Every person needs to communicate with other people, but the barriers and subtleties of our interpersonal communications often go undetected. In this section of our blog, we look at the latest interpersonal communication studies and critical theories to develop a better understanding of how people communicate face-to-face and through new technologies like social networking websites and text messaging systems. We will also take a look at small group interactions to learn how our interpersonal skills change and adapt to different situations. By understanding our interpersonal skills, our group communicative skills and how these skills can develop in response to new technologies, we can look for ways to positively treat interpersonal disorders and how to change our interactions with other individuals.
September 11 Text Messages Reveal Emotional Timeline, Says Researchers
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have been called the defining moment of our time. Thousands of people died and the attacks had huge individual and collective consequences, including two wars. But less is known about the immediate emotional reactions to the attacks. For a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, researchers analyzed text messages sent on September 11, 2001 for emotional words. They found spiking anxiety and steadily increasing anger through that fateful day.