Interpersonal Relationships Worksheet

Use your textbook to answer the following questions. You are not required to respond in essay format. You may use short-answer responses, including lists, to answer these questions.

1. What are the characteristics of intimate relationships? What are behavioral interdependence, need fulfillment, emotional attachment, and emotional availability? Why is each important in relationship development? The characteristics are behavioral interdependence, need fulfillment, emotional attachment, and emotional availability.

Behavioral interdependence is the mutual impact that people have on each other as their lives and daily activities intertwine.

Need fulfillment is the psychological need for intimacy, social integration, nurturance, assistance, and affirmation. Emotional attachments are feelings of love, and emotional availability is the ability to give and receive from others emotionally without fear of being hurt or rejected. All of these coincide with being in a healthy relationship. You have to be able to listen and respond when somebody expresses feelings, and you have to be ready to be able to make that happen.

Everybody wants to be wanted, and feel like there is somebody out there for them, and to just generally be happy with a significant other, and wants to feel like they are needed.

Making sure you available emotionally available to accept and return those feelings, and being able to be open with somebody is crucial to having a healthy relationship.

2. What problems might form barriers to intimacy? What actions can you take to reduce or remove these barriers? Lack of personal identity, emotional immaturity, and a poorly developed sense of responsibility, fear of being hurt, low self esteem, and mishandled ostility.

Keeping a open line of communication between your partner and yourself can help. Being able to identify when there is a problem, and being able to work it out is very important, as well as crucial for the relationship to last. Knowing that somebody is there for you, and cares about you, and wants to be with you can often times help as well.

3. What are the common elements of healthy relationships? What are some common warning signs of trouble? What actions can you take to improve your own interpersonal relationships? Good communication, intimacy, and friendship.

Always be honest, and able to openly talk with people in your life. Be honest about feelings, and just be honest with each other in general. Make time for the people in your life, and understand the overall importance of each relationship you have in your life. 4. Why is social support important to an individual’s health and wellness? What type of social support do you have that has positively affected your health and wellness? Knowing that people are supporting you, and are there for you when you need help is crucial to being successful.

Also read about interpersonal communication strengths and weaknesses

Being able to know that you have people around you that are supporting you, and having the overall feelings of knowing you are not by yourself help ease the stresses the life. The best social support that I have is my girlfriend and friends. I know that they are there for me no matter what, and will stand by my side when the time comes that I need them. They are always there to just listen when I have a problem, and always offer advice when I need it. I know that I just have to call, and they are always ready to help.