675) Communication, uncertainty, and the management of private information examines theory and research about disclosure and uncertainty issues in communication in a variety of contexts. Course content examines disclosure and uncertainty management applications in relational contexts, health contexts, organizational contexts, and contexts involving human interaction occurring through technology.

• COMM 65677     RELATIONAL COMMUNICATION      3 Credit Hours
  (Slashed with COMM 85677) Relational communication provides an exploration of theory and research about the interactions among individuals in personal relationships. Subtopics of the course include communication and the development, maintenance, and dissolution of personal relationships, relationships across the life span, individual differences in relationships and relational processes, qualities and outcomes.

• COMM 65679     COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN      3 Credit Hours
  (Slashed with COMM 85679) Overview of research examining communication across the lifespan, including issues related to communication and cognition, communicative uses of language, communication in close relationships and differences in media uses and effects.

• COMM 66507     INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION AND HEALTH      3 Credit Hours
  (Slashed with COMM 86507) Investigation of the interpersonal communication processes that influence and/or are influenced by health and health contexts.