Written by leading scholar and award-winning teacher Julia T. Wood, INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS, 8e relates theory and skills directly to students' everyday interactions as it delivers a solid introduction to interpersonal communication. Completely up to date, the new Eighth Edition integrates the latest communication research, including findings from more than 125 new sources. Reflecting the author's expertise in gender and social diversity, the text includes an unparalleled focus on diversity. The new edition also features increased coverage of social media and an expanded emphasis on ethical choices. It addresses such timely issues as emotional intelligence and forgiveness, interracial relationships, safe sex, ways to deal with abuse from intimates, race-related differences between conflict styles, and the power of language. In addition, the text is available with MindTap—a fully online, highly personalized teaching experience that enhances learner engagement and improves outcomes while reducing instructor workload.

Part I: THE FABRIC OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION.
1. A First Look at Interpersonal Communication.
2. Communication and Personal Identity.
3. Perception and Communication.
4. The World of Words.
5. The World Beyond Words.
6. Mindful Listening.
Part II: WEAVING COMMUNICATION INTO RELATIONSHIPS.
7. Emotions and Communication.
8. Communication Climate: The Foundation of Personal Relationships.
9. Managing Conflict in Relationships.
10. Friendships in Our Lives.
11. Committed Romantic Relationships.
12. Communication in Families.
Epilogue: Continuing the Conversation.
Glossary.
References.
Index.

Written by leading scholar and award-winning teacher Julia T. Wood, INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS, 8e relates theory and skills directly to students' everyday interactions as it delivers a solid introduction to interpersonal communication. Completely up to date, the new Eighth Edition integrates the latest communication research, including findings from more than 125 new sources. Reflecting the author's expertise in gender and social diversity, the text includes an unparalleled focus on diversity. The new edition also features increased coverage of social media and an expanded emphasis on ethical choices. It addresses such timely issues as emotional intelligence and forgiveness, interracial relationships, safe sex, ways to deal with abuse from intimates, race-related differences between conflict styles, and the power of language. In addition, the text is available with MindTap—a fully online, highly personalized teaching experience that enhances learner engagement and improves outcomes while reducing instructor workload. Stronger and more integrated attention to social media is featured throughout. Every chapter includes a section that discusses connections between chapter themes and social media. All chapters also include one or more “Communication in Everyday Life” features highlighting social media. Expanded attention to ethics includes coverage of ethical choices integrated throughout the text as well as a “Thinking Critically” question focused specifically on ethics at the end of each chapter. Chapter 2, Communication and Personal Identity, includes a new section on how we express, or perform, our identities. Highlighting our human ability to choose how to perform our identities, this new material provides a useful complement to existing coverage of ways that others and culture shape identity. Now more relevant to contemporary students, Chapter 12, Communication in Families, helps students think about and manage issues that face or will face them and their families. Findings from more than 125 new sources reflect the latest research related to interpersonal communication. Built on a strengthened learning architecture based on skill building, application, and critical thinking, the Eighth Edition's pedagogy is reflected and integrated carefully into MindTap-a personalized teaching experience with assignments that guide students to analyze, apply, and improve thinking, allowing instructors to measure skills and outcomes with ease. At MindTap students are able to use dynamic technological resources, including interactive videos and simulations; find high-value gradable activities; and practice in an engaging, personalized online environment. MindTap is cued in the text where appropriate to remind students of their options for interactive applications. Each chapter now previews chapter content for students with an easily reviewed set of Learning Objectives paired with a chapter outline. Each Learning Objective has been carefully matched with one or more activities that will demonstrate its mastery. Bringing chapter concepts to life, the expanded photo program now includes more stills from popular media plus thought-provoking captions. “Communication in Everyday Life” features now include a new “Social Media” subcategory; renamed the “Career” subcategory “Workplace” to reflect the fact that not all work need be considered a “career”; and often conclude with a suggestion for applying the boxed material via reflection, action, or visiting an online site, for which students can provide written responses in MindTap.