1. Think about a relationship that is important to you. Where would you place the relationship on Knapp's model of relationship development? Analyze the relationship in terms of the behaviors that characterize your communication at this stage. Give specific examples to explain your claims. Do you expect to remain in the current stage of relationship development or do you expect to move to another stage? Now consider these questions from the other party's perspective. Would he or she evaluate the relationship in the same way you have? What insights can you gain from this evaluation?
2. Have you ever disclosed personal information and regretted it afterwards? Was this because you chose the wrong person, the wrong time, or the wrong information to disclose, or some combination of these three? Can you think of a time in your life when self-disclosure helped you deal with a situation? What might have been the effect of choosing not to disclose?
3. Think back over the past few days. How did you react to criticism from others? What defense mechanisms, if any, did you use? Identify one or more ways in which you could you have handled the criticism instead. Consider the value of responding to criticism by seeking information or finding points of agreement, rather than by applying defense mechanisms.