Analysis of Interpersonal Communication in the Initial Stages of Romantic Relationship Development

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Analysis of Interpersonal Communication in the Initial Stages of Romantic Relationship Development
Interpersonal communication is the verbal and nonverbal interaction of two or more interdependent individuals. In a way, interpersonal communication is the communication to connect with other people (DeVito, 26). Since there is interconnectedness in interpersonal communication, the action of a certain individual will have an effect to other people. Although, interpersonal communication includes a small groups of people or a community, often times, interpersonal communication is dyadic or two-person in nature (26). Although, there are other contexts of relationships such as the family, it is important to further study interpersonal relationships that are created and constructed by individuals, such as the development of romantic relationships, in analyzing interpersonal communication since the interaction involved is between strangers. According to DeVito, building relationships involves multiple stages. In DeVito's model of relationships, there are six stages: contact, involvement, intimacy, deterioration, repair, and dissolution (247). Contact is the initial stage where people are engaged in creating "first impressions" of each other. It is often times impersonal (248). Involvement is the stage where there is a sense of mutuality and people are trying to learn more about another person (248). Intimacy is the stage where a person commits their selves to further establish a relationship with another person to become the best or closest friend, lover or companion (249). In this stage, the quality of interpersonal exchanges is increased in both quality and quantity (249). Deterioration is the stage where the bonds between friends or lovers are weakening (249). Repair is the stage where people analyze and considers solving relationship difficulties (250). Lastly, dissolution is the stage where relationships are broken (251). The focus of this essay is about the initial attraction stage of a romantic relationship development, specifically, the interpersonal communication during contact and involvement stage.
According to the Attraction Theory, it is said that people form relationships with other individual to whom they are attracted (254). There are different reasons why a person is attracted to another but these factors are often times based on similarity, proximity, physical attractiveness, personality or reciprocity of liking (254). In the contact stage, exchanges of basic information such as name and initial impressions are involved (248). In the study of Zunin & Zu...