FEATURES
* Employs the "lenses" of gender, family, and culture to view and make sense of relational communication
* Offers a well-rounded discussion of the links between communication competencies and relationships
* Features a developmental approach to relationships that addresses initiating, sustaining, and ending them
* Reflects direct applications of relational issues within contexts of family, friendships, and technology
* Explores issues relating to computer-mediated communication and new technologies in everyday life
* Provides detailed introductions to each section and articles that describe relevant theories or research
* Presents discussion questions at the end of each reading, helping students integrate and apply key points
NEW TO THE FIFTH EDITION
* Includes ten new articles and nine updated articles
* Updates the technology section with all new essays about presenting the self online, the impact of the Internet on social tolerance, and living a wired life
* Updates the Instructor's Companion Website (www.oup.com/us/galvin), which contains an Instructor's Manual and Test Bank written by Courtney Waite Miller at Elmhurst College