11: Dark Side of Communication

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Page ID: 136580

Angela Hoppe-Nagao & Anu Khanna
ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI)

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Learning Objectives

Explain the dark side of relationships.
Define the various types of secret tests.
Describe the phenomena of gaslighting and examine different forms of deception.
Describe types of verbal abuse.
Identify the dark side of social media and its relational impacts.
Develop interpersonally competent skills and strategies for responding to the dark side of communication.

In this chapter we deal with topics around deception, jealousy, social media, bullying, intimate partner violence, emotional abuse, and secret tests. We will end with a review of the communication skills you have learned throughout this text to help you respond effectively to the dark side. We want to acknowledge that some of the content may be difficult to process; your safety and well-being is our primary concern. In this chapter we share resources to support your emotional and physical well-being.

11.1: Introduction to the Dark Side of Communication
In this chapter, we pull back the veil on the dark side of communication, to reveal deception, jealousy, social media, bullying, intimate partner violence, emotional abuse, secret tests, and other potentially harmful aspects of relationships. The chapter will end with a review of the communication skills you have learned throughout this text to help you respond effectively to the dark side.
11.2: Deception and Gaslighting
This section examines how communication in our relationships uses deception and gaslighting to mislead, deceive, and manipulate others.
11.3: Jealousy, Secret Tests, and Gossip
This next section overviews common interpersonal relationship phenomena that have the potential to fall on both the light and dark side of communication, including jealousy, secret tests, and gossip.
11.4: Communication as a Weapon—Aggression in Relationships
Every light side can be accompanied by a dark side, and in this case, the relationships that should keep us safe may also cause us harm when they are plagued by aggression. In this section, we will focus on several different types of aggression in relationships and we wrap the section up with resources for help if you or someone you know is being harmed.
11.5: The Dark Side of Social Media
In this section, we will examine social media from the dark side of communication, first by exploring some of the benefits and then revealing how social media is linked to cyberbullying, stalking and sexting, isolation, mental health, and the spread of disinformation.
11.6: Summary and Review
11.7: References

Thumbnail: Woman portrait by Engin Akyurt, from Pixabay