Introduction
Being able to identify and analyze communication patterns observed in interactions with others provides a range of opportunities for improving the experience and addressing interpersonal issues, preventing conflicts and confrontations. In this paper, the core aspects of my in-person communication with my mother and grandmother will be analyzed. Introspection into the specifics of our interactions and key characteristics of our communication will serve as a perfect opportunity to learn about myself and the patterns of my relationships with others. Although the generational gap between my mother and me is significantly shorter than the one between my grandmother and me, the latter bond has a significantly greater emotional rapport due to proximity and relational maintenance.
Proximity
The concept of proximity in communication is often correlated to the level of trust and emotional rapport between participants of the dialogue. However, in my case, proximity is in reverse proportion to the extent of emotional rapport and willingness to interact that I have been exhibiting in the dialogue with my mother and my grandmother. Specifically, with my mother being in much closer proximity, I tend to seek to converse with her significantly less often than I do with my grandmother. The specified phenomenon may be explained by the erroneous connection that I intuitively make between proximity and priority (Singh 52). Namely, with my grandmother often not being physically present in the same space as me, I feel that I must prioritize communication with her.
Self-Disclosure
The extent of self-disclosure as an integral part of communication varies depending on the nature of relationships between individuals. In my case, the extent of self-disclosure that I have accepted in communication with my grandmother is significantly greater than that one in my dialogue with my mother. The described decision can be seen as a response to the slightly overbearing approach that my mother has been adopting to our communications and interactions. In turn, my relationships with my grandmother have been significantly less strained due to her decision to offer me a significantly larger amount of flexibility in decision-making and related issues. Indeed, considering the type of self-disclosure that I have with my mother, it appears to boil down to discussing facts and relevant information, which implies that the level of self-disclosure is presently quite low. Although the specified characteristic of our relationship does not signal the lack or loss of trust, it points to my intention to distance myself, which can be seen as the willingness to become more self-sufficient and independent.
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
In my interactions with my mother and grandmother, verbal communication has always been a major point of difference. Due to her age, my grandmother developed hearing problems when I was quite young, which introduced certain complications to our communication. Specifically, multiple confusions and the necessity to converse at a higher volume than I typically do with other members of the family introduce a certain element of discomfort into the process of interactions. However, the specified barrier, being primarily mechanical, was gradually removed as my grandmother and I started developing a new approach to communication based on both verbal and nonverbal elements, with a substantial emphasis on the latter aspect. Introducing a significant amount of context and nuance into the conversation, the use of gestures and signs has helped us reconnect and allowed us to discuss a wide variety of issues.
Compares or my communication with my mother, the specified improvement was unique and contributed to reinforcing the bond that my grandma and I had. In turn, the approach to communication that my mother and I developed when talking to each otter did not represent anything unique in terms of using nonverbal elements specific to our conversations. As a result, maintaining emotional rapport and genuine engagement for a significant amount of time has become quite difficult for us when conversing, which has led to creating a certain distance between us on an emotional level (Child 7). Therefore, I should make further efforts to reconnect with my mother and become more actively engaged in our interactions so that our relationships could remain rooted in trust, love, and support.
Relational Maintenance
Ensuring that relationships remain unambiguously open and clear is one of the core requirements for remaining on good terms with others. The specified principle is particularly important to adhere to in familial relationships and communication with relatives. Geared at preventing relational deterioration, relational maintenance efforts can be seen as a set of measures aimed at keeping a rapport with others and ensuring that communication remains open and consistent. In my case, substantial efforts are made to enhance relational maintenance in my communication with the grandmother. Partially due to the fear of losing her to a health issue and partially due to the obvious presence of a massive generational gap, I have been putting a significantly larger amount of effort into sustaining my relationships with her than with my mother (Machia et al. 336). Arguably, the lack of focus on my communication with my mother could be seen as a part of establishing myself as an individual independent from my parents, with a unique personality and identity (Selby 36). Indeed, the described supposition aligns with the core concepts of Eriksson’s perspective on stages of development, specifically, the young adulthood stage.
Involving the juxtaposition of intimacy versus isolation, the specified developmental phase implies a conflict between keeping distance in relationships and encouraging the development of the emotional report. Therefore, being conflicted about the specified issues, I tend to distance myself from the relationships that I have been an integral part of throughout my entire life, seeking to compensate for the specified decision by building an emotional connection with another family member instead (Child 21). Overall, the relational maintenance in my communication with my grandmother is significantly stronger than that one in my dialogue with my mother.
Conclusion
Since the proximity between my grandmother and me is becoming lower than the one between my mother and me, and since the extent of self-disclosure is greater, the former relationship dynamics are currently more robust. Specifically, the nature of our communication appears to be more transparent and open, which can be explained partially by the inherent fear of losing the rapport that we have built due to my grandmother’s old age. Furthermore, the lack of consistency in communication with my mother, as opposed to the interactions with my grandmother, allows me to feel more confident when talking to my grandmother. Therefore, by exploring the possible recommendations and options for improving my rapport with my mother, I could shift the proximity paradigm in a manner that will make the specified interactions more meaningful. Thus, a positive change in the relationship between my mother and me can be expected.
Works Cited
Child, James. Experience Communication. 2nd edition, McGraw Hill, 2019.
Machia, Laura V., Christopher R. Agnew, and Ximena B. Arriaga, eds. Interdependence, Interaction, and Close Relationships. Cambridge University Press, 2020.
Selby, Christine LB. Who Am I? Understanding Identity and the Many Ways We Define Ourselves. ABC-CLIO, 2021.
Singh, Kumar Arun. Social psychology. 2nd edition, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd., 2019.