Interpersonal and intergroup communication focuses on how verbal and nonverbal communication processes influence (and are influenced by) social, intimate and group relations. Interpersonal and intergroup communication courses are foundational for all our undergraduate majors and minors.
Our faculty in this area engage in research in a variety of contexts and often cut across other research foci of our department, including health, organizational and sport communication. Recent faculty research has examined the effects of linguistic style on speaker evaluations and persuasion; end-of-life decision making; relational uncertainty in romantic partnerships; intimate partner violence; the use of identity code words in dark groups; cohesion's ability to make conflict beneficial in groups; and the effects of parent-child sexual communication on sexual risk behaviors.
