Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

Although relatively little research has examined AO, the conducted research indicates its importance in
interpersonal relationships. For example, in one study, individuals who viewed their parents/guardians as
having high AO levels reported more open communication with those parents/guardians. 62
refer to general patterns of mental processes that impact how people
socially relate to others or view themselves. All of the following dispositions impact how people interact
with others, but they do so from very different places. Without going into too much detail, we are going
to examine the seven personal-social dispositions identified by John Daly. 63
Loneliness
The first social-personal disposition is or an individual’s emotional distress that results from a
feeling of solitude or isolation from social relationships. Loneliness can generally be discussed as existing
in one of two forms: emotional and social. results when an individual feels that
he or she does not have an emotional connection with others. We generally get these emotional connections
through our associations with loved ones and close friends. If an individual is estranged from their
family or doesn’t have close friendships, then he or she may feel loneliness as a result of a lack of these
emotional relationships. , on the other hand, results from a lack of a satisfying social
network. Imagine you’re someone who has historically been very social. Still, you move to a new city and
find building new social relationships very difficult because the people in the new location are very cliquey.
The inability to develop a new social network can lead someone to feelings of loneliness because he
or she may feel a sense of social boredom or marginalization.
Loneliness tends to impact people in several different ways interpersonally. Some of the general
research findings associated with loneliness have demonstrated that these people have lower self-esteem,
are more socially passive, are more sensitive to rejection from others, and are often less socially skilled.
Interestingly, lonely individuals tend to think of their interpersonal failures using an internal locus of
control and their interpersonal successes externally. 64
Depression
is a psychological disorder characterized by varying degrees of disappointment, guilt, hopelessness,
loneliness, sadness, and self-doubt, all of which negatively impact a person’s general mental and
physical wellbeing. Depression (and all of its characteristics) is very difficult to encapsulate in a single definition.
If you’ve ever experienced a major depressive episode, it’s a lot easier to understand what depression
is compared to those who have never experienced one. Depressed people tend to be less satisfied
with life and less satisfied with their interpersonal interactions as well. Research has shown that depression
negatively impacts all forms of interpersonal relationships: dating, friends, families, work, etc. We
will periodically come back to depression as we explore various parts of interpersonal communication.
As discussed earlier in this chapter, self-esteem consists of your sense of self-worth and the level of satisfaction
you have with yourself; it is how you feel about yourself. A good self-image raises your self-esteem;
a poor self-image often results in poor self-esteem, lack of confidence, and insecurity. Not surprisingly,
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Interpersonal Communication