Openness and honesty are integral parts of making a relationship work. When a relationship stops working, you often hear of couples arguing or ignoring each other to an extent in which it no longer seems possible for them to communicate clearly. Common communication hazards in couple relationships include: the surfacing of critical attitudes, harsh, insensitive statements, talking over each other, failing to listen to each other or look for truth in each other’s statements, defensiveness or unwillingness to see things from a partner’s perpective. These common pitfalls can land people in situations in which they no longer feel close to their partner and no longer can talk about why that is. Take this quiz to find out how well you communicate with your partner. Then read PsychAlive’s “Three Ways We Make Communication Impossible” and listen to the podcast Minute of the Mind: Couple Communication Skills.
Psychology for Everyday Life