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Script Title Defense

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Joshua Colobong
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13 views

Script Title Defense

Uploaded by

Joshua Colobong
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

HOOK
When was the last time you hesitated to talk to a parent? For millions of college
students from broken families, this isn't just a moment of pause – it's a complex
web of emotions, motives, and unspoken words.
Picture this: A student sits in their dorm, staring at their phone. Mom or Dad?
Today or tomorrow? What to say? What not to say? Behind each of these
seemingly simple decisions lies a matrix of six fundamental human needs: the
desire for affection, the need for control, the search for relaxation, the urge
to escape, the pursuit of pleasure, and the yearning for inclusion.
What drives these students to communicate or not communicate? The answer
lies not just in family dynamics, but in the very essence of human connection. In
a world where over [insert relevant local statistic] families experience separation,
understanding these communication motives isn't just academic research – it's
about rebuilding bridges, one conversation at a tiTRme.
Today, we dive into the untold story of how college students from broken families
navigate these waters, and what their experiences can teach us about the
fundamental nature of family communication itself
I. TITLE AND RATIONALE

his study investigates the dialectical tensions faced by college students from
broken families and how these tensions affect their communication motives when
interacting with their separated parents. Understanding these tensions is
essential because they significantly shape how communication occurs in these
family dynamics.

We use Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT) as our framework. RDT suggests


that relationships involve conflicting demands, like wanting closeness versus
needing distance or feeling loyalty to one parent while navigating relationships
with the other. In broken families, these tensions can become even more intense
as family members adjust to new roles and complex emotions. Roles are
changing, expectations are changing, meanings are changing. Which highlight
the value of meaning making even more

By exploring the specific tensions these students experience, we aim to


understand how they influence their motivations for communication. This includes
motives like affection, control, relaxation, escape, pleasure, and inclusion. By
focusing on both the dialectical tensions and the communication motives, this
study provides a comprehensive view of the interpersonal dynamics in broken
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

families. Ultimately, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of how college


students from broken families work to maintain their connections with their
separated parents.

DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS

What is Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT)?

Relational dialectics is an interpersonal communication theory that suggests


close relationships, like those between parents and children, are characterized
by ongoing tensions and contradictions or dialectical tensions (Leslie Baxter and
Barbara Montgomery)

In the eyes of a student with separated parents, how do they fulfill their
communication with both parents?

Relational dialectics theory focuses on three main types of tensions:


Autonomy vs. connection: the tension between the need for independence
vs. the desire for closeness with others.
Openness vs. closeness: the tension between the desire to share personal
information and the desire to draw boundaries.
Predictability vs. novelty: the tension between the desire for stability and
the desire for change and excitement.

RDT provides a lens through which we can understand the push-pull dynamics
within relationships, especially in broken families. In such families, members
often face intensified dialectical tensions—such as the desire for autonomy
versus connection or openness versus closedness. These tensions are natural in
all relationships, but in broken families, they can become heightened as family
members adjust to new roles, changed expectations, and complex emotions.

Relational Dialectics Theory focuses on the struggles in meaning--the tensions--


that frequent interpersonal communication. However, the position of the theory is
not that tensions or contradictions are negative. Instead, they are the heart of the
meaning-making enterprise. One major breakthrough in this field of thought has
been the recognition that dialectical tensions can actually be a source of
creativity and vitality — meaning they don’t all need to be ‘solved’.
These tensions happen because relationships are ever-changing
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

why do students from broken families still need to communicate with


separated parents

Even when a family unit is no longer intact, the parent-child bond remains
essential for a child's sense of identity, security, and belonging.

What are the 6 Interpersonal Communication Motives? The 6 primary


interpersonal communication motives that will be the focus of this study are:

Affection, control, relaxation, escape, pleasure, and inclusion are the six
primary motives for interpersonal communication, as identified by the
Interpersonal Communication Motives Measure
Rubin, Perse, and Barbato developed the Interpersonal Communication Motives
(ICM) scale in 1988: (ICM):

● Affection: Expressing love and caring for others through social rituals

● Control: Using communication to gain compliance

● Relaxation: Using communication to rest and unwind

● Escape: Using communication to avoid other activities

● Inclusion: Using communication to express emotions and feel connected


to others

● Pleasure: Using communication for enjoyment and excitement

Affection-seeking behaviors

Control dynamics

Relaxation needs

Escape tendencies

Pleasure-seeking communication

Inclusion desires

Dialectical tensions and communication motives are interdependent and can


influence each other dynamically. Here’s how they relate:
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

1. Dialectical Tensions Affect Motives: Dialectical tensions, like autonomy


versus connection or openness versus closedness, can shape the reasons
why individuals communicate. For example, when a person feels a strong
need for autonomy in a relationship, they may communicate less frequently
or choose topics that preserve their independence, thus emphasizing
motives like control or escape. Conversely, a heightened need for
connection might lead them to prioritize affection or inclusion as primary
motives in their interactions.
2. Motives Influence the Perception and Management of Tensions: The
specific motives individuals bring to a relationship can also affect how they
perceive and navigate dialectical tensions. For instance, if a person’s
primary motive is affection, they may be more inclined to compromise on
autonomy to strengthen connection, reducing the impact of the autonomy-
connection tension. Similarly, someone with a strong relaxation motive
may find ways to downplay or avoid topics that heighten conflict, thus
managing tensions by prioritizing calmness over openness.

In essence, it’s a reciprocal relationship. Dialectical tensions guide


communication motives by creating emotional or relational needs that influence
why people engage in certain ways, while communication motives, in turn,
influence how individuals respond to and manage these tensions within their
relationships.

Introductory Questions:

1. Can you tell me a bit about your family background and the circumstances
around your parents' separation or divorce?
2. How would you describe your current relationship with each of your
parents?

Exploring Dialectical Tensions:

3. Can you share some examples of situations where you felt pulled between
your desire for closeness with a parent and your need for independence?

4. How do you navigate the balance between wanting to share information with
one parent versus needing to protect your privacy?

5. Can you describe any experiences where you felt conflicted about being loyal
to one parent over the other?

6. What challenges do you face in trying to maintain stability in your relationships


with your parents given the changes in your family structure?

Communication Motives:
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

7. What are the main reasons you choose to communicate with your separated
parents? (Probe for motives like affection, control, relaxation, escape, pleasure,
inclusion)

8. Can you share an example of a time when your desire for affection or
closeness influenced how you communicated with a parent?

9. How does your need for control or influence factor into your conversations
with your parents?

10. Are there situations where you communicate with a parent primarily to relax
or escape from stress?

11. Can you describe instances where your motivation was to have an enjoyable
or pleasurable interaction with a parent?

12. In what ways does your need to feel included or accepted by your parents
shape your communication with them?

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