Steven A. Beebe

In a Peanuts cartoon reproduced on page 49 of this book, Linus says to Lucy, "The world does not revolve around you!". Lucy's astonished "You're kidding!" suggests that the idea is a startling revelation to her.

Unlike Lucy, the rest of us may not be so shocked to discover that considering, the thoughts and feelings of others is central to improving our interpersonal communication. The value of focusing on others, rather than only on ourselves, is the foundation of every major faith movement, religion, or human value system in the world. It was also the foundation of the first edition of Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others, and it remains the central theme of this second edition.

Becoming other-oriented involves all of the classic skills and principles typically taught in an interpersonal communication curriculum, but requires also that we link our perceptions, thoughts and feelings to those of our communication partners. We continue to emphasize this link through the second edition, addressing students' innate desire for knowledge about how to improve their relationships as they study the self; language; nonverbal communication; conflict management; and communication with family, friends, lovers, and colleagues.… (mehr)