Lesson 2.4 Conclusion

Conclusion

You are on your way to becoming a fantastic communicator and you will likely be a little more aware now about how others might be perceiving your words and body language.

You also have learned more about conflict. The hidden benefit of conflict is that it can help bring issues out into the open where you can use your empathy and listening skills to increase understanding.

These skills will help you in many types of relationships.
Coming up in our final lesson are ways to enrich your relationship!

Coming Up

In lesson 3 you will learn about some relationship skills. We will cover red flags, the RAM model for relationship attachment, predictors of marital success, unrealistic expectations, and covert contracts. It is going to be a full and enriching lesson to increase your preparation for making deeper commitments with your partner.

Take Action

Think about someone in your life that might be going through a struggle right now or think about someone you are frustrated with right now. Practice thinking in more empathetic ways about them. Picture and try to feel what they might be feeling.
What listening style weaknesses do you have?
- Come up with 2 things you will do this week to practice improving them.
  - Example: crossing your fingers while in conversation to remind you to stay listening
Make a goal for how you want to show up in conflict the next time you have some relationship tension. Write it down so you remember it.

Deepen Your Learning

4 Things Great Listeners Know Ted-Ed (5:06)

How Miscommunication Happens Ted-Ed (4:32)

Lesson 2 References

Academy of Social Competency. (2018, April 10). Communication Skills: Empathetic Listening- Inside Out, 2015. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t685WM5R6aM

Alipour, Z., Kazemi, A., Kheirabadi, G., and Eslami, A. (2020). Marital communication skills training to promote marital satisfaction and psychological health during pregnancy: A couple focused approach. Reproductive Health, 17(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-020-0877-4

Baier, J. and Dima-Laza, S. (2025). Body language- “Hearing” what is not being said. Studii de Stiinta si Cultura, 21(4), 235-242.

Forbush, A., Lebaron-Black, A.B., Saxey, M.T., Suxo-Sanchez, S., Holmes, E.K., and Yorgason, J. (2025). Can I trust you? Bidirectional, longitudinal associations between trust and various topics of couple communication. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 42(7), 1778-1799. https://doi.org./10.1177/02654075251331332

FRIENDS Collection. (2018, August 29). F.R.I.E.N.D.S| Friends pretend they listening to Ross|s03e07|HD. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Ps_HMdyvs

Gottman, J.M., & Silver, N. (2015). The seven principles for making marriage work (2^nd ed.) Harmony Books

Lauer, R.H. and Lauer, J.C. (2012). Marriage & family: The quest for intimacy (Eighth edition). McGraw-Hill.

Miller, S., Corrales, R., and Wackman, D.B. (1975). Recent progress in understanding and facilitating marital communication. National Council on Family Relations, 24(2), 143-152. https://www.jstor.org/stable/582277

The Big Bang Theory Active Listening- english sub. 2016, October 18).Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_dAkDsBQyk

The RSA. (2013, December 10). Brene Brown on Empathy [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

Watzlawick, P., Bavelas, J.B., and Jackson, D.D. (2011). Pragmatics of human connection: A study of interactional patterns, pathologies, and paradoxes. W.W. Norton & Company.